KSEV Mornings · October 30, 2026 · Hour 1
Wayne Dolcefino on Ken Paxton and Bob Menendez, Jonathan Saenz of Texas Values on James Talarico and the last day of early voting, Craig on the Republican message, and Alaska’s two Dan Sullivans.
Ken Paxton, Bob Menendez and James Talarico led Friday’s first hour of KSEV Mornings, on the last day of early voting in Texas. Wayne Dolcefino explained why the corruption attacks on Paxton don’t trouble him, Texas Values president Jonathan Saenz made the case against Talarico, Craig Coglianese said Republicans are losing on messaging, not performance, and Craig and Wayne talked about the New York Times report on Alaska’s two Dan Sullivans.
The hole looker guy
Early in the hour, Craig told a story about a conversation he once had with a coworker “about the guy who looks at the hole while they’re fixing the street.” “There’s always one guy who’s just kind of looking at the hole, right? He’s not doing anything. He’s the hole looker guy,” Craig said. Wayne said Houston has it worse: when he sees city crews, “I normally see four hole-looking guys and one poor schlub in the hole, doing all the work.”
A $115,000 bill and the cost of health care
Wayne said he takes an immune drug by infusion and got a bill for $115,000. His son, he said, wasn’t even getting health insurance because it would have cost about $1,100 a paycheck. Wayne said he would implore Republicans “to consider working on some way to put more money in our pockets and help with health insurance bills.” Craig said the left’s solution is “horrible” and the right needs something better, and he pushed for published prices: “I think that transparency and pricing would not allow these places to charge that much money.”
A tech bloodbath and a 3.4% GDP number
Wayne woke up to a Drudge Report headline reading “tech bloodbath” and talked about the 3.4% GDP number. “When you take out the tech from that 3.4, there’s not much activity,” he said. He wished the Republican closing message “was broader and talk more about the good things that are happening in the economy,” and asked why there hasn’t been a federal move to eliminate gas taxes. Craig said inflation is “quite a bit lower now than it was when Biden was in office,”, but the prices that went up haven’t come back down: “Who’s gonna be the first out of the gate to lower prices just willingly?”
Craig: “We’re losing because of messaging”
“I think messaging will change. I think that it should change,” Craig said. “We’re losing because of messaging. We’re not losing because of performance.” Outside of the conflict in Iran, he said, “Republicans should be winning. It’s not even a question to me.” And if Democrats win the midterms, Craig said, “they will prove how much worse they are at making things affordable,” adding, “This might just be good for 2028.”
Jonathan Saenz: “Today could be Election Day for you”
Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values, reminded listeners that Friday was the last day of early voting, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and voters able to use any polling location in their county. “Don’t skip races,” he said. On the Senate race, Saenz said Talarico’s voting record is what voters should believe, pointing to a 2019 bill to protect babies born alive after an abortion that he said Talarico voted against. His line on Paxton: “Ken Paxton may have caused a lot of problems in his personal life, but James Talarico is going to cause problems in your personal life if you vote the wrong way.”
Saenz also called the attorney general’s race “a huge race” and said of Mayes Middleton, “He’s gonna be a great Attorney General.” Before he went, Saenz asked for Houston Italian food recommendations. Wayne picked Antonio’s Flying Pizza on Hillcroft near Westheimer, and Craig seconded it, as long as you ask them to make the pizza fly.
Wayne on Ken Paxton and Bob Menendez
Wayne said he isn’t troubled by Paxton’s past. “I put the personal morality with his wife in their business. I just don’t put it in mine,” he said. “They call him the most corrupt politician in Texas. And when I think of really corrupt politicians, I think of Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey,” whose home held more than $480,000 in cash and gold bars valued at over $100,000. As for Talarico commercials asking how Paxton has 15 homes on a government salary, Wayne said, “Ken Paxton was a successful businessman maybe before he got in office.” People asked him how he could vote for Paxton. “Easy,” Wayne said. “I’m not like his mommy. I didn’t raise him.”
Craig said Paxton’s acquittal “seems to be an important variable that they leave out of a lot of that discussion,” and that “there are levels of corruption.” He also brought up former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was pardoned by President Trump.
Alaska’s two Dan Sullivans
Craig and Wayne also turned to Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senate nominee in Alaska. Craig pointed to the New York Times report that people tied to Peltola’s campaign worked to recruit another Dan Sullivan to run against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, something President Trump also talked about this week. Peltola has denied knowing anything about the effort.
Also in this hour
- Craig found out that he and Wayne now share a dentist.
- Craig previewed Hour 2’s guests: Mayes Middleton, EJ Antoni of the Heritage Foundation and Ben Streusand.
Hear Craig and Wayne live weekdays from 7–9 AM Central on AM 700 KSEV, The Voice of Texas. Visit the KSEV Mornings show page for live-listening controls and more episodes. Listen live weekdays 7-9 AM CT on the KSEV app.
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