Chris Van Hollen on Kicking the Tires for 2028 and Winning Back the Senate

Oct 7, 2026 · 1h 3m

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About this episode

We sit down with Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, a former DCCC and DSCC chair, to talk about why he's stopped holding back. He explains his trip to El Salvador for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, his break with the Biden administration over Gaza, and why 2026 looks a lot like 2006, while confronting a hard truth: normalcy wasn't working before Trump, and voters won't settle for it now. (4:00) Who Was Chris Van Hollen Before the Titles? (7:00) A JFK Portrait in a Sri Lankan Village (8:00) What Trump's USAID Cuts Cost America (17:00) His Role Models: Dad, Dr. King & a Republican Senator (22:00) Is 2026 the New 2006? (26:00) The Path to a Democratic Senate Majority (29:00) Why "Back to Normal" Is…