Brooks and Atkins Stohr on GOP vulnerabilities in the midterms

Two political commentators assessed the week's developments on PBS NewsHour on October 2, 2026, with attention centered on how vulnerable Republicans appear as the midterm elections approach. Geoff Bennett, who co-anchors the program and serves as its co-managing editor, hosted the conversation with Kimberly Atkins Stohr, representing The Boston Globe, and David Brooks, representing The Atlantic.

Among the subjects was President Trump's decision to campaign in a series of states that reliably favor Republicans, a trip that fed talk about where the party is exposed. The guests also examined the administration's strategy on artificial intelligence, the third topic listed.

Related coverage listed alongside the segment includes Associated Press work by Jill Colvin and Kim Chandler, and by Thomas Beaumont, Darlene Superville and Will Weissert, plus PolitiFact work by Amy Sherman and Louis Jacobson. Jonah Anderson is listed as a politics producer at the program, and Bennett is presented as a journalist covering politics and culture in the United States.

Summarized by PolitiKool from PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at PBS NewsHour →