
Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen
Each week Henry Olsen, columnist and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, will talk about the presidential and congressional races with leading political journalists and analysts, people who are out in the field and won't give you media spin. Find out who's leading the pack and who's an also-ran, with Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen.Listen to Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.
Latest episodes

Sep 14, 2023 • 44min
Voter Inertia: The Meal Ticket?
We all have a favorite dish at our favorite restaurant, and often enough we just can't help but to stick with it. Could this tendency explain the resounding lead Donald Trump enjoys in the Republican race? Are those 91 indictments resembling five star reviews to the GOP base, or are DeSantis, Haley and Ramaswamy simply unappetizing?Today Henry sits down with FiveThirtyEight's Geoffrey Skelley and Cook Political Report's Amy Walter to go over the menu. He and Geoff consider the Democrat's lack of alternatives to the underwhelming Joe Biden, along with the 'No Labels' third party push. Amy joins to discuss the GOP's race to second place and whether one of those candidates could go on to pull enough of the Republicans willing to be persuaded away from Trump. Stay tuned to the end to hear Henry's breakdown of the NRSC's ad against Montana senator Jon Tester.

Aug 31, 2023 • 57min
Iowa: The Eye of the Storm
This podcast explores how hurricanes affect the political careers of leaders like Ron DeSantis. It discusses the impact of natural disasters on the reputation of political figures. It also delves into the distinctions between primaries and caucuses. Additionally, it analyzes Nikki Haley's performance in a debate and questions the influence of Trump on the Republican Party. The podcast ends by discussing potential challenges to Trump and the consequences for the candidates.

Aug 17, 2023 • 54min
Second Thoughts for Double Doubters
The podcast discusses the rise of 'Double Doubters' in elections, voters who dislike both major party nominees and had an impact in 2016. The limitations of polls in predicting outcomes and the skepticism about Joe Biden's current tour are explored. The influence of different Republican candidates, the significance of the South Carolina primary, and analysis of Donald Trump's ad are also discussed.

Aug 4, 2023 • 1h 21min
Ready, Set . . . Go!
Presidential election season is approaching. Thankfully Henry Olsen and his guests are back to provide detailed examination of the facts, figures, twists and turns that will whittle down today's crowded field. We'll be going beyond the polls!Today we're hearing from Semafor's Dave Weigel to assess the Republican Rumble; we'll take a Democratic Deep Dive with Ruy Teixeira, politcal editor of The Liberal Patriot; AEI's Karlyn Bowman joins to guage the Polling Barometer; and Dante Scala, professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire, give us the State of Play for that oh-so-important primary battleground.Join us as we go... Beyond the Polls!

Oct 29, 2020 • 45min
And Down the Stretch They Come!
Our crazy election season is nearly over, and RealClearPolitics’s Sean Trende and the American Enterprise Institute’s Karlyn Bowman help us unpack the polls and discuss the future of a post-Trump Republican Party. Only on Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen!

Oct 24, 2020 • 34min
Into the Final Turn
Only ten days to go and about 1/3 of the ballots have already been cast. Can Donald Trump come from behind? Can the Republicans hold the Senate? Polling expert Karlyn Bowman and election analyst Jacob Rabushkin help us answer these questions. And a special guest appearance by the late Mao Tse Tung on the Ad of the Week – only on Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen! Source

Oct 15, 2020 • 1h 8min
White House Down
President Trump has continued to drop in the polls and he’s spending his time in states he won handily four years ago. The Sabato Crystal Ball’s Kyle Kondik and the American Enterprise Institute’s Karlyn Bowman join Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen this week to tell us what it all portends. Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report also joined the podcast to run down the state of play in the U.S. House races. Source

Oct 8, 2020 • 38min
Into the Final Turn
The race has entered its last full month with twists and turns galore. Karlyn Bowman sorts the polling out for us this week while the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Craig Gilbert gives us the state of play in the key swing state of Wisconsin. All this and three ads of the week, only on Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen! Source

Oct 1, 2020 • 1h 1min
We've Been Slimed
Will Tuesday’s disgusting debate shake up the presidential race? Election expert Ruy Teixeira joins Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen to give his assessment. Arizona is perhaps the key battleground state, and the University of Arizona’s Samara Klar gives us the lowdown from the ground. Polling analyst Karlyn Bowman joins in the launch of our new regular feature, Poll Barometer, which looks at what the polls tell us... Source

Sep 18, 2020 • 35min
A New York State of Mind
This week’s episode takes us into New York City for a look at two especially incisive ads that could only have come from the Big Apple. We also look at President Trump’s standing with white working-class voters and his general election prospects with the Economist’s D.C. Bureau Chief, James Astill. Listen today! Source
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