Bipartisanship should not be an end in itself
History tells us that both political parties can – and sometimes have – agreed to do harmful things.
MISCHIEFS OF FACTION
Reflections on Parties and Their Place in Politics
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Is Kevin McCarthy in trouble?
Recent warnings that Kevin McCarthy won't be chosen speaker in a GOP-led House are not credible.
Why the “GOP Thirteen” aren’t likely to be punished
Strong sanctions are rarely used against party defectors in Congress – for good reason.
The Misconceptions that Guide Congress
The ongoing debate over the passage of transportation and budget bills underscore how lawmakers act on behalf of misleading assumptions.
Are Democrats retaliating against Republicans who voted to undo the 2020 election?
Inter-party punishments for the events of January 6th may be less widespread than they seem.
Gregory Koger
To Reform the Filibuster, Parties Need to Protect Marginal Senators
If majority parties can help marginal members navigate the tension between the policy demands of their party base and the moderate preferenc
The Tea Party and the Rise of a Conservative Insurgency
A conversation with Rachel Blum about her recent book How the Tea Party Captured the GOP.
The Staff
Why Republicans are Ousting Liz Cheney
The House GOP has decided it can’t win without Trump’s voters and it can’t keep Trump’s voters if a party leader is condemning Trump.
The Staff
It Takes (At Least) Two to Do Democracy
A third of state legislative contests regularly go uncontested, undermining one of the basic facets of democratic governance.
Mayor of Crazytown
John Boehner’s new memoir underscores the challenges of governing in today’s Congress.
To delay or not to delay?
House Republicans wrestle with an age-old dilemma: cooperation versus confrontation.
The Staff
Are voters' preferences over stimulus checks driven by party loyalty or financial gain?
Experiment shows Republicans' fealty to Trump overrides their desire for stimulus money
The Staff
The Freedom Caucus is not just a D.C. phenomenon
The House Freedom Caucus is not only highly influential in Congress; it has inspired state lawmakers to form caucuses of their own. Why?
Seth Masket
Does a Party Lose for Doing Too Much or Too Little?
Majority party members often get punished for being part of a productive party, not rewarded.
From freedom to sedition
How the House Freedom Caucus abandoned its constitutional conservatism and led an effort to subvert the 2020 presidential election.
A dark day
The violent attack on the U.S. Congress put a glaring spotlight on two disturbing features of contemporary American politics.
The politics of governing with a tiny majority
Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats will be tested by their party’s smaller size.
The Staff
Will Pelosi’s Power be Curtailed in the 117th Congress?
House Democrats’ smaller majority will likely have a counterintuitive effect on Speaker influence.
When ideology trumps democracy
Reelection concerns motivated many House Republicans to support the anti-democratic Texas lawsuit -- but ideology did too.
The Staff
Who will lead the House Democratic Party?
A lowdown on upcoming races for leadership posts in the U.S. House -- and why the speakership isn’t among them.