Power, Policy & Progress With Madison Maynard

In this episode of Power, Policy & Progress, host Madison Maynard analyzes the latest high-stakes developments shaping the final sprint to the 2026 midterm elections:Ohio Governor Race Firestorm: Vivek Ramaswamy’s controversial ad featuring opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother splits Republicans and sparks fierce debate over political ethics.Obama & Trump Split-Screen: Former President Barack Obama hits the trail in Ohio with sharp critiques of the administration, while President Trump fires back from Florida during a high-stakes campaign weekend.Trump’s Early Voting Pivot: President Trump casts his ballot early in Palm Beach, urging supporters to embrace mail-in and early voting despite previous skepticism.DOJ Intervention in Alaska: The Justice Department files an unprecedented lawsuit over Alaska's Senate race amid ballot confusion over two candidates named Dan Sullivan and rural voting site delays.

In this special mini-episode of Power, Policy & Progress, host Madison Maynard breaks down the unprecedented five-day tenure of White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia.We examine the rapid sequence of events that led to her swift exit, starting with a turbulent five-and-a-half-minute debut press briefing. We also dive into the intense media scrutiny surrounding her legal credentials, the confusion over her bar exam status and past work in China, and how this sudden departure shatters the record for the shortest White House communications stint in history.

In this episode of Power, Policy & Progress, host Madison Maynard breaks down four high-stakes national stories spanning campus accountability, fiery midterm debates, election forecasting, and municipal political fallouts:Inside the Chi Phi House (Cornell 7 Update): Over 1,000 pages of newly leaked investigative records and group chat logs reveal the internal crisis response at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity following the 2024 sexual assault allegations, as special prosecutors and independent investigators take over the probe.Fiery Senate Debates in ME, MI & GA: Candidates in three decisive Senate battlegrounds trade sharp personal attacks as economic pressure, energy costs, and White House policy ties put candidates on the defensive.The Reality of a 2026 "Blue Wave": Analyzing why flipping the Senate remains structural work for Democrats despite strong head-to-head polling, evaluating map disadvantages, cash gaps, and historical lessons from 2006 and 2018.Mayor Mamdani’s October 7 Statement: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces intense pushback from local Jewish leaders following a statement marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks focused heavily on the war in Gaza.

In this special episode of Power, Policy & Progress, host Madison Maynard conducts an in-depth breakdown of the "Cornell 7" case, a high-profile legal battle and national scandal that has exposed deep flaws in how universities and local law enforcement handle campus sexual assault.We examine the full timeline of events surrounding the October 2024 incident at the Chi Phi fraternity house, the controversial internal Title IX sanctions, and the recent September 2026 civil lawsuit that reopened the criminal investigation under a state special prosecutor. Beyond the courtroom, we discuss what this case means for the safety of women on college campuses, the breakdown of trust in institutional protections, and the sweeping policy changes needed to fix Title IX reporting and Greek life oversight.

In this episode of Power, Policy & Progress, host Madison Maynard breaks down three major national developments shaping policy, elections, and constitutional rights: White House Press Ban Blocked: A federal judge orders the immediate reinstatement of credentials for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, following a temporary standoff at West Wing security checkpoints. GOP "Survival Mode" Pivot: Vulnerable Republican candidates distance themselves from White House policies, calling for an end to the war in Iran amid rising fuel costs and economic pressure. Democratic Post-Primary Unity: New polling reveals that over 60% of Democratic voters in key battlegrounds feel stronger and more unified following competitive state primaries.