Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen

Start spreading the news: New Yorkers are hitting the polls next week, and the election is gonna be something wild. Cook Political's Erin Covey is our tour de force guide through the many candidates vying to represent the city's distinct locales, including a "Commie Corridor," which bumps up against the Wall Street district, which lies just south of the newlywed Upper East/Upper West Side "You've Got Mail District." Let's just say these neighbors have varied opinions on AI, Israel, the proper minimum wage and paid family leave. Our duo also hops over the Hudson to look into a couple races of interest to NY Republicans before making a quick trip to Maryland 5, where a 24-way race has brewed up to replace retiring Steny Hoyer. Plus, Henry breaks down this week's results from Georgia and Alabama, and considers how Trump's current approval numbers may affect once-safe GOP Senate seats.

You may recall the recent brouhaha over mid-decadal redistricting and the hand-wringing over blatantly partisan gerrymandering. But it isn't only cynical insiders who determine the balance of our House of Representatives; the American people play their part when they make long-distance moves. To talk all things reapportionment, Henry is joined again by Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball. Plus, Henry's got a trio of ads centered on the Democratic primary for John Cornyn's contested Senate seat.

In safe and many-mandered Illinois, Democratic primary elections are where the action is. And when an abiding figure like Dick Durbin announces he's giving up his US Senate seat, you can expect an eventful season. To take a close look at the flurry of ambitious hopefuls in that race, along with the ensemble-sized casts running in US House districts 2, 7, and 9, Henry sits down with Greg Bishop, Illinois editor at The Center Square. Stay tuned til the end for breakdowns of subtle, yet effective ads from Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy and New Jersey 11 hopeful Brendan Gill.

With an election year upon us, it's time to brace yourselves for candidates making their way onto your television, tablet and smartphone screens with messages catered to inspire and outrage you, the coveted primary voter. This means Henry is back with the Ad of the Week, this time taking a close look at Illinois' Senate frontrunner Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Democrat looking to replace soon-to-be-retired Dick Durbin. For contrast, we head south to Texas, where Chip Roy aims to leverage his name recognition in a bid to be the Lone Star State's next Attorney General.And in light of Mary Peltola's announcement that she'll challenge Dan Sullivan for his Senate seat, Henry takes us out with a rant about the latest in the Democratic Party's gambit to retake the upper chamber.

It's time for the annual Beyond the Polls Festivus episode! That's right, before you immerse yourself entirely into the holiday spirit, join Henry for one last rant of 2025. On his naughty list you'll find pollsters with dodgy models; an unrestrained Mr. President, who's back to tweeting and ugly truthing his way into unpopularity; and who can forget the centrist Democrats? Or, wait...how could we not forget them when they fail to deliver results? But it ain't all bad! Stay tuned to the end for credit given to this year's great feats of strength, shown both by the progressive base over their own party and DJT's TKO of MTG.