It Was a Good Night For Abortion Rights, Ron DeSantis, Iowa Gun Owners—and Democrats
What we know about 2022 midterm results so far
Campaigns/Elections
Bernie Sanders-Backed John Fetterman Prevails in Pennsylvania
Voters told exit pollsters they had little confidence in the ability of either Fetterman or Oz to represent Pennsylvania.
North Dakota Voters Reject Marijuana Legalization
Since approving medical marijuana by a wide margin in 2016, North Dakotans have said no twice to allowing recreational use.
Kari Lake's Election Conspiracy Theories Aren't Even the Worst Thing About Her
It's her willingness to wield state power to punish the ideas and groups she dislikes.
Nevada Voters Could Smash the Two-Party Duopoly
Abolishing party-specific primary elections makes a lot of sense, and might help steer American democracy back towards the center.
Small Blessings: Tom Cotton Isn't Running for President
Cotton is one of the Senate's staunchest drug warriors and no friend of liberty.
Abortion, Pot, Slavery, and More: 34 Ballot Initiatives We're Watching Today
Plus: California's latest faux-trafficking sting, judge suspends New York gun restrictions, and more...
'This Is What Democracy Looks Like. And It Kinda Sucks.'
Plus: Peter Suderman may or may not attempt a rendition of a famous rap from the movie Bulworth.
Neither Democrats Nor Republicans Have a Clear Advantage Going Into Election Day
Plus: University cancels "The Problem of Whiteness" class, Twitter's snowflake-in-chief, and more...
Kansas Voters Could Give Legislature Power To Veto Executive Branch Regulations
The proposed constitutional amendment would shift the state's balance of political power.
'Election Fraud' Can Become Our Awful New Hyperbole
If we go through one election cycle after another and every loser unjustifiably cries fraud, eventually the claim will cease to impress.
Herschel Walker's Unseriousness Overshadowed What Should Have Been a Serious Race
Even before his personal foibles became front-page news, the former football star was more like a caricature of a bad candidate.
A New Authoritarian Political Style Is on the Ballot in Ohio
The most jarring thing about Senate candidate J.D. Vance is how open he is about rejecting the rule of law.
In Pennsylvania, John Fetterman and Dr. Oz Race to the Bottom
Neither candidate in the crucially important Pennsylvania Senate race has made much of a positive case for his candidacy.
A GOP-Led Congress May Focus on Owning the Libs. Instead, It Should Focus on Owning Inflation.
If the midterms favor Republicans, their top priority needs to be the fight against inflation—whether or not they feel like they created the problem.
Turning 'Saving Democracy' Into a Campaign Slogan Isn't Helping Save Democracy
Biden's planned address on Wednesday night will call out "those who deny the documented truth about election results and those who seek to undermine public faith in our system of government."
In Arizona, Blake Masters and Kari Lake Embrace Bad Border Policies
The anti-immigrant tenor of the state's GOP candidates is keeping reasonable conversations about border security out of reach.
Will Pennsylvania's Libertarian Senate Candidate Drop Out? 'That's a Hard No.'
Like Arizona's Marc Victor, Erik Gerhardt is a potential spoiler in one of the nation's biggest Senate races. Unlike Victor, he's embracing the role.
Could the Supreme Court Decide Moore v. Harper on Statutory Grounds?
An amicus brief by Professor Derek Muller suggests the justices need not confront the "Independent State Legislature" doctrine head on.
This Election Day, Listen to the Betting Market Instead of Pundit Predictions
Over time, betting has been a better predictor than polls, pundits, statistical models, and everything else.
Prison Slavery Up for a Vote in 5 States
Plus: Federal court dismisses state challenge to student loan debt forgiveness, not all independent contractors want to be employees, and more...
Georgia Sets Early Voting Record, Despite Controversial Voting Law
Many opponents, including the president, criticized the law in misleading terms, obscuring its very real issues.
Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams Both Advocate More Government in Georgia Governor Debate
The governor favors more punitive policing, while his Democratic opponent thinks the governor should have a say in who buys what properties in the state.
Midterm Polling, PayPal, and Patellas
Plus: The editors consider Ye and social media, then field a question about the TARP bailouts during the 2008 fiscal crisis.
In Utah Senate Race, Evan McMullin Has To Reckon With an Ugly History
In a campaign where much of the focus has been on Donald Trump and January 6, McMullin's CIA career deserves more interrogation.
In Arizona, Libertarian Party Senate Candidate Polls at 15 Percent
Marc Victor is gaining ground with a “live and let live” message.
Divided Government Is Good. In 2023, Bipartisanship Would Be Better.
From immigration to drug reform, there is plenty of potential for productive compromise.
Herschel Walker's Campaign Shows Why Third-Party Candidates Are Important
Republicans turned off by Walker at least have a third option, but for House races in Georgia, state law makes it extremely difficult for third-party candidates to get on the ballot.
The Government Should Be Pro-Market, Not 'Pro-Business'
Businesses are all in favor of competition, tax cuts, and deregulation only until they aren't—meaning only until subsidies might benefit them.
American Elections Are a Mess, and They Always Have Been
The long, weird history of partisan electoral shenanigans
Biden-Backed DISCLOSE Act Would Dox Donors to Groups That Run Political Ads
Plus: Student drag shows are protected speech, a bank CEO rebuffs Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and more...
Libertarian Party Faces State Rebellions
The Libertarian Party's state affiliates in New Mexico and Virginia have broken away amid ideological and procedural turmoil—and the Virginia branch may have dissolved entirely.
Hiring Formerly Incarcerated People Is Good, Actually
Some conservative media outlets and politicians lambast the practice. But if you care about public safety, that opposition doesn't make sense.
Biden's Party Is Still Boosting Those 'MAGA Republicans' the President Warned Us About
New Hampshire Republican candidates get a leg up from expensive Democratic ad buys.
Why Are Democrats Dragging Their Feet on the Electoral Count Reform Act?
Biden says Republicans are plotting a repeat of 2020 in 2024. Maybe Congress should do something to prevent that?
Don't Blame Ranked Choice Voting. Sarah Palin Was a Bad Candidate.
Blaming the ballot system ignores the fact that many Alaskans simply did not think the former governor really represented them.
Arkansans Will Vote on Marijuana Legalization. But Their Votes May Not Count.
The measure will be on the ballot, but depending on how the state Supreme Court rules, the votes may just not be counted.
Alaska Elected a Democrat to Congress for the First Time in 50 Years
Mary Peltola will only be the third Democrat, as well as the first Native Alaskan, to represent Alaska since it became a state.
Republicans Supported Abortion Bans for Decades. Now They've Gone Silent.
Some candidates, like Arizona's Blake Masters, have quietly removed abortion restriction initiatives from their campaign websites.
Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Who Defended COVID Lockdowns in Court Now Says They Were a Mistake
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is trying to retcon two years of bad policy.
An Upgrade, not a Rebuild
Fourth post in the symposium on the National Constitution Center "Restoring the Guardrails of Democracy" project. David French presents the Team Conservative Report.
Carolyn Maloney Loses to Jerry Nadler in Hotly Contested House Race
After redistricting, neither representative was willing to run in a different district, leading to a lengthy, expensive, and unnecessary campaign.
Redistricting in New York Will Cost a Longtime Democrat a House Seat
Despite an overwhelming sense that the country is headed in the wrong direction, the only way most voters will fire an incumbent is by voting for a different incumbent instead.
John Fetterman Proposes Prosecuting Oil Executives for High Gas Prices
Ignoring the principles of supply and demand, Fetterman thinks high gas prices should be a matter for law enforcement.
Marco Rubio's Libertarian Challenger Blasts the Senator as a 'Socialist'
Dennis Misigoy is unsparing in his criticism of both Rubio and likely Democratic nominee Val Demings.
Democrats Attempt To Boost Midterm Fortunes by Pitching Inflation Reduction Bill That Won't Reduce Inflation
Plus: Federal judge halts part of Florida's Stop WOKE speech law, streaming services overtake cable, and more...
Lisa Murkowski Survives, Sarah Palin Struggles Under Alaska's New Voting System
Murkowski was likely saved by the state's new open primary, while Palin may have to depend on voters who picked her as their second choice.
