Stirewalt on Politics

Every Saturday, Chris Stirewalt, a political news veteran, uses his decades of experience to provide context (and some humor) when explaining what happened this week in national politics.

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The Return of COVID Anxiety Poses Problems for Democrats

No one—except for a few hardliners—wants to hear about lockdowns and mask mandates.

Can Trump Afford a Debate No-Show?

There are downsides to skipping, and downsides to showing up.

A Deeper Dive on Demographics? Oh Yeah, Youbetcha.

Parties ignore long-term trends about ancestry at their peril.

Presenting Your 2024 Senate Race Ratings

Thinking about the Senate affects the plans of party tastemakers when choosing a presidential nominee.

The Verdict of the Persuadables

DeSantis, Trump, and Biden rack up big debts with general election voters.

The 18 Days That Will Decide the GOP Nomination

Mark your calendars for February 2024.

Could It Be? A Policy Debate in the GOP?

The party would benefit from coming to a consensus on abortion.

The Biggest Loser

A Biden-Trump rematch in 2024 would get ugly.

Presidential Fever Dreams

Our broken primary system sets few barriers to entry beyond a lack of shame and consuming appetite for celebrity.

Failure to Launch?

Republican candidates for 2024 struggle to respond to Trump’s indictment.

Night of the Hunter

How far will Hunter Biden go to avoid consequences while Donald Trump faces his own legal challenges?

The Ups and Downs of Biden’s Reelection Campaign

He has the advantage of incumbency, but will that matter if voters believe he’s bad for the economy?

Tim Scott Gets a Leg Up From DeSantis’ Stumble

The senator from South Carolina benefited from excellent timing this week.

What About the Voters, After All?

A new analysis of the midterms explains why Democrats defied expectations.

Trump Raises the Rent on Republicans

He’s back in fighting form, and party members are rushing to clean up after him.

The Content Trap

As long as Donald Trump draws an audience, the media will keep focusing on him.