Shane Goldmacher

22 Sept

NEW: "Life doesn’t wait for you to be ready for things. Sometimes life just makes things ready for you.” I spoke with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as she approaches 2028 and the biggest crossroads of her career. Gift link —> www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/u...

nytimes.comOcasio-Cortez Donates to N.Y. Democrats, Will Barnstorm State Ahead of MidtermsThe news has reignited speculation about whether the progressive representative from the Bronx is considering a run for senator or president.

18 Sept

NEWS: AOC is planning to campaign across New York in coming weeks — Buffalo, Syracuse, Ithaca — and just gave $300k to state coordinated campaign. Moves come as she weighs whether she will run for Senate in NY or president in 2028. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/u...

nytimes.comTrump’s Open Claims That He Directs Super PAC Spending Draw Watchdog ComplaintFederal law bars those holding federal office from directing spending decisions for a political organization with no contribution limits.

18 Sept

NEW: Trump calls his $400 million super PAC “my money that I control.” Yet federal officeholders are legally barred from directing soft-money groups. A new FEC complaint accuses Trump of violating law. W/ Maggie Haberman: www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/u...

nytimes.comGoogle Just Made It Easier for Campaigns to Send You Fund-Raising EmailsRepublicans previously sued Google claiming its spam filter was biased, but the case was dismissed. The company will now allow verified campaigns to more easily bypass the spam filter.

18 Aug

NEWS: Google Just Made It Easier for Campaigns to Send You Fund-Raising Emails The tech giant quietly rolled out a new program Monday to allow candidates, PACs and parties to more easily bypass the spam filter — and wind up in inboxes. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/u...

nytimes.comModerate Democrats Prepare for ‘War’ Against an Ascendant LeftOne moderate group says the progressive wins are “deeply troubling” and is planning a $15 million effort against democratic socialism.

6 Aug

NEWS: Third Way has a new $15 million program to take on — and try to take down the rising democratic socialism movement. “We are preparing for the next war." More on how reeling centrists are aiming to strike back —> www.nytimes.com/2026/08/06/u...

@peterbakernyt.bsky.social

22 July

As of now, the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination fight is likely to begin in either SC or NV — and it's a brawl between them, The DNC's Rules committee meets this week as the fight is intensifying. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/u...

Shane Goldmacher reposted

Peter Baker

7 July

Platner aide lists terms for dropping out: “If he was to step down it would only be with a guarantee of being replaced by a candidate who he believes is true to the values and vision and policy agenda of the campaign that Maine voted for." @shanegoldmacher.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07...

nytimes.comLive Updates: Calls Mount for Platner to End Campaign After Rape Accusation

nytimes.comOcasio-Cortez Endorses Abdul El-Sayed in Crucial Michigan Senate Race

2 July

NEWS: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells me she is endorsing Abdul El-Sayed, her first Senate primary endorsement of 2026 in critical Michigan. Her thinking, the Schumer collision, the state of the race, the left's emboldened moment and more—> www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/u...

nytimes.comThe Supreme Court Just Gave the G.O.P. a New Midterm Edge

30 June

NEW: The Supreme Court just delivered the most consequential campaign-finance decision since Citizens United. And it is going to deliver a crucial financial edge to Republicans in the 2026 midterms. The backstory, the decision, the fallout —> www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/u...

29 June

Graham Platner is ahead of Susan Collins by 2 points in new NYT/Siena poll. One of the most intriguing details: She has a 21-point lead among non-college voters as Platner has made centering the working class the center of his campaign.

Shane Goldmacher reposted

Benjamin Hoffman

@bhh.bsky.social

27 May

It was not a particularly suspenseful election night in Texas, but that just gave Christine Zhang and Zach Levitt time to cook this up for @shanegoldmacher.bsky.social's takeaways file: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/u...

nytimes.comTrump’s Self-Indulgence Deepens G.O.P. Fears in Midterms

25 May

NEW: Trump’s Self-Indulgence Deepens G.O.P. Fears in Midterms Paxton, “peanuts” and a fund for potential payouts for Jan 6ers has Republicans frustrated with the president. More w/ Patricia Mazzei —> www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/u...

20 May

NEW: The one stat that should frighten GOP most. President Trump’s approval rating among independent voters in new NYT poll (26%) is below President Biden’s in the wake of his disastrous debate before he dropped out. My piece on Trump and GOP —>

nytimes.comMysterious Meddling in Democratic Primaries Has G.O.P. Fingerprints

12 May

NEW: A mystery new super PAC with GOP links has suddenly spread more than $1 million around three Dem House primaries in just over a week — including for a sex therapist in Texas accused of antisemitism. The intensive new phase in the House fight —> www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/u...

nytimes.com10 Days That Shook the House Map and Democratic Confidence

9 May

NEW at NYT: How 10 Days Shook the House Map “Put bluntly, Republicans have roughly 10 more House seats that favor them than they did just 10 days ago” From me and @timbalk.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/u...

Shane Goldmacher reposted

Peter Baker

@peterbakernyt.bsky.social

9 May

The bottom line of two court rulings in the past 10 days is to make it easier for Republicans to gerrymander districts in their favor and harder for Democrats to do the same. The net effect may be 10 seats for the GOP. @shanegoldmacher.bsky.social @timbalk.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/u...

nytimes.com10 Days That Shook the House Map and Democratic Confidence

nytimes.comTrump’s Indiana Victory Shows His Enduring Grip on Core Republican Supporters

7 May

Trump’s Indiana Victory Shows His Enduring Grip on Core Republican Supporters www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/u...

nytimes.comIran War Looms Over Vance as He Visits Iowa

7 May

Iran War Looms Over Vance as He Visits Iowa www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/u...

1 May

NEWS: Chris Larsen, a tech billionaire from California, said he planned to spend $3.5 million to help Alex Bores in a NY House race that has become one of the year’s biggest proxy fights over the future of AI regulation. From me and Nick Fandos: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/u...

nytimes.comHow Talarico Won Texas Democrats With Love, Luck and a Little Restraint

9 Mar

NEW: James Talarico knew when he boarded a plane to NYC last month that the biggest interview of his life would never appear on television. From Rogan to Colbert, how the 36-year-old won in the attention economy. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/u...

nytimes.comTrump’s Push for Election Power Raises Fears He Will ‘Subvert’ Midterms

26 Feb

NEW: An emboldened President Trump has shown an increased eagerness to leverage the full investigative, prosecutorial and legislative powers of the federal government to bend election mechanics to his will. On rising fears of subversion w/ Nick C: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/u...

nytimes.comTrump Presses on With Tariffs Despite Court, and Court of Public Opinion

21 Feb

NEW: The midterm fallout from the Supreme Court rebuke —> Trump Presses on With Tariffs Despite Court, and Court of Public Opinion www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/u...

nytimes.comCrypto Industry Targets Al Green, a Texas Democrat Who Voiced Concerns

12 Feb

NEWS: The crypto super PACs are going after Rep. Al Green, first big Dem target of 2026 cycle. From @teddyschleifer.bsky.social and me www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/u...

nytimes.comRepublican Cash Edge Threatens to Swamp Democrats in the Midterms

10 Feb

NEWS: Republican Cash Edge Threatens to Swamp Democrats in the Midterms www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/u...

nytimes.comTo Win Back the House, Democrats Take the Fight to Deep-Red Areas

5 Feb

NEW: House Democrats are reaching deeeep into red territory to expand map in 2026. Party has scored top recruits in districts that Trump won by 10+ points in a bid to stretch the map. Context: There isn't a single House Dem now in such a red seat. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/u...

Shane Goldmacher reposted

Peter Baker

@peterbakernyt.bsky.social

22 Jan

Just 32% of Americans think the country is better off than when Trump took office and most disapprove of how he is handling the economy, immigration, Ukraine and Venezuela, per @nytimes.com @sienaresearch.bsky.social poll. @shanegoldmacher.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...

nytimes.comFew Voters Say Trump’s Second Term Has Made the Country Better, Poll Finds

nytimes.comFew Voters Say Trump’s Second Term Has Made the Country Better, Poll Finds

22 Jan

NEWS: A new NYT poll of Trump after year one: — Only 32% said the country was better off — Trump’s approval rating ticks down to 40% — 57% said he’s focused on the wrong issues — Dems up on generic ballot, 48% to 43% Our write up: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...

nytimes.comInside Democrats’ Brewing Debate Over Which States Should Vote First in 2028

12 Jan

NEW: The fight for what states open the 2028 Democratic primary calendar has just begun. — IA wants back — NH says law means it's going 1st — NV lobbying hard — SC wants to stay put — Others, GA & MI etc, plan to apply — MN is out Lots of details —> www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/u...

nytimes.comThe D.N.C. Is Killing Its Autopsy of What Went Wrong in 2024

18 Dec 2025

NEWS: The DNC is killing off its 2024 autopsy. DNC Chairman Ken Martin has decided not to publish a public report, believing that a backward-looking document would be counterproductive as the party has started winning. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...

nytimes.comNearly $900 Million Flowed in Secret to Help Harris and Trump in 2024

17 Dec 2025

More than $500 million of secret money donations to the leading nonprofit that helped Harris/Biden in 2024 came from just 10 donations. One contribution was $97.5 million. Donor unknown. @teddyschleifer.bsky.social has the tax filings —> www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/u...

nytimes.comKamala Harris Isn’t Ready to Be Written Off

9 Dec 2025

NEW: I wrote a profile of Kamala Harris at a pivot point. She wants to be heard but it is not clear what she wants to say. • Her 2028 thoughts • Her texts with Gavin • The $$ in her new PAC • The calls she's been making (Zohran etc) Lots more 🎁 —> www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/u...

nytimes.comObama Calls Mamdani to Praise His Campaign, Offers to Be Sounding Board

1 Nov 2025

NEWS: Barack Obama called Zohran Mamdani today, praising the campaign he's run and offering to be a “sounding board” into the future. “Your campaign has been impressive to watch,” Obama said told him. More details on the 30-minute call in the NYT —> www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/n...

Shane Goldmacher reposted

Christine Zhang

@christinezhang.bsky.social

30 Oct 2025

Teamed up with @shanegoldmacher.bsky.social to take a look at the NJ governor’s race & what its results could tell us about the durability of Trump’s 2024 gains/“realignments” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/u...

nytimes.comWhat New Jersey Could Reveal About the Rightward Shift of Hispanic Voters

NEW: "Redistricting has always been in her blood" An inside look at Nancy Pelosi's role in CA redistricting battle — after a career fighting gerrymandering wars. From tandem $$ calls with Newsom at gov's mansion to her fascinating history. A thread... www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

But there was a gerrymandering backlash in CA. Schwarzenegger got voters to approve an independent commission to draw maps. Pelosi pushed for a repeal. He won. She lost. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Fast forward to the current fight. And Pelosi is player behind scenes and helping to raise big bucks for a fall ballot measure that has emerged as a legacy fight. Read the full piece with Laurel Rosenhall www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Tauscher would keep her seat. An agreement is struck for a bipartisan gerrymander, between WH (Rove) and CA Dems (Pelosi and Co). WH avoided more Dem seats. Pelosi got thankful incumbent CA Dems. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

The gerrymander was so effective that only ONE of CA's 53 seats flipped party hands — in a decade. Soon after, Pelosi became whip. Then leader. Then speaker. “Redistricting has always been in her blood,” says Brian Wolff, then a top Pelosi lieutenant. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Fast forward to 2001. Another redistricting. Pelosi is a rising power in the House. California is a key constituency for Pelosi in the Dem conference. All but House Dem in state backs her in leadership race. So about that one member... www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Her name is Rep. Ellen Tauscher — and she publicly accuses Pelosi of trying to erase her seat through an ally. The man drawing the lines? None other than John Burton, long out of rehab and now the leader of the state Senate in Sacramento. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

In other words, Pelosi learned early and personally that district lines matter. “She almost certainly would not have prevailed” without that remapping, said Marc Sandalow, a Pelosi biographer. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Or as Willie Brown, 91, the legendary SF politico who helped draw those 1981 lines as speaker of the State Assembly, told me one can see echoes in the current fight of “the legacy and the ghost of Phil Burton." www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Well, that SF carve out ended up mattering a lot — for Nancy Pelosi. Phil Burton died; his wife took his seat. Sala Burton died and said Pelosi should replace her. A special election was held in 1987... www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Nancy Pelosi was the establishment pick against Harry Britt, who would have been the first openly gay congressman. Remember that 1981 remap? It carved OUT of Phil's seat some liberal parts of SF — including some of Castro. Pelosi won by ~3,900 votes. nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

So in 1981, Phil Burton was determined to expand the state's Dem majority and keep his brother John's seat safe. He put some of SF's most liberal bastions (parts of Castro/Haight Ashbury) into John's seat. John never ran. He checked into cocaine rehab. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

Anyway new the 6th district was a DOOZY. Parts of SF, Marin, Sonoma AND Vallejo in the East Bay. Hardly contiguous. Except perhaps at "low tide," as the legend has Burton saying. Dug up some old maps. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comHow Nancy Pelosi Quietly Shaped California’s Redistricting Fight

Let's start in 1981. Then- Rep. Phil Burton (D-SF) is aggressively gerrymandering CA to help Democrats. He twists and contorts lines so badly he calls it "my contribution to modern art." The newly elected 41-year-old CA Dem Party chair: Nancy Pelosi. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...

nytimes.comJohn Burton, 92, Dies; California Political Boss Who Staged a Comeback

8 Sept 2025

I distinctively remember interviewing Burton early in my career. Every line had an expletive. I asked if he might consider rephrasing a line or two because otherwise I wouldn't be able to use his quotes. "Who's f—ing problem is that?" he replied. RIP. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/u...