Take a minute to [un]wind with our Sunday morning newsletter. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week – plus, all the anti-fringe news that’s fit to print.

VOTE VOTE VOTE!

Filling out ballots is ceremonial in our household. Yesterday, when our ballots arrived for the August 2 primary, my boyfriend threw some steaks on the Traeger, made us both whiskey drinks, and we talked through our choices. While we’re fine with disagreement, we try to come to terms on the same candidates if possible (that way our votes don’t cancel each other out). We get a lot of joy out of voting and hope you do too.

If you live in Washington state, your ballots should arrive in the mail by Monday. Races include United States Senate, the U.S. House, and a variety of state legislative races. Maybe you already know who you’re going to vote for, but if not make sure to catch this week’s episodes of [un]Divided as we sort through what’s at stake. On Wednesday’s show, we’ll cover the battle for Washington’s 8th Congressional District – a bellwether race for swing districts across the country. I’ll have in-depth interviews with candidates and a glimpse into what voters are prioritizing in this Midterm election year.

Trump floats a 2024 run:

Speaking of the Midterms, former President Donald Trump says he’s already made up his mind about 2024 – the only decision left? Whether to announce before or after the Midterm elections, according to an interview he did this week with Olivia Nuzzi: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/donald-trump-2024-decision.html

“Do I go before or after? That will be my big decision,” he said.

Trump also scoffed at the idea of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis being a strong challenger, suggesting DeSantis only won the governorship because he got Trump’s endorsement.

To me, a 2024 announcement from Trump pre-primary would be malpractice if he cares at all about the GOP, especially in states like Washington where the former President has a dismal approval rating. The specter of another Trump campaign could tank the prospects of Republican candidates in close races who might have otherwise had a chance in November.

If Trump were to ask me for advice (or anyone for that matter), I’d encourage him to wait (of course, I’d encourage him not to run at all, but I digress).

Meanwhile, the media is already full steam ahead on painting DeSantis as Trump 2.0. In the event GOP favor starts to turn in the direction of DeSantis, talking heads need to get a jump start on vilifying him as the second coming of orange man bad (while I dislike Trump, I also think the press went batshit crazy over him long before January 6).

Take this op-ed from MSNBC titled: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a far more dangerous politician than Donald Trump.”

Le sigh.

Seattle desperate to hire more police officers:

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell this week outlined an ambitious plan to try to fill the police department’s depleted ranks. SPD has lost around 400 officers since 2019, leaving it with the lowest staffing levels since 1991.

Harrell’s plan includes retention incentives and massive hiring bonuses for new recruits and lateral transfers.

But as I detailed on Friday’s episode of [un]Divided – money won’t fix what’s broken here.

In order to attract officers to the city, the entire climate around policing needs to change. Washington state has been on a bender passing anti-police legislation and making it more difficult (and dangerous) for officers to do their jobs. Few officers will be willing to trade their safety (and their dignity) for a few thousand bucks.

Watch my commentary on the SPD hiring plan here (at the 1:00 mark): https://brandikruse.locals.com/post/2431368/un-divided-seattles-police-problem-video

‘Invisible Storm’:

One-time presidential hopeful Jason Kander joined [un]Divided on Wednesday to talk about his new book, which details his departure from the campaign trail in 2018. Kander, a former Army intelligence officer, was a rising political star when he announced he’d be stepping away from politics to get help for untreated PTSD.

While I disagree with a lot of Kander’s Progressive political views, I am in awe of his courage and commitment to country. If you’re looking for a good read, I highly recommend Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD.

As a bonus, proceeds from the sale of the book go to help veterans who are struggling.