and that is kevin cramer. [applause] as you look at the north dakota senate race, what are you sensing on the ground? how much support does the president have? and is the cabin not nomination critical for heidi heitkamp? guest: all indications are that the president remains popular in north dakota. he is not in a 70% approval situation, but he is deafening more popular than that. you can see that in both ads for both candidates are trying to attach themselves to president trump. the brett kavanaugh nomination is a tough vote for heidi heitkamp and all the democrats running that trump carried by substantial majorities. because the way you win as a candidate in the states is by convincing enough republicans that you are close enough to them on issues they care about that had you in the senate is were some of the votes you might cast if they don't like. for heidi heitkamp, it is a very tough call because the democratic base in the state does not want her to vote for brett kavanaugh. she risks alienating them if s

they will not support congress member kevin cramer. with the gop and taking americans for granted. the koch members are raising the bar. if you want to know how influential they are, they plan to spend $400 million in the two-year election cycle. a shift for the party. >>> ahead, lebron james taking on the president's attitude toward athletes. >> he is trying to take on our sport. >> what else king james says about the national anthem protest. ahead on "early start." gs to know about medicare. mport first, it doesn't pay for everything. say this pizza is your part b medical expenses. this much - about 80% - medicare will pay for. what's left is on you. that's where an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company comes in. this type of plan helps pay some of what medicare doesn't. these are the only plans to carry the aarp endorsement for meeting their high standards of quality and service. so call unitedhealthcare insurance company today and ask for your free decision guide. with this type of p

but i'll tell you what, good woman. >> reporter: sometimes not. >> and we need kevin cramer to replace liberal democrat heidi hide camp in december. >> reporter: but in recent days the president has tested the limits of cramer's support. >>> this week on the hill you were a little critical about his press conference with vladimir putin. >> i was >> reporter: and those comments that he made. was the walk back enough for you? >> well, his explanation, it was -- it was, he's going the right direction. he's explaining himself. >> reporter: do you believe that president trump believes it was russia? >> i don't know what he believes. i don't know what he believes. >> reporter: but you believe it was russia? >> i mean, you know, i believe it was russia as sure as i believe the sun comes up in the east. >> reporter: but it's tariffs, not russia, that could be the x factor in this already tight race. >> farmers are going to take a kick in the as with their soybeans. >> reporter: the state's agriculture, heavy economy makes it ground zero for trump's trade war and soybean farmers here are alread

he could be helpful to someone like kevin cramer in north dakota.pful in west virginia. but is he going to go to miami? is he going to go just outside d.c. to the suburbs for barbara comstock? is he going to go to modesto? if i were those people, i'd probably want him to stay out. >> he's going to be greeted today by a republican candidate in a republican primary in florida whom the president has endorsed. listen to the kind of message that he is going to be clearly welcoming with open arms. this is ron desantis. >> well, obviously, you know, he's the 800-pound gorilla in republican politics. i think a lot of our voters at the grassroots level are frustrated when they see some republicans not trying to support him. so that's something that they look for. you know, are you supporting the president? well, in my case, people are seeing that the president is supporting me, but i think trump's support kind of separates the wheat from the chaff. i think it's been a big booths f -- boost for me. >> and that is why president trump is going to tampa to have

that's more than kevin cramers 2.4 million. is that important in that state? $5.2 million goes a long way buying media in north dakota. >> it does. no surprise that incumbents are raising a lot of money. they spent time doing that for six years. in the case of a senate incumbe incumbent. so our senate candidates are raising money, many record amounts and they will continue to raise money. in north dakota, there's never trump states. you can throw california and new york into that category. there's forever trump states. north dakota is in that category. so no matter how many people get out and vote against kevin cramer, there's not enough people to do that for him to lose. i think he goes on to victory. he wins. he'll have the resources necessary to win and he will be a representative of the great state of north dakota. >> dana: talk to me about claire mccaskill and missouri. she has $12 million on hand. how does the nomination of brett kavanaugh and the supreme court affect that race in your opinion? >> significant, this is a big challenge. this could be a box

and that is kevin cramer.plause] as you look at the north dakota senate race, what are you sensing on the ground? how much support does the president have? and is the cabin not nomination critical for heidi heitkamp? guest: all indications are that the president remains popular in north dakota. he is not in a 70% approval situation, but he is deafening more popular than that. you can see that in both ads for both candidates are trying to attach themselves to president trump. the brett kavanaugh nomination is a tough vote for heidi heitkamp and all the democrats running that trump carried by substantial majorities. because the way you win as a candidate in the states is by convincing enough republicans that you are close enough to them on issues they care about that had you in the senate is were some of the votes you might cast if they don't like. for heidi heitkamp, it is a very tough call because the democratic base in the state does not want her to vote for brett kavanaugh. she risks alienating them if she v

. >> event kevin cramer has been one of the president's biggest supporters.ng way to go for american farmers. >> i find it hypocritical on average. $20 billion a year is spent on farm subsidies. where has the protests been then? the polygon to show today's indicating this is taking taxpayer dollars. would it be done to stop the tariffs and subsidies before democrats. he's done nothing. you've allowed it. as long as your party was pushing forward your borough on trade off for the taxpayer's push into the farm program instead of insured group that the subsidies. cheryl: where business suffered just as bad to say. a lot of wall street analysts had trade for terrorist and the fallout we are talking right now about soybean and sort them. we come according, pork, poultry. >> that's the problem. it is necessary now because agriculture good or what is the retaliation of the day. these countries are not going to stop there. they will continue along this line. we need more and more taxpayer money to bridge the gap until the policy is discontinued are the only way out o

the republicans have settled on kevin cramer. the party's coalesced. state should be republican by all rights. unless the democratic wave is huge, it's going to be hard for her to hang in. so we're sliding that one one click to the right. one that is leaning towards the republicans right now. the last one, the mountain state, the great estate, the 35th state, west virginia, joe manchin, i told you he would be a tough out. every poll has reinforced this and everything has reinforced. the power of incoencumbancy to democrat. >> dana: how much you think your phone will blow up this afternoon with people frustrated you about the decisions telling you you're wrong? >> i'm mute now. >> dana: we enjoy having you. thanks, chris. >> shepard: new trouble from obamacare. what it means for your bottom line. and plus, the deadline to reunite the youngest migrant children with their parents is tomorrow. what happens to these families once they're back together? >> we need to see where you're going to put these folks. going to keep them in federal -- basically federa

kevin cramer running against her is siding with the president even if he's said that he's uncomfortable tariff. >> neil: what is weird about this and this just coming in, eliza, the commerce department has granted zte the authority to engage in commercial transactions needed to maintain their equipment and working contracts with the u.s. companies. that really cuts to the core of this where democrats and republicans are saying, whoa, whoa, whoa. they were brought up on espionage and worse. that's one thing that has them at odds with the white house. >> right. we haven't seen much push back from the republican party saying we don't like zte -- >> why is that? have they lost their spine? you can still be loyal to the president but not loyal to a company that was getting secrets on it. >> i don't know why. the president's twitter, turning against you and the fear of the president's base. trade is an issue that president trump has been very clear about from the beginning. voters knew how he felt even if it wasn't the traditional republican policy. so going after him for saying he's not a tr

. >> i'm kevin cramer, candidate for senate, and i approved this message. >> what else did we learn when we look at these numbers? one of the things we always watch is the congressional generic ballot. it was ten points for the democrats back in june. it's six points now. be careful when you go month to month in polling. we're 100 days out. but it's not a blowout. it's a little closer for republicans. you see the numbers up there now. it's 49 to 43. july was 50/40. >> it's not really statistically significant. although, democrats would want to come into the midterm elections with double-digit leads on the generic ballot. but there were a couple other numbers that really struck me in this poll. not only is the president doing better among republicans, but the intensity, the support is as high as it's ever been. more people not only disapprove of the president than approve of him, but the intensity of disapproval has always outnumbered the intensity of approval. that's still the case, but for the first time, we're seeing those numbers really start to tick up among those people who say they

democratic senator heidi heitkamp is trying to fend off a challenge by kevin cramer.nt to find out how the russia issue is playing there. >> reporter: do you see any kind of validity in the investigation? >> not 100%. there might be something there, but it would take way too long to dig it up. >> you don't stand up and just call him a liar that he didn't do something to his face. that's not politics done correctly. i support more visits and a good working relationship with russia is good for the united states. >> so the woman of the hour joins us now in north dakota with more. and you are at a -- some sort of tractor convention? where are you? >> we're here at the state fair in north dakota. north dakota big manufacturing state agriculture is a big industry here. we're standing among some of that equipment. and voters here wanted to talk about tariffs when we spoke to them over the weekend. that's the x-factor in the race. they had a lot to say about russia, making the points you were just playing now that they want to see this probe wrapping up. some saying democrats

and at one point, he brought congressman kevin cramer up to the stage.gave each other a hug, kind of -- it was a little awkward. watch this. >> welcome to north dakota! [ cheers ] [ laughter ] >> jimmy: i think trump owes that guy $130,000. [ laughter ] i'm just saying. he's got a case. >> steve: yeah. >> jimmy: he's got a case. [ cheers and applause ] >> steve: hey, hey, hey! >> jimmy: the big story is still the supreme court. i read that before announcing his retirement, justice anthony kennedy met with trump for half an hour. actually, he wasn't planning to retire but after 30 minutes with trump, he was like, "i've got to get out of this town. [ laughter ] i've had enough. i'm gonna retire. i'm good." [ applause ] did you see this? while trump was talking to reporters about anthony kennedy for a second it seemed like he forgot kennedy's last name. take a look at this. >> a man i also have great respect for, justice anthony -- you know who i'm talking about -- justice kennedy will be retiring. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: "he did a great job serving the unit

there are republicans like kevin cramer in north dakota who are tied to the president. >> i love thisis is pat roberts, republican senator from kansas, in politico. individual senators have met with the president, including me. the egg committee met with him. the finance committee met with him. there's nobody for this, said senator pat roberts of kansas, the agriculture committee chairman. trump is, quote, a protectionist who has his policy wrapped around the rear axle of a pickup and it's hard to get out. >> there's a lot of news in that story too. it's not just republicans verbally pushing back on this. just a couple weeks ago, bob corker put out an amendment, saying he wants to try to tie the president's hands on trade. his own party said, stop, quiet down, this is not the way to do it. now they're taking the reverse approach. senator orin hatch is actually se circulating language to try to reign in the president, trying to redefine that. there's also some language circulating that would basically allow congress to give an up or down vote to any of his new tariffs. so they're talki

officials overseeing billionaire charles koch will not be -- supporting republican congressman kevin crameridi hide kamp in north dakota. supporting those outside the republican party seeking to distance itself from president trump over disagreements on trade and immigration. the decision deals a big hit to cramer, who's already being out-fund razed by heitkamp. on the heels of that the president is tweeting this morning saying -- the globalist koch brothers who have become a total joke in real republican circles are against strong borders and powerful trade. i never sought their support because i don't need their money or bad ideas. they love my tax and regulations cuts, judicial picks and more. i made them richer. their network is highly overrated. i have beaten them at every turn. they want to protect their companies outside the u.s. from being taxed. i'm for america first, and the american worker. a puppet for no one. >> my god. >> ooh. except for vlad. two nice guysideas. make america great again. god. >> i don't know where to start. >> there's a lot there. >> jim, first of all, there'

guest: she is facing republican congressman kevin cramer, also from north dakota.is said to be a high-stakes race. they both have a history before voters here in north dakota. and both came into office congress in the same year, 2013. it is turning out to be an interesting race. he will be interesting to see where it goes. one political scientist i spoke to said we still have four months left in this election. there is plenty of time for other issues to come up besides the supreme court. herays he is not sure how decision on brett kavanaugh may play in favor at the ballot box in north dakota. host: when it comes the judge kavanagh, what has the senator expressed since the nomination? guest: a couple minutes after the president made his announcement on twitter, she issued a statement saying she looks forward to studying his record, getting to know him, and "aving a "fair and exhaustive review. host: jack dura, a reporter for the "bismarck tribune." what do you think when it comes to her showing her hand? guest: we are keeping track of when she may meet with that cap

joining us north dakota congressman kevin cramer.nning against heidi heitkamp for the senate. that's what you're doing. which way is she going to vote on mr. kavanaugh. >> consider it breaking news she will vote for judge kavanaugh for the supreme court. whether she is prepared to announce it or not, let me announce it. she will vote for bret carve gnaw. stuart: how do you know that? >> recent poll bitter recognize group, 6% of north dakota tan want her to that is judge kavanaugh has been right on some issues. certainly finalist, maybe any judge in the appellate circuit anywhere, especially washington, d.c., judge kavanaugh writing about both majority and environmental law which is critical to north dakotata. pretty much in every case he has represented the political policy and legal view of mainstream north dakota on clean air act issues, particularly clean air act issues, endangerment findings and multitude of issues. stuart: if your opponent votes for judge kavanaugh, that puts you, that takes away an advantage which you would hav