Democrats
Peter Hamby
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October 14, 2025
Newsom Player Haters & The ’28 Proxy War
Democrats have poured more than $140 million into the off-cycle ballot initiative to gerrymander California, counter Trump’s efforts to manipulate the midterms, and—perhaps most importantly—hand Gavin Newsom the political trophy he needs to cement his status as the presumptive Democratic frontrunner in 2028. But there are plenty of voters who don’t trust Gavin, too.
Peter Hamby
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October 7, 2025
How Democrats Finally Won the Internet
After years of churning out digital cringe, Democrats finally seem to have found a human message during the government shutdown, leveraging the left’s messy creator ecosystem to beat the Trump meme machine.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 5, 2025
An Officer & A Jentleson
After a year of drift and division, the Democratic Party’s sudden unity over healthcare as a redline in the government shutdown offers a way forward to the 2026 midterms. Democratic strategist Adam Jentleson offers his candid observations on the shutdown, his party’s tactics, and the Schumer of it all.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 2, 2025
Shutdown and Out on Capitol Hill
News and notes from day two of the government shutdown: Russ Vought’s nuclear threat for mass firings, the latest blame-game polling, Sen. Shaheen’s bipartisan gang plan, and Rep. Thompson’s disappearing act.
Peter Hamby
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September 30, 2025
Virginia Is for Locker-Room Talk
Abigail Spanberger’s muddled response to an attack on trans issues has once again highlighted Democrats’ inability to articulate a coherent response—a full year after Kamala faced the same campaign scrutiny.
Abby Livingston
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September 29, 2025
Blue Wave Warning Signs & The New Senate Math
Political soothsayers see diverging polling in Virginia and New Jersey, the two off-cycle states that Democrats are watching for signs of electoral life heading into the midterms. Jessica Taylor, the peerless Cook Political Report analyst, surveys the shifting 2026 map—and explains how this week’s shutdown blame game could play out in November.
Peter Hamby
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September 23, 2025
The Book of Isaiah
The Democratic Party’s overdue embrace of new media is yielding mixed, if consistently entertaining, results. Texas congressional candidate Isaiah Martin has advice for his party on harnessing the internet outrage machine.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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September 21, 2025
Silence of the Lambs
With a few notable exceptions, Republicans on the Hill are avoiding talking about Trump’s demands to shut down broadcast networks, cancel comedians, imprison protesters, investigate Democratic nonprofits, sue newspapers, and prosecute speech. “We don’t love it,” one senior aide said. But mostly they’re just waiting to see if things get worse.
Abby Livingston
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September 15, 2025
The Dems’ Biden Flu
Amid enduring party anger over Biden’s decision to stand for reelection despite his decline, Democrats are trying to figure out what to do with well-funded, institutionally coddled elderly members who have no intention of stepping aside.
