October surprise

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down president-elect Donald Trump's sweeping victory, and what's next for the Democratic Party after a decisive loss. Then, senior video journalist JM Rieger joins to discuss what will happen when Trump takes office in January – and who he intends to appoint in his administration.

This week, with five days to go before Election Day, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down three reasons that each of former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris could win the presidency. Then, which parts of the country should you keep a close eye on as results come in? James highlights three areas in critical swing states that could decide the winner.

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by senior video journalists JM Rieger and Jorge Ribas to discuss two key states – Michigan and Pennsylvania – and what voters and grassroots organizers are telling them in the final weeks of the election.Plus, tech billionaire Elon Musk is using his money and influence – as well as his app, X (formerly Twitter) – in support of Trump in the final weeks of the election. But how much do those efforts rely on distorting the truth or promising voters money in a way that might be illegal?And later, video journalist HyoJung Kim joins the show to share her reporting on how Trump and Harris voters say they will feel if their candidate loses the election – and what they plan to do about it.

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann sit down with Post reporters watching key swing states: Amy Gardner joins the show to discuss a judge's decisions in Georgia; Yvonne Wingett Sanchez joins to discuss Arizona's senate race, the presidential election and an onerous voting law; and Michael Brice-Saddler joins to talk about his reporting on the Harris campaign's effort to court Black male voters in Michigan.Then, the crew breaks down Vice President Kamala Harris's efforts to reach new voters, and former president Donald Trump's bizarre moments at campaign events. 

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey and James Hohmann are joined by national political reporter Michael Scherer to discuss how Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump could each win the presidential election in November. The crew breaks down their potential paths to victory, and how each is presenting themselves to voters, with just over three weeks left until Election Day.Then, Washington Post data scientist Lenny Bronner joins the show to explain The Post's polling average, and which states he's following closely in the final weeks of the campaign. 

This week, the crew breaks down how an "October surprise" can change the course of a presidential election in its final weeks – and some of the most consequential ones in American election history. And there are a few brand new ones – from special counsel Jack Smith's filing on former president Donald Trump's immunity in his Jan. 6 legal case, to Hurricane Helene and the escalating war in the Middle East.Later in the show, the crew breaks down the most interesting moments from Tuesday's vice-presidential debate – and which ones will stick in the public consciousness. Plus, the ongoing war on fact checking.

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by senior video journalist JM Rieger to preview the Oct. 1 vice-presidential debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The crew examines the two vice-presidential nominees' popularity with voters, key topics that might come up in the debate, and how vice-presidential debates actually impact elections.Later, the crew breaks down the gender dynamics in the 2024 race, from the abortion issue to comments by candidates including former president Donald Trump and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R), and the possibility of the country electing its first woman president.

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann sit down with Senior Video Journalist Jorge Ribas, who just got back from Springfield, Ohio – where the neighborhood pets are decidedly not being eaten. The crew dives into why former president Donald Trump continues to lean into anti-immigrant rhetoric and how Springfield residents feel about the sudden wave of national attention on their city.Plus, a new Washington Post poll shows Trump and Vice President Harris are essentially tied in Pennsylvania – the key swing state that could determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.And does the Teamsters' decision not to endorse a candidate matter?

This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by Senior Critic-at-Large Robin Givhan, as they discuss how former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris performed at the Sept. 10 presidential debate – and the impressions each left voters with. Plus, why is Pennsylvania one of the key states in the 2024 presidential election – and can either candidate win without it?And later, the crew dives into Taylor Swift's endorsement of Harris – and considers whether celebrity endorsements actually move the needle in elections.

On this week's episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, JM Rieger and James Hohmann preview next week's debate, and what Vice President Harris and former president Trump need to do in what could be the final presidential debate of the cycle. Plus, abortion – and Trump's stance on an abortion ballot initiative in his home state of Florida – has become a big part of the 2024 conversation. And what's the latest on Trump's legal troubles? The delay tactics continue.