Diemer & DiBello · Matthew Diemer: Politics, Cleveland, Congress, Senate, Ohio, News, Commentary

South Carolina Primaries, Local Cleveland Issues, and National Politics

·54 min·3 clips

Trump built a Republican machine around endorsements, delegates, and loyal candidates.

1. Diemer & DiBello centers on South Carolina primaries, Cleveland local issues, and national politics. 2. Ross DiBella and Matt Deemer host the discussion, and both frame the episode around elections in South Carolina and Ohio. 3. The episode asks whether voters are being offered real choices or just Trump, Biden, and party-aligned substitutes. 4. They open with South Carolina Republican primary results showing Donald Trump at 59.8% and Nikki Haley at 39.5%. 5. They note Ron DeSantis getting 0.4% and 2,951 votes, then treat that as evidence of Trump’s dominance. 6. The hosts argue that Haley should stay in the race if she can keep costs down and keep appearing on ballots. 7. They connect that argument to Ohio’s March 19 primary and to a broader complaint about limited options. 8. Ross says Marianne Williamson, Dean Phillips, RFK, and Cornel West should remain visible so voters have more than two choices. 9. They say the political system is pushing people toward voting against a candidate rather than for one. 10. They argue that Trump reshaped the Republican Party by elevating loyal candidates and state-party allies. 11. They name J.D. Vance, Jim Jordan, Max Miller, and Bernie Marino as examples of Trump-backed Ohio figures. 12. They describe the RNC as moving toward a party structure built to support Trump first. 13. They compare that takeover to Anthony Gonzalez leaving politics after breaking with Trump. 14. The conversation turns to Ohio’s Senate primary, especially the three-way race involving Marino, Dolan, and LaRose. 15. They say Marino’s Trump endorsement matters, but Dolan’s wealth and LaRose’s brand problems make the race more complicated. 16. They predict a large post-primary spending surge, including an expected $83 million from Mitch McConnell against Sherrod Brown. 17. They say Cleveland public schools are facing more than $100 million in cuts while tax abatements continue for stadiums, downtown projects, and major property owners. 18. Matt Deemer frames those budget choices as defunding schools through policy decisions rather than through rhetoric. 19. The tone is conversational and argumentative, with long back-and-forth exchanges, jokes about “Big Marcus,” and direct political analysis. 20. People following Ohio elections, Cleveland politics, and primary strategy would get the most from this episode; listeners wanting a tight news briefing might skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Diemer & DiBello