Tessera

There's an active debate in Democratic politics between progressives and moderates about how to build a winning coalition. A new report from a pair of California researchers, shared exclusively with NPR, argues that debate misses the point.

To win over working-class voters, Democrats need to stop talking about democracy

Working-class voters have moved away from the Democratic Party. Winning them back is key to the party's future, a new reports shows. But first, the messaging has to change.

npr.org

Democrats are making the case that now is the time to tackle anti-corruption reforms — to serve as a check on Donald Trump and to overhaul a system voters say is co-opted against their interests.

Trump shattered ethics norms. Will voters trust Democrats to fix them?

Democrats are making the case that now is the time to tackle anti-corruption reforms — to serve as a check on Donald Trump and to overhaul a system voters say is co-opted against their interests.

npr.org

Cori Bush and Wesley Bell’s rematch sets up key test for Democrats in Missouri

Cori Bush and Wesley Bell's rematch sets up key test for Democrats in Missouri

Former Rep. Cori Bush, outside the courthouse where the Dred Scott case was argued, promises to reverse her ouster from Congress.

apnews.com

A year after President Trump signed a law ending six decades of federal funding of public media, it's a time of reinvention, innovation and clear anxiety at public tv and radio stations nationwide.

Rage-giving, innovation and cuts: How public media has survived without federal funds

A year after President Trump signed a law ending six decades of federal funding of public media, it's a time of reinvention, innovation and clear anxiety at public tv and radio stations nationwide.

npr.org

North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race was expected to shatter records. So far, the money—and the intrigue—have gone elsewhere.

The Billion-Dollar Election That Hasn’t Happened

North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race was expected to shatter records. So far, the money—and the intrigue—have gone elsewhere.

theassemblync.com

Democrats@democrats.org · 2w ago

The 2028 Democratic presidential primary calendar is one step closer to settled, with a proposed South Carolina leading off, and notable additions of Michigan, New Mexico and Virginia in the *six* state early window.

BREAKING: We just announced the DNC’s proposed 2028 Democratic presidential primary early window states.

It's not just watching paint dry. The twists and turns of the Reflecting Pool repairs, originally a two-week project, have kept bloggers and viewers busy all summer.

People are watching the Reflecting Pool like reality TV. What does that say about us?

It's not just watching paint dry. The twists and turns of the Reflecting Pool repairs, originally a two-week project, have kept bloggers and viewers busy all summer.

npr.org

Ascend West Virginia is one of dozens of relocation initiatives across the country offering cash and other incentives to move to states needing an economic boost. Here's how they're working out.

West Virginia paid digital nomads to move there during COVID. Many are staying

Ascend West Virginia is one of dozens of relocation initiatives across the country offering cash and other incentives to move to states needing an economic boost. Here's how they're working out.

npr.org

Over the last five election cycles polls of likely voters have typically leaned more Republican than polls of registered voters or all U.S. adults. But data on likely voter turnout in 2026 points the other direction.

Likely voters lean more Democratic for November's midterms, a change from past cycles

In every wave of our poll this year, screening for likely voters has nudged the congressional generic ballot a point or two bluer

gelliottmorris.com

"While we may all tend to cheer the polls with results we like and dismiss those we don’t, the decline in independent surveys by pollsters with extensive track records should make us extremely cautious about presuming too much about the future based on the data we have today."

The Platner Collapse Is a Cautionary Tale About Polling

A dearth of high-quality publicly available polling means campaigns and their allies can release lesser surveys to shape their raves.

washingtonmonthly.com

New AARP bipartisan poll of Georgia likely voters #gapol Jon Ossoff up over Mike Collins outside margin of error in Georgia Senate race Statistically tied governor race between Keisha Lance Bottoms/Rick Jackson More: www.aarp.org/content/dam/...

When you have a president with a low approval rating going into the midterms, the conventional wisdom is to keep him away from competitive races. But that's not the approach President Trump and his political team are taking.

Trump has campaigned more so far in 2026 midterms than he did at this point in 2018

Heading to Georgia on Wednesday, President Trump is campaigning more often this year than he did in the same period for 2018 and has already rallied for a dozen candidates in toss-up races.

npr.org

The betting site Kalshi emerged as a dominant sports betting platform during the World Cup. But the company avoids billions of dollars in taxes by insisting it is not a sports gambling operator. n.pr/4foSwm3

Kalshi says it's not a sportsbook even as World Cup bets surge

The betting site Kalshi emerged as a dominant sports betting platform during the World Cup. But the company avoids billions of dollars in taxes by insisting it is not a sports gambling operator.

n.pr

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President Trump raised claims that the country's voting systems are vulnerable to being "rigged and stolen," without providing new evidence of a single fraudulent vote cast in any election.

In primetime speech, Trump doesn't provide evidence for illegal voting

President Trump raised claims that the country's voting systems are vulnerable to being "rigged and stolen," without providing new evidence of a single fraudulent vote cast in any election.

npr.org

New Pew Research Center data on partisan affiliation: "Democrats have a narrow advantage over Republicans among U.S. adults: 47% identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, and 43% identify with or lean toward the Republican Party."

Party Affiliation Fact Sheet (NPORS)

Explore trends in partisan identification among U.S. adults using data from Pew Research Center’s National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS).

pewresearch.org

From @gelliottmorris.com: "The Democratic advantage for the midterms is not built on voters who like the Democratic Party, but on those who call themselves independents and can’t stand either one."

Democrats lead by 26 points among “double haters” in the 2026 House midterms vote

One in five Americans rates both parties unfavorably. These voters lean Democratic and say Trump has hurt the economy

gelliottmorris.com

Americans no longer appear to share a broad faith in core civic, social and government institutions; instead, their confidence varies with who holds political power.

Confidence in U.S. Institutions Remains Near All-Time Low

Americans remain stuck in a confidence rut, with average trust in national institutions below 30% for the fifth straight year.

news.gallup.com

Graham Platner generated enthusiasm in Maine with his progressive policies. Now he's out of the race, and his supporters have to decide what's next, as Maine Democrats prepare to choose a nominee. n.pr/3T26dj9

Platner's voters are reeling as Maine Democratic Party races to choose his replacement

Graham Platner generated enthusiasm in Maine with his progressive policies. Now he's out of the race, and his supporters have to decide what's next, as Maine Democrats prepare to choose a nominee.

n.pr