Enter The Lion's Den

On the eve of the 2026 midterms, Jason Burden talks with J. Miles Coleman of Sabato's Crystal Ball about the final ratings, which favor Democrats across the House, Senate and governorships, the races that could decide control of Congress, and what to watch on election night.

Podcaster Michael Pope interviews Chief Correspondent of PolitiFact, Louis Jacobson and Cook Political Report Senior Editor and Elections Analyst, David Wasserman about the upcoming midterm elections.

Podcaster Michael Pope interviews Frank Atkinson about his new political thriller, The Lion's Den. Drawing on Atkinson's decades of experience in politics, law, and public service, the novel explores the collisions of ambition, loyalty, power, and principle through the story of a young man drawn into the rough-and-tumble world of Virginia politics. Hear about the real-world experiences and enduring questions that inspired the book. 

In this episode of Politics is Everything, host Michael Pope sits down with Larry J. Sabato, Ken Stroupe, and Glenn Crossman for a behind-the-scenes conversation about "Campaigns That Shaped America" the major new multimedia exhibition opening at the all-new Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Spanning presidential politics from George Washington to the present, the exhibition explores how campaigns have shaped not only elections, but also leadership, citizenship, public debate, media, and the nation itself. The conversation highlights some of the exhibition's most compelling artifacts and themes, from early campaign buttons, broadsides, and cartoons to sound recordings, television ads, and modern campaign media. Along the way, the group reflects on why campaigns matter, how political persuasion has evolved, and what these objects reveal about the long, messy, inventive, and deeply human story of how Campaigns shape American democracy. The exhibition is open to the public weekdays from 11am to 3pm at the UVA Center for Politics. 

Kyle Kondik and Carah Ong Whaley discuss Senator Mitch McConnell's legacy after he announced his intention to step down from his role as Senate Republican Leader effective November 2024. They also talk about the Michigan presidential primary election results; the impact of district changes after the New York State Assembly and Senate both passed a new New York Congressional map this week that was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul; a preview of the California Congressional primary; and the recent history of split-ticket voting in presidential and Senate elections.  Links in this episode:  The Postwar History of Senate/Presidential Ticket-Splitting, Part Two Notes on the State of Politics: Feb. 28, 2024

Kyle Kondik and Carah Ong Whaley discuss recent political developments and new analyses on the Crystal Ball, including reduced split-ticket voting in Senate elections, updates on 2024 Senate contests, insights from the NY-3 special election results and the significance of New York redistricting for the House of Representatives. They also highlight the decreasing number of competitive House seats and the potential impact on future control of the House. Links in this episode Notes on the State of the Senate Big NY-3 Win Brings Democrats Ever Closer in the House

In this episode, Kyle Kondik and Carah Ong Whaley discuss the recent Nevada caucus and primary results and dive into the potential impact of ticket-splitting in down-ballot House of Representatives elections this year. Rich Thau, president of Engagious, also joins Carah, Tyler Busch, Zoe Shook, and Etienne Ouellette to discuss focus groups with voters in key states for the 2024 elections. The 2024 Deciders is a project with Sago and Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, In the presidential elections The Race for the House, Part One The Race for the House, Part Two Engagious - 2024 Deciders

Award-winning journalist Darren Samuelsohn joins Carah Ong Whaley and Ella Doddridge (UVA '26) to help make sense of the various Trump trials and their implications for politics and the upcoming election, what it's really like covering the former president, and navigating journalism in the modern media landscapes. Links in this episode: Love, Journalism Darren Samuelsohn Court Listener

In this episode, Kyle Kondik and Carah Ong Whaley discuss what they learned about voter turnout in the New Hampshire primary election and how they are thinking about the upcoming presidential primary elections. They also discuss the recent decision in Louisiana to create a second Black-majority Congressional district, ending a nearly two-year saga over adequate Black representation in the state.  Links in this episode:  The Fields Above the Graves: Louisiana 2024 Redistricting Trump Clears the New Hampshire Hurdle

Polls suggest that the New Hampshire Primary should be more competitive than Donald Trump's large margin in Iowa's low-turnout caucus. Just 4 of New Hampshire's 10 counties will likely comprise 75% of the primary electorate. Dante Scala, University of New Hampshire, joins Kyle Kondik and Carah Ong Whaley to offer a guide to which New England hamlets offer the best clues to the outcome on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Kyle also discusses among which key demographic groups Donald Trump did better in Iowa's low-turnout 2024 caucus compared to 2016. Links in this episode A Roadmap for the New Hampshire GOP Primary Big Iowa Win Confirms Trump's Stranglehold on GOP