Lever Time

Dan Osborn Knows Why Democrats Keep Losing Nebraska

Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats almost two to one in Nebraska, and the few elected Democratic politicians in the state overwhelmingly lean conservative. But li

How Troy Jackson Can Put Collins' Career On The Chopping Block

Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins (R) has won five elections in a row, and a Democrat has not won a United States Senate seat in the state since 1988 — but polls suggest Mainers

The Billionaire Building Democrats’ New Machine

Earlier this month, a new Democratic machine scored a major victory in Connecticut. First-time congressional candidate Luke Bronin won his Democratic primary by a landsli

Master Plan S2 E6: Obama’s Kill List

This week on Lever Time, we’re featuring our newest episode of Master Plan: The Kingmakers.  In this episode, President Barack Obama vows to restore the rule of law afte

This Bernie Organizer Is Coming For A “DeSantis Democrat”

Oliver Larkin spent a decade battling the Democratic Party’s campaign machine as an organizer for candidates like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Now, in Florida’s Aug. 18 p

Big Money Lost To Abdul El-Sayed. Where Will It Go Next?

Michigan just proved that money has its limits in elections. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed beat out establishment sweetheart Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) in what was li

He Left The GOP. Now He Has A Warning For Democrats.

Reed Galen was raised inside the Republican Party establishment, but in 2016, he left the party and later cofounded The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action co

Francesca Hong Wants To Be America’s First Socialist Governor

The Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor has gone haywire. Over the last week, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out amid a campaign finance scandal, and a candidate w

We’re Still Living In The 2016 Election

Ten years ago this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ended his first presidential run and endorsed Hillary Clinton. Now, his chief strategist says the primary process was

Abdul El-Sayed Isn’t Messing Around About Healthcare

Last week, The Lever’s David Sirota traveled to Michigan to meet with Democratic Senate candidate and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed, who has become a polit

What New York’s Socialists Know That Democrats Don’t

Candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani swept the state’s Democratic primaries this week, to the chagrin of corporate interests and party elite. Pundits a

Why Is Newsom Fighting California’s Billionaire Tax?

California voters are poised to vote on a one-time billionaire tax that would fund schools, food assistance, and Medicaid. Silicon Valley is spending big to keep the prec

The Movie Trope That Explains American Politics

Perhaps the key to understanding modern American politics isn't an academic think tank report, but instead rambunctious cult classic films, like Caddyshack and Animal Hou

Hawaii Is Overthrowing Citizens United

Hawaii just enacted a groundbreaking law challenging Citizens United, the Supreme Court decision that unleashed unlimited corporate spending in elections. It’s a major vi

The Spy Planes That Helped Jeffrey Epstein Take Off

Everyone knows Jeffrey Epstein as a sex trafficker who died in 2019. But Epstein’s story goes further back than most people realize — and includes surprising links to the

The Democratic Party’s New Dark Money Machine

It’s primary season, and powerful political forces within the Democratic Party are stomping into local races, trying to pick winners and losers. Today on Lever Time, we’r

Will The Strait Of Hormuz Sink The American Empire? (With Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison)

Despite recent claims from President Donald Trump that the war in Iran has “terminated,” hundreds of ships are still stranded in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and

Graham Platner’s Revolution Hits The Road

David Sirota buckles up for a drive through rural Maine with the Senate candidate that the Democratic establishment doesn’t want — but can't afford to lose. Just two day

The Untouched Power That Could Stop The Iran War

Congress has the power to stop Trump’s unpopular war in Iran — but lawmakers have never used it before. Their excuse? An obscure immigration case from 1983. In this speci

Tom Steyer Opposed Single-Payer Health Care. Now He’s Running On It.

Last week, California Democrats killed CalCare, a proposed single-payer health care bill. Will the state ever achieve its dream of universal health care?  Tom Steyer — a