The Playbook Podcast

Trump is still the center of the GOP money universe

Republicans have a big cash advantage heading into the midterms, but much of that money comes from a handful of megadonors, including Elon Musk. Meanwhile Donald Trump re

The Epstein election?

Democrats have spent over $20 million dollars on Epstein-related ads. Will it be enough to flip the Senate? Then the other stories animating Washington: President Trump b

Democrats’ race reckoning (with Angie Nixon) | The Conversation

Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon joins Dasha for a wide-ranging conversation about her historic campaign and the Democratic Party’s future. Nixon had sharp w

Retiring Republican senator warns GOP: Trump's coalition may not last | On the Road

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at a Charlotte diner for a candid conversation about his new book, his decision to leave the Senate and the fut

The new Trump of Florida?

Republicans are drawing an unlikely comparison between Democratic Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon and President Donald Trump. What does Nixon’s appeal reveal about the

America’s Heartland sows doubt in the GOP

America’s Breadbasket needs bread. Soaring diesel prices and fertilizer costs are putting the squeeze on farmers who voted for President Donald Trump, prompting some to r

The GOP has a midterm messaging problem. Ramaswamy isn’t helping.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s new attack ad on Democratic opponent Amy Acton has ignited a firestorm in Ohio. The backlash points to a much bigger problem for Republicans: finding a

Democrats’ Musk-ask questions

Elon Musk isn’t on the ballot, but he’s once again becoming a central figure in the midterms. Democrats hoping to reclaim the House majority are already signaling that he

Ohio returns as a bellwether

Ohio could be a bellwether for the future of a GOP-controlled Senate. In the final weeks toward the midterm, can Republicans shore up their red walls in states like Ohio

Inside the democratic socialists’ plan to shake up Congress | The Conversation

Democratic socialists Melat Kiros and Darializa Avila Chevalier each defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent to win their deep-blue primaries. They’re among a handful of

Abdul El-Sayed's ‘new coalition’

In the final weeks toward the midterms, can Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed earn favor from some Black and Jewish voters who have felt skeptical of his campaign? Then the other

Susie’s turn

President Trump is privately calling allies, soliciting their opinions about his once untouchable chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Playbook has exclusive reporting on sharks

Republicans privately brace for House defeat

Top Republicans are quietly preparing for a midterm wipeout, shifting resources to save the Senate. Then the other stories animating Washington: new White House press sec

Are Dems too confident?

Three weeks out from the midterms and Democrats in some of the most competitive races are walking tall towards Election Day. Purple state candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Re

Walking the Trump tightrope (with Byron Donalds) | The Conversation

Dasha sits down with Rep. Byron Donalds, the Florida Republican nominee for governor, for a special midterms edition of the show.  As Republicans face headwinds over aff

The Battle for Black voters

Rep. Byron Donalds is making a play for Black voters in a new ad shared exclusively with POLITICO. What does his campaign tell us about the battle for Black voters this m

Knives out on MAGA Inc.

Knives are out for MAGA Inc.’s top two globetrotting advisers, Chris LaCivita and James Blair. Does this open the duo to take the fall if a blue wave materializes in Nove

Trump’s Latino coalition cracked

Republicans appear on the verge of losing the Latino voter coalition that helped carry President Donald Trump in 2024. But that doesn’t mean they’re embracing Democrats.

It’s 2026. Still Obama’s Party.

Nearly a decade after leaving the White House, Barack Obama is still one of the Democratic Party’s most powerful political assets. Then the other stories animating Washin

Paxton's campaign control

In audio from a private meeting obtained by Playbook, Ken Paxton tells donors he’s never felt less in control of a campaign, as he trails Democrat James Talarico in Texas