Charlie Hunt
@charlesrhunt.com
Polisci Prof at Boise State and RI native. Congress, elections, and representation are my things. Dogs are my actual things. I co-host the podcast "Scandalized" on the NPR Network: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1259047598/scandalized
Pinned
Charlie Hunt
@charlesrhunt.com
· Jan 6
This is my favorite slide to open up my U.S. Congress courses with to quantitatively prove to my students how much I unironically care about Congress. It's my daily average heart rate from my Apple Watch over a 5-yr period. The #1 highest day in that period is circled in red.
RCP Generic Ballot on 9/16/18: D+8.3
RCP Generic Ballot on 9/16/26: D+8.6
RCP Generic Ballot on 9/16/26: D+8.6
September 16, 2026 at 6:02 PM
RCP Generic Ballot on 9/16/18: D+8.3
RCP Generic Ballot on 9/16/26: D+8.6
RCP Generic Ballot on 9/16/26: D+8.6
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
If the Ds win the House, depending on the size of their majority, "the DSA-affiliated lawmakers’ reach and power, despite their small numbers, could extend beyond elections and deep into the process of legislating," write SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor & @charlesrhunt.com theconversation.com/from-the-fre...
From the Freedom Caucus to the democratic socialists, small groups inside parties can wreak havoc with leaders’ agenda in Congress
What role might DSA-affiliated candidates play if they win election to Congress in the midterms and the Democrats gain a majority in the House of Representatives?
theconversation.com
September 3, 2026 at 12:43 PM
If the Ds win the House, depending on the size of their majority, "the DSA-affiliated lawmakers’ reach and power, despite their small numbers, could extend beyond elections and deep into the process of legislating," write SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor & @charlesrhunt.com theconversation.com/from-the-fre...
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
Great weekend of rural American scholarship & culture with a presentation at @apsa.bsky.social, Rural Working Group happy hour, & Kacey Musgraves 🤠.
@charlesrhunt.com @ryan-dawkins.bsky.social @aleelockman.bsky.social @klunztrujillo.bsky.social @smettler.bsky.social @mshepruralpolitics.bsky.social
@charlesrhunt.com @ryan-dawkins.bsky.social @aleelockman.bsky.social @klunztrujillo.bsky.social @smettler.bsky.social @mshepruralpolitics.bsky.social
September 7, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Great weekend of rural American scholarship & culture with a presentation at @apsa.bsky.social, Rural Working Group happy hour, & Kacey Musgraves 🤠.
@charlesrhunt.com @ryan-dawkins.bsky.social @aleelockman.bsky.social @klunztrujillo.bsky.social @smettler.bsky.social @mshepruralpolitics.bsky.social
@charlesrhunt.com @ryan-dawkins.bsky.social @aleelockman.bsky.social @klunztrujillo.bsky.social @smettler.bsky.social @mshepruralpolitics.bsky.social
So darkly funny that his daughter makes the obvious airtight argument adhering perfectly to his “well rounded” comment, which happens to be the hallmark of liberal arts education; he then clarifies that what he actually wants is for her to have a variety of viewpoints, as long as they’re all his.
Contradiction upon contradiction, and lots of fear of losing artificial sense of control.
August 22, 2026 at 2:18 PM
So darkly funny that his daughter makes the obvious airtight argument adhering perfectly to his “well rounded” comment, which happens to be the hallmark of liberal arts education; he then clarifies that what he actually wants is for her to have a variety of viewpoints, as long as they’re all his.
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
BREAKING: It made the final cut. Congratulations, Michigan, you might have the best voting sticker of 2026.
I am obsessed with this finalist in this year's Michigan “I voted” sticker design contest
August 18, 2026 at 10:02 PM
BREAKING: It made the final cut. Congratulations, Michigan, you might have the best voting sticker of 2026.
Dems about to flip a Trump+19 state legislative district in PA, just FYI
August 19, 2026 at 3:04 AM
Dems about to flip a Trump+19 state legislative district in PA, just FYI
@jonbois.bsky.social watching baseball
The Brewers are up 22-0 over Seattle, and one of those runs came because Julio Rodríguez caught the second out and threw it into the stands thinking it was the third.
August 19, 2026 at 2:59 AM
@jonbois.bsky.social watching baseball
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
When Julia Curlee was in the CIA, she was guided by the motto “Service before politics. Country before self.”
The Trump White House needed her—until her gender identity became public. On Radio Atlantic, she tells her story to Adam Harris: theatln.tc/aP7x2DgM
The Trump White House needed her—until her gender identity became public. On Radio Atlantic, she tells her story to Adam Harris: theatln.tc/aP7x2DgM
August 17, 2026 at 4:35 PM
When Julia Curlee was in the CIA, she was guided by the motto “Service before politics. Country before self.”
The Trump White House needed her—until her gender identity became public. On Radio Atlantic, she tells her story to Adam Harris: theatln.tc/aP7x2DgM
The Trump White House needed her—until her gender identity became public. On Radio Atlantic, she tells her story to Adam Harris: theatln.tc/aP7x2DgM
I agree w/ Meta AI that this would have been quite a shocking choice
August 17, 2026 at 3:48 PM
I agree w/ Meta AI that this would have been quite a shocking choice
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
The fundraising texts you delete are working on someone. It’s infuriating and heartbreaking.
An 85yo in Ohio gave more than double the value of his home. A 91yo in an Indianapolis senior facility gave 25K times.
The DCCC/DSCC don’t just tolerate the spammers who exploit seniors. They take part.
An 85yo in Ohio gave more than double the value of his home. A 91yo in an Indianapolis senior facility gave 25K times.
The DCCC/DSCC don’t just tolerate the spammers who exploit seniors. They take part.
Hook and Squeeze
How Democratic consultants, committees, and party leaders built a fundraising spam pipeline that funnels money from a captive pool of elderly donors into their own operations.
data4democracy.substack.com
August 16, 2026 at 5:17 PM
The fundraising texts you delete are working on someone. It’s infuriating and heartbreaking.
An 85yo in Ohio gave more than double the value of his home. A 91yo in an Indianapolis senior facility gave 25K times.
The DCCC/DSCC don’t just tolerate the spammers who exploit seniors. They take part.
An 85yo in Ohio gave more than double the value of his home. A 91yo in an Indianapolis senior facility gave 25K times.
The DCCC/DSCC don’t just tolerate the spammers who exploit seniors. They take part.
Do these dudes really not grasp the unspeakably high wattage of Huge Loser Energy stuff like this gives off?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhaahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha
August 15, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Do these dudes really not grasp the unspeakably high wattage of Huge Loser Energy stuff like this gives off?
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
Something I didn’t include in the story:
Rep. Miller expressed to the judge he was worried about making future court hearings over his CPO because Republicans have a “very small majority.”
His lawyer basically told him to shut up.
Rep. Miller expressed to the judge he was worried about making future court hearings over his CPO because Republicans have a “very small majority.”
His lawyer basically told him to shut up.
August 13, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Something I didn’t include in the story:
Rep. Miller expressed to the judge he was worried about making future court hearings over his CPO because Republicans have a “very small majority.”
His lawyer basically told him to shut up.
Rep. Miller expressed to the judge he was worried about making future court hearings over his CPO because Republicans have a “very small majority.”
His lawyer basically told him to shut up.
Per my research, "he's not from around here" is a bad enough hit. But this is a good example of a downstream effect, which is that it makes it easier to form a narrative around place/space-related issues like data centers. "He's from LA, and thus wants to make where you live more like LA."
One of the most devastating things you can say about a candidate in Wyoming.
August 15, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Per my research, "he's not from around here" is a bad enough hit. But this is a good example of a downstream effect, which is that it makes it easier to form a narrative around place/space-related issues like data centers. "He's from LA, and thus wants to make where you live more like LA."
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
slammed the brakes so hard I flew through the windshield
August 8, 2026 at 5:39 PM
slammed the brakes so hard I flew through the windshield
We 💙 county-level shifts over time from a measurement standpoint because county lines don't change — i.e., these shifts can't be attributed to things like gerrymandering. Only real culprits could be 1) Migration, 2) Generational shifts, 3) Turnout differences, or 4) Party-switching.
I found three D v R elections for County Mayor in Tennessee yesterday with prior elections to compare to (1/3)
Shelby County (Memphis); Harris +25 in 2024
Margins for County Mayor:
2026: D +32
2022: D +16
2018: D +11
2014: R +26
Shelby County (Memphis); Harris +25 in 2024
Margins for County Mayor:
2026: D +32
2022: D +16
2018: D +11
2014: R +26
August 7, 2026 at 7:45 PM
We 💙 county-level shifts over time from a measurement standpoint because county lines don't change — i.e., these shifts can't be attributed to things like gerrymandering. Only real culprits could be 1) Migration, 2) Generational shifts, 3) Turnout differences, or 4) Party-switching.
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
(Reassuringly) the president has the zoomies
Sen. John Kennedy on Trump's blatant reflecting pool lies: "The president says it was caused by vandals. I don't know if he really believes that or it's part of his political messaging or he's just thinking out loud ... he grows anxious when he has an unexpressed thought."
August 2, 2026 at 4:35 PM
(Reassuringly) the president has the zoomies
We'll see what voters think, but I want to note there's a difference between "Unpolished but comes across as a normal person" (Jackson) and "Unpolished but comes across as an very online troll weirdo" (Blake Masters). The latter is off-putting; the former could actually be really powerful this cycle
SCOOP: Troy Jackson s about to launch his first ad of the Senate general election, highlighting his labor background and going after Susan Collins.
A seven-figure buy slated to begin airing statewide in Maine next week, I’m told.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...
A seven-figure buy slated to begin airing statewide in Maine next week, I’m told.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...
August 1, 2026 at 5:35 PM
We'll see what voters think, but I want to note there's a difference between "Unpolished but comes across as a normal person" (Jackson) and "Unpolished but comes across as an very online troll weirdo" (Blake Masters). The latter is off-putting; the former could actually be really powerful this cycle
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
It is funny that this person thinks “immigrants defended the union while native born whites sought to destroy it in the name of slavery” is an argument against immigrants being Americans. This is precisely the point, nothing about being born here makes you better bsky.app/profile/aphc...
Another datapoint for the fascist radicalisation of institutional pillars of much of the American Right
August 1, 2026 at 1:33 PM
It is funny that this person thinks “immigrants defended the union while native born whites sought to destroy it in the name of slavery” is an argument against immigrants being Americans. This is precisely the point, nothing about being born here makes you better bsky.app/profile/aphc...
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
Everyone I know got vaccinated. I never heard of a “complication” more serious than a day of chills and fatigue.
Sen. Roger Marshall: "Who didn't have a friend who took this vaccine and had some time of complication? A stroke, a blood clot, a young man getting some type of heart inflammation. That's what destroyed the trust in the American people for our government."
July 29, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Everyone I know got vaccinated. I never heard of a “complication” more serious than a day of chills and fatigue.
Y'all should go, I will be there
July 28, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Y'all should go, I will be there
I actually do want to know so please stop being cryptic about it
July 28, 2026 at 1:37 AM
I actually do want to know so please stop being cryptic about it
GAP IN THE LITERATURE
July 21, 2026 at 10:26 PM
GAP IN THE LITERATURE
This is both 1) not in any way validating of Trump's broader claims, but also 2) really not good, and other states need to learn lessons from it.
Breaking: More than 6,600 non-U.S. citizens were registered to vote in New Jersey in 2023 and 2024 because of a software glitch.
The Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that less than 400 of those people actually voted and were registered as Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated in all parts of the state.
The Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that less than 400 of those people actually voted and were registered as Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated in all parts of the state.
More than 6,600 noncitizens were registered to vote in New Jersey
More than 6,600 non-U.S. citizens were registered to vote in New Jersey in 2023 and 2024 because of a software glitch, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said.
bit.ly
July 21, 2026 at 6:25 PM
This is both 1) not in any way validating of Trump's broader claims, but also 2) really not good, and other states need to learn lessons from it.
Reposted by Charlie Hunt
When I worked in the Senate (eons ago), there was a phrase I remember hearing, often from senior staffers, if someone expressed total contempt for another senator, even if well deserved: "He got elected, too, the same way [our boss] did." It was a mark of basic respect for the democratic process.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis dramatically says "I don't know" when asked by Fox News if Ossoff and Warnock were duty elected
July 21, 2026 at 3:24 PM
When I worked in the Senate (eons ago), there was a phrase I remember hearing, often from senior staffers, if someone expressed total contempt for another senator, even if well deserved: "He got elected, too, the same way [our boss] did." It was a mark of basic respect for the democratic process.
What say we wait at least one entire week before declaring somebody "an excellent senator"
Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso endorses Darline Graham for SC nominee: “Darline Graham is an excellent senator. She'll continue to be an excellent senator, and she has my full support as she runs to fill the six-year term of Lindsey Graham.”
July 20, 2026 at 9:32 PM
What say we wait at least one entire week before declaring somebody "an excellent senator"