Dave Weigel on surviving the news onslaught

It’s the third anniversary of The Downballot podcast this week, and it’s our pleasure to welcome Semafor’s Dave Weigel on the show!

Dave's ubiquitous coverage of elections has been indispensable reading for years. In our conversation, he details how his attention to grassroots politics has helped him build unusual levels of trust with so many sources on both sides of the aisle. He also offers a thoughtful guide to handling the news onslaught that's accompanied the second Trump era and explains why races for party chair—whether of the DNC or RNC—seldom bring ideological shifts.

Meanwhile, co-hosts David Nir and David Beard dive into the wreckage in New York City, where a letter from Trump's Justice Department letting Mayor Eric Adams off the hook has blown up all semblance of the rule of law. But if there's any recompense, it's that Adams' political career looks just as doomed now as it did a week ago. They also catch listeners up on the latest regarding a New York special election and the resolution of a long power struggle in the Minnesota House.

Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe