The most powerful caucus in Congress?
When it was founded eight years ago, few expected the House Freedom Caucus to be as influential in American politics as it turned out to be.
MISCHIEFS OF FACTION
Reflections on Parties and Their Place in Politics
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Seth Masket
Who Fled the Center?
Elon Musk is wrong about polarization, but the truth is actually complicated depending on which part of parties you examine.
Do congressional party platforms matter?
Election-year minority party agendas are important, but not for the reasons most people think.
The continuing war against Liz Cheney
Why did GOP leaders commit the risky move of endorsing Cheney’s primary challenger? And what does it tell us about the GOP?
The Staff
When a Party Censures
Julia and Seth argue about Sinema, whether parties should censure, and whether this was the time to do it.
Bipartisanship should not be an end in itself
History tells us that both political parties can – and sometimes have – agreed to do harmful things.
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.