This week, Jay and Sean tackle the results of the Senate primary in Texas. They discuss James Talarico’s victory in the Democratic primary and the religious dimension of Talarico’s candidacy. They also assess the strengths and weaknesses of Talarico’s two potential GOP opponents, incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who will face each other in a runoff in May, as well as how Texas demographics may play in the general election. Plus, Jay and Sean dip into the mailbag and answer a listener question about the books that have influenced them. Take a listen and let us know what you think!

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Show notes:

Sean’s Recommendations:

The Almanac of American Politics

Electoral Realignments, by David Mayhew

The Emerging Democratic Majority, by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira

Jay’s Recommendations:

Conjectures and Refutations, by Karl Popper

Micromotives and Macrobehavior, by Thomas Schelling

Reflections on the Revolution in France, by Edmund Burke

AEI’s Jay Cost and Sean Trende talk about the topic on everyone’s mind this week: the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Learning Resources v. Trump, which struck down President Trump’s use of tariffs under IEEPA. Throughout the episode, our hosts touch on the majority opinion, as well as the various concurrences and dissents, that came down last Friday. Jay and Sean address the history of tariffs in American political economy before moving on to a conversation about the separation of powers. They wrap up by discussing the ideological makeup of the Court and this case’s implications for questions of checks and balances. Take a listen and let us know what you think!

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Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.

Show notes:

Jay’s review of The Constitution of Conflict

On this week’s episode, Jay and Sean continue their focus on the Senate. In particular, they talk about the formation, history, and modern uses of the filibuster. Our hosts explain the rationale for the filibuster before addressing several criticisms of the procedure. In the second segment, Jay and Sean address the unexpected effectiveness Mike Johnson has shown as Speaker of the House. Take a listen!

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This week, Jay and Sean zoom out from the ongoing immigration enforcement debate to talk about the history and politics of immigration. In the spirit of Stubborn Things, Jay and Sean try to make sense of various views – right, left, and center – on immigration and discuss the radical politics that prevents compromise and consensus. During the second half of the episode, they talk about Senate dysfunction and the upcoming Senate election in Texas. Take a listen!

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This week, Jay and Sean talk the Donroe Doctrine. They address the centuries-old historical precedent of American military intervention in the Western Hemisphere and analyze how the Trump admiration's forays into Venezuela fit into this story. On the second half of the episode, Jay interviews Sean about his experiences as an election lawyer and congressional map-drawing extraordinaire. Take a listen!

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On Stubborn Things’ first episode of 2026, Jay and Sean talk about elections both past and future. How will President Trump’s approval rating, partisan redistricting, and other factors affect the outcome of the midterms this November? Our hosts discuss whether the midterm results and the results of the 2028 GOP presidential primary are foregone conclusions. Plus, how do current election procedures differ from ones of centuries past, and why are some Americans prohibited from getting drunk on election day? Come for an analysis of JD Vance’s 2028 odds, stay for Sean’s humming of The Imperial March.

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On this week’s episode of Stubborn Things, Jay Cost and Sean Trende recap the oral argument before the Supreme Court in Trump v. Slaughter and present an overview of the political history, legal cases, and theories of executive power that have led the Court to this point. Plus, our hosts kick off the way-too-early speculation about who might be the Democratic nominee for President in 2028. Will it be Gavin Newsom? AOC? Someone else? Take a listen to hear what Jay and Sean think.

Show notes:

• Trump v. Slaughter
• Myers v. United States
• Humphrey's Executor v. United States
• Justice Scalia’s dissent in Morrison v. Olson
• Woodrow Wilson: The Study of Administration
• Jay’s recent AEI report on Wilson’s early views on regulation

In the very first episode of Stubborn Things, Jay Cost and Sean Trende kick off with a deep dive into gerrymandering. This year alone, 10 states have redistricted or are in the process of doing so, often with overt partisan aims. In a statewide election last month, California approved a new congressional map to favor Democrats. In September, the governor of Missouri signed that state's new map — passed by a state house and senate featuring supermajority Republican control — into law, a move that is projected to boost Republican candidates. And over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the President referred to Indiana Republicans who (at least initially) resisted the pressure to gerrymander as "RINOs" and called for them to be primaried. To unpack all of this and more, Cost and Trende explore the origins of gerrymandering and connect the historical, partisan, and legal dots that make up the story of American congressional redistricting.