Congressman Chris Deluzio joins Chuck Todd to talk about the political transformation of Western Pennsylvania, the challenges of running as a Democrat in a swing district, and the lessons he’s learned since succeeding Conor Lamb. From the hollowing out of factory towns to the rare but pivotal swing voters who decide elections, Deluzio reflects on the realignment that has reshaped the region’s politics. He also opens up about how 9/11 led him to serve in the Navy, why he believes American democracy is at risk, and the urgent need for reforms to restore voter trust.
The conversation also dives into big debates in Washington: partisan gerrymandering, government shutdown brinkmanship, establishing limits on presidential power, and the dangers of politicizing the military. Deluzio weighs in on rail safety after East Palestine, social media’s effect on kids, and congressional corruption—from stock trading to pay structures that keep working-class Americans from serving. Plus, Chuck gets his take on the rising cost of energy, Pittsburgh sports, and whether Democrats can win back voters by focusing squarely on economic issues.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Congressman Chris Deluzio joins the Chuck ToddCast
00:45 How much has your district changed since Connor Lamb won it?
01:45 How did the Pittsburgh area swing from Democratic to Republican?
02:30 The hollowing out of factory towns was key to political realignment in PA
03:15 Who is the McCormick/Deluzio voter?
04:15 Swing voters still exist but are rare
06:00 How difficult is it to talk to voters with the “D” next to your name?
07:45 9/11 sealed Chris’s decision to join the navy
09:45 We should be very concerned about the state of American democracy
11:00 Younger generations will have a worse standard of living than their parents
12:45 Democrats mixed message on redistricting
13:30 We should have a federal ban on partisan gerrymandering
14:15 Democrats can’t unilaterally disarm
15:15 Gerrymandering makes it hard to earn trust back with voters
16:45 Senate Democrats should use their leverage in shutdown fight
17:45 Only open to six week extension if Republicans willing to work with Dems
19:00 Thoughts on Fetterman’s intention to vote to fund the government
20:30 There’s been a scrambling of the centrist & progressive wings of the party
22:00 The fissure in the party is more about fighting than ideology
22:45 Fighting the imperial presidency is the priority
24:30 We need to put limits on the executive to prevent overreach
25:45 We can’t be at the mercy of the whims of the president
26:15 Kash Patel’s FBI shut down investigation into Tom Homan taking cash bribe
27:30 We need to formal guardrails and can’t rely on norms
28:15 Trump’s efforts to politicize the naval academy and military
30:00 Efforts to politicize the military are dangerous and erode trust
30:45 Military lawyers ignored,extrajudicial killings in Caribbean are illegal
32:45 Presidents have abused war powers for years, Congress needs to intervene
34:00 Defense is one of the few areas of bipartisan cooperation
34:45 Republicans willing to work on rail safety after East Palestine derailment
36:15 Can congress work together on internet/social media safety for kids?
37:15 Banning smartphones in classrooms has 80/20 support
38:45 There’s a huge concentration of power in tech and media
39:45 It’s harder for a president to bully a diverse market that isn’t consolidated
41:15 Voters agree that there’s corruption, but they think all politicians are corrupt
42:15 We should ban congressional stock trading, corruption breeds distrust
43:30 Congress deserve pay raise in exchange for stock trading ban
46:15 You shouldn’t have to be wealthy to serve in congress
47:00 Working class candidates need to be supported
47:45 Can Democrats drop cultural issues and purely run on economics?
49:30 The rise in energy bills could become a huge issue in coming months
50:30 The Big Beautiful Bill will make the energy prices problem worse
51:30 Tempted to go to the Steelers game in Ireland?
53:00 Pittsburgh Pirates ownership issue
55:00 More PSU or Pitt fans in your district?
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The Chuck ToddCast