The Playbook Podcast

The race for Rep. Jim Clyburn’s coveted 2028 endorsement is already heating up. He tells Dasha Burns in an exclusive interview who he has spoken to and what it will take to win his support. Then the other stories animating Washington: 2028 is already here with a new movement to draft Rep. Ro Khanna for president and Pete Hegseth is facing fresh scrutiny after Republicans’ midterm wipeout.For more...

A decade after Sen. Bernie Sanders nationalized his brand of economic populism, Democrats are winning on his message. What lessons have they learned since 2016 and could a new progressive movement carry that momentum into 2028? Then the other stories animating Washington: President Donald Trump is taking the GOP's midterm drubbing in a surprisingly Zen fashion, while Vice President JD Vance...

The results are in: Democrats scored a massive midterm win, seizing control of Congress. In this special Election Night Playbook episode, co-authors Dasha Burns, Adam Wren and Will Steakin join Senior Political Columnist Jonathan Martin and Senior Executive Editor Alex Burns to unpack the biggest takeaways. Plus, the team speaks with President Donald Trump about why he thinks Republicans suffered...

It's Election Day. Both Republicans and Democrats can agree on one thing: The results could reshape the political landscape for years to come. Will the blue tsunami predicted by some polls materialize? And could MAGA face a major political reckoning in the aftermath? Join the Playbook authors for this Election Day preview. Tonight is POLITICO Elections Live at 9 pm ET. Stream on politico.com or...

Days before the midterms and the vibes are feeling off. The polls point to a Democratic wave, but neither party seems to believe them. Plus, the final days of campaigning have taken a bizarre turn with Rep. Haley Stevens making a surprise endorsement for Mike Rogers. For more news and analysis, subscribe to the Playbook newsletter: politico.com/playbook

With Election Day days away, Republican strategist T.W. Arrighi and Democratic strategist Lis Smith join Dasha to break down what’s driving a surprisingly competitive midterm map. They discuss the central role of affordability, how candidates are navigating voter frustration with the status quo, and the risks and rewards of tying campaigns to President Trump.The conversations also look beyond...

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin over breakfast in New York City for a wide-ranging conversation about governing in 2026. She discusses working with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, her conversations with President Donald Trump over ICE operations and why she says data centers should bring their own power. Hochul also weighs in on Israeli leadership and the possibility of a...

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is eyeing a big reelection win. But the stakes for one of Democrats’ most closely watched rising stars go well beyond Tuesday. Then the other stories animating Washington: Donald Trump is struggling to stay on message in the final midterms stretch, new polls raise questions about the possibility of a Democratic Senate sweep and Ken Paxton cancels a campaign rally,...

Leaders of the New Democrat Coalition are confident they'll deliver a Democratic House majority. They have no intention of letting a handful of insurgent newcomers call the shots. Then the other stories animating Washington: Operatives aligned with Mary Peltola reportedly recruited a second Dan Sullivan, Flávio Bolsonaro arrives stateside and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker hits Scott Jennings with a...

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been one of Republicans' favorite political targets. But with days until the midterms, some Republicans are acknowledging that her brand of economic populism might actually be popular. Then the other stories animating Washington: Secretary of State Marco Rubio makes a rare appearance on the campaign trail with Trump and what Israel's election could mean for the...