Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Leah Askarinam of the Associated Press discuss their key takeaways from the recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey, California and New York City and talk about how the recent Senate vote to end the government shutdown could impact the 2026 midterm elections. Nathan also gives an update on the Dallas Dragons, as they make their way through the 5A Oregon High School football playoffs.a

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@leahaskarinam

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

12 Initial Takeaways from Tuesday’s Elections [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/12-initial-takeaways-from-tuesdays-elections

A Detailed Analysis of California’s (Maybe) New Congressional Map [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/a-detailed-analysis-california-redistricting-new-map-texas-gerrymandering

2026 House Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-november-6-2025

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-october-22-2025

2026 Gubernatorial Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2025-26-gubernatorial-ratings-august-28-2025

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Melanie Mason of Politico analyze the fate of Proposition 50 in California as Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats try to counter President Donald Trump and Republicans’ efforts to redistrict in GOP states nationwide. The crew also walks through more than half a dozen individual seats and current incumbents that will be impacted if voters approve the new map.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@melmason

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

A Detailed Analysis of California’s (Maybe) New Congressional Map [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/a-detailed-analysis-california-redistricting-new-map-texas-gerrymandering

Brad Pitt and Minnesota’s 8th District [Roll Call]

https://rollcall.com/2013/06/10/brad-pitt-and-minnesotas-8th-district/

2026 House Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-october-23-2025

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-october-22-2025

2026 Gubernatorial Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2025-26-gubernatorial-ratings-august-28-2025

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Alex Seitz-Wald of Midcoast Villager take a deep dive into Maine with a focus on the Democratic Senate primary between Gov. Janet Mills and oysterman Graham Platner before taking on Republican Susan Collins, a look at the 2nd District battle between Democratic Rep. Jared Golden and former GOP Gov. Paul LePage, and talk about which Bush family member is running for governor. Jacob also reveals is guilty pleasure TV show featuring C-list celebrities, Alex introduces the crew to indie harp pop and Nathan considers a concert in Baltimore featuring a metal Star Wars band.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@aseitzwald

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

Midcoast Villager

https://www.midcoastvillager.com/

Maine 2: Turning LePage on Golden? [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/maine-2-turning-lepage-on-golden

2026 Gubernatorial Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2025-26-gubernatorial-ratings-august-28-2025

2026 House Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-october-1-2025

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-august-28-2025

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Steve Kornacki of NBC News take a fresh look at the battle for the House majority with a little more than a year before the midterm elections, analyze the latest numbers in the race for governor in New Jersey this year and talk about how Steve went from covering Congress at Roll Call to covering sports for football and the Kentucky Derby for NBC Sports. The crew also discuss Jacob’s latest IMAX adventure, SEC football and Oregon high school football.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@SteveKornacki

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

Iowa Senate: Democrats Reach for Open Seat? [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/iowa-senate-democrats-reach-for-open-seat

2026 Gubernatorial Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2025-26-gubernatorial-ratings-august-28-2025

2026 House Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-september-29-2025

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-august-28-2025

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Abby Turner of National Journal’s Hotline analyze the key messages and strategies ahead of the two biggest races of 2025 (the New Jersey and Virginia races for governor) as Republicans try to keep up their momentum from 2024 and Democrats try to get a bump heading into 2026. Jacob also celebrates victory over the Claw game, Abby gives an initial review of The Paper, and Nathan explains his dislike for awards shows despite his favorite comedian just hosting one.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@abbyyturner_

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

Ahead of November elections, Democrats stress-test affordability message [National Journal]

https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/729562/ahead-of-november-elections-democrats-stress-test-affordability-message/?unlock=YYCZSP8994YC8S8U

2025-26 Gubernatorial Overview: Open Seat Bonanza [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/news/article/2025-2026-gubernatorial-overview-august-28-2025-open-seat-bonanza

2026 House Overview: Can Redistricting Cushion Potential Fall? [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/2026-house-overview-sept.-11-2025-can-redistricting-cushion-potential-fall

2026 Gubernatorial Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2025-26-gubernatorial-ratings-august-28-2025

2026 House Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-september-11-2025

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-august-28-2025

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Gabby Birenbaum of The Texas Tribune break down the critical Republican primary in the Texas Senate race between Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton and analyze the five individual House seats most affected by Republicans’ mid-decade redistricting effort encouraged by President Donald Trump.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@birenbomb

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

A Detailed Analysis of Texas’ New Congressional Map [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/a-detailed-analysis-of-texas-new-congressional-map

How Democrats Pressured U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett to step aside for next generation [Texas Tribune]

https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/08/lloyd-doggett-greg-casar-texas-redistricting-retirement-democrats-aust/

2026 House Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-august-28-2025

Poll Finds Cornyn, Paxton in Dead Heat in Texas’ Senate GOP Primary [Texas Tribune]

https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/15/paxton-cornyn-texas-senate-poll-august-emerson/

Iowa Senate: Ernest Out, Republicans Sill Favored [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/iowa-senate-ernst-out-republicans-still-favored

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://manage.insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-august-28-2025

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin and Kyle Kondik of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia dive into the Ohio Senate race where former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is challenging Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to replace Vice President J.D. Vance, in a difficult, must-win contest for Democrats. The episode also includes Jacob’s new favorite Mexican restaurant, Kyle’s love for Rome, and Nathan’s journey in selling his old toys online.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@kkondik

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

Ohio Senate: Brown Decision Shifts Race Out of Solid [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/ohio-senate-sherrod-brown-decision-shifts-race-out-of-solid-jon-husted

Parties Engage in Redistricting Arms Race [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/parties-engage-in-redistricting-arms-race

2026 Senate Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-august-12-2025

How the Redistricting Fight Could Change the Bias in the House [Crystal Ball]

https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/how-the-redistricting-fight-could-change-the-bias-in-the-house-and-other-notes-on-the-state-of-politics/

Inside Elections merch [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales and Jacob Rubashkin focus on the 2026 Senate map including a deep dive into four most important states at the core of the battleground (Georgia, Maine, Michigan and North Carolina) as well as other important states to watch including Iowa, Texas, Alaska, New Hampshire and Minnesota. Jacob reveals more book recommendations while Nathan is the undisputed King of Roller Coasters at Inside Elections after his visit to Cedar Point.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

2026 Senate Race Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-july-24-2025

2026 Senate Overview: Will There be More Beyond the Core Four? [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/2026-senate-overview-will-there-be-more-beyond-the-core-four

Individual Senate Race Updates by State: Alabama to Kansas [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/2026-senate-overview-july-24-2025-alabama-kansas

Individual Senate Race Updates by State: Kentucky to New Mexico [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/2026-senate-overview-july-24-2025-kentucky-new-mexico

Individual Senate Race Updates by State: North Carolina to Wyoming [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/2026-senate-overview-july-24-2026-north-carolina-wyoming

Arizona 7 Special: All in the Family [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/arizona-7-all-in-the-family-grijalva-foxx-hernandez

2026 House Race Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-june-30-2025

Inside Elections death metal shirts [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Jacob Rubashkin and Brianne Pfannenstiel of The Des Moines Register break down the key Iowa races including Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s fight for re-election, the race for the open governorship left behind by Republican Kim Reynolds and multiple competitive House races where Republican incumbents Zach Nunn, Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller Meeks are all trying to hang on for another term.

Twitter profiles:

@jacobrubashkin

@brianneDMR

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

Zach Nunn will run for reelection to Congress, not governor [Des Moines Register]

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/11/zach-nunn-to-run-for-reelection-to-congress-not-governor-trump-happy/84681457007/

Iowa 1: Third Time’s a Charm? [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/iowa-1-third-times-a-charm

2026 House Race Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-june-30-2025

2026 Senate Race Ratings [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-june-29-2025

Inside Elections death metal shirts [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/

Nathan Gonzales and Jacob Rubashkin chat with Stuart Rothenberg about the beginnings of modern political handicapping, nonpartisan journalism, and some of his favorite moments covering elections for more than four decades. Stu is a Roll Call columnist, former CNN contributor and editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, which was the foundation for Inside Elections. Stu and Charlie Cook are the godfathers of nonpartisan election analysis in Washington and around the country.

Twitter profiles:

@nathanlgonzales

@jacobrubashkin

@StuPolitics

@InsideElections

The Inside Elections podcast analyzes congressional, presidential and gubernatorial races in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way. With a combination of reporting and data, Inside Elections brings valuable context to complex races. Go to InsideElections.com to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter through individual subscriptions and group packages that are tailored for association and corporate PACs.

Referenced articles:

For the thousandth time, don’t call them “push polls” [Roll Call]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/for-the-thousandth-time-dont-call-them-push-polls

Twitter Can’t Yet Predict Elections [Roll Call]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/twitter-cant-yet-predict-elections

Personal Take on Brain Injuries and Senate Bids [Roll Call]

https://rollcall.com/2011/02/16/personal-take-on-brain-injuries-and-senate-bids/

Reflections on 20 years as a Roll Call columnist [Roll Call]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/reflections-on-20-years-as-accidental-columnist

Nebraska 2: Without Bacon, Are Republicans Cooked? [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/nebraska-2-without-bacon-are-republicans-cooked

North Carolina Senate: Tillis Decision Creates Open Seat [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/north-carolina-senate-tillis-decision-creates-open-seat

2026 House Ratings (June 30, 2025) [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/house/2026-house-ratings-june-30-2025

2026 Senate Ratings (June 29, 2025) [Inside Elections]

https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2026-senate-ratings-june-29-2025

Inside Elections t-shirts and merchandise [Dashery]

https://inside-elections.dashery.com/