George W. Bush had “freedom fries,” Sarah Palin had the “Big Gulp” and Dan Quayle had the Hollywood portrayal of an unwed single mother named Murphy Brown. For President Trump, it’s paper straws — the latest addition to an ever-growing list of cultural flash points his campaign is seeking to […] Read more »
How Much Does Iowa Matter?
This past weekend was all about Iowa. … In this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the crew discusses just how important Iowa really is to winning a party’s nomination. The team also takes a look at American voter opinions and the science of aging to address the question of […] Read more »
Why Democrats are stuck competing in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin
… Recent electoral history and demographics suggest that, despite the quick leftward movement of well-educated suburbs across the country, Democrats probably still have to worry about Wisconsin, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and other currently purple states in 2020. CONT. David Byler, Washington Post Read more »
Democrats need young voters to win in 2020. But many are skeptical of the party.
Dana Fattouh, 18, likes almost everything about the Democratic Party. … But Fattouh refuses to call herself a Democrat. And though most of her policy preferences align with the party’s liberal wing, she won’t commit to vote blue in 2020. Rather, she says she’ll research her options and decide who […] Read more »
Farmers back Trump’s tariff fight, but don’t think it helps them
As the Trump administration’s trade fight with China deepens, the impacts are starting to pile up — particularly in the nation’s farming communities where tariffs targeting agricultural products are hitting hard. And with 2020 approaching, the ongoing dispute could have serious electoral implications. Polls show a mix of presidential support […] Read more »
Iowa is awash in candidates but don’t expect clarity until the very end
… Iowa’s place at the front of the nominating process has been set by tradition and now by rules established by the Democratic and Republican national committees. Its presidential caucuses kick off the primary caucus season and it acts as the great winnower of candidates. Only a handful of this […] Read more »