Breaking down Steve Hilton's Trump endorsement, why two Republicans advancing is never going to happen, and how Democrats may be using that fake threat to dismantle nonpartisan primaries altogether. Plus: the Swalwell rumors making waves before June 2nd, a Green Party candidate kicked off the ballot over tax returns, and where the massive undecided independent voter bloc actually lands.

Episode Highlights

On this episode of the Independent Voter Podcast, Chad Peace, Cara Brown McCormick, Ethan Handelman, and Shawn Griffiths break down the California governor's race, looking at the latest election polling and Donald Trump’s endorsement of Steve Hilton.

A new poll from David Binder Research shows Hilton leading with 22%, while Democrat Eric Swalwell faces mounting controversy over viral rumors spreading across social media. 

We challenge the mainstream narrative and doomsday spin by Democratic leaders that the June nonpartisan Top Two primary could advance two Republicans to November. While the candidate numbers fluctuate, a quarter of the electorate remains undecided. 

And the odds that Hilton or Chad Bianco will get these voters are slim.

New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You

Using verified California voter file data, IVP surveyed high-propensity voters from February 13 through 20. The poll tested first-choice ballot preferences alongside issue intensity on affordability and the cost of living, immigration enforcement, more choice reform, and more.

Independent Voter NewsEthan Handelman

On national politics, we react to explosive Trump tariffs news and wild stock market volatility, driven in real time by Truth Social posts – a phenomenon that saw markets swing over 1,500 points in a single session. 

The conversation then shifts to US-Iran tensions, Middle East peace talks, and Trump's controversial rhetoric about Iran, which sparked widespread calls for 25th Amendment action. 

Meanwhile, a FEMA official named Greg Phillips – head of the Office of Response and Recovery with a $300 million budget – made headlines with a bizarre claim about being teleported 50 miles to a Georgia Waffle House.

Adding to the chaos, agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (like FEMA and the US Coast Guard) have gone unpaid for over 50 days due to a stalled DHS funding deal.

The question is, why isn’t the mainstream media talking more about this ongoing shutdown?

The episode wraps with an examination of how it really works with voter ID laws, exploring why an issue with 80% public support remains so politically divisive.

We also cover Idaho becoming the 25th state to urge Congress to propose a constitutional amendment on money in politics.

Half of US States Are Now in Revolt Over Money in Politics

Idaho became the 25th state Wednesday to formally urge Congress to propose a constitutional amendment that allows federal and state legislative bodies to have greater authority over the flow of money in US politics.

Independent Voter NewsShawn Griffiths

This is the product of tireless work by the cross-partisan group American Promise, and brings it closer to the 38-state threshold needed to guarantee ratification should the For Our Freedom Amendment be approved by Congress.