Best Daily Kos Elections Podcasts (2024)

1
Rebroadcast: “I’d rather be on Biden’s team” this election, with Simon Rosenberg 29:46

4d ago29:46

29:46

Hopium Chronicles' Simon Rosenberg joins Markos to discuss the “red wave-ification” of the economy and how prepared Democrats are for November. There is still work to do but we have a better candidate—and we have the edge. This episode first aired June 11, 2024By Daily Kos

1
Give up on 2024? Vote Save America says hell no! 46:40

9h ago46:40

46:40

Unnamed "senior Democrats" are at it again, saying they're "resigned" to losing in November. On this week's episode of "The Downballot," host David Nir and guest host Joe Sudbay go hog-wild on the defeatists, explaining why humility and fortitude must be the order of the day. They also delve into polling data showing that the top of the ticket is n…

1
The other 499,999 elections 38:48

3d ago38:48

38:48

There are half a million elected offices in the United States, and the presidency is just one of them. This week on "The Downballot," co-hosts David Nir and David Beard revisit why they started the show in the first place: to cast a spotlight on those other 499,999 races. If you're a progressive feeling understandably depressed and/or scared right …

1
Rebroadcast: Republicans are the dog that caught the car, with EMILY’s List’s Christina Reynolds 39:18

12d ago39:18

39:18

We are joined by our friend Christina Reynolds, who is senior VP of communications and content at EMILY’s List. Christina talks with Kerry and Markos about how small a box the Republican Party is locked into on reproductive rights. This episode first aired March 2024By Daily Kos

1
French snap elections preview 59:33

25d ago59:33

59:33

Momentous elections are taking place in just days in France, so we've brought Bolts editor-in-chief Daniel Nichanian on this week's episode of "The Downballot" to give us the complete picture. Nichanian deciphers President Emmanuel Macron's opaque rationale for calling snap elections despite his party's grim standing in the polls and explains why, …

1
What to expect in the Biden-Trump debate 30:25

18d ago30:25

30:25

President Joe Biden successfully goaded Donald Trump into an early June debate, with Trump even acquiescing to most of the Biden team's terms. Markos and Kerry break down what to expect from Biden and from Trump. This episode was recorded on May 28, 2024.By Daily Kos

1
Freedom Caucus chair loses in a squeaker 25:53

1M ago25:53

25:53

The entire GOP from Trump on down was gunning for the head of the House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday night—and they succeeded, but only barely. We're recapping the latest primaries on this week's episode of "The Downballot," starting with Virginia Rep. Bob Good's near-escape from political doom. We've also got a compelling Democratic primary in NoVa, …

1
Rural organizing with Matt Hildreth 38:06

25d ago38:06

38:06

Kerry speaks with Matt Hildreth, the executive director of Rural Organizing and treasurer of the RuralVote.org super PAC. He explains what Democrats can—and must—do to change the political conversation in rural communities. This episode was recorded on June 7, 2024.By Daily Kos

1
A crazy Dem special election overperformance 59:52

1M ago59:52

59:52

Holy moly! Ohio Democrats just turned in an astounding special election performance on Tuesday night—in a conservative rural district they had no reason to think would be favorable in any way. Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard discuss what it means on this week's episode of "The Downballot," including why it's a bad idea to ignore the warning sign…

1
Jumbo June primary preview 48:49

2M ago48:49

48:49

Whoa mama! June is chock-full of juicy primaries, so we've brought Daily Kos Elections editor Jeff Singer on this week's episode of "The Downballot" to give us the lay of the land. In South Carolina, we've got not one but two GOP primaries marked by accusations of infidelity on the part of Republican incumbents, while North Dakota will vote on a ba…

1
Say it with me: It’s “convicted felon” Donald Trump 37:07

1M ago37:07

37:07

Donald Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records on May 30. What are potential voters saying about this historic news? And what is the Biden-Harris campaign doing now that the “teflon Don" is no more?By Daily Kos

1
The biggest supreme court races of 2024 45:21

2M ago45:21

45:21

It's right there in the name of the show, so yeah, of course we're gonna talk about downballot races on this week's episode of "The Downballot"! Specifically, we drill down into the top contests for attorney general and state supreme court taking place all across the country this year. Democrats and liberals are playing defense in Montana, North Ca…

1
Don’t panic! 31:13

2M ago31:13

31:13

Every day brings a new prognostication that is making President Joe Biden's campaign operatives worry or freak out. Is Donald Trump running away with the election? No. Not even close.By Daily Kos

1
UK snap election! 47:35

2M ago47:35

47:35

We're heading across the pond for this week's episode of "The Downballot" after the UK just announced it would hold snap elections—on July 4, no less. Co-host David Beard gives us Yanks a full run-down, including how the elections will work, what the polls are predicting, and what Labour plans to do if it finally ends 14 years of Conservative rule.…

1
Donald Trump really stepped in it this week 38:37

2M ago38:37

38:37

Like many Republicans, Donald Trump has tried to sidestep the issue of abortion and reproductive rights. But he stumbled during an interview with a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh this week, promising an “interesting” new policy that would let states restrict contraception.By Daily Kos

1
Missouri Dems filibuster GOP into submission 40:46

2M ago40:46

40:46

Democrats may be in the minority in the Missouri Senate, but you wouldn't know it after they staged an epic filibuster that just forced Republicans to abandon a cynical ploy to undermine direct democracy and thwart abortion rights. Joining us on "The Downballot" this week is state Sen. Lauren Arthur, one of the participants in Democrats' record-bre…

1
We speak with Protect Democracy’s Ian Bassin 45:27

2M ago45:27

45:27

Ian Bassin is the former associate White House counsel and co-founder and executive director of Protect Democracy. Protect Democracy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group focused on anti-authoritarianism, how to protect our democracy, and safeguarding our free and fair elections.By Daily Kos

1
The GOP Chaos Caucus grows larger 56:21

2M ago56:21

56:21

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 e…

1
We speak with the people behind Navigator Research 46:14

2M ago46:14

46:14

Navigator collects, analyzes, and distributes real data on progressive messaging. The Hub Project's Bryan Bennett and Gabriela Parra talk with Kerry about what they are seeing in their research this election cycle, and which messaging can help progressive candidates win elections in 2024—and beyond.By Daily Kos

1
A Howard Dean comeback? YEEAARRGGHH!! 56:29

3M ago56:29

56:29

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 fo…

1
Is RFK Jr. Trump’s spoiler now? 41:06

3M ago41:06

41:06

When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. entered the 2024 presidential race as an independent, many feared (and the MAGA faithful cheered) that he would siphon off important swing-state Democrats and independents from President Biden. That doesn’t seem to be so true anymore. In fact, the opposite may be true—and Donald Trump is hopping mad about it.…

1
The AZ GOP's plan to retroactively erase an election 33:00

3M ago33:00

33:00

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 retroact…

1
Recast: Sarah Longwell talks beating Trump 28:20

3M ago28:20

28:20

This episode originally aired March 12, 2024. The Bulwark’s Sarah Longwell joins Kerry to discuss the State of the Union and what President Biden needs to do to soundly defeat Donald Trump in November.By Daily Kos

1
Dems are crushing the GOP in fundraising—again 45:10

3M ago45:10

45:10

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 …

1
Immigration: Fact and fiction! with Zachary Mueller of America’s Voice 42:33

3M ago42:33

42:33

Zachary Mueller is the senior research director for America’s Voice and America’s Voice Education Fund. He brings his expertise on immigration politics to talk about how much money the GOP is using to promote its racist immigration campaigns.By Daily Kos

1
The craziest effing story of the year (so far) 43:40

3M ago43:40

43:40

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…

1
Trump bungles his abortion speech 42:18

3M ago42:18

42:18

Trump’s lose-lose situation on abortion somehow got worse this week after he released a video attempting to spin a position on the polarizing issue. What does this mean? Bad news for the Republican Party, already in disarray.By Daily Kos

1
The stakes for Florida's abortion amendment just got higher 46:03

4M ago46:03

46:03

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 ab…

1
Is Florida in play for Democrats? 36:42

3M ago36:42

36:42

Kerry and Markos talk about Florida, its strict abortion ban, and Democratic challengers' chances in the Sunshine State.By Daily Kos

1
The GOP should be terrified after Alabama's landslide 54:00

4M ago54:00

54:00

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 procedur…

1
Republican disarray all the way! 40:04

4M ago40:04

40:04

President Joe Biden’s approval ratings have been improving since his fiery State of the Union speech—as we predicted. At the same time, the Republican Party cannot stop the infighting, even as Donald Trump’s takeover seems to be complete. Markos and Kerry get into Biden’s improving fundamentals as the race to save America heats up.…

1
Why we need to elect more moms 47:41

4M ago47:41

47:41

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 …

1
What exactly is the GOP's message? with Patrick Gaspard 38:17

4M ago38:17

38:17

The President and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Patrick Gaspard, joins us to give his thoughts on what the Republican Party’s actual message is.By Daily Kos

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