The Downballot

One key outcome of Tuesday's primaries in Indiana: House Republican leaders will have even more implacable crazies to contend with next year, and we're surveying the damage on this week's episode of "The Downballot." Marlin Stutzman, a tea party OG who helped push out John Boehner, narrowly won the Republican nod to reclaim his old seat while the erratic Victoria Spartz (who voted to oust Mike Johnson while we were recording) successfully managed to "un-retire" more than a year after saying she wouldn't seek another term. Expect even more "GOP in Disarray" headlines come 2025!We also have an in-depth discussion with Mark Hugo Lopez, the director of race and ethnicity research at Pew Research Center, about his studies of Latinos in America. Whereas the fastest-growing Latino group was once Mexicans, now it's Venezuelans. And while two-thirds of Latinos identified as Catholic not long ago, now less than half do—while the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated are soaring. Lopez zeroes in on the drop in support for Joe Biden among young Latino voters in particular but observes that it's still early: Just 25% of Latino adults tell Pew they're paying attention to the election. The show notes cannot do this conversation justice! Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

A Howard Dean comeback!? We couldn't believe it either, but the former Vermont governor (and one-time presidential primary frontrunner) says he's thinking about a bid for his old job, so we're strolling down memory lane on this week's episode of "The Downballot." The 75-year-old Dean would give Democrats a credible—and very recognizable—opponent for Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who currently lacks one. We gotta admit, we kinda like the idea!We're also talking primary previews with Daily Kos Elections editor Jeff Singer, who gives us the scoop on some of the top contests coming up this month. Among the races: the Republican congresswoman in Indiana who met bitter resistance when she tried to un-retire; the major battle in Maryland between a self-funder and the establishment; the most disgustingly transphobic GOP primary we've ever seen, down in West Virginia; and a "gun influencer" who could unseat a sitting Republican congressman in Texas. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Here's one way to avoid dealing with election results you don't like: just wipe them from the record books. It's not Orwell—it's Arizona, and we're talking all about it on this week's episode of "The Downballot." This fall, voters have the chance to deny new terms to two conservative Supreme Court justices, but a Republican amendment would retroactively declare those elections null and void—and all but eliminate the system Arizona has used to evaluate judges for 50 years. We're going to guess voters won't like this one bit … if it even makes it to the ballot in the first place.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also recap this week's primaries in Pennsylvania, where voters just chose nominees in the high-profile contest for attorney general and in several key House races across the state. But there's also some big news that has scrambled next year's elections in Virginia, with a prominent candidate dropping his bid for governor to instead seek the number two slot. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

It's an old story, but it never gets old: Democrats just whooped Republicans in fundraising—again. This week on "The Downballot" podcast, we're running through some of the most eye-popping numbers Democrats hauled in during the first quarter of the year (Sherrod Brown! Jon Tester! Colin Allred!) and the comparatively weak performances we're seeing from Republicans almost across the board. The GOP hopes to make up the gap by relying on self-funders, but a campaign without a strong fundraising network can be dangerously hollow.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also recap the week's electoral action, starting with victories in a pair of special elections in Michigan that allowed Democrats to reclaim their majority in the state House, plus a noteworthy House runoff in Alabama that could lead to a Black Democrat representing Mobile for the first time since Reconstruction.The Davids also explain why a surprise retirement from the Wisconsin Supreme Court means progressives need to be on guard against a top-two lockout in yet another critical battle for control of the court. And finally, there's the astonishing three-way House race in California that could soon turn into a humdrum two-way affair thanks to an unexpected recount. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

It's only April, but the Washington Post's new report on GOP golden boy Tim Sheehy is a strong contender for the craziest political story of the year. On this week's episode of "The Downballot," co-hosts David Nir and David Beard dissect the countless contradictions in Sheehy's tales about a bullet wound that he either received in Afghanistan or in a national park three years later. The Davids also explain why the Arizona Supreme Court's appalling new ruling banning nearly all abortions could lead to two conservative justices losing their seats this fall.Our guest this week is Sondra Goldschein, who runs the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, an organization dedicated to improving America's badly lagging "care infrastructure." Goldschein explains how issues like paid medical leave laws and greater access to childcare affect an enormous swath of the electorate—and why they're closely tied to voters' perceptions of their economic fortunes. She also highlights candidates her group is working to elect to make these policies a reality. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Florida's Supreme Court just greenlit a ballot measure to enshrine abortion in the state constitution—and simultaneously allowed the GOP's new six-week abortion ban to become law. That makes the already-high stakes for this amendment even higher, as we discuss on this week's episode of The Downballot. Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also talk about the death of New Jersey's infamous "county line" and how the GOP managed to pick yet another whackjob candidate for yet another congressional special election.Our guest this week is Daria Dawson, the executive director of America Votes, an organization that forms a crucial piece of infrastructure for the progressive moment. As Dawson explains, America Votes plays the role of "traffic cop" to ensure that its 400 partners don't duplicate each other's work—and that the right groups communicate with the right voters. She also emphasizes that Democratic candidates need to affirmatively tie themselves to ballot measures protecting abortion rights and says that voting rights are key to differentiating between the parties when talking to voters. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

Another special election just delivered still more bad news for the GOP, but Democrat Marilyn Lands', well, landslide should really have Republicans quaking. As we explain on this week's episode of The Downballot, this was the first test of in vitro fertilization at the ballot box since the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that imperiled the procedure, and Republicans failed spectacularly—with dire implications for November.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also examine the fallout from Tammy Murphy's shock decision to abandon her Senate bid and why Andy Kim's campaign has dealt a major blow to New Jersey's political machine. The Davids then explore whether the seemingly impossible might come to pass: Could Democrats take back control of the House before Election Day? Whatever the odds, Democrats need to be ready.Our guest this week is Lauren Baer, a 2018 congressional candidate in Florida who now runs Arena, an organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of campaign staff. Baer tells us about her group's work to train and place staff with campaigns, including how they help staffers weather the dry "shoulder season" between election cycles. She also warns about the huge GOP advantage in funding their talent pipeline and explains how Democrats can make up this crucial gap in campaign infrastructure. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

One of the most under-represented groups in elective office is also one of the least discussed: moms, especially mothers of young children. On this week's episode of "The Downballot," we're talking with Liuba Grechen Shirley, the founder of Vote Mama, an organization devoted to electing progressive moms at all levels of the ballot.Grechen Shirley describes her groundbreaking success in getting the FEC to allow her to use campaign funds for childcare when she ran for Congress on Long Island in 2018 and her subsequent efforts to support candidates like her. She explains how electing more mothers will mean more pro-family policies and tells us about some of her top candidates running this fall.Co-host David Nir and guest co-host Joe Sudbay also recap Tuesday's key primaries in Ohio and Illinois, including the blowout GOP Senate primary in the Buckeye State whose results will make both Donald Trump and Democrats happy. They also discuss an important new ruling from the Montana Supreme Court, which just smacked down an attempt by the state's Republican attorney general to keep an abortion rights amendment off the November ballot. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

The ripple effects of the Dobbs decision are impacting not only the right to an abortion but also abortion funding, IVF, and even recreational sex. Joining us on this week's episode of "The Downballot" is Grace Panetta, a political reporter at The 19th who has closely covered the electoral consequences of this ever-widening set of issues. Panetta highlights key races this year where reproductive rights will take center stage, including ballot initiatives in multiple states, efforts to repeal bans on public funding of abortions, and an upcoming special election in Alabama, the state that just thrust IVF into the limelight.Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also discuss Ken Buck's highly entertaining resignation, which is making life way more difficult for both Mike Johnson and Lauren Boebert. They then preview next week's primaries in Illinois and Ohio, which will, among other things, determine which Republican will take on one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators up this year, Sherrod Brown. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe

We're recapping all of Tuesday's primary night action on this week's episode of "The Downballot"! Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard go coast-to-coast, setting the table in Texas' Senate race and picking apart the bloodbath in the state House. Then it's on to North Carolina, where GOP extremists dominated at all levels of the ballot—and where one notorious election fraudster is now on his way to Congress. We wrap with California, whose troublesome top-two primary system made its quirks felt in a whole bunch of races, from Senate on down. Get full access to The Downballot at www.the-downballot.com/subscribe