Good to Know: Continuing resolutions Sarah Binder - January 22, 2024 Here’s why Congress can’t kick the habit.
Good to Know: Impeachment Andrew Rudalevige - January 13, 2024 With House Republicans holding an impeachment inquiry against Pres. Biden, here's what to know about this constitutional tool.
Trump’s GOP rivals are letting him off easy – again John Sides - December 12, 2023 Just as in the 2016 primary, they’d rather attack each other than Trump.
Will Congress shut down the government over aid to Israel and Ukraine? Elizabeth N. Saunders, Sarah Binder, Michael Tesler, Jordan Tama, and Andrew Payne - November 14, 2023 Four experts examine how U.S. foreign policy is dividing both Republicans and Democrats.
Republicans dislike their congressional leaders. Democrats like theirs. Michael Tesler - October 5, 2023 The Republicans' drama in Congress accurately reflects their constituents' opinions.
Will foreign policy actually matter in the 2024 U.S. election? Elizabeth N. Saunders - September 21, 2023 It may not matter much to voters, but foreign policy is definitely on the ballot.
The remarkable rise of isolationist Republicans Michael Tesler - September 20, 2023 Trump’s rise has turned back the clock to the 1930s.
Goodbye to the 117th Congress, bookended by remarkable events Sarah Binder - December 27, 2022 The 2022 roundups: Congress’s year in review.
Did amateur candidates cost Republicans the U.S. Senate? Carlos Algara and Byengseon Bae / Managing Editor - December 7, 2022 A lot of amateurs ran for the Senate this year and lost. Here’s what you need to know.
Why have so many Americans come to mistrust the Supreme Court? Paul Collins and Artemus Ward - September 29, 2022 It’s not only because the justices are making unpopular decisions. Here’s what to know as the new term opens.
Will Biden’s age keep him from being reelected? Jennifer Wolak and Damon C. Roberts - July 20, 2022 Young people are the most critical of older politicians, our research finds
How did a bipartisan group of senators agree on new gun measures? Sarah Binder - June 13, 2022 Three factors made this incremental breakthrough possible
Leaks don’t hurt trust in the Supreme Court. Unpopular decisions do. Nathan T. Carrington and Logan Strother - May 12, 2022 That’s what our research found
What will Congress do on abortion post-Roe? Michele Swers - May 9, 2022 Here’s what Democrats and Republicans will probably do
Americans supported Jackson. Why didn’t more Republican senators? Sarah Binder - April 8, 2022 Partisan fights have become the norm in Supreme Court nominations
Congress finally passed a federal anti-lynching bill — after 120 years of failure Justin Peck and Jeffery Jenkins - March 9, 2022 For decades, a small, intensely committed Senate minority was able to use Senate rules to block change and maintain the Jim Crow system in the South
Congressional Democrats and Republicans are united in confronting Russia. That unity won’t last. Jordan Tama - March 3, 2022 Americans generally oppose Russia and support freedom, no matter their party.
Gorsuch is scheduled to speak to the right-wing Federalist Society. Americans find such speeches inappropriate. Nathan T. Carrington and Logan Strother - February 4, 2022 Americans don’t approve of justices appearing with politicians, our research finds.
What were Democrats thinking when they tried — and failed — to pass their voting rights bill? Sarah Binder - January 21, 2022 Changing Senate rules is really, really hard.
Republicans and Democrats have split over whether to support multiethnic democracy, our research shows Lilliana Mason, Julie Wronski, and John Kane - January 3, 2022 Trump activated what we call a ‘MAGA faction,’ motivated by animus toward marginalized groups
McConnell and Schumer cut a deal to raise the debt limit without any Republican votes. Here’s how it works. Sarah Binder - December 9, 2021 Don’t try these parliamentary tricks at home.
The Supreme Court might overturn Roe. It took decades of scorched-earth conservative politics to get here. Joshua C. Wilson and Amanda Hollis-Brusky - December 2, 2021 Upholding Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban could severely damage American belief in the court’s legitimacy.
Colin Powell was a paradoxical man in a polarized time Clarence Lusane - November 2, 2021 He joined the Republican Party just as it was veering away from him.
How Republican leaders could motivate their voters to get vaccinated against the coronavirus John Kane and Ian G. Anson - October 7, 2021 Our research found an argument that boosts Republicans’ willingness to get vaccinated.
Congress is struggling to raise the nation’s debt cap. Here’s what you need to know. Sarah Binder - October 5, 2021 Debt ceiling drama isn’t new — but this time it is a bit different
Americans’ respect for the Supreme Court has dipped. That might affect the justices’ decisions this term. Amanda Savage - October 3, 2021 How will they approach one of the most controversial terms in years?
Did the Afghanistan exit diminish U.S. credibility among its allies? Probably not. Ronald Krebs and Jennifer Spindel - August 31, 2021 Prolonged wars make allies nervous, our research on Vietnam shows.
Pelosi just rejected two Republicans for the Jan. 6 investigation. Here are three takeaways. Sarah Binder / Managing Editor - July 23, 2021 Yes, the speaker can do that.
Do we have an infrastructure deal? Sarah Binder - June 27, 2021 Four takeaways on what Democrats and Republicans are up to — and why it’s a big deal
Memorial Day was political from the beginning. Here’s how the holiday was shaped by race and the Civil War. Lucy Britt - May 30, 2021 The holiday was political at its founding and could be understood as political again
Arcwelder, ‘Favor’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - May 28, 2021 Mitch asks for a ‘personal favor.’
Biden is considering overhauling the Supreme Court. That’s happened during every crisis in U.S. democracy. Thomas Keck - April 13, 2021 During six major crises in U.S. history, debates over reshaping the court were linked to debates over whether democracy could survive
MLB moved the All-Star Game to protest Georgia’s new voting law. Here’s what that says about democracy. Thomas David Bunting - April 8, 2021 That will alert far more ordinary citizens to concerns about voter suppression
Mitch McConnell once knew all about the filibuster’s racist history. What changed? Saladin Ambar - March 29, 2021 We know from his own writings that McConnell is aware of the filibuster’s ‘racial history’
Voter suppression started way before Jim Crow. It’s a longstanding American tradition. David Bateman - March 28, 2021 For two and a half centuries, people have justified Black disenfranchisement in the name of ‘unity’
Mitch McConnell is wrong. Here’s the filibuster’s ‘racial history.’ Sarah Binder - March 24, 2021 From defending slavery to protecting segregation, the filibuster has been heavily used to block civil rights
Biden says bring back the ‘talking filibuster.’ Would that really let Senate Democrats pass bills? Sarah Binder - March 17, 2021 The details are devilish
Republican voters are deeply divided over Trump. So why do most Republican lawmakers still support him? Rory Truex and Kevin Arceneaux - February 16, 2021 We looked at which GOP primary voters are most likely to vote based on support for his false election claims
Janet Yellen will be the first female treasury secretary in U.S. Why are so few women in top economic posts? Ha Eun Choi, Cristina Bodea, and Andrew Kerner - February 9, 2021 Here’s why the coronavirus pandemic might change that
McConnell and Schumer ended their standoff over the new Senate. Who won and what happened? Sarah Binder / Managing Editor - January 26, 2021 And why were they talking about the filibuster at all?
McConnell wants the impeachment trial to be about Congress’s authority — not about loyalty to Trump Jeffery Jenkins and Eric M. Patashnik - January 24, 2021 Let’s look closely at what words he used to blame the former president for provoking the Capitol attack.
These 3 graphs explain why more House Republicans did not support impeachment Michael Tesler - January 13, 2021 Popularity of Mike Pence and Mitch McConnell has nosedived among Republicans since they certified Joe Biden’s victory
A violent mob overran Congress. 3 takeaways for the weeks ahead. Sarah Binder / Managing Editor - January 11, 2021 Did American electoral institutions survive the stress test?
What to expect when Congress counts the electoral college votes on Wednesday Sarah Binder - January 3, 2021 Yes, there might be procedural skirmishing. But old rules are hard to break.
Why Congress finally passed a coronavirus relief bill Sarah Binder - December 22, 2020 The election scrambled the players and their priorities.
Why so many Republican officials went along with Trump’s fraud claims Ryan L. Claassen, Michael J. Ensley, and Barry Ryan - November 24, 2020 My party is trying to win. Your party is trying to cheat.
No, Trump is not attempting a ‘coup.’ Here’s why the distinction matters. Erica De Bruin - November 11, 2020 It’s important that we describe the crisis accurately. That will shape our response.
Republican elites are playing with fire. Here’s what nuclear strategists would tell them. Henry Farrell and Elizabeth N. Saunders - November 10, 2020 Even those who don’t take Trump’s assault on democracy seriously are dancing on the edge of political Armageddon
From Barrett’s confirmation to today’s election, everyone is debating ‘legitimacy.’ Here’s what it means. Eric W. Schoon - November 2, 2020 Three things to know about a critical democratic concept
Barrett is the first Supreme Court justice confirmed without opposition support since 1869 Sarah Binder - October 27, 2020 Will Democrats retaliate if they take the Senate?
Amy Coney Barrett is conservative. New data shows us how conservative. Morgan L.W. Hazelton, Matthew E.K. Hall, Jeffrey J. Harden, and Jason Windett - October 21, 2020 Her confirmation would shift the Supreme Court further ideologically than any other appointment in the past 40 years.
Democrats are discussing changing the Supreme Court. What do Americans think? Eileen Braman - October 5, 2020 Here’s how they think about it.
Yes, Senate Republicans could still confirm Barrett before the election Sarah Binder - October 5, 2020 Several Republican senators’ exposure to the coronavirus would make it harder, but it’s still possible
Turbulent confirmation hearings don’t change how Americans view the Supreme Court Jean R. Schroedel and Christopher N. Krewson - October 1, 2020 Our surveys also find that public opinion toward the court is divided by race and gender
Senators treat female Supreme Court nominees differently. Here’s the evidence. Paul Collins, Lori Ringhand, and Christina L. Boyd - September 28, 2020 Our research looks at every question and answer in confirmation hearings since 1939
How Ruth Bader Ginsburg became a cultural icon John Schiemann and Bruce Peabody - September 27, 2020 Americans still long for public figures with extraordinary intellectual, physical and moral achievements.
Voters punish senators when they don’t like their Supreme Court confirmation votes Elizabeth Simas and Alex Badas - September 27, 2020 Before Republicans vote on Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the high court, they may wish to check public opinion
Republicans’ Supreme Court gambit may backfire. Here’s how. Robinson Woodward-Burns - September 23, 2020 Democrats can play constitutional hardball, too
What will the Senate do about Trump’s Supreme Court nominee? Sarah Binder / Managing Editor - September 22, 2020 Three things to know about what’s coming next.
Here’s what Pelosi could do if Republicans tried to manipulate the presidential election’s outcome Daniel Carpenter - August 4, 2020 If the game is constitutional hardball, Democrats could try this play
The next Congress will probably be the most diverse ever Bernard Fraga - June 21, 2020 That’s what my research into the primary races suggests.
Congress can’t easily pass police reforms. Here’s why. Sarah Binder - June 5, 2020 Public attention will shift — and the Republican Senate will ignore House action.
Under Trump, Democrats and Republicans have never been more divided — on nearly everything Larry Bartels - May 20, 2020 And they are holding tightly to their party identities
Congress and Trump have produced four emergency pandemic bills. Don’t expect a fifth anytime soon. Sarah Binder / Managing Editor - April 26, 2020 Here are four takeaways from Congress’s latest effort to respond to the coronavirus.
Will the coronavirus make conservatives love government spending? Yphtach Lelkes, Howard Lavine, Christopher Federico, Christopher D. Johnston, Christopher J. Soto, and Ariel Malka - April 14, 2020 People with conservative personalities are more open to such intervention than you might think.
Congress moved quickly on the massive emergency spending bill. Here are four takeaways. Sarah Binder - March 26, 2020 No one wants the blame for failing to act in a crisis.
The House moved quickly on a covid-19 response bill. These 4 takeaways explain what’s likely to happen next. Sarah Binder - March 14, 2020 Here’s why the legislative road ahead will be rockier.
Romney’s not really alone. Republican senators were ready to oust Nixon in 1974. von Hippel - February 11, 2020 That’s why Nixon resigned first.
What will Trump’s acquittal mean for U.S. democracy? Here are 4 big takeaways. Tyler P. Yates - February 3, 2020 Watch closely what Republican senators say about the defense’s arguments.
People who want Chief Justice Roberts to call witnesses should prepare for disappointment Keith Whittington and Ira Goldman - January 31, 2020 Roberts is acting as the presiding officer of the Senate, not as a judge
Bolton has disrupted the Senate impeachment trial. What happens now? Sarah Binder - January 29, 2020 So much for Mitch McConnell’s plans for a swift acquittal.
What have we learned from the impeachment trial so far? Matt Glassman - January 27, 2020 Three takeaways — including the big surprise yet to come
What to expect when you’re expecting a Senate impeachment trial Steven Smith - January 10, 2020 Yes, there are some rules. The Senate can change them.
Congress’s 2019 looks startling in the rear-view mirror. Here are 4 key takeaways. Sarah Binder - December 29, 2019 Expect the Nancy and Mitch show to keep delivering surprises.
We’re on the road to impeachment. Here’s what you need to know about what’s ahead. Sarah Binder - December 12, 2019 Watch for party fractures that could make things more interesting.
Is the impeachment inquiry really ‘unconstitutional’? Andrew Rudalevige - October 10, 2019 There’s a long history of White House lawyers saying what the boss wants to hear.
Pelosi finally called for an impeachment inquiry. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes. Sarah Binder - September 26, 2019 Four insights into why now — and what’s next
D.C. statehood is back on the House’s agenda. Here’s why it faces an uphill battle. Robinson Woodward-Burns - September 19, 2019 Can you say “taxation without representation”?
Congress is back in town. Here’s why lawmakers will struggle to get much done. Craig Volden and Alan E. Wiseman - September 11, 2019 As party leaders have taken power away from committee chairs, fewer members of Congress have the clout — or incentive — to find solutions.
Russians tried to hack our elections. Voters overwhelmingly support stronger security measures. Evan Crawford - August 26, 2019 So why doesn’t Mitch McConnell?
No, Congress won’t pass gun background checks ‘like we’ve never had before.’ Here’s why. Sarah Binder - August 23, 2019 Who’s got the hot potato now?
How did Congress pass humanitarian aid for migrant children so quickly? Here are 3 takeaways. Sarah Binder - June 29, 2019 Congress knows a must-pass bill when it sees one.
What Roy Moore tells us about the Republican Party David A. Hopkins - June 26, 2019 Who leads political parties these days?
Conservative Supreme Court judges may undermine Trump to get their way Todd N. Tucker - June 21, 2019 They may care less about the president’s trade agenda than gutting the administrative state.
Can Trump still install a loyalist at the Fed? Mark Spindel and Sarah Binder - May 6, 2019 Maybe. But he has to choose them a little more carefully.
Why does it take so long to confirm Trump’s appointments? Terry Sullivan and Heather Ba - April 24, 2019 The Senate “went nuclear” — but that won’t speed things up much.
How the House Freedom Caucus found an unlikely ally: Donald Trump Matthew Green - April 14, 2019 A minority within a minority needs a friend in the White House.
The Republican Senate went nuclear again to speed up confirming conservative judges. Sarah Binder - April 5, 2019 Here are four takeaways from the Senate’s shift toward majority rule.
Congress has NATO’s back, despite Trump’s unilateralism Joshua Kertzer, Joshua Busby, Jordan Tama, Jonathan Monten, and Craig Kafura - April 3, 2019 Surveys show deep bipartisan support for the alliance.
The Senate voted to block Trump’s national emergency declaration. Now what? Sarah Binder - March 15, 2019 Here are 3 takeaways from Congress’s highly unusual rebuke.
These are the roadblocks to the Democrats’ big voting rights bill Thomas Keck - March 6, 2019 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks during an event advocating
Can the Green New Deal make it through Congress? Here are 5 things you need to know. Leah Stokes - February 20, 2019 Whether or not it does, it is likely to affect future climate policies.
Three takeaways from Congress’s ability to avoid a shutdown — this time around, at least Sarah Binder - February 15, 2019 No one wants the blame for shutting down the government.
The Senate and intelligence community rebuked Trump on national security this week. James Goldgeier, Elizabeth N. Saunders, and Sarah Binder - February 2, 2019 Here's why that matters — a lot.
Why the shutdown ended — and what to watch for now Sarah Binder - January 26, 2019 [caption id="attachment_83155" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Congress and the president agreed to
Many Americans say they want politicians to compromise. But maybe they don’t. John Sides - January 16, 2019 [caption id="attachment_67086" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump, accompanied by Vice President
No wonder there’s a shutdown: New poll shows how much Republicans and Democrats really disagree on immigration Kimberly Gross and John Sides - January 15, 2019 [caption id="attachment_82573" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump walks to Marine One
What will it take to end the shutdown? Watch these three things. Sarah Binder - January 7, 2019 For the third week in a row, the government remains
Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan want to weaken incoming Democratic governors. Here’s what’s the usual partisan politics — and what isn’t. Matt Glassman - December 11, 2018 Last week, lame-duck Republican state legislatures in Wisconsin and Michigan