Half the Answer

This election cycle feels messy. It also feels completely unpredictable. What will the Trump administration try? What will they get away with? How will or won't states be able to protect their voters and officials from interference? We talked with historian Adam Hochschild about historical precedents and predictions of election interference, integrity, and outcomes.

Resources:

"American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780063278523

"Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780544947238

"King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780358212508

"Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780618619078

"To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914–1918": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780547750316

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-justice-department-says-fbi-ice-agents-will-not-serve-poll-monitors-midterms-2026-10-29/

https://www.npr.org/2026/10/30/nx-s1-6023331/ice-activity-surge-midterms

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-01/us-midterm-election-officials-prepare-ice-agents-trump-meddling/107322620

https://www.propublica.org/article/five-voting-disruptions-midterm-election

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8qln1539y37o

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/5-expert-takeaways-on-2026-midterm-election-security

The 2026 midterm elections are an opportunity for voters to assess Donald Trump's second presidency, and they seem poised to turn some historically red states purple and blue. We've assembled a crack team of political analysts—Ryan Cooper of the American Prospect, Marisa Kabas from the Handbasket, and Jonathan M. Katz from the Racket—and asked them how several key Senate and gubernatorial races will shake out.

Resources

https://www.patreon.com/leftanchor

https://www.youtube.com/@ryanlcooper

https://bsky.app/profile/ryanlcooper.com

https://www.thehandbasket.co

https://bsky.app/profile/marisakabas.bsky.social

https://theracket.news

https://www.tiktok.com/@katzonearth

https://bsky.app/profile/katz.theracket.news

"The Legend of Skokie": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781250427519

"Gangsters of Capitalism": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781250135599

"The Big Truck That Went By": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781137278975

https://www.270towin.com/2026-senate-election/fiftyplusone-2026-senate-forecast

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whats-going-on-with-dan-sullivan-and-dan-sullivan-the-alaska-senate-litigation-explained

https://www.ms.now/polling-texas-senate

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-the-kansas-senate-race-became-surprisingly-competitive

https://abcnews.com/amp/Politics/key-senate-races-determine-party-controls-body-year/story?id=137301095

https://www.ms.now/polling-iowa-senate

https://www.ms.now/polling-nebraska-senate

https://www.ms.now/polling-minnesota-senate

https://www.ms.now/polling-florida-senate

https://www.ms.now/polling-georgia-senate

https://www.ms.now/polling-ohio-senate

https://www.nga.org/governors/elections/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-house-races-watch-2026-elections-2026-10-26/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abdul_El-Sayed_meet-and-greet_by_Conlan_Houston_9.jpg

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-renews-threats-against-iran-posts-ai-image-of-himself-holding-weapon/

Trent and Caitlin are joining the war on cars! Doug Gordon, cohost of "The War On Cars" and coauthor of "Life After Cars," joins us to explain why we should work toward a world that isn't defined by nigh-compulsory car ownership. Where could we go? What could we do? Who could we meet? The possibilities are endless!

Resources

https://www.lifeaftercars.com

"Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780593850725

"Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780262516129

https://tombrevoort.com/2021/06/20/the-greatest-superman-story-ever-told/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharonhahndarlin/51272511367/

Two years ago, a Cornell student reported to the police that she had been the victim of sexual assault by a group of fraternity brothers from Chi Phi. Now known as "Jane Doe," her case was mishandled, her words mangled, and her attackers protected from consequences. Sociologist Nicole Bedera speaks to us about how institutions of higher education regularly prevent survivors from accessing justice and in fact punish them for coming forward.

Resources:

"On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780520395893

https://www.thecut.com/article/trump-title-ix-rules-cornell-seven-case.html

https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/editorial-cornell-won-t-we-will

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/5/7756/files/2025/10/2025-SARM-Survey-report_508.pdf

https://spitfirenews.com/p/cornell-jane-doe-smear-campaign-statement-seven-police-report

https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/News-articles/District-Attorney-statement-regarding-Jane-Doe-v.-Cornell-University-et-al

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/nyregion/url-cornell-university-jane-doe-rape-case-statement

https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/10/guest-room-the-whac-a-mole-ritual-of-suspending-fraternities-is-not-working-it-s-time-for-deeper-reforms

Megyn Kelly image from https://flickr.com/photos/22007612@N05/53804005492

Matt Walsh image from https://flickr.com/photos/22007612@N05/52126969451

Donald Trump made more than two billion dollars in the first year of his second term. Much of it was from cryptocurrency, which he used to refer to as "based on thin air" until he started selling it. Zach Everson from Public Citizen explains how Trump ramped up his corruption and grifting after getting away with smaller stuff in his first term.

Resources:

https://www.citizen.org/about/person/zach-everson/

https://bsky.app/profile/zacheverson.com

https://thinairrealmoney.com

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/05/nx-s1-5919997/how-trump-made-an-estimated-2-2-billion-during-the-first-year-of-his-second-term

https://www.everyoneislying.com

ICE has been transporting people in inhumane conditions to countries to which they have no affiliation or connection. What do the courts think about this? It's…confusing. Reporter Gillian Brockell is here to get the word out, sharing stories not only about ICE's awful actions and our ridiculous Supreme Court but also about how Democrats on Chicago's city council have fought back.

Resources

https://gillianbrockell.com

https://prospect.org/2026/10/07/federal-judge-dhs-must-bring-back-gay-arizona-man-imprisoned-africa-ahmed-soliman/

https://prospect.org/2026/10/02/ice-airline-omni-air-chicago-trump-third-country-deportation-flights/

https://prospect.org/2026/09/30/supreme-court-allows-ice-to-restart-third-country-removals/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am0NlFUQYvQ

Donald Trump is changing the landscape of Washington—literally. From East Potomac Park to the Kennedy Center to the 'Arc de Trump,' everything he touches turns to plaster and adhesive gold-colored filigree. And all the while, D.C. is still under occupation by National Guard out-of-towners. Stephanie Mencimer, a senior reporter with Mother Jones and resident of the city under siege, joins us.

Resources

https://bsky.app/profile/smencimer.bsky.social

https://www.motherjones.com/topics/reveal-podcast/

https://www.youtube.com/@MotherJones

https://www.tiktok.com/@motherjonesmag

https://www.motherjones.com/author/Stephanie-mencimer/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/fore-trumps-dc-golf-course-is-already-in-the-rough/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/the-kennedy-center-was-part-of-dc-life-trump-destroyed-it/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/30/trumps-upscale-golf-plan-would-destroy-dc-haven-cyclists-runners/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/29/trumps-arch-not-expected-feature-drones-snipers-officials-say/

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NZIUqUdoz2I

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/23/secret-white-house-bunker-undercuts-trumps-ballroom-lawsuit-ex-officials-say/

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/us/politics/trump-ballroom-construction.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/09/30/kennedy-center-was-solvent-when-trump-took-over-then-its-finances-collapsed/

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/29/politics/mike-lee-kennedy-center-bill

https://apnews.com/article/trump-rose-garden-historical-statues-founders-sculptures-0fe922ef11337b4937adf3ac505e9b5b

https://www.turtlediaries.net/p/update-from-the-great-american-state

https://people.com/trump-rose-garden-renovations-complete-photo-timeline-11985903

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/a-year-of-troops-in-washington/688317/

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-put-thousands-soldiers-washingtons-streets-they-seldom-stop-crime-2026-08-19/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/daily-news-lessons/2025/10/east-wing-of-white-house-torn-down-as-trump-clears-space-for-his-ballroom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNpIOlDhigw

Donald Trump appears to be deteriorating…in every way possible. Physically, mentally, internationally, grammatically—somehow, orange man worsening, while word salads, IVs, and naps are great again. Ryan Cooper of the American Prospect helps us think through what it means for 2026, 2028, and beyond.

Resources

https://prospect.org

https://www.leftanchor.com

https://wlos.com/news/local/joke-trump-fema-funding-president-donald-trump-north-carolina-western-helene-reaction-whatley-cooper-election-candidates-politics-gov-josh-stein-community

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mvoaqk2q2523

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-chance-for-peace-delivered-before-the-american-society-newspaper-editors

https://www.liberalcurrents.com/how-the-homeless-continue-to-be-forgotten-in-the-midst-of-the-covid-19-pandemic/

"Donald Trump" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Our European correspondent Hunter CG, often known as RoteRoteMedia, clues us into the latest Old World happenings, with special attention to the ongoing adventures of Donald Trump's middle-aged son-in-law and "special envoy for peace" Jared Kushner.

https://www.LiberalCurrents.com/drive/

https://www.democratsabroad.org/about_us

https://www.thedemcon.org

https://www.tiktok.com/@roterotemedia

https://www.instagram.com/roterotemedia/

https://www.youtube.com/@roterotemedia/shorts

https://bsky.app/profile/roterote.bsky.social

https://apnews.com/video/protest-against-kushner-linked-coastal-development-held-near-albanias-parliament-f09c4305bc7548f3a37a5aa1d5463826

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c986w38r4j5o

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/who-rupert-lowe-restore-britain-5HjdTPC_2/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8znyzgkjjo

https://apnews.com/article/wales-scotland-northern-ireland-independence-uk-devolution-4242b7fd6987520211562a2250f093a1

https://www.reuters.com/world/italys-meloni-says-albania-migrant-camp-scheme-will-continue-2025-11-13/

https://apnews.com/article/sweden-election-opposition-wins-andersson-bf88ef9771cdd4f435a1568b98a11790

https://www.propublica.org/article/donald-trump-jr-wedding-bankrolled-russian-oligarch-umar-kremlev-putin

https://www.britannica.com/event/2025-Nepalese-Gen-Z-Protests

https://apnews.com/article/madagascar-protests-gen-z-rajoelina-e39ef11bd1f4a92f1f4b353900348219

https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusive/how-serbian-students-created-the-largest-protest-movement-in-decades/

When those at the very top echelon of influence in Silicon Valley think about, talk about, and interact with government, what does that look like? Can we come up with a legible, understandable picture of the tech elites' idea of what governing is and how they relate to it? Adrian Daub says yes, and he says it in his new book "What Tech Calls Governing."

Resources

"What Tech Calls Governing": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781503648333

"The Cancel Culture Panic: How an American Obsession Went Global": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781503640849

screengrab of Elizabeth Holmes from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGJSRFWALTI

Elon Musk photo by Gage Skidmore https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/54349592271/in/album-72177720324044219

Mark Zuckerberg with Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI-ULy4akl0

Peter Thiel photo by Gage Skidmore https://flic.kr/p/2n3bPZt

Tim Cook in Oval Office from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSAGUjY2HIs