Susan Del Percio | Don't Take the Bait: Winning in a MAGA World
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each OtherShow Notes
She's a Republican who won't back Trump, and she has no interest in yelling — just winning.
Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion
Susan Del Percio is a crisis communications expert, political analyst, and MS NOW columnist who has publicly opposed Trump since 2015. Corey and Susan dig into the Texas Senate race, how vulnerable Republicans navigate a MAGA world, what polls actually tell you, and why listening might be the most radical political act left.
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Key Takeaways
Threading the needle in 2026. Vulnerable Republicans need MAGA voters to turn out and independents to cross over. The playbook: show up with Trump once, deliver locally, and pick your fights carefully.
Don't take the bait. Susan's advice for James Talarico: ignore the culture-war attacks and make every answer about the economy. Gas prices, cost of goods, cost of doing business. Nothing else.
What polls actually tell you. They're snapshots, not predictions. Susan ignores the horse race and looks for trends and cross-tabs — specifically, who's gettable.
Respecting the office. Susan called Trump a piece of garbage on air and has never forgiven herself. Not because she supports him — because the office demands a baseline the person in it doesn't.
Just listen. Stop preparing your rebuttal long enough to hear what someone is actually saying. Then ask why. It costs nothing.
About Our Guest
Susan Del Percio is a crisis communications expert and political analyst for MS NOW. A lifelong Republican, she has publicly opposed Donald Trump since 2015 and previously served in both the Giuliani and Cuomo administrations.
Links and Resources
Follow Susan: x.com/DelPercioS
Latest on MS NOW: www.ms.now/opinion/trump-republicans-irs-settlement-lawfare-polling-distraction-budget
Grateful to our friends at The Democracy Group: www.democracygroup.org
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