The Electorette Podcast

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson joins The Margin to discuss her campaign for governor and the challenges facing Michigan—from housing affordability and economic growth to protecting voting rights in an increasingly polarized political climate. Benson reflects on defending Michigan's 2020 election in the face of election denialism, explains why she believes states must step in as federal voting protections continue to erode, and discusses the role Democratic governors can play as a constitutional check on presidential power. The conversation also explores her plans to increase housing affordability, support small businesses, grow wages, and strengthen Michigan's economy. The Margin is a special midterm election series from The Electorette and URL Media exploring the issues, races, and ideas shaping the 2026 elections. If you found this conversation helpful, like this episode and follow @electorette for more political midterm coverage, election analysis, and nuanced discussions that go beyond the headlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just one year after Zohran Mamdani's rise to City Hall, New York City voters are headed into one of the most consequential primary elections of the 2026 cycle. With more than 200 offices on the ballot, the results could reveal whether the coalition that helped propel Mamdani to victory—a multiracial alliance of young voters, immigrants, and progressives—has the power to reshape New York politics for years to come. In this episode of The Margin, host Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Mitra Kalita, co-founder and CEO of URL Media, former Senior Vice President for News, Opinion and Programming at CNN Digital, and founder of Epicenter-NYC. Together, they unpack the races drawing national attention, the candidates aligned with—and challenging—the city's political establishment, and the growing influence of issues like immigration, affordability, and economic justice on local elections. They also explore what some are calling the "Mamdani Effect": the emergence of a new generation of candidates, a changing Democratic coalition, and whether New York's political transformation offers a roadmap for Democrats heading into the 2026 midterms and beyond. Topics include:• The candidates and races to watch in New York City's primary elections• Zohran Mamdani's endorsements and political influence• Immigration, affordability, and economic justice in local politics• The future of progressive politics in New York• What New York's elections could signal for Democrats nationwide Mitra Kalita is the co-founder and CEO of URL Media, a network of Black and Brown community news organizations. A veteran journalist and media executive, she previously served as Senior Vice President for News, Opinion and Programming at CNN Digital and has held leadership roles at The Wall Street Journal, Quartz, and the Los Angeles Times. She is also the founder of Epicenter-NYC, a community-driven local news outlet serving New Yorkers. If you found this conversation helpful, like this video and follow @electorette for more political midterm coverage, election analysis, and nuanced discussions that go beyond the headlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Electorette, host Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Suzanne Jimenez, Chief of Staff at SEIU-UHW, about the looming healthcare crisis facing California — and the ballot measure designed to stop it. Their conversation begins with the fallout from the federal budget reconciliation bill (HR 1), which delivered historic tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans while triggering over $100 billion in healthcare cuts to California over the next several years. Jimenez explains how those cuts are already showing up across the state: rising insurance premiums, hospital layoffs, threats to Medi-Cal, nursing homes, community clinics, and serious risks to maternal care and children’s health. From there, Jimenez lays out California’s proposed solution: a one-time emergency 5% tax on billionaires, affecting just over 200 individuals. The measure would generate more than $100 billion to stabilize the healthcare system, protect Medi-Cal, support K–14 education, and fund emergency food assistance. She breaks down how the tax works, why claims of billionaire flight are largely a distraction, and how healthcare workers themselves are leading this effort after elected leaders failed to offer a viable alternative. The episode also explores why ballot initiatives have become one of the most effective tools for protecting public goods, how this proposal could serve as a model for other states facing similar cuts, and what Californians stand to lose if the measure does not pass. This is a clear, urgent conversation about who pays when government priorities shift — and how voters can intervene when the safety net is at risk. 🔗 Learn more about the California Billionaire Tax Act:https://www.cabillionairetax.org/ 🔗 See how healthcare workers are supporting the measure:https://www.seiu-uhw.org/ca-billionaire-tax-act/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After users discovered they could use Grok, the AI tool embedded in X, to generate nonconsensual nude images of women and girls, the backlash was swift. And the story raised a deeper question: are these harms a failure of artificial intelligence itself, or a reflection of the people, power structures, and incentives behind it? In this episode, Jen Taylor-Skinner is joined by Tazin Khan, CEO of Cyber Collective, for an important conversation about feminist AI, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and the limits of blaming “innovation” for harms that are deeply human. From deepfakes and data exploitation to capitalism, surveillance, and platform responsibility, this discussion challenges the idea that technology is neutral—and asks who is protected, who is exposed, and why accountability so often stops at the code. This is a conversation about AI, yes—but even more so about power, responsibility, and the systems we continue to build without reckoning with their consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices