Podcast
The Electorette Podcast
Hosted by Electorette · EN
The Electorette is one of the longest running feminist podcasts, and offers analyses and solutions to the world's biggest political and social challenges, all through the lens of women. Hosted by Jennifer Taylor-Skinner, The Electorette regularly features award-winning authors, politicians, academics, activists, and organizers like the founder of Mom's Demand Action, Shannon Watts, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and author and MacArthur 'Genius Grant' Fellow, Nicole Fleetwood. The Electorette is independently owned and operated—please support us by subscribing to the podcast on your favorite platform!
34episodes
Episodes
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The Mamdani Effect: The Coalition Reshaping New York Politics—and What It Means Nationally
Yesterday00:48:47Tap to summarizeJust 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
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Authenticity, Electability, and the Road to 2028 | Maya Rupert
6d ago00:42:45Tap to summarizeOne of the most common—and least examined—words in politics is authenticity. We hear it constantly when discussing candidates, campaigns, and electability. But who gets to be seen as authentic? And are all candidates judged by the same standard? In this episode of The Margin, Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with political strategist Maya Rupert, author of The Real Ones: How to Disrupt the Hidden Ways Racism Makes Us Less Authentic. Together, they explore how race, gender, and unconscious bias shape perceptions of authenticity in politics—and why those perceptions can have real consequences for candidates and campaigns. Drawing on examples ranging from Kamala Harris and Barack Obama to Donald Trump and Jasmine Crockett, Rupert argues that authenticity is often less about honesty than about who voters and the media are willing to see as credible, relatable, and trustworthy. As the 2026 midterms approach and attention begins to shift toward 2028, this conversation offers a timely look at the hidden standards that continue to shape American politics. The Margin is a special election series from The Electorette and URL Media exploring the races, issues, and voters that will shape the future of American democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Can Democrats Win a Blue Trifecta in Wisconsin? | Sen. Diane Hesselbein
2w ago00:10:22Tap to summarizeThe Wisconsin Senate Democratic Leader on childcare, affordability, and the fight over Trump's anti-weaponization fund. Wisconsin is once again at the center of American politics. In this episode of The Margin, Wisconsin Senate Democratic Leader Diane Hesselbein joins me to discuss her effort to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to compensate January 6 insurrectionists and fake electors through the Trump administration's proposed anti-weaponization fund. We also discuss Wisconsin's childcare affordability crisis, the looming expiration of childcare support programs, rising costs facing working families, and why Democrats believe they have a real opportunity to win a blue trifecta in Wisconsin this November. The Margin is a special midterm election series from The Electorette and URL Media examining the races, issues, and communities that will shape the 2026 elections. Topics:• Trump's anti-weaponization fund• Wisconsin fake electors• Childcare affordability• Cost of living and family budgets• Wisconsin state politics• 2026 midterm elections• Democratic strategy in battleground states Follow The Electorette:https://www.electorette.com Subscribe to The Electorette on Substack:https://electorette.substack.com Watch episodes of The Electorette & The Margin on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@electorette #TheMargin #Electorette #WisconsinPolitics #Midterms2026 #StatePolitics #Democrats #BattlegroundStates #Election2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Can a Law From 1873 Restrict Abortion Nationwide?
2w ago00:32:25Tap to summarizeThe Supreme Court recently preserved access to mifepristone, the medication used in nearly two-thirds of abortions in the United States. But according to Julia Kaye, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, the legal battle over medication abortion is far from over. In this episode of The Electorette, Kaye explains the ongoing Louisiana v. FDA litigation, why anti-abortion activists are increasingly focused on mifepristone, and how a little-known 19th-century law known as the Comstock Act could be used to restrict abortion access nationwide. We also discuss the Trump administration's review of mifepristone regulations, the future of medication abortion, and why reproductive rights advocates view the Supreme Court's latest ruling as a temporary reprieve rather than a final victory. If you found this conversation helpful, follow @electorette on Instagram and YouTube, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for more election analysis, democracy coverage, and nuanced conversations that go beyond the headlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Governor Ned Lamont on Voting Rights and Affordability
3w ago00:08:33Tap to summarizeConnecticut is taking a different approach. While many states have moved to restrict access to the ballot, Connecticut expanded voting access by passing its own John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and implementing no-excuse absentee voting. At the same time, state leaders have found themselves responding to federal immigration enforcement, protecting access to schools and public services, and addressing rising costs for residents. In this episode of The Margin, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont joins Jen Taylor-Skinner to discuss the state's efforts to strengthen voting rights, resist federal voter-roll requests, protect immigrant communities, and increase civic participation. They also discuss Connecticut's high electricity costs, the regulation of utility companies like Eversource, and what states can realistically do to make life more affordable for residents. As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Lamont argues that states have an important role to play in protecting democratic participation and ensuring that residents feel invested in their communities. Follow @electorette on YouTube and Instagram, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 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
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Encampment Sweeps, Housing, and the Future of L.A.
3w ago00:13:38Tap to summarizeHomelessness is one of the most important issues in Los Angeles—and one of the most politically challenging. Phoenix Tso of L.A. Public Press joins Jen Taylor-Skinner to unpack the debate over encampment sweeps, CARE Plus operations, Mayor Karen Bass's homelessness strategy, and the growing pressure on elected officials to balance public frustration with long-term solutions. They discuss why progressive politicians often evolve on homelessness policy once in office, the controversy surrounding Measure ULA, and how housing has become a political lightning rod that is reshaping voter behavior across the city. What happens when campaign promises collide with governing realities? This conversation explores one of the central questions facing Los Angeles today. Follow Phoenix Tso's reporting on the L.A. Housing Crisis here. LA organizers ‘sweep’ Council member Hugo Soto-Martínez’s home in protest of 41.18 Follow @electorette on YouTube and Instagram, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 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
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“We Can’t Give Up” | Kelley Robinson on the Midterms and the Politics of Fear
May 2200:22:48Tap to summarizeThe Human Rights Campaign president on LGBTQ voters, anti-trans politics, authoritarianism, and why “hope is a discipline.” In this episode of The Margin — a midterm election coverage collaboration between The Electorette and URL Media — Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson about the state of American democracy, rising attacks on LGBTQ Americans, and the political stakes heading into the 2026 midterms. Robinson discusses new polling showing historically high LGBTQ voter engagement, why anti-trans attacks are becoming central to Republican strategy, and what candidates need to understand about the communities powering Democratic victories. The conversation also explores Black women’s political influence, voter mobilization, authoritarianism, and why Robinson believes joy itself can be a form of resistance. “Hope is a discipline,” Robinson says. “Our joy is resistance, too.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Could Your Mail Ballot “Die in the System”? | ACLU Attorney Theresa J. Lee
May 2000:34:17Tap to summarizeWhat happens if your mail ballot is picked up by USPS… but never actually delivered? In this episode of The Margin — a midterm election coverage collaboration between The Electorette and URL Media — Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with ACLU attorney Theresa J. Lee about the Trump administration’s executive order targeting mail-in voting and the ACLU’s legal challenge against it. Lee explains how the executive order could direct federal agencies to create citizenship verification lists using flawed federal databases, potentially impacting mail-in and absentee voting for eligible citizens across the country. The conversation explores:• the SAVE system vs. the SAVE Act• the constitutional questions surrounding the executive order• Section 11 of the Voting Rights Act• polling place closures and voter suppression• risks for disabled voters, military families, and overseas voters• and whether the courts are likely to block the order before the 2026 midterms Subscribe to The Electorette for smart, nuanced coverage of democracy, voting rights, and the 2026 elections. #VotingRights #ACLU #MailInVoting #Midterms2026 #Election2026 #Democracy #TheElectorette #TheMargin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The Fight for Florida
May 1500:37:25Tap to summarizeNikki Fried on organizing, voter suppression, and rebuilding Democratic infrastructure. Florida has become shorthand for Republican dominance — but Nikki Fried says the national media narrative is missing what’s happening on the ground. In this episode, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried joins Jen Taylor-Skinner to discuss Florida’s newly drawn congressional maps following the Supreme Court’s decision weakening Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the legal battle over partisan gerrymandering, and why Fried believes Republicans may have unintentionally created more competitive districts. They also discuss the disconnect between online political discourse and real-world organizing, why Democrats need to invest in long-term infrastructure instead of last-minute campaign spending, and what recent Democratic wins in Florida could signal about the state’s future. Later in the conversation, Fried discusses Florida’s controversial immigrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” the political incentives behind it, and what she describes as a broader culture of privatization, corruption, and democratic erosion under Republican leadership in the state. Topics include: Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act Gerrymandering and Florida’s congressional maps Democratic organizing strategy Year-round infrastructure vs. campaign spending Florida’s changing political landscape Immigration detention and “Alligator Alcatraz” Media narratives vs. on-the-ground politics The future of Democratic politics in the South Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What’s Left of Voting Rights Before the Midterms?
May 500:21:07Tap to summarizeLast week, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Louisiana v. Callais that could fundamentally alter the future of voting rights in the United States. In this episode of The Electorette, host Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Sophia Lin Lakin, Director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, about what the Court’s ruling means in practice. At the center of the decision is Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act—the key provision used for decades to challenge maps that dilute the political power of Black voters and other voters of color. Together, they examine how the Court reshaped Section 2 without formally overturning it, why the ruling could make it significantly harder to challenge racial vote dilution, and what this means for representation at every level of government. The conversation also explores the immediate consequences already unfolding in states like Louisiana, where elections have been halted and maps are being redrawn mid-cycle, creating confusion for voters and administrators alike. As Lakin explains, the implications extend far beyond a single case—touching congressional races, state legislatures, and local elections, just months before the midterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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