The Downballot

Looking to see more “fightback” from Democrats? It’s happening all the time—at the state level. Joining us on this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast is Gaby Goldstein, the founder of State Futures, a new organization devoted to organizing Democratic state lawmakers. Gaby explains how her group fills a major infrastructure gap by helping Democrats share their best ideas for legislation, including new laws to protect labor rights and voting rights, all aimed at fighting back—vigorously—against Donald Trump.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also check in on two New England Senate primaries that experienced major shakeups this week. In Maine, establishment favorite Janet Mills has acknowledged concerns about her age as she seeks to take on Susan Collins, but the Democratic primary offers a perfect “shakedown cruise” before the ultimate battle. And in Massachusetts, Seth Moulton just issued a generational challenge to Sen. Ed Markey, but the incumbent’s liberal bona fides will be hard to match. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

All 100 seats in the Virginia House are up next month, but Democrats think they’re in a strong position to expand their narrow majority. Joining us on this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast to explain why is Del. Dan Helmer, who heads up his caucus’ campaign arm.Helmer points to the pain Virginia’s large federal workforce has experienced at Republican hands—thanks to DOGE and now the shutdown—and notes that Democrats have recruited candidates in every district for the first time in living memory. He also highlights the districts that Democrats are defending as well as the much larger number of GOP-held seats they’re targeting.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard, meanwhile, recap Tuesday’s primaries in Tennessee’s vacant 7th Congressional District and explore how and why Democrats just might be able to pull off an upset despite the seat’s strong conservative lean. They also dive into the GOP’s Senate primary in Texas, where a new entrant threatens to make life even more miserable for the Republican establishment—and maybe himself, too. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Rob Sand may be the last remaining Democrat holding statewide office in Iowa, but as he wages a bid for governor, he lays out a compelling case for why the state is purpler than you might think on this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast.Sand tells us about the massive lottery scandal he busted, which thrust him onto the national radar; how he hung on to win reelection as auditor by just 3,000 votes in 2022, even as all his fellow Democrats lost; and why Iowans are especially fed up after a decade of one-party rule, giving him an opening next year. He also shares his love of cartograms—those maps that depict population rather than area. After all, land doesn’t vote! Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Polling is more difficult than ever, particularly in a city as complicated and diverse as New York. Adam Carlson, founding partner at Zenith Research, joins us to discuss how he conducted a detailed poll of the New York City mayor’s race and how he views the state of that race now. We also get his take on the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races as well as Prop 50 in California and take a peek at 2026.Host David Beard and guest host Joe Sudbay discuss the current moves to gerrymander Kansas and how that might launch a serious Democratic challenger into the Senate race there. They also discuss the Wisconsin governor’s race, where a hardline conservative Republican has jumped in and the D.C. delegate race, where Eleanor Holmes Norton has her first serious challenger in years. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Myles Bugbee, founder of Persuasion & Pixels and a political digital advertising expert, reveals how campaigns are losing money to middlemen in the digital ad world. He shares insights on maximizing ad spend efficiency and highlights the importance of transparency in programmatic buying. Bugbee emphasizes steps campaigns can take to avoid wastage and discusses the current dynamics in Republican and Democratic strategies. The conversation also touches on the candidacy of Tejano star Bobby Pulido and other political shifts in Georgia.

Even amidst all the grim news, supporters of democracy have much more power than they think. That's the message from election law expert Justin Levitt on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast.Levitt explains why Donald Trump has almost no legal power to direct the conduct of elections and emphasizes that voters have almost always rejected gerrymandering when given the chance. He even expresses cautious optimism that the Supreme Court won't wreck the remaining pillar of the Voting Rights Act and expects that new GOP gerrymanders won't be enough to overcome a wave election.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also recap Tuesday's elections in Northern Virginia and Boston—two blowouts that were good news for Democrats. They discuss how Missouri Democrats can prevent Republicans from enacting their new gerrymandered map, and why Democratic primaries in a pair of key Senate races are almost certainly going to be a good thing. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Labor Day weekend was anything but slow on the news front, with three giant retirements dominating the political headlines. On this week's episode of The Downballot podcast, we examine all three, starting with longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler's selfless embrace of generational change. Things were less happy on the other side of the ledger, though, with Joni Ernst bailing in Iowa and a conservative Supreme Court justice calling it quits in Wisconsin.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also speak with Jennifer Rodriguez, a top official at the AFL-CIO who explains how exactly her organization—a "union of unions"—supports the labor movement. Noting that organized labor is a rare institution that maintains high levels of public trust, Rodriguez tells us how her federation identifies pro-labor candidates and helps elect them to office. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Democrats have turned in a lot of remarkable performances in special elections this year, but Tuesday's win in Iowa was the biggest by far—and we explain why on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast. Not only did progressive organizer Catelin Drey flip a deep-red district, but by doing so, she broke the GOP's supermajority in the state Senate. It's also the latest sign that the political environment for Iowa Republicans is pug-ugly—not something they want with much bigger races on the line next year.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also delve into the big new legal decision out of Utah, where a judge just ruled that Republicans were not permitted to gerrymander the state's congressional map and would have to draw a new one. It's a major victory for direct democracy, and it also means a new Democratic seat—likely in time for the 2026 midterms. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Now that California has unveiled its response to the Texas GOP's new gerrymander, we're examining the map district by district on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast. We discuss all of the Republican seats that Democrats are targeting; what Plan B might look like for screwed-over GOP incumbents; which California Democrats are making the biggest sacrifices; and much, much more.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also take stock of a new Democratic challenger running against Maine Sen. Susan Collins: Graham Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer whose campaign launch this week took the political world by storm. We explore what longtime politicos might have to learn from a first-time candidate like Platner—and how his message about affordability shares much in common with that of a very different candidate who's also shaking up Democratic politics.To celebrate our first anniversary and take advantage of our special offer to podcast listeners mentioned at the top of the show, please visit the-downballot.com/anniversary to enjoy 25% off our normal subscription rate. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Join Billie Butler, the newest member of the New Hampshire State House and a passionate artist and activist, as she shares her inspiring journey. She triumphed over anti-trans attacks to secure her seat while emphasizing the pressing issues of high living costs and housing. Delve into the struggles faced by Texas Democrats in the redistricting wars, and discover the power of grassroots engagement in local elections. Butler's unique blend of creativity and politics highlights the importance of advocacy and community in navigating today's challenges.