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2026 midterms

How High Will the Blue Wave Hit in Congress?

Barring a major polling error, Democrats are in great position to flip the House and a good position to grab the Senate. Here’s a final overview. By Ed Kilgore

podcast

the power issue

Charles Porch Is OpenAI’s Hollywood Whisperer

By Charlotte Klein He is rich, super-connected, and tasked with getting celebrities to like AI. podcast

early and often

Trump’s Closing Argument: Get a Load of the Reflecting Pool!

By Benjamin Hart Ahead of a probable midterm drubbing, the president is laser-focused on Washington renovations.

THE FEED

Guess Who’s Coming to Washington

New York’s Claire Valdez is poised to join a bloc of democratic socialists who are making Republicans — and moderate Democrats — very nervous.

The Democratic Spam Trap

By Alex Bronzini-Vender

Operatives know their apocalyptic emails are a self-defeating mess. But they can’t stop sending them.

The Family of Nolan Wells Still Wants Justice

By Albert Samaha

Four months after the Black teen’s unexplained death, his family and friends refuse to move on.

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early and often

early and often

Trump’s Closing Argument: Get a Load of the Reflecting Pool!

By Benjamin Hart

Ahead of a probable midterm drubbing, the president is laser-focused on Washington renovations.

michigan senate saga

michigan senate saga

The Wildest Details From the Haley Stevens Train Wreck

The floodgates have opened since the Democratic congresswoman became a party pariah after endorsing a Trump-backed Republican in Michigan.

tremendous content

tremendous content

Caviar and Caged Zebra: Inside Trump’s Halloween Bash For ‘Rich Friends’

By Margaret Hartmann

From the live animals to the tacky costumes to the presence of Mike Johnson, Trump’s pre-midterms Mar-a-Lago bacchanal was truly wild.

How High Will the Blue Wave Hit in Congress?

Barring a major polling error, Democrats are in great position to flip the House and a good position to grab the Senate. Here’s a final overview.

Final Midterms Polls Show Even Bigger Leads for Democrats

A new battery of polls from Times-Siena and others shows Democrats in position to take the Senate and a number of red-state governorships.

tremendous content

tremendous content

Trump’s Most Bizarre and Baffling Midterms Rally Rants

By Margaret Hartmann

From misgendering Melania to simulating puking to relentlessly praising Jon Husted’s butt, his closing message to 2026 voters is stranger than ever.

the power issue

the power issue

Charles Porch Is OpenAI’s Hollywood Whisperer

By Charlotte Klein

He is rich, super-connected, and tasked with getting celebrities to like AI.

the power issue

the power issue

The Democrat Shaping the Party’s AI Debate

By David Freedlander

The defeated lawmaker has $30 million to keep presidential contenders focused on safety.

the power issue

the power issue

The Future of AI Will Be Shaped by an Astonishingly Small Number of People

These engineers, founders, thinkers, and brokers aren’t particularly well known. But they have an enormous sway in where technology goes.

Haley Stevens’s Sabotage Mission

By Daniel Strauss

The Democrat’s 11th-hour endorsement in Michigan’s Senate race could throw the seat to the GOP.

November’s Subscriber-Only Perk: A Free Jar of Sauce and Rigatoni From Misipasta

Red sauce and rigatoni to keep or gift as the holiday season begins.

It’s Not Just the Billionaire Tax: Midterms Ballot Initiatives

From pro- and anti-tax measures to abortion and trans rights, voters have a lot of policy issues to weigh in on this year.

Alito’s Refusal to Retire May Haunt Republicans

Democrats are likely to exact payback if they take the Senate.

The 13 Governor’s Races Worth Watching on Election Night

There may be some downballot blues for the GOP in multiple red states. Here’s a helpful guide the most competitive and interesting contests.

Down and Out in the App Store

By John Herrman

Is getting paid to scroll a symptom of the economy or its entire future?

early and often

early and often

The ‘Dan Sullivan’ Stunt Is Political Malpractice

Even if Democrats hadn’t gotten caught, this dirty trick probably wouldn’t have helped them in Alaska.

House Democrats Are Ready to Dive In on Trump-Epstein Ties

Representative Jamie Raskin has called for a special counsel to “investigate Epstein’s co-conspirators.”

Final Midterms Polls Show Democrats Poised to Flip Congress

Democrats should take the House and are favored to flip the Senate, but there are lots of close Senate races and a weird situation in Alaska.

the approval matrix

the approval matrix

The Approval Matrix: Ilya and Shane Go to the Movies

Our guide to what’s highbrow, lowbrow, brilliant, and despicable.

the city politic

the city politic

The Big Problem With the City’s Horse-Carriage Ban

Mayor Mamdani needs to make sure owners feeling betrayed are provided a path forward.

Christa Pike’s Execution Doctor Speaks

By Rachel Corbett

“I’m not incompetent,” says Mark Fowler, who was publicly outed last year.

Even Republicans Want Ken Paxton to Lose

By Christopher Hooks

Texas’s corrupt Senate candidate is the crude end point of Trump’s war against the GOP Establishment.