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In a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, 47% of registered voters surveyed said they are more likely to vote for the Republican in their district, as opposed to 44% who said they preferred a Democrat. Because congressional districts across the U.S. are drawn in a way that broadly favors Republicans, Democrats need a national lead of at least a few points to break even. The last time Republicans were up in our poll, in 2014, the party won control of both the House and the Senate.
Despite Democrats' projected losses, though, it could still be a good year for progressives — who have the upper hand in a number of party primary races.
This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, political correspondent Juana Summers, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
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The Supreme Court is considering a case that could significantly weaken the right to abortion — or even scrap it entirely. With Roe V. Wade on shaky ground, Republican-led states are already passing laws to ban or heavily restrict abortion, while Democratic state legislatures are taking steps to guarantee the right to end a pregnancy
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, national correspondent Sarah McCammon, Catherine Sweeney of State Impact Oklahoma, and Bente Birkeland of Colorado Public Radio.
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A flurry of headlines out of the Sunshine State: Gov. Ron DeSantis — a rising star in the Republican party and apparent presidential hopeful — is feuding with Disney after it criticized a new law limiting dicussion of gender and sexual identity in schools, a severe GOP gerrymander that will limit Black political power in the state, and new voting restrictions.
This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, national correspondent Greg Allen, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.
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In a conversation with NPR, Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Jamie Raskin of Maryland said that while thin margins have limited Democrats' legislative agenda, the American Rescue Plan and infrastructure package have made a considerable difference in the lives of Americans — and that touting those wins to voters should buoy the party's chances in the midterms.
In Arizona, Rep. Greg Stanton, a former Democratic mayor of Phoenix, won his district handily in 2020 but a redrawn map has put him in a tough fight to keep his seat against a crowded Republican field. The economy and immigration are central issues in the campaign and progressive politics are far from top of mind.
This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh.
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Thirty-eight percent of Americans under 30 want to see student debt cancelled entirely. Despite a campaign trail promise to eliminate some debt, President Biden has yet to take any action beyond continuing Trump's pause on loan repayments.
For years, an Education Department loan program has failed to live up to the promises it made to students — the department is now promising to make amends.
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Susan Davis, and education correspondent Cory Turner.
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The United States will welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and will streamline their immigration and vetting process, the White House told reporters this week. The news comes as Russian violence continues to roil the country's east. Another possible mass grave with as many as 9,000 bodies has been found near the besieged city of Mariupol.
And in both France and the United States, inflation is making paychecks feel smaller—and it has become an animating issue for conservative voters. French President Emmanuel Macron faces populist Marine Le Pen in a runoff election this weekend.
This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, white House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and France correspondent Eleanor Beardsley.
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Prominent candidates in two Republican Senate primaries, Missouri's Eric Greitens and Georgia's Herschel Walker, face domestic violence allegations. On today's podcast, how the candidates — and the Republican party — have responded.
This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and congressional correspondent Susan Davis.
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The Biden administration has repeatedly tried to end the policy, which requires migrants making an asylum claim in the U.S. to reside in Mexico until their immigration court date, only to be forced to reinstate it by the courts. Now, the Supreme Court will consider the president's powers on the issue.
Also before the court: a public high school football coach in Washington was not rehired to his job after he chose to lead prayers on the field with his players. He later sued the school. The case is one of many religious freedom cases before a court that recently rules in favor of the expression of religion.
This episode: voting reporter Miles Parks, immigration correspondent Joel Rose, legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, and national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson.
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A judge said the rule exceeded the Centers for Disease Control's power, raising questions about how the agency can enforce public health rules in future crises. The Biden administration, so far, has not committed to an appeal of the ruling.
This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and transportation correspondent David Schaper.
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And you might not have to go to Iowa in order to be the Democrats' presidential nominee anymore: the party is looking to reshape its primary calendar so the earliest states better represent the racial makeup of its voters.
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political reporter Barbara Sprunt, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
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