The hottest State Politics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Minnesota Fraud Isn't Just in Minnesota

Points And Figures • 1172 implied HN points • 27 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Allegations of large-scale taxpayer and voter fraud, including claims involving Somali immigrants, are eroding trust in local government and making fraud feel personal to property owners.
  2. Punitive taxes, heavy regulation, and aggressive property assessments discourage improvements and business formation and push wealthy residents to relocate, creating a ‘‘trickle-down taxation’’ effect where the tax burden shifts to people who can’t leave.
  3. Career politicians often avoid real consequences for mismanagement or alleged corruption, so the suggested remedy is to hold them accountable at the ballot box to stop taxpayers from bearing the cost.

Happy New Year

Points And Figures • 1065 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Prediction markets look mispriced on the 2026 House outcome, with Democrats possibly overrated, and state elections are becoming more nationalized than before.
  2. The economy and tech are expected to accelerate in 2026: expect tax cuts and baby savings accounts, deeper AI progress, at least one interest-rate cut, higher markets, mainstream medical and finance innovations, renewed focus on nuclear power, and a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.
  3. On the personal side, two grandchildren are due in January and February, and the cabin in Minnesota will get helical piers this summer to shore up its foundations.

#30: A Plea for Silicon Valley to Enter Politics

Loeber on Substack • 651 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. California is heading toward serious fiscal strain with big deficits and pension debts, which makes it likely politicians will try to extract more revenue from wealthy tech companies and individuals.
  2. If the state pursues heavy or punitive taxes and bad policy, highly mobile tech workers and firms will relocate, eroding the Bay Area ecosystem, shrinking tax revenue, and weakening America's AI advantage.
  3. The practical defense is for successful technologists to run for and win office at local, state, and federal levels so the industry has direct representation and can help shape smarter policy.

Minnesota Vice: How Corruption Took Over My State

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1214 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. A massive Covid-era fraud centered on a Minneapolis nonprofit diverted well over $250 million meant for pandemic food relief.
  2. Investigators say millions of the stolen dollars were sent to Somalia and may have ultimately supported extremist groups, creating national security concerns.
  3. The scandal produced intense political backlash, criticism of state leadership, and aggressive immigration enforcement that has changed public perceptions of the state.
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Permission Slips

Doomberg • 6214 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. California's strict regulations on oil and gas limit its production capacity, unlike Texas which fully develops its resources. This shows how politics can influence energy output more than natural resources.
  2. Many people are leaving California, resulting in a net loss of residents. This trend is changing the political landscape in other states, especially Colorado, where new arrivals are bringing their progressive views with them.
  3. The shift in population and politics from California to states like Colorado may impact national energy production. New laws in these areas could hinder the development of important energy resources.

Donate In Crypto

Points And Figures • 532 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. A campaign for Nevada State Treasurer has launched with a new website. It stresses that fundraising — including personal investment — is essential to run a competitive race.
  2. The campaign added cryptocurrency as a donation option and links to accept crypto contributions. It plans to report cash versus crypto donations to show transparency and validate crypto as a funding source.
  3. Active local outreach and fundraising events are being used to build support, including visits to Republican clubs and auctioning a trading jacket for scholarships. The campaign emphasizes supporting other Republican candidates and building statewide connections.

Vivek Ramaswamy: ‘Victimhood Is a Choice’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 472 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Vivek Ramaswamy is positioned to win the Republican nomination for Ohio governor and has emerged as the clear frontrunner.
  2. He has secured major backing from the state GOP and Donald Trump, most rivals have dropped out, and he chose Rob McColley as his lieutenant governor pick.
  3. His campaign emphasizes optimism and rejects 'victimhood' as a core message to appeal to Rust Belt voters, while some establishment figures like Governor Mike DeWine have not fully aligned with him.

Billionaires Can Flee Mamdani, But Small Business Can’t Hide

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 445 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. The mayor’s ambitious social programs will be expensive and will require new revenue from the state to be paid for.
  2. Wealthy individuals can often avoid higher personal taxes by moving away, but corporations are harder to escape taxing because state and city corporate taxes are apportioned based on where their sales occur.
  3. If Albany raises corporate income taxes to fund these plans, the increases could ripple through the economy and end up hurting small, local businesses.

How To Change Your Nevada Voter Registration

Points And Figures • 373 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Nevada is politically purple with a huge bloc of independents, many of whom lean conservative. Gerrymandering and closed primaries push candidates toward the extremes.
  2. If you lean right, changing your registration to Republican gives you a real voice in picking primary candidates instead of being sidelined as an independent. Staying nonpartisan means you won’t help choose the party’s nominee.
  3. Changing party registration is quick and simple: you can update online with a state ID, or do it in person or by mail through your county election office, and you’ll receive a new registration card when it’s processed.

Friday Funnies: Incoming

Who is Robert Malone • 33 implied HN points • 06 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Both the “woke” left and the “woke” right are portrayed as extreme groups that share similar flaws but don’t actually work together.
  2. A major fraud surge in Minnesota prompted congressional scrutiny of the governor, yet the story was largely ignored by mainstream media.
  3. The piece mixes sharp political criticism with light, humorous content—personal anecdotes about noisy teen interns and praise for a standout Australian commercial.

the chocolate helmet of government accountability

bad cattitude • 226 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Government oversight systems are hollow or intentionally toothless, leaving widespread fraud, opaque payments, and mismanagement unchecked.
  2. This isn’t merely incompetence — people and rules have been arranged to protect insiders and prevent real accountability.
  3. The only lasting fix is to follow the money, map and prosecute the networks (using tools like RICO), and roll up the whole corrupt ecosystem rather than just treating symptoms.

Yup, I Am Thinking About It

Points And Figures • 666 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Considering running for political office and treating it as a process rather than a snap decision.
  2. Actively listening and learning by meeting people one‑on‑one, door‑knocking, and doing grassroots outreach to understand issues better.
  3. Politics is complex—regulatory, financial, and legal factors differ by local, state, and federal levels—so people are encouraged to share experiences and ask questions about running.

How A Career Politician Not Up To the Task Stole My 529 Money

Points And Figures • 639 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Political leaders who lack financial experience can make decisions to boost appearances instead of protecting savers, leading to mismanagement of public investment programs.
  2. Investment options labeled as conservative, like some 529 funds, can still suffer huge losses when managers take risky bets or violate guidelines.
  3. Poor oversight and risky choices can wipe out college savings, so transparency, proper diversification, and stronger supervision are essential.

Could Massachusetts Become the First State to Undo Legal Weed?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 663 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Activists in Massachusetts gathered over 74,000 signatures to try to repeal recreational marijuana and put the question on the 2026 ballot; the measure now goes to the state legislature, and if lawmakers don’t pass it organizers will need about 12,000 more signatures to force a statewide vote.
  2. There’s a broader anti-weed backlash nationwide, with Idaho moving to block future legalization ballot measures and a recent federal provision that would ban many hemp-derived THC products.
  3. Kevin Sabet and his group Smart Approaches to Marijuana have been leading and funding these efforts, arguing legalization harms public health and likening the cannabis industry’s tactics to Big Tobacco.

Friday Funnies: "I Speak Jive"

Who is Robert Malone • 40 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. A stream of jokes, cartoons, and images lampoons Governor Newsom and treats him as an easy target for humor.
  2. The central criticism is that he prioritizes staged appearances and media optics over solving real problems like wildfires, water systems, and rolling blackouts.
  3. The piece is presented as light entertainment with an embedded video, and it encourages readers to watch, share, and subscribe.

Minnesota Daycare Scandal: The Power of Transparency and Citizen Journalism

OpenTheBooks Substack • 228 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Citizen journalism plus public access to government spending data can quickly expose and mobilize action against fraud in childcare funding.
  2. Mixed federal-state block grants and co-mingled funding make oversight difficult and create opportunities for fraudulent daycare operations to siphon public dollars.
  3. Stronger real-time transparency, better reporting tools, and tighter payment rules (like attendance-based payments and voucher-centered approaches) are needed to prevent and root out waste, fraud, and abuse.

SBSQ #28: Was Tim Walz gonna lose?

Silver Bulletin • 288 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Tim Walz abruptly ended his bid for a third term amid a public benefits fraud scandal.
  2. The U.S. operation that captured Venezuela’s president probably won’t shift domestic politics much, since voters usually react to foreign actions only when Americans are directly attacked or many troops are deployed.
  3. Polling that shows the action as unpopular should be treated cautiously, and Democrats’ reluctance to criticize may reflect old fears of appearing weak rather than a clear electoral danger.

The Democratic base isn’t in the mood to compromise

Silver Bulletin • 468 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Democratic voters are angry and are gravitating toward combative, base-oriented candidates, so a message like “when we fight, we win” will be powerful in primaries even if it hurts general-election prospects.
  2. Selling moderation and “electability” is getting harder because many Democrats distrust the establishment, prefer anger-forward messaging, and turnout-based strategies no longer reliably favor Democrats.
  3. In Texas specifically, centrist options like Colin Allred stepped back while James Talarico may be the more electable choice, but insurgent figures like Jasmine Crockett have strong base appeal and the party can’t easily stop less-general-election-friendly nominees.

The Talented Mr. Newsom

Unreported Truths • 42 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. He lacks a consistent ideology and deep policy understanding. Because of dyslexia he relies on memorized bullet points and constantly adapts his image to win approval.
  2. His record in California includes major failures on issues like COVID policy, housing, homelessness, and public safety, yet elite backing and a strong personal network have kept him politically resilient.
  3. His charisma, town-hall campaigning style, and ability to connect one-on-one make him electorally powerful and a real contender for higher office, even if he is seen as lacking competence or firm principles.

Is Abigail Spanberger Seeking to Escalate or to De-Escalate Youngkin & Trump's Culture War?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 130 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. University trustees should act as a buffer that protects academic independence, not as transmission belts for political agendas, because merit-based assessment and research integrity depend on it.
  2. The governor asked several board members to resign amid concerns that political pressure and donor involvement had steered the board’s actions and compromised its neutrality.
  3. A rushed firing and hurried appointment of university leadership raised legal and procedural questions and risked undermining proper governance and academic freedom.

February 18, 2026

Letters from an American • 40 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Federal actions have directly hurt Illinois residents and the state budget. Money was withheld, tariffs and cuts raised costs for families and farmers, and unaccountable federal agents created chaos in Chicago.
  2. The state has countered with steady, progressive policies to help people and grow the economy. Illinois balanced its budget, erased $1 billion in medical debt, and plans to lower housing, electricity, and healthcare costs.
  3. Community love and everyday acts of courage are framed as the best defense against authoritarianism. Neighbors protecting immigrants, supporting small vendors, and standing up for one another show that empathy and civic action matter more than slogans.

OSD 364: Gun control is quietly having a moment

Open Source Defense • 38 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Assault-weapon bans are spreading at the state level after decades of little change, with several states recently passing or considering new restrictions.
  2. Federal courts will likely decide the bigger outcome: differing appeals court rulings could create a split that makes the Supreme Court more likely to take a major case on AWBs.
  3. Beyond law and politics, gun culture is shifting into fashion and markets, which helps normalize firearms themes and can both boost momentum and provoke backlash.

Exclusive: Republicans Accuse Climate Groups of Doing China’s ‘Dirty Work’ in the U.S.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 227 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Twenty-six Republican state attorneys general asked the Justice Department to investigate whether two climate-focused nonprofits failed to disclose lobbying or acting on behalf of China.
  2. The complaint cites evidence that the Energy Foundation China and the Center for Climate Integrity may have acted as unregistered agents, pointing to EFC’s Beijing office and staff who previously worked for Chinese government climate agencies.
  3. Those groups present themselves as U.S. tax-exempt organizations working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but Republicans say their ties to China raise concerns about foreign influence on U.S. energy policy.

How New York Became a Hotbed of Chinese Meddling

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 222 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Rep. Elise Stefanik says Governor Kathy Hochul has allowed the Chinese Communist Party to gain widespread political influence in New York, and she escalated the claim by co-writing a formal letter with Rep. Jim Jordan.
  2. Lawmakers allege New York has become a national epicenter for CCP election interference, political intimidation, and systematic violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and other federal laws.
  3. They argue growing evidence means state and federal authorities must take aggressive, coordinated action, and the dispute has intensified as officials prepare for the upcoming governor’s race.

The Other American Border Towns

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 3083 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Churubusco is a small town in upstate New York, very different from the bustling cities like New York City. It's a place where life is quieter and more rural.
  2. The town feels isolated, especially since it's right on the border with Canada, making it easy to accidentally cross into another country. This adds a layer of caution to everyday activities.
  3. People in upstate New York often feel disconnected from the political decisions made by the more populated areas downstate, which can create frustration about representation and governance.

COVID Helped Start California's Decline, And Gavin Newsom Is Making Sure It Continues

Unmasked • 48 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Gavin Newsom is being treated as the leading Democratic candidate for 2028 even though many view his record as governor as a series of failures.
  2. California is slipping — seeing population decline while states like Florida and Texas grow, and facing high costs of living, homelessness, budget shortfalls, wildfires, and expensive, uncompleted projects like high-speed rail.
  3. Many blame California's strict COVID-era policies—long lockdowns, mask mandates, school closures, and business crackdowns—for authoritarian overreach and for helping trigger or accelerate the state's decline.

A (successful) test of the state-by-state approach!

The Crucial Years • 2012 implied HN points • 26 Dec 24
🌞 Climate & Environment State Politics
  1. The state-by-state approach is an effective way to make climate progress. Even small victories in big states like New York can have huge impacts.
  2. New York has passed a 'polluter pays' law that requires fossil fuel companies to contribute financially to repair climate damage. This means that polluters will be held accountable for their actions.
  3. Activism and public pressure played a big role in getting this legislation signed. Many people came together to push for this change, showing how powerful community action can be.

Minnesota, Fraud, and Selfishness

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 34 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. The Minnesota fraud case exposed massive government incompetence and waste, with billions of taxpayer dollars funneled to criminals because oversight was weak.
  2. Profit-driven private companies tend to cut waste and reward efficiency, while government lacks clear success measures and so often tolerates complacency.
  3. When selfish fraudsters meet apathetic officials, institutional incentives fail and large-scale theft goes unchecked, so fixing incentives is essential to prevent future abuse.

January 25, 2026

Letters from an American • 38 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Federal agents killed VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and administration officials defended the shooting. Videos and Minnesota records contradicted key elements of the federal narrative.
  2. The killing galvanized local solidarity and protest—neighbors, the Minnesota National Guard, and community groups organized mutual aid and street patrols while national groups and some officials called for de-escalation and justice.
  3. The episode is politically damaging for the Trump administration, exposing GOP rifts and prompting editorial and polling backlash that suggest immigration crackdowns are becoming a liability for Republicans.

Gov. Spencer Cox on boys and men

Of Boys and Men • 63 implied HN points • 10 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Men and boys often need strong anchors—work, family, faith, and community—to give them purpose and stability, and male role models in schools, churches, and civic groups matter a lot.
  2. Most men are doing okay, but a meaningful minority lack a clear sense of purpose and face serious mental-health risks, including high suicide rates, so targeted support is needed.
  3. Practical, nonpartisan solutions—like more vocational pathways and apprenticeships, more male teachers and mentors, fatherhood support, and male-friendly services to re-engage men in education—can help address these problems.

URGENT: As fraud allegations spiral, Minnesota governor Tim Walz quits his reelection bid

Unreported Truths • 67 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. A 23-year-old citizen journalist posted a viral X video showing empty state-funded daycare centers run by Somali immigrants, and the clip drew massive national attention.
  2. Minnesota governor Tim Walz announced he would drop his bid for a third term and is preparing to leave office after a very rapid political collapse tied to the allegations.
  3. The episode highlights three bigger trends. These are rising anger over immigration, widespread waste and alleged fraud in state- and federally-backed welfare programs, and the growing power of X as a platform for citizen journalism that can quickly drive political consequences.

Live Video with Dr. Amy Acton

Thinking about... • 118 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Dr. Amy Acton is running for governor of Ohio and has a strong background in public health. She's recognized for her calm leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. The upcoming live video on November 20 will be an informal chat about Ohio's issues and potential solutions.
  3. Timothy Snyder encourages viewers to join the live conversation through the Substack app and share it with others interested in the discussion.

Friday Funnies: CPR Alert

Who is Robert Malone • 36 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Federal civil servants in Northern Virginia are blamed for swinging the state to Democrats, and two remedies are proposed: cut federal jobs or relocate federal agencies around the country to break that concentration of influence.
  2. A severe multi-stage winter storm is expected, so people are urged to winterize farms and homes — fill tanks, set up heaters, stock water, food, fuel, batteries, and protect animals and vehicles.
  3. Recent Democratic policies are portrayed as harmful to the state, with concerns about higher taxes, weakened gun rights, permissive immigration and youth medical policies, and a cultural shift dubbed 'Californication' or 'Marxist' influence.

How Silver Bulletin calculates our polling averages

Silver Bulletin • 28 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. They include almost every professional poll but exclude known fake surveys, hobbyist/DIY polls, polls that use MRP-style smoothing, and polls with leading questions, while internal or campaign polls are allowed if they meet standards.
  2. Each poll is weighted by the pollster’s rating, sample size (with diminishing returns), and recency, and the model caps a firm’s influence so one pollster can’t flood the average; the final averages are produced with local polynomial regression tuned to avoid over- or under-smoothing.
  3. The averages are adjusted for persistent "house effects" through an iterative process (with a small partisan prior applied to explicitly partisan polls), and the generic ballot is translated into state benchmarks using a partisan-lean score combined with a state-specific "elasticity" that measures how swingy each state is.

OSD 352: “Gun rights are winning and nobody has realized it”, 2025 edition

Open Source Defense • 84 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Support for gun rights has trended upward for decades and jumped during the 2020 buying boom, though recent polls suggest that growth has mostly leveled off.
  2. Concealed carry has essentially won across the country—most states are now shall-issue or permitless, leaving very few places with meaningful carry bans.
  3. The AR-15 has become the dominant civilian rifle, and while gun-control groups have narrowed their public messaging, they still score legislative wins and exert pressure on manufacturers.

Housing affordability and the declining fortunes of Democrats

Urben Field Notes • 70 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. When homes are scarce and expensive in blue states, people move to cheaper Sunbelt cities and that migration is already eroding Democratic political power and could cost them electoral votes and congressional seats.
  2. Many Sunbelt states grow because they allow more housing, but that growth often takes the form of sprawl and oversized single-family homes that still don’t provide the smaller, cheaper units most people need.
  3. Historically, conversions and small-unit housing created naturally affordable options, but modern zoning and teardowns favor McMansions and limit starter homes, so progressives who want to rebuild political coalitions need to embrace more and varied housing construction.

Fraudulent Businesses Paid The Equivalent Of The GDP Of Somalia

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 39 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Reports allege massive fraud by sham businesses—especially daycare centers—siphoning large amounts of taxpayer money while services and children were unaccounted for.
  2. Elected officials responded with partisan defensiveness and rhetoric, and some were accused of avoiding direct answers about who enabled the fraud instead of pursuing accountability.
  3. Community members and advocates say people are harmed and are demanding criminal investigations and prosecutions so those responsible are held to account.

Eyes on the Bleeding States

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper • 398 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics State Politics
  1. Red states have uncontested seats leading to extreme Republican representation caused by years of disinvestment by Democrats.
  2. Laws passed in red states can have far-reaching effects beyond their borders, affecting everyone regardless of the state they live in.
  3. The impact of oppressive legislation in bleeding states showcases the potential for similar actions to occur in any state, posing a threat to rights and safety.