Pantsuit Politics

Latest Episodes:

Why Your Vote for President Could Count Differently in 2028 Nov 10, 2026

Show notes

We're still sorting through the midterm results and what Democratic gains in state legislatures could mean for how Americans choose a president in 2028. In this episode, we discuss:

Votes still being counted in Mississippi and Alaska
State legislative changes
Faith in the new Congress
Leadership fights
the Hegseth impeachment push
Stephen Miller as chief of staff
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
Uncapping the House
Outside of politics: Sesame Street turns 57

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Blue Wave, Historic Firsts, and a Fight Over Who Leads Congress Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

Sarah and Beth break down the 2026 midterm results and disagree about what Democrats should do with their new majorities. - The blue tsunami in the House, Senate, and statehouses - Historic firsts, the backfired redistricting push, and ballot measures on money in politics, abortion, and voting rights - Whether Congress needs new leadership and what Democrats should do on everything from Pete Hegseth to the Epstein files - Outside of Politics: getting ready for the holidays early

Join the conversation: subscribe at https://pantsuitpolitics.substack.com to comment.

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This is the America250 Election (Bonus Episode) Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

We'll be back on regular schedule Friday, but we had to share our Morning Assembly (the talk show we make for premium members Monday - Thursday) with everyone.

Here are our instant reactions to the midterm elections. We'll dive into the numbers and think about the larger implications on Friday's episode.

Join us for every Morning Assembly by heading over to pantsuitpoliticsshow.com.

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No Paid Takes: How We'll Cover 2028 Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

On Election Day and the 11th birthday of our show, we look back at three presidential elections with Donald Trump on the ballot and lay out how we'll cover 2028. We discuss:

Lessons learned from covering the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential cycles
Our commitments for 2028: no paid takes, no paid guests, and how we think about our value proposition
Political astroturfing and the paid influencer economy
Plans for in-person debate watch parties in Iowa, South Carolina, and Las Vegas
Outside of Politics: Monthly meetings and setting personal themes inspired by Camille McCallum (@camillevivianna on Instagram) and Susannah Conway's Unravel Your Year

Join us live tonight on our elections chat on Substack.

Take advantage of our midterm sale before it ends tonight.

Email your thoughts and questions about 2028 to us at hello@pantsuitpoliticsshow.com.

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A Haunted House But It's American Politics Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

Happy Halloween. We're coming to you in costume to discuss the political realities that haunt us, from the fear that a woman will never be president to outrageous premium hikes for insurance policies that cover less. A haunted house but it's just:

Why more Americans doubt they'll see a woman president in their lifetimes
"Aren't you a lawyer?" -- the Hatch Act and lawfare
Fundraising, Citizens United, and texting
AI doom-prepping
A Trump dynasty
Open enrollement

Outside of politics, we share our Halloween hits.

Our midterms premium membership sale ends on Election Day. We'd love for you to join us at a 25% of annual rate.

Links:

We've Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care

Pew Research on American attitudes about a woman president

How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2027 (KFF)

Be Ready Campaign

Our interview with Pete Buttigieg

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Nobody is worried about Jon Ossoff anymore Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

We're waiting on the midterms like everyone else. Instead of reading polls, Sarah and Beth draft their personal midterm 'Avengers' team, spotlighting Jon Ossoff, Roy Cooper, Adam Hamilton, James Talarico, Abdul El-Sayed, Marilyn Zayas, and more. They cover:

A draft of favorite midterm candidates, including Jon Ossoff and Roy Cooper
Must-watch races in Kansas, Texas, and Michigan, and what makes them stand out
Down-ballot and across-the-aisle picks, from Marilyn Zayas in Ohio to Brian Fitzpatrick in Pennsylvania
Kentucky races to watch, including Sarah Cole McIntosh and Melissa Strange
Outside of Politics: Sarah shares her family's new Thursday night open-invite pizza ritual for teens

Links:

Our pre-midterms premium sale (25% off our annual rate)

Our conversation with Zach Dembo

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When Corruption is Everywhere, it Starts to Disappear Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

Sarah and Beth break down the pervasive corruption in the Trump administration, from White House renovations to rare earth mineral deals, and cover:

Alina Habba, Ric Grenell, and high-dollar pardons
How White House renovations became a marketplace for influence, with major corporations making anonymous, tax-deductible donations
The scale of government contracts and rare earth mineral deals tied to the Trump family and allies
The impact of unchecked corruption on public trust and the upcoming midterm elections
Outside of Politics: Kelly Clarkson's viral feud with a Brooklyn shop over a mechanical bird

Next week, we're featuring great candidates for office in a draft-style episode and would love to hear your nominations. You can also help us prepare for our Halloween episode--a political version of the "a haunted house but it's just..." meme. Join the conversation on Substack (and sign up for our 25% discounted annual rate before the election) or by emailing hello@pantsuitpoliticsshow.com.

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It Doesn't Have to Be Like This Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

With the midterms close, Sarah and Beth step back to ask how a profit-first mindset came to shape so much of public life and what might replace it. Inspired by Chris Marquis's New York Times guest essay on closing business schools, they discuss:

the pervasive influence of MBA thinking on leadership and society
the need for philosophy, art, and new vocabularies about values and priorities
rethinking measurement and growth
Outside of politics (not really!): The Social Reckoning

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"If you can imagine it, we're ready for it" Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

California Attorney General Rob Bonta joins Beth to talk about how state attorneys general are preparing for this election and pushing back on federal overreach. They discuss:

the security of mail-in ballots
the fight over "citizenship lists"
preparations to safeguard against intimidation at the polls
the Supreme Court's emergency docket and strain on the court system
immigration enforcement
AI and the tools needed to protect citizens
outside of politics: soccer brings people together

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A Failed Execution in Tennessee and a Livestream Firing Squad Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

We did not expect to be discussing the death penalty less than a month before midterm elections, but here we are. Today, Sarah and Beth discuss:

Our individual perspectives on the death penalty
Tennessee's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike
Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan
Outside of politics: seeing leaves last week in New England and Quebec

Mentioned in the episode:

Still Listening, our free pop-up book club for the midterms

Pew Research polling on the death penalty

Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery"

Common Ground Pilgrimages

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