Trump’s Election Integrity Opening? Mark Halperin on New Jersey, the SAVE Act & the 2026 Midterms

**Michael Smerconish** (0:00)
Energy, it's more than a utility. It's what powers all life's moments and possibilities for generations to come. It's what helps build brighter futures for all. So no matter how the world and its energy needs change, Southern Company's commitment to meeting those needs stays the same. They're continuously looking forward, forecasting how to support communities and deliver clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy. And that means together, we're ready for what's next. Learn more at southerncompany.com.
Southern Company, building the future of energy.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:33)
Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint finish and satin, or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With Thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro. You just have to hire one. You can hire top-rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download today.

**Michael Smerconish** (0:54)
Welcome to The Smerconish Podcast for Independent Minds.

**Michael Smerconish** (0:58)
Mark Halperin is here in the third hour of every Wednesday's program, and we look forward to his visits. Mark, the president spoke last Thursday in a primetime address. You know the story. NBC didn't take it. ABC didn't take it. CNN didn't take it, but talked about it. I delivered a commentary on CNN and here saying that I think if a president says, I've got something big to say to the nation, you take it. You can critique it thereafter. You can certainly fact check. You should fact check. But I think there's an obligation to cover it.
We've had wonderful conversations about whether I'm correct in that regard. But here's what I want to direct to you. The focus, of course, was the SAVE Act and so-called election integrity. And the mainstream media thereafter said so many myths, truths were uttered by President Trump on that score. And then, I know you and I are looking at each other on video.
Here's today's New York Post. And the New York Post headline is Jersey Devil. New Jersey admits it registered at least 6,600 non-citizens to vote, and 400 did. And a picture of Mikey Sherrill. I've been discussing with the audience that I think that this is really politically potent, because it gives the president and his allies for the ever, forever, you know, in this conversation, the ability to say, well, what about New Jersey? See, it actually does happen. I'm curious as to your thoughts on this story from the Garden State.

**Mark Halperin** (2:26)
I agree with you as often as the case, not just on the politics of it and how Republicans can say, see, we told you so, but the substance of it, because based on what we now know, and we need to know a lot more, based on what we now know, the thing that Democrats said doesn't happen, happened. And it's not right to take the word of the Democratic Governor of New Jersey about what actually happened. We have to take what she acknowledged happening, and now we have to build on it. There needs to be an independent investigation, because this is true that it's new, and it illustrates what Republicans have warned about, but the scale that the governor says it happened at, and her reasons for why she says it happened, make it a much, if true, make it a much less big story. If it happened by accident on this small scale, it requires a lot more explanation and investigation about whether it's happened in New Jersey more or elsewhere. But the scale is not very significant, so we need to know more, and this shouldn't be a political thing that's governed simply by who can spin better or tweet funnier. It should be, what are the facts? How did this happen? What was the scale? Is it happening elsewhere?
And everyone should be determined to get to the bottom of that, regardless of what position they've had in the past on this question.

**Michael Smerconish** (3:46)
Yeah, I agree. It's wipe the slate clean, and let's see where the facts lead us. There was an analysis in The Times in January on which I relied, January of 2026
Initial review finds no widespread illegal voting by migrants puncturing a Trump claim. And I remember discussing this at length, having guests on to talk about it, and then coming to the conclusion that you referenced, this doesn't happen. I can't say that any longer. I don't know how often it does happen, but I can't say any longer, this never happens.

**Mark Halperin** (4:18)
And just as I've been critical of Republicans before yesterday, who have overstated the extent of our knowledge about how often it happens, I was critical of Democrats who said, this never happens, there's no need to investigate it, and kind of taunted Republicans. What yesterday demonstrates is, Republicans were right to say we need to find out the truth of these things.