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Podcast 215: Brooke Rollins on China and the Women in Trump’s Orbit, Plus Florida Amendment 3, Arizona Prop 140 and the 2024 Senate Map | Breaking Battlegrounds

Brooke Rollins

Episode Introduction

Brooke Rollins joined Chuck Warren and Sam Stone on November 2, 2024, three days before the presidential election. At the time she was president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. She talked about the threat China poses to U.S. national security and pushed back on Mark Cuban’s claim that Donald Trump avoids strong, intelligent women. Three weeks later, Trump chose her to run the Department of Agriculture.

Three other guests rounded out Podcast 215:

  • Dr. Jessica Spencer made the case against Florida’s Amendment 3 on recreational marijuana.
  • Dan McLaughlin of National Review Online mapped the Senate and House battlegrounds.
  • Andrew Gould, a former Arizona Supreme Court justice, argued against Arizona’s Prop 140 and ranked-choice voting.

Every contest discussed in this episode has since been decided.

Quick Answer

On Breaking Battlegrounds Podcast 215, recorded November 2, 2024, Brooke Rollins discussed China’s threat to U.S. security and answered Mark Cuban’s comments about women around Trump. Dan McLaughlin analyzed the Senate and House maps. Jessica Spencer opposed Florida’s Amendment 3, and Andrew Gould opposed Arizona’s Prop 140. Both measures failed, and Republicans won both chambers of Congress.

Episode Overview

Chuck Warren and Sam Stone recorded this four-guest episode on the final weekend of the 2024 campaign. Each guest covered a different part of the ballot.

Florida’s Amendment 3. Dr. Jessica Spencer leads advocacy for the campaign opposing the measure, which would have legalized recreational marijuana. She addressed its possible effects on public safety and on Florida’s existing medical marijuana program.

China and women in leadership. Brooke Rollins talked about China as a national security threat. She also defended the role women played in leadership during the first Trump administration. In addition, she responded to Mark Cuban’s recent remarks, pointing to Trump’s record as an employer of women.

The congressional battleground. Dan McLaughlin of National Review Online walked through the Senate map and key House races. He explained how campaign strategy could decide which party controls each chamber.

Arizona’s Prop 140. Former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould argued against the measure. In his view, the path it opened to ranked-choice voting risked disenfranchising voters.

About Brooke Rollins

Brooke Rollins grew up in Glen Rose, Texas. She earned a degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M University, where she was the first woman elected student body president, and a law degree from the University of Texas. She worked as Gov. Rick Perry’s policy director, then led the Texas Public Policy Foundation for 15 years.

In Trump’s first term, she directed the Office of American Innovation and served as acting director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. In 2021, she co-founded the America First Policy Institute with Linda McMahon, Larry Kudlow, and other former administration officials.

Trump announced on November 23, 2024, that he had chosen Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture. The Senate confirmed her 72-28 on February 13, 2025, with 19 Democrats joining all 53 Republicans. She is the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture and the first Texan to hold the job.

About Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at the National Review Institute. He posts on X as @baseballcrank. He is a regular guest on Breaking Battlegrounds:

About Andrew Gould

Andrew Gould served as a Superior Court judge in Yuma County from 2001 to 2011. He then served on Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals from 2011 to 2016, where he wrote more than 400 opinions. Gov. Doug Ducey appointed him to the Arizona Supreme Court in November 2016, and he retired from the court in April 2021.

He later worked as senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, ran for Arizona attorney general in 2022, and is now a partner at Holtzman Vogel. He co-chaired the campaign against Prop 140. In September 2026, the California Globe reported that Arizona Senate Republicans had appointed him special counsel in their investigation involving Gov. Katie Hobbs.

About Dr. Jessica Spencer

Dr. Jessica Spencer is Director of Advocacy for Florida’s Vote No on Amendment 3 campaign. The campaign describes itself as a coalition of parents, teachers, law enforcement officers, and first responders who opposed legalizing recreational marijuana.

Key Topics Discussed

  • Florida Amendment 3 and recreational marijuana legalization
  • Public safety and Florida’s medical marijuana program
  • China as a threat to U.S. national security
  • Women in senior roles in the first Trump administration
  • Mark Cuban’s October 31, 2024 comments about Trump and women
  • The 2024 Senate map and competitive House races
  • Arizona Prop 140, open primaries, and ranked-choice voting

Brooke Rollins on China and the Women Around Trump

Two days before this interview, Mark Cuban appeared on ABC’s The View as a Harris campaign surrogate. He said Trump avoids strong, intelligent women because they intimidate him. Within hours, Cuban clarified his remarks. He acknowledged that Trump had worked with women such as Elaine Chao and Kellyanne Conway, but said he still believed Trump dislikes being challenged in public.

Several prominent Republican women answered Cuban. Former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany named Rollins among the strong women around Trump.

On Breaking Battlegrounds, Rollins gave her own response. She cited her experience in the first administration and Trump’s record of hiring women into senior positions. She also spoke about China as a national security threat, a recurring focus of AFPI’s policy work.

Florida’s Amendment 3: The Case Against Legalization

Spencer’s segment came days before Florida voters decided Amendment 3. The measure would have legalized marijuana possession and purchase for adults 21 and older. She focused on public safety and on how legalization might affect the state’s medical marijuana program.

The measure divided Florida Republicans:

  • Supporters: Trump publicly backed the amendment. The sponsoring committee, Smart & Safe Florida, raised more than $152 million, over 94% of it from Trulieve.
  • Opponents: Gov. Ron DeSantis campaigned against the amendment, as did the Florida Republican Party.

Amendment 3 won about 56% of the vote. That fell short of the 60% Florida requires to amend its constitution. Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida, and the medical program continues to operate.

For earlier coverage, listen to Podcast 204, which also covered Florida’s Amendment 3.

Dan McLaughlin’s Final Senate and House Analysis

McLaughlin’s segment was a final pre-election look at the battle for Congress. He analyzed the Senate map and the House races most likely to decide control, and explained how campaign choices could tip close contests.

Republicans went on to win the Senate majority, holding 53 seats when the 119th Congress opened. They also kept control of the House. For more of the show’s 2024 election coverage, see the Election Countdown episode, Podcast 216, and Podcast 217 on Trump’s second-term priorities.

Andrew Gould on Prop 140 and Ranked-Choice Voting

Prop 140, also called the Make Elections Fair Act, would have replaced Arizona’s partisan primaries with a single open primary for all candidates. It could also have opened the door to ranked-choice voting in general elections. Gould argued against it on the show, warning that the system could disenfranchise voters. He also told other outlets that smaller changes to existing law, such as lowering signature requirements for independent candidates, would accomplish more with less risk.

Supporters, led by campaign manager Chuck Coughlin, argued the existing system rewards extreme candidates and shuts out independent voters.

The measure also faced a court fight over duplicate petition signatures. On October 4, 2024, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that its votes would be counted. Voters then rejected Prop 140, with 41.32% voting yes.

For more Arizona ballot-measure coverage, listen to Riley Gaines on Prop 313 in Podcast 214.

Key Takeaways From the Conversation

  • Rollins on Cuban’s remarks. Rollins rejected Cuban’s claim by pointing to Trump’s record of putting women in senior roles. Weeks later, she was nominated to the Cabinet herself.
  • China as a top concern. Rollins treated China as a central national security issue heading into a possible second Trump term.
  • Amendment 3’s opponents prevailed. Spencer argued legalization would endanger public safety. The measure won a majority but fell short of the 60% threshold.
  • The Senate map favored Republicans. McLaughlin’s map showed Republicans in a strong position. They went on to win both chambers.
  • Prop 140 was rejected. Gould argued the measure risked voter disenfranchisement, and Arizona voters turned it down decisively.

Listen to the Episode

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Frequently Asked Questions

What did Brooke Rollins discuss on Breaking Battlegrounds?
On Podcast 215, recorded November 2, 2024, Rollins talked about China’s threat to U.S. national security and the role of women in leadership during Trump’s first administration. She also responded to Mark Cuban’s claim that Trump avoids strong, intelligent women by pointing to Trump’s record of hiring women. At the time she was president of the America First Policy Institute.

Is Brooke Rollins the Secretary of Agriculture?
Yes. Trump announced her selection on November 23, 2024, three weeks after this episode. The Senate confirmed her 72-28 on February 13, 2025, and she was sworn in that day as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Did Florida’s Amendment 3 pass?
No. Amendment 3 would have legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. It received about 56% of the vote on November 5, 2024, short of the 60% Florida requires for constitutional amendments. Medical marijuana is still legal in Florida.

Did Arizona’s Prop 140 pass?
No. Arizona voters rejected Prop 140, the open primaries measure that could have led to ranked-choice voting in general elections. It received 41.32% yes votes. Former Justice Andrew Gould, who co-chaired the opposition campaign, made the case against it on this episode.

Who is Andrew Gould?
Andrew Gould served on the Arizona Supreme Court from 2016 to 2021 after appointment by Gov. Doug Ducey. Before that he was a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals and the Yuma County Superior Court. He ran for Arizona attorney general in 2022 and is now a partner at the law firm Holtzman Vogel.

Conclusion

Podcast 215 captured the last weekend of the 2024 campaign from four directions: a national security and personnel debate, a battle for Congress, and two state ballot fights. Every outcome discussed has since been settled.

Amendment 3 and Prop 140 both failed, Republicans took both chambers, and Rollins went from think-tank president to Cabinet secretary within weeks. Listening now shows the arguments as they were made, before the results were known.

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