The polarization paradox: elected officials and voters have shifted in opposite directions

During the past four decades, the two major political parties have steadily moved farther away from each other and are now as deeply divided as they have been for more than a century. For most of this period, analysts agree, Republican elected officials have moved more to the right than […] Read more »

Trump and His Allegedly Disloyal White Evangelical Supporters

In a recent interview, David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network asked former president Donald Trump what he thought about the reticence of some white evangelical Protestant leaders, such as Southern Baptist megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress, to endorse his candidacy for president in 2024. Trump caused quite a stir by […] Read more »

What Does Threat to Democracy Mean To Swing Voters?

On the eve of the midterm elections last fall, President Biden delivered a speech in which he argued that the central issue for 2022 was the threat to our democracy. Many pundits, and even some high-profile Democrats, criticized Biden’s messaging. After all, poll after poll showed that the economy and […] Read more »

Why Debt-Ceiling Brinkmanship Feels Different This Time

Business, community, and government leaders are growing increasingly alarmed that the populist and ideologically conservative House Republicans may endanger Congress’ ability to approve an increase in the federal debt ceiling, a move crucial to avoiding the nation’s first-ever default and a calamity in the financial markets. The federal public debt […] Read more »

How Republicans view their party and key issues facing the country as the 118th Congress begins

Republicans now hold a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, the first time they have controlled the chamber in four years. The GOP’s first weeks in power have been marked by drama – most notably by Kevin McCarthy’s protracted, 15-ballot victory to become House speaker. As the new […] Read more »

In elections, a win is a win. And Republicans won

… Republicans won the House, after just four years, but with a thin margin. Voters, especially independents, were motivated by economic issues, their unhappiness with the direction of the country and President Joe Biden’s leadership, and they wanted solutions. But a poor Republican economic campaign message, focused on attacking Pelosi […] Read more »