>> a nail biter in ohio has publicans on edge. i'm robert costa. the midterm elections just three months away. challenges and the russia nvestigation loom over the president. tonight,we on "washingto." president trump: thank you. thank you, ohio. i love ohio. robert: a special election in a ruby-red part of ohio ends in a dead heat. president trump: we must electns more repub.ma : robert: democrats say the midterm elections is a bell weather. >> it's about guard rails because we have a republicanus and republican senate that are not putting any guardon rai his president. there's no accountability. robert: but democratsre facing opportunity and internal debates and insurgent progressives came

up short in some races in kansas, president trump's politica capital his own party was tested. >> at the end of the day he with his gut and president trump's gut is almost always exactly spot on so i'm happy he did. robert: mr.rump remains optimistic and prohibits a red wave is coming. plus, are president trump and the special counsel helded for p na showdown? we discuss it all, next. >> this is "washington week." corporate funding is provided by -- >> newman's own foundation, donating all profitsty to cha and nourishing the common good. koand patricia yuen for t yuen foundation. commitmented to bridging intellectual differences in our commoo communities. the comefpbles in journalism

foundation. the corporation for public broadcasting and by to contributions your pbs station from viewers like you.u. thank once again from washington, robert costa. robert: good evening. a special congressional election this week inentral ohio remains too close to call and as we await the final tally held by republicans for detects, both parties are reacting to the narrow margin and looking for clues abo the dynamics they will confront in the cing months. troy balderson was endorsed by president trump andeads danny o'conor, democrat, by about 1,800 votes and they're still counting. do you count hard on president trump? for democrats, do you position yourselves simply as anti-trump? joining us tonig, sheryl gay stolberg, congressional

correspondent for "the new york times." philip rucker,te wouse bureau chief for the "washington post."ly kimbtkins, chef white house chore responsibility for beton harold and jake sherman senior edito for politico. he just return from a trip and are so deeply immersed from house republicans. getting phone calls. are they alarmed? >> yes, they ar this seat in ohio shouldn't have been on the map. is is an r-plus certainly, meaning an average republican wins it by certainly or more points. are the -- president trumpit wo be 11. if democrats can make seats like that i play, they're in line to win 40, 50, 60 seats. i'm not saying that's going to happen. each race is won and lost on thd mirlts of theidual candidates in this race specific

clip, danny o'connor, the democrat was young and energetic and troy balderson was stiff. that's what the republicans were teing me. i went and saw it first hand. he was standing outside the church from the home of the former senator from thari di tea berry. he wasn't even shaking hands. he was just like thank you so much for voting. where he could have said, i'm on the ballot, i hope you'll give me a look. w looking at the ground as reportersried to interview him. individual races are won and lost on the mirpts but if seats like this are up for grabs, republicans are going to have to touch november. robert: sheryl, i wonder about that map. you were in dallas, texas. do democrats in that state now think becae of what happened in the suburbs of columbus, ohio, maybe thebs sub of texas

and elsewhere are in play? sheryl: they absolutely do. i was in the district that encompasses some of the althier parts o dallas, including george w. bush's neighborhood ano the suburbs h in is a district that has been held by representative pete sessions for more thanece. he's been in congress for 2 years, actually rep another district. two years ago, pete sessions did anot have democratic opponent. the other night, its at an activity, an event hosted by a group of east dallas democrats that did not exist 18 months ago. they now have 2,000 members. there were about 300 sweaty, fired hup up -- up democrats in the back room of this mexican restaurant listening to palmer l-red, a former pro football player, a civil rights lawyer and he workedor barack obama and he was really firing up the

crowd with kind a of very obama-like message. a surprisingly progressive message for a district that's been held by republicans. democrats are very, very jazzed about this district and about others in places like texas. i was als in new mexico in another republican district. places le this where they didn't even have a home a few years ago. bert: so those are the seeds in ohio and texas. why is th happening in? the poll numbers show a lot of suburban women are trending awai from pnt trump, even if they supported him in 2016. a new pew poll shows trump supporting women n are moving away from the president. why is that? >> that's been a trend for some months now that's been really worrying republicans. it is true that these are local races at heart and they depend on the candidates but there are national issues at play and a lot of the things republicans

thought they could focus on, the tax bill, people aren't feeling that the same way they though they would. immigration was thought to be a big issuehat would galvanize republicans but since the separation of childre from her parents at the border, that has left a bad taste in thf mouth a lot of voters. also, abortion, the cavanaugh nomination is bringss nag of abortion and the future of roe v. wade to bear. on the issues republicans are heading ng right now into the mid terms. robert: you think about so baldendorsed by president trump. he had a weekend rally with president trump. yohink about kansas, in that rails, the republicaprimary fo governor. crisco advantage running against the incumbent, jeff collier. they're still counting the votes kansas. the white house has to be wondering is the politicall capihere for president

trump with the endorsement even with republican voters? >> it may prove to be barely enough in ohio and kansas and i kansas it may prove to have been not quite enough. off president who's gal by results he's seen in some places. florida, e fmple, he endorsed dos systemss, san a loyal alley of the president and shot upn the polls quickly. and the president took from that that he ca wait until these primaries and bolster the numbers. in the case of advisor he went against them to endorse him. it may not work in the end and are the danger forinepublicans he districts you guys were at is trump is trying to make m thes terms all about him. he wants to be the major person in the detective. and that's a risk for the republican party.be

: immigration is part of this broader,olitical, cultural war that's happening out there and we saw it on friday. the president stepped up his attacks on nfl players a knee during the national anthem. on twitter he aused the athletes protest of "showing outrage examine say they're unable to define what they're fro testing. his words. trump's tweet came the day before t anniversary of charlotteville where a white supremacist was killed when he drove his car into a crowd. how are house republicans adjusting and senate republicans on the trail? >> they don't want to talk about these issues in most districts because these districre a lot of these things play well are not in districts where theiv are exelt active races. in most districts. the nfl thing is to decisive.

a path for republicans to keep e majority in the house is through indicts that hillary clinton won, which is way donald trump is not an operative player in terhese mid. i was talking to somebody this week who made the point -- barack obama and donald trump both, their popularity both didn't carry down ballot. donald trump is very popular wi his base. barack obama was very popular with his base but he lost th majority and was never able to get it back. we'll see what happens with donald trump. that's certainly a possibility. the 23 districts that hillary clinton won that republicans still sit in are a key to the medicine terms. riley republicans als see cavanaugh as something that's going to motate their voters. how does that play out? >> both turning some women away if

they're trade roe is endangered and definitely ring toind republicans look, this is why it's important that we stay in power in order to do things like change not.s just the supreme court but the federal judiciary for some period of time. p it's aitive thing that most republicans can get behind. a lot of republicans who wince at the president's twitter whatnt are very happy with he's doing with the judiciary. robert: you spend every day talking to trump and his advisors. what is behind the language about the nfl at this point? >> there are a couple of factors in play. and regarding the tweets from friday, the president is accusing his nfl players of not being able to define what they'reg. protest in fact, they've been articulate in saying they're protesting police brutality and other issues. the president thinks this is a himself.ssue for he thinks anytime he brings up

the nfl protest debate hs inciting his base, giving him a reason to rhially him. donald trump lives in perpetual fear that his base is going tod ab him at any moment. i think what happened with the nfl this week is there were a few playersn thursday night's games who stood in protest. he seized it as an opportunity to make it a political forum for himself. ports : to exchanges the metaphor, a curveball for republicans with chris collins, the new york week charged with insider trading. duds -- does that affect the republicans as they move ahead towardnovember? you think about scott pruitt, the former e.p.a. administrator. now collins.ep willlicans -- democrats run on those issues? >> no, democrats are alrea running on those issues. they're talking about a culture of corruption in washington.

this is very reminiscent of when resume rahm eneil ran the democrats leg in 2016. they talked about a culture of corruption. there was a scandal involving teenage pages. this collins indictment is literally a present to democrats who are already talking about not only scott pruitt but paul manafort. the president's former campaign chaialan on tn a trial that is bringing up all kinds of details about bank fraud and tax i vacation and $12,000 lizard skin suits, sor of exposing the ugly swamp that president trump promise told drain s you can bet that democrats will be talking and are already talking about chris collins andther republicans -- republican scandals that they would lik to bring to light. robert: jake, when you're

talking to democratic candidates for the house, do they actually think that's going to work but is it more about health care for them at this point, just talking about trump's conduct? where is their messaging? jake: there are two schools of thought. number one is that a lot of democrats believe you don't have to talk about dond trump, he takes for himself. >> exactly right. jake:t nd he open door to other issues. and democrat candidates say ok, fine, now we can talk about medicare, taxes,ssues that we want to talk about. the other school is that waington polls in the gutter. the idea of washington, which donald trump ran so successfully on, drain the swamp, all that stuff. there's an opening to talk about how the president's estimator wa -- administrator was living a lux life and wantedlanes and other things. board way, he was on the of a pharmaceutical company and

passing off tips to his coeague and his kid. you can make good arguments on both ends of the equation. robert: when talking about the democrats, kim, you think about king re we actually t about? there's a republican civil war it seems at times but the mocrats are dealing with their own struggles. do they sfoumplets leader pelosi or not? is pelosi still the leader of the party?he does party have faith in her to carry her through the mid terms? >> i think it depends on whoou ask. the opposition against her seems to be growing. sit enough to force her out? that remains to be seen. shelearly sees herself as the leader of the party and onee of eople crafting this message, the culture of corruption. , democrats do have a lot of division. it depends again, b district district in these house races but they have to come up with a message so the president and other republicans don't define

them. they want to aboli ice, they want socialism. that's theng tag b put on them. robert: is this the party of alexandra cortez who won a house primary in democratic new york a few weeks ago or the party of leader pelosi? >> that's the great question that democrats are asking themselves and we don't no. -- know. democrats le lead every pelosi are really trying to tamp down this idea that democratic socialism is ascrenledenhi w the democratic party. this house majority will be won on districts that are much closer, that are swing districts so democrats he to lea how to talk to trump voters. what jake said was absolutely right. democrats are kind of letting donald trump talk for himself. when we're notea seeingy a unified mental. we're not seeing all democra talk about medicine care for all or -- micare for all or all

democrats talk about other issues. robert: the trump white house seems to also want to try to talk to moderate voters.we e seen the president do rallies but inka trump, the president's daughter and senior dwitesor went toy, a blue statement. are we going to see different strategies? >> i think that's right. i vanca works in the white house as aio s advisor to some of those suburban areas where the president is not welcome. she was talk about women's empowerment and some of the issues she cmpions inside the white house even though she sometimes doesn't have a lot of policyitnfluence her father but there are going to be other surrogates as well. donald trump jr. will be on the trail a lot. he connects in more rumor areas in particular.

he's a hunters, sportsman, a fisherman. they're looking for ways to target individual voters and get themotivated and a reason to turn out if they're not necessarily the peoe who wait for hours at the make america eat again rallies. >> it's all about trump. have no doubt that the midterm elections are going to be all about trump and the president wants it that way. he tweets every day about the midterm races. he tweeted the other day red wave is coming. wants this medicine term to be about himself. robert: wh ds speaker ryan think about his plans? his busy special? >> i don't know oar ryan in particular. the liaison to trump believes where tump could be most helpful is raising money and getting the money that republicans desrately need. they've been outfunded by the democrats tim and time again.

that's where he's best served. he's not best serd in going to south florida inlo cs district where a democrat can win. he's not best served in districts where democrats have a chance. >> any midterm election, especially in the first term of a presidency, is a referendum on theo president s whether democrats or republicans like it or not, thefis is abled up on donald trump a i think that the voters feel the same way what i talk to voters, it's either you love him or you hate him. al they want t talk about is trump. there's not much discussion of health care plans or education plans or work force development or whatever.at on the voters' minds is trump. robert: and hovg ler all of this is the cloud, as president trump calls it. the russia probe. rudy juliann yeah -- giuliani,

one of the president's lawyers has sent another letter to robert mueller. the delay of a decision could lead muellero t issue a subpoena. do we see a subpoena showdown an twhat doest mean legally for the president? >> yeah, i think that's quite likely thisdea that rudy giuliani can negotiate his wayt out o president testifying if robert muller and his team want him to testify is really a fallacy. we'reeeing a lot of giuliani i think messaging to the president througthe television set mor than giving legal advice. all of this is a open legal question. the power to system or indict a president or ag else but at least on that initial point, trying to force him to courtroom rate, it seems that the law is on his side. we had presidents in the past corp res with investigations whilen fice. bill clinton. it would be in the president's

interests to two in voluntarily to avoid that fight but he doesn't always dohat's if in his legal interests. robert: what is the historical precedent? >> there is an historical precedent for bill clinton testifying aer leengy negotiations with ken starr's team. clinton insisted that the interview be held at the wte house. he didn't want theagery of going somewhere else on starr's turf. there was a limit to the time, four hours and also the lawyers were present. the president's lawyers were present for the interview,hich is unusual in the case of grand jury testimony,o there is historical precedent for a president cooperating. of course that interview laid the groundwork for the articles of impeachme that were drafted against bill clinton. robert: what's the real story, phil. the president's lawyers keep saying they're not going to

answer obstruction questions. is this all a delay tactic to try to prevent the subpoena from coming out before the mid >> a lot of it we've seen in the past few mths is a p.r. battle between the president's legal team and the mueller side, which is invisible to the public in is negotiation back and forth. there could be some sort of an interview. it seems like there's a little bit more willingness on the president's side to sit down for an interviewn questions related to the campaign but we should rememberyeis l are so hesitant to have him do this interview about obstruction of justice is they're frayed he could purr jury himself. we know he tells many lies, falsehoods and misstatements. he tends to exaggerate or recreate things sohere's a real risk in putting him from front of the investigationors. >> i will say, he has been

deposed before. >> that's true. >> he was deposed during the depain, wasn't he? >> about trump university. >> so he's been in this position before and obviously the stakes are much higher. his presidency hangs in the balance and if democrats win the house, everything is magnified. the chances of him being impeached, removed fromffe. who knows what will happen. shocking said, it's to me how quiet mueller is. how this entire circus is going on in washington and mueller and his team are veryuiet and methodical, not playing the p.r. team, which is fascinating to see, especially in today'scl ate. everybody is talking all the time and mueller's team is very quiet. robert: that's true we got a glimpse of how they work througt the man foral this week. >> right, that was the best glimpse we've gotten so far. and we have learned they are

very clear, methodical and has every t crossed and i dotted. robert: he's given them a tough hatime. >> the but in the end that's going to work against president trump and his because they haven't been allowing the prosecution to run the show. j thge has been running a pretty tight shim so if a conviction comes out of this, the fact you have a jury trial and you have the judge who can't be tagged as being an anti-trump activist wh will make it much f hard them to discredit this investigation. >> i think that's tight and judge backtracked a little bit. cracked the whip on the prosecutors and then was forced to say he made a mistake and the jury was instructed that he made a mistake. i think that's right. because the judge has been so tough, there will be no suggestion if there are

convictions abo whose side the judge was on. robert: final naught, phil. giuliani says september 21st is the deadline. empty threat or real threat? >> moving target. there's really no indication that mueller is going to be wrapping up by september 1. i think this could go well ein th of the year if not into next year. robert: phil, that face you made, we're d that all the time in the newsroom. thanks, everybody, foroining us here tonight. our conversation will continue online on the washington week exextra. we're t we'llk about how the 2020 presidential race isng stararly this week in iowa with a celebrity lawyer and trump critic makingi' weafs. robert costa. thanks for joining us.

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