The hottest Elections Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top World Politics Topics

Zohran Mamdani's Victory Proves What We've Been Saying All Along

OK Doomer • 188 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for New York mayor, surprising many who thought he couldn't succeed. This victory shows that people might prefer real change over the usual political games.
  2. The old way of winning elections, which involves cozying up to wealthy donors and adopting conservative views, is failing. Mamdani's win proves that sticking to what voters actually want can lead to success.
  3. Mamdani's approach is refreshing compared to previous leaders who were often corrupt and pushed harmful policies. His victory signals a hope for more honest and progressive leadership.

Searching for Optimism

Movements Start Small • 196 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Abortion laws are shifting in America towards more consensus and legality.
  2. Identity politics may be on the decline, allowing for more constructive policy solutions.
  3. Climate change discussions are moving towards a more realistic and practical approach, acknowledging risks and costs.

December 19, 2025

Letters from an American • 27 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. The week highlighted deep political chaos and weakening governing norms, with violent events, an administration riddled with internal dysfunction, and leaders relying on fear and loyalty over steady governance.
  2. The president’s panicked rhetoric and policies reflect the collapse of long-standing conservative economic promises, damaging public trust and undermining earlier economic gains.
  3. Key institutions and the rule of law are under strain as officials withhold records, heavily redact important documents, pursue aggressive foreign actions, and display power grabs that coincide with cracks in the Republican coalition.
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The New Issue Of JOHNSTONE Is Available To Order Or Download

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 512 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. The new edition of JOHNSTONE magazine is out, and you can get it in print or as a digital copy for whatever price you want.
  2. The magazine discusses the current political climate, highlighting Trump's role in representing a harsh reality about the U.S. empire.
  3. It also touches on issues like the situation in Gaza and critiques the mainstream narrative surrounding global conflicts.

Friday brief exclusive: Fire chief candidate under investigation by police watchdog

NN Journal • 178 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
📰 News Elections
  1. The fire chief candidate is under investigation by the police watchdog for behavior during her time as deputy chief constable.
  2. North Northamptonshire Council is facing scrutiny for a planning fiasco involving a warehouse approval mix-up.
  3. A University of Northampton student has been sentenced to prison for the murder of another student during a drug dispute.

Popuphobia’s Javier Milei Problem

Bet On It • 518 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Populism can be seen in a positive light when it speaks against corrupt elites. It can represent the voice of ordinary people wanting change.
  2. Javier Milei is an example of a populist leader in Argentina who has taken significant steps to challenge the established political system and improve the country's situation.
  3. Some critics dismiss populism entirely as bad, but it's important to recognize that not all populists are the same; some can actually promote good governance.

December 22, 2025

Letters from an American • 25 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. The president is focused on grand, self‑aggrandizing projects — from proposed “Trump‑class” golden battleships to a massive White House ballroom — suggesting a priority on spectacle and his personal legacy.
  2. The Justice Department’s slow, heavily redacted release of Epstein files has fueled accusations of a cover‑up and prompted public demands, including from Bill Clinton, for the full records to be made public.
  3. The conservative movement is splintering, with infighting and defections to rival GOP groups. A high‑profile decision to pull a major news segment, which was then leaked and widely shared, has intensified worries about censorship and media influence.

Trump is still lying about crime

The Watch • 557 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Crime rates in America are mostly falling, but Trump claims they are rising to scare voters. This doesn't match with the actual data showing crime is stable or decreasing.
  2. Trump uses crime as a tool for political gain, which includes spreading fear about threats like migrant crime and gang violence. This strategy helps him justify strict policies against certain groups.
  3. Despite the evidence showing crime is low, Trump's rhetoric has convinced many people that crime is a huge problem. This focus on crime affects public opinion and can shape harmful policies.

How high will turnout be?

Silver Bulletin • 562 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. There is a sale on annual subscriptions, offering a 25% discount for new subscribers in a limited time. It's a great chance to join if you're interested.
  2. On Election Day, there will be a lot of data collection and model updates to predict outcomes. The team will run 80,000 simulations to get the best forecast possible.
  3. The predicted voter turnout is around 155.3 million, slightly lower than the last election, but still high compared to earlier years. How many people actually vote could really influence the results.

The Dingularity 2024

Men Yell at Me • 531 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Dingularity describes a situation where too many foolish leaders come together, creating chaos and losing meaning in the world. It's a funny way to highlight how absurd things can get in politics.
  2. The author jokingly points out that many questionable figures are being appointed to important positions. This reflects a mix of humor and frustration about the current political climate.
  3. Even amidst all the craziness, the author emphasizes the importance of laughter and not losing sight of joy while fighting for justice and freedom.

I See a Way for Democrats to Fumble Away Their Sudden Advantage on Immigration

I Might Be Wrong • 10 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Many voters are repelled by violent, masked immigration enforcement, though a sizable minority still supports extreme measures no matter what.
  2. Democrats currently have a real opening to offer a moderate, humane alternative and are using leverage over DHS funding to push concrete reforms like banning masked agents and requiring independent investigations of officer-involved shootings.
  3. That advantage could be squandered if Democrats cave to absolutist or incoherent positions from their left flank (e.g., calls to abolish agencies or promise unconditional amnesty), leaving their long-term stance unclear.

The Crusade against America

Thinking about... • 487 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Misogyny and gender ideology can be harmful within military and political contexts. They can lead to conflicts that distract from real security issues.
  2. History shows that women have always played roles in warfare. Denying this reality is based on outdated beliefs that do not align with present-day military needs.
  3. There is a danger in empowering individuals who have a narrow view of society. Such leaders can create chaos and undermine the principles of democracy.

Pete Hegseth’s Islam Problem

Nonzero Newsletter • 508 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Pete Hegseth has controversial views on Islam, suggesting it is a continuous threat to the West, which could impact his role in defense if appointed.
  2. His lack of managerial experience raises concerns about his capabilities to lead the military effectively.
  3. Hegseth's views might worsen tensions with Muslim-majority countries and influence how U.S. foreign policy is shaped, especially regarding military actions.

The Exquisite Corpse of American Politics

OK Doomer • 153 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. People in politics often focus only on their own issues, ignoring the bigger picture. This can create a fragmented approach that doesn't help anyone solve the real problems.
  2. Many groups argue over how to label issues instead of working together to address them. Real progress comes from recognizing how interconnected our struggles are.
  3. Understanding the complexities of politics means realizing that focusing solely on one issue can harm others. It's important to support each other across different causes to truly make change.

What It Took To Win

Unpopular Front • 164 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Politics can really surprise us, like when unexpected groups team up to support a candidate. We often think we know what voters want, but sometimes they just want change.
  2. Successful campaigns can connect with people across different backgrounds, showing that new leaders can inspire people who feel left out by traditional parties.
  3. The way politicians engage with voters is crucial. Meeting people in real life and using modern tools can create a strong connection, making it easier to rally support.

In a New York Minute... Everything Can Change. Things Can Get Pretty Strange

Michael Tracey • 52 implied HN points • 08 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Political situations can change quickly and unexpectedly, as seen in recent New York elections. Candidates can face surprising opposition or support based on shifting public sentiment.
  2. Coalitions and alliances in politics can be complex and driven by historical rivalries or personal grudges. Sometimes, political moves are less about the issues at hand and more about longstanding conflicts.
  3. Voter behavior can be influenced by larger political figures or movements, showing how parties can rally or divide support based on the endorsements and directives from their leaders.

Class War or Culture War?

Thinking about... • 431 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. America faces huge inequality, and it's crucial to talk about class and who benefits from it. Talking about who the wealthy are and how they gain power can help everyone understand their struggles better.
  2. Just addressing class issues isn't enough. Cultural factors play a big role in how people view these issues and who they support politically. Many people have strong feelings tied to identity that can affect their political choices.
  3. To create real change, we need to combine discussions about class with understanding cultural dynamics. Empathy and mutual understanding between different groups can help us work together to fight inequality and improve society.

Weekend Update #121: The Mafia State Takes Over the USA

Phillips’s Newsletter • 344 implied HN points • 23 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. The US government under Trump is moving away from supporting Ukraine and is forming a closer relationship with Russia. This shows a significant shift in international alliances and could leave Ukraine vulnerable.
  2. There are serious threats being made towards Ukrainian leadership, pushing for economic deals that benefit the US while harming Ukraine's interests. This approach mirrors tactics used by organized crime families.
  3. The future of European unity and its response to US policies is uncertain. Upcoming elections in Germany could impact how European states choose to navigate their relationships with both the US and Russia.

The early vote doesn't reliably predict results

Silver Bulletin • 536 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Early voting results can be misleading and not represent the final election outcomes. This means you shouldn't take those numbers too seriously.
  2. Different states can show very different patterns in early voting, making it hard to predict actual election results based on early votes alone.
  3. Polling errors can be huge when it comes to early votes, sometimes off by more than 14 points, which is significantly worse than traditional polling standards.

Saturday Commentary and Review #190

Fisted by Foucault • 143 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Right now, U.S. politics feel really stable and boring, which people find hard to get excited about. Many are wrestling with what they expected when Trump first came into power versus what actually happened.
  2. There's a disconnect between what Trump's supporters want—a revolution—and what he can realistically achieve within the current system. Many Republicans are caught between wanting change and sticking to traditional conservative values.
  3. Anti-globalization has shifted from the left to the right over time. As people face negative impacts from globalization, right-leaning politics have capitalized on this sentiment, while leftists are trying to figure out how to reclaim that anti-globalization spirit for their own agendas.

The truth we don’t want to face

Men Yell at Me • 503 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Conspiracy theories can become attractive, especially when people are struggling to understand their feelings about political loss. Many individuals look for explanations rather than facing uncomfortable truths about their beliefs.
  2. Real change comes from understanding the systems we live in and who benefits from them. This requires questioning our own roles and complicity in societal issues.
  3. Fighting misinformation and conspiracy theories takes more than social media posts; it needs community action and support. Sitting back won't create the change we want to see.

Trump's Parade of Horribles

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 189 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Trump's upcoming parade events are portrayed as outlandish and satirical, highlighting how his presidency has been characterized by unusual spectacles.
  2. There is a sense of irony in how the military is being politicized for show, reflecting on the nature of political power and display.
  3. The tone suggests a critical view of Trump's antics and compares him to dictators who use grand displays for personal gain.

Happy Election Day -300!

G. Elliott Morris's Newsletter • 198 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Polls are not very useful 300 days before an election, but become more reliable as the election day approaches.
  2. Poll discourse before a certain point historically lacks accuracy and predictive value.
  3. Analyzing crosstabs for major shifts in vote choice between elections may lead to misleading interpretations.

The Dark Side of Recall Madness

Taipology • 113 implied HN points • 08 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. The Great Recall movement in Taiwan was led by influencers whose extreme views have raised concerns about their tactics and ideologies. Some leaders even borrowed ideas from historical authoritarian regimes, which makes many uneasy.
  2. After the recalls failed, there were mixed reactions within the DPP about how to handle the situation. They faced a dilemma because they had relied on these influencers while publicly claiming the effort was grassroots and not party-driven.
  3. The media coverage of the recall efforts often favored the pro-recall narrative, overlooking the voices of regular Taiwanese who may feel tired or frustrated with the ongoing conflict narrative, which they see as damaging to democracy.

Jan. 6 and the path not taken

Can We Still Govern? • 399 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Republican leaders failed to act against Trump after the January 6 event, which allowed him to regain power and continue his influence. They prioritized their own political goals over protecting democracy.
  2. Many Americans have moved from viewing the January 6 attack as a threat to democracy to seeing it as a sign of loyalty to Trump. This shift shows how quickly narratives can change in politics.
  3. In contrast to other countries, where leaders who challenged democracy faced consequences, the U.S. is seeing Trump and his allies returning to power without accountability for their actions. This raises concerns about the future of American democracy.

SBSQ #14: Election Day lightning round!

Silver Bulletin • 507 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Election Day tends to be calm since there’s not much to do until results come in. It's a good time to reflect instead of focusing too much on exit polls.
  2. Different prediction models, like FiveThirtyEight's, can have varying odds for candidates which might not reflect the true situation. It's important to pay attention to both polls and the underlying fundamentals.
  3. There are concerns that too many prediction models can lead pollsters to stick closely to common predictions, impacting the variety of polling results we see.

The "broligarch" threat to criminal justice reform

The Watch • 493 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. A new group of wealthy Republican donors, like Elon Musk, is spending a lot of money to undermine criminal justice reforms that many people support. They use fear and misinformation to influence public opinion against these reforms.
  2. Recent elections showed mixed results for criminal justice reform, but the narrative often ignores that where voters understood the real situation, reform generally succeeded. Some losses were fueled by huge funding to spread misleading information.
  3. Progressive prosecutors face unique challenges, including intense scrutiny, aggressive recall efforts, and media backlash, often related to crime rates that may not directly link to their policies. This creates an environment where their actions and reforms get blamed for crime increases, despite evidence to the contrary.

Chris Hedges: Trump, Palestine, Iran & the Collapse of U.S. Media.

The Chris Hedges Report • 130 implied HN points • 27 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Trump's rise shows deeper issues in U.S. politics that need to be understood. It’s important to look beyond just his leadership and discover what led to that moment.
  2. U.S. policies towards countries like Iran are often driven by hidden motives. Knowing these intentions helps us understand the bigger picture of international relations.
  3. The media landscape in the U.S. is changing and facing challenges. Recognizing these changes can help us think critically about the information we receive.

December 17, 2025

Letters from an American • 25 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Republicans are split over extending ACA premium tax credits, with a few vulnerable GOP members joining Democrats to force a vote because letting the credits lapse would sharply raise premiums and cost millions their coverage while leadership backs a cost-cutting alternative.
  2. The administration is politicizing federal programs and science. It admitted withholding grants from Democratic-leaning states and is moving to cut or dismantle climate research at NCAR, raising public-safety and national-security concerns.
  3. Special counsel Jack Smith told Congress he has proof that the former president led a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election, and his subpoenas and closed-door testimony have escalated partisan attacks and deepened congressional fights over the investigations.

The Social Democrats are plotting a judicial putsch to seize control of the German government. This is totally real. This is actually happening.

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 143 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. The Social Democrats in Germany are trying to take control of the government through a legal strategy to ban a political party called AfD. This is a serious plan that has actual backing.
  2. By banning the AfD, the leftist parties believe they can gain a majority in parliament and replace the current government leadership. This change could lead to a very different political environment.
  3. If successful, this plan could result in long-lasting changes to Germany's political system, making it harder for other parties to regain power. It suggests a major shift towards a leftist-dominated government.

Here, Kitty!

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 147 implied HN points • 15 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. There's a lot of drama happening among MAGA supporters, especially regarding conspiracy theories and scandals involving their leaders. It's like a catfight over who can believe the wildest stories.
  2. Some MAGA followers are frustrated by claims that there isn't a list of Epstein's clients, feeling it's a major betrayal of their beliefs. It's like they're being told to ignore big stories they think should matter.
  3. Amidst all the scandals, there's a sense that distractions will keep coming, and supporters are expected to just go along with it. It's like a never-ending cycle of controversy that they can't escape.

Shiri's Margin Attractor Part 2

Handwaving Freakoutery • 509 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Elections are getting closer to 50/50 splits because media focuses on controversial topics. This means both political sides are becoming more polarized over time.
  2. The Electoral College gives a voting advantage to less populous states, which could lead to more rural control of the presidency in the future.
  3. As media continues to capitalize on cultural divisions, this trend towards even vote splits may solidify, changing the political landscape significantly.

Why Praising Trump Is Destructive

Phillips’s Newsletter • 126 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections
  1. Praising Trump for small actions can be misleading and counterproductive. It risks giving him credit he may not deserve.
  2. Acknowledge that even if Trump does something actually good, praising him can still feel morally wrong.
  3. It's important to stay critical of leaders regardless of their actions to ensure accountability and avoid misguided support.