Dave Weigel's ubiquitous coverage of elections has been indispensable reading for years, so it's our pleasure to welcome him as our guest on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast. Dave, a veteran reporter now at Semafor, 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.

The two other Davids—co-hosts Nir and Beard, of course—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.

A special election will soon be underway to succeed Republican Elise Stefanik after she’s confirmed as ambassador to the United Nations, but New York Democrats are considering delaying it from April to June—or possibly even later. On this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast, David Beard and guest host Joe Sudbay break down the implications of Empire State Democrats finding a backbone. We also discuss big decisions by potential candidates in Michigan and Ohio, which will have both Senate and governor races next year.

We’re also talking to Campaign Legal Center Executive Director Adav Noti for an update on the state of campaign finance in 2024—and it’s not great! We discuss how Citizens United and the appointment of an anti-enforcement Democratic commissioner on the FEC led to the Wild West of campaign finance we know today. However, we also look at some positive laws and changes at the state level and discuss how reform could move forward at the federal level in the future.

It's only January, but it's been a hell of a week for downballot news, starting with a massive Democratic upset in an Iowa special election. We're covering the astonishing result and all its implications in depth on the latest episode of The Downballot podcast, including what it might mean for upcoming races like the pivotal April 1 showdown for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also dive into the Michigan Senate race, which was just scrambled by Gary Peters' surprise retirement, and the contest for governor in Arizona, where a far-right congressman's bid could be music to Democratic ears. They wrap up with two new state Supreme Court rulings: one positive in Minnesota, and one very troubling in North Carolina for anyone who believes in democracy.

Our guest this week on The Downballot podcast is Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who tells us all about the importance of the job—and about his plans for electing more folks like him as the new chair of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association. These number-twos hold many additional roles, whether as tie-breakers in legislatures, state election administrators, and more. Davis highlights top races in 2025 and 2026, including Arizona, which will elect its first lieutenant governor ever next year.

Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also discuss a new effort by Virginia Democrats to pass amendments enshrining abortion, same-sex marriage, and voting rights into the state constitution, illustrating how states will once again be the central battlefront for protecting democracy in the second Trump era. And they explain why new Senate appointments in Ohio and Florida could yield messy GOP primaries—and a Democratic opportunity.

The Minnesota House wound up evenly tied after the November elections, but Republicans say they're entitled to run the chamber and pick a speaker. We're unpacking this bizarre turn of events on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast, an ongoing saga that's seen Democrats respond by playing hardball and walking out to deny the GOP a quorum. Will the courts step in, or will they leave lawmakers to resolve the deadlock themselves? It's all unfolding as we speak.

We're also talking to data journalist Derek Willis, whose work collecting detailed election results across the country is near and dear to our nerdy hearts. Willis notes that this is a particularly American problem—most other countries centralize their election data—and explains the often-painful process for gathering results, which can even involve deciphering handwritten numbers. But the efforts yield critical insights into our democracy, so if you'd like to get involved, be sure to check out the all-volunteer Open Elections.

David Nir, publisher of The Downballot, and Aaron Rupar, publisher of Public Notice, held their monthly live chat on Thursday to share their insights on some of the most important stories in American politics, including:

* Why Donald Trump’s dangerous talk of invading Greenland and Panama shouldn’t distract us from the upcoming fights over his atrocious cabinet nominees

* How Democrats should handle Trump’s deranged lies about the California wildfires, and why a bona fide progressive media is so critical

* Big special election wins for Democrats in Virginia that saw them hold their one-seat majorities in the legislature—and what they might mean for 2025 and 2026

David and Aaron also took a variety of questions from those who participated live.

If you missed the event, you can watch it by clicking above! You can also find a complete transcript.

Tune in at 2 PM ET on the second Thursday of each month to join in the discussion and fire away with your questions! Our next event will take place on Feb. 13. You’ll need the free Substack app to participate.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to The Downballot, which provides unparalleled coverage of the thousands of critical elections below the presidency, sign up below:

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The Downballot podcast is back from our break, and already we've got election results to discuss on this week's show! Democrats in Virginia started the year off right with solid wins in two special elections that allowed them to retain their narrow majorities in both houses of the state legislature while Republicans actually underperformed in a third race.

And of course, North Carolina is once again top of mind as Republicans move forward with a plan to overturn the results of last year's race for the state Supreme Court—even though two recounts confirmed that Democrats won. We're also digging into the wild situation in the Minnesota House, where Democrats are threatening a walkout if Republicans refuse to accept the power-sharing deal the parties began hammering out after the chamber wound up tied following the November elections.

We are delighted to wrap up the year with our presentation of the Second Annual Downballot Awards! We honor both the highlights and the lowlights of a wild election cycle.

Who will take home the prize for Most Embarrassing Use of AI? Least Impactful Revenge Tour? Most Humiliating Fall from Grace? But it's not just razzies: Tune in to learn who won Most Impressive Overperformance, the Iron Bladder Award, and the top accolade, Best Campaign!

The most important honor, though, goes to you, our listeners, for your steadfast support all year long. We could not do this without you. We are truly grateful.

As promised, here's a link to the winner of our Best Ad and Worst Ad awards. And if you'd like to contribute to our end-of-year fundraiser on ActBlue, just click here. Thank you!