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Democratic Party
Donald Trump
Republican Party
North Carolina
Gerrymandering
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Voting Rights Act
Redistricting
Abortion Rights
California
Florida
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2024 Elections
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Special Elections
Arizona
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The Downballot podcast is dedicated to the thousands of elections below the presidency, from Senate to city council. With more than 20 years of experience analyzing U.S. elections, we provide unparalleled insight into congressional, state, and local races nationwide. Tune in every Thursday morning for one-of-a-kind coverage of these key contests. www.the-downballot.com

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Artwork for The Downballot

Latest Episodes

We once again went live for this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast, and boy are we glad we did! While we were in the middle of our livestream, Mississippi’s Senate race got called for Scott Colom, an epic upset that reinforces why Democrats ne... more

So much is still unfolding from Tuesday’s extraordinary election—and our heads are still spinning—that we decided we had to do this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast live.

Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard discuss some of their top takeaways... more

Finally, Election Day is almost here! But with literally thousands of races on the docket, how will you make sense of election night? The supremely knowledgeable Jeff Singer, our managing editor, joins us for the last pre-election episode of The Down... more

The most appalling ad of the midterms is also the most inexplicable. On this week’s episode of The Downballot podcast, co-hosts David Nir and David Beard rip Vivek Ramaswamy for trying to weaponize his opponent’s painful experience of sexual assault ... more

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Recent Guests

Jeff Singer
Managing editor at The Downballot
The Downballot
Episode: Our hour-by-hour guide to election night 2026
Lou Jacobson
Chief author of The Almanac of American Politics and senior columnist at Sabato's Crystal Ball
Sabato's Crystal Ball
Episode: What the hell is Ramaswamy thinking?
Hannah Ledford
Executive director of the Fairness Project with a background in campaigns
Fairness Project
Episode: The top ballot measures of 2026
Eric Ming
Executive Director of the State and Local Election Alliance (SLEA)
State and Local Election Alliance
Episode: The Senate battlefield is exploding
Sara Kohen
Candidate for Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors
OPPD candidate
Episode: Primary turnout forecasts a Dem blowout
Justin Levitt
Law professor at Loyola Law School, expert on constitutional law and the law of democracy
Loyola Law School
Episode: How the USPS’ mail ballot gambit got smacked down
Adam Bonica
Political scientist, Stanford University
Stanford University
Episode: How Democratic 'spam PACs' victimize vulnerable seniors
Kari Chisholm
Political consultant and communication strategist, former guest
Portland, Oregon (based)
Episode: The Downballot’s ‘Senate flip’ fantasy draft
Cindy Holscher
Democratic State Senator, Democratic nominee for governor of Kansas
Kansas Legislature / Campaign
Episode: Democrats claim another big special election victory

Hosts

David Beard
Host of The Downballot; longtime analysis of US elections and down-ballot dynamics.
David Nir
Co-host and presenter focusing on data-driven election analysis and policy context.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 195 ratings
  • Fantasy Senate….

    Seats! You two cracked me up. What a great show. My one comment about your pick in Minnesota “. Tafoya” to flip to a Republican The way ICE has brutalized the state. I cannot even begin to imagine anyone in that state voting republican.

    All your other picks are spot on. 🩵

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IoB.
    United States2 months ago
  • Appreciate the breadth and detail

    Please find some alternative ways of saying Democrats or their candidates “understand the assignment”. Thanks for the show!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    jdjdms
    United States3 months ago
  • Maine explained.

    Finally. A fulsome explanation of the Platner debacle. And from a Maine resident. Thank you for sorting all the players out for us. Always informative, always helpful.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IoB.
    United States4 months ago
  • Educational!

    To the Davids, I wanted you to know that I had a baking get together with a number of high school students and for entertainment I played them your podcast. The episode about Nancy Mace, primaries and NYC. Everyone loved your show.

    The students were really interested. Thank you! 💙

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IoB.
    United States5 months ago
  • A must listen to politics podcast every week!!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    slatersli@hotmail.com
    6 months ago

Listeners Say

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Insightful, accessible deep dives into down-ballot races.

Top Politics Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Downballot podcast live: Holy crap!
Q: Should you be trusting the Mississippi vote count from the Associated Press or Decision Desk HQ?
David Nir recommends monitoring both sources but says neither count establishes who will win because the number and location of remaining ballots are unclear.
The Downballot podcast live: Holy crap!
Q: To rectify gerrymandering, can legislation alone solve the problem or do we need a constitutional amendment?
David Nir says Congress can regulate federal elections under the Constitution, including how congressional districts are drawn, so legislation can require independent redistricting without a constitutional amendment.
Our hour-by-hour guide to election night 2026
Q: So Jeff, let's talk about the Lone Star State.
Singer describes the Texas Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton as unusually close, with Talarico holding a small polling edge despite major Republican spending. He cautions that the state is difficult to poll and the outcome remains uncertain.
Our hour-by-hour guide to election night 2026
Q: In the six o'clock hour, Jeff, what are the races that you are looking at as a harbinger of what might be to come?
Singer highlights Kentucky's 6th and Indiana's 5th Congressional Districts. Both are Republican-held seats on conservative turf, and Democratic gains or close margins could signal a strong night for the party.
The top ballot measures of 2026
Q: So tell us about that measure, the history that you all have been involved in Missouri around reproductive rights, and what specifically this measure would do.
Ledford says Missouri Amendment 3 would reinstate a total abortion ban, reversing the reproductive freedom amendment voters approved in 2024. She characterizes the proposal as an effort by the legislature to overturn voters' prior decision.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Downballot

What is The Downballot about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A data-driven political analysis show focused on elections below the presidential level, with a steady cadence of weekly deep dives into state, local, and down-ballot races. Episodes routinely dissect primary results, redistricting, voting rights, and election administration, often featuring expert guests and long-form interviews with party officials, watchdog groups, and policy advocates. The tone blends rigorous data, clear storytelling, and practical takeaways for campaigns, civic organizations, and media covering US elections. A few episodes break format with live recordings or focused spotlights on pivotal races, underscoring its usefulness for listeners who want actionable insights into how down-ballot dynamics shape the broader elect... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Downballot?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Downballot:

1. The TPM Show with Josh and Kate
2. Strict Scrutiny
3. Still Counting
4. GD POLITICS
5. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

How many episodes of The Downballot are there?

The Downballot launched 5 years ago and published 237 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Downballot?

Recent guests on The Downballot include:

1. Jeff Singer
2. Lou Jacobson
3. Hannah Ledford
4. Eric Ming
5. Sara Kohen
6. Justin Levitt
7. Adam Bonica
8. Kari Chisholm

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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