The Electorette

With the 2026 midterm elections just weeks away, what does political desperation look like—and how far might an administration go to hold on to power?

In this episode of The Margin, Jennifer Taylor-Skinner is joined by political analyst and scholar Dr. James Peterson for a wide-ranging conversation about the Pentagon's controversial plan to livestream an execution, its timing ahead of the midterms, and the political implications of turning capital punishment into a public spectacle.

They also examine the growing enthusiasm gap between Democratic and Republican voters, Trump's campaign appearances in traditionally Republican strongholds, and what these developments may reveal about the political landscape heading into November.

On the Democratic side, they discuss the enduring influence of Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, the role of Black voters in the midterms, and whether Harris's political future could include another presidential run in 2028.

The Margin is a special midterm election series from The Electorette in collaboration with URL Media.
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The leaders of Intersections for Our Lives — Christina Baal Owens, Regina Davis Moss, and Lupe Rodriguez — join The Margin to discuss a new national study examining the priorities, concerns, and political outlook of women of color.

The survey found deep anxiety around affordability, healthcare, economic security, and the future of the American Dream. Among its findings: three in five women of color said politicians are not talking about the issues that matter in their daily lives, while many described the cost of raising a family, buying a home, accessing healthcare, and simply making ends meet as increasingly out of reach.

The conversation explores what those findings reveal about political trust and belonging, as well as why reproductive justice extends far beyond abortion access — encompassing the ability to have children, not have children, and raise families safely and with dignity.

The guests also discuss immigration as a reproductive justice issue, barriers to healthcare for immigrant communities, and the policy changes they want lawmakers to pursue.

And with the midterms approaching, they examine the gap between asking women of color to show up at the ballot box and actually delivering meaningful change in their lives — and why solidarity across Black, Latina, and AANHPI communities remains central to their effort to build political power.
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The Maryland governor on ICE, AI guardrails, and governing beyond the base

Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins The Margin for a conversation about the power—and the limits—of state government as the 2026 midterms approach.

The interview begins with election security. Moore responds to attacks on Maryland’s election administration and discusses threats to send federal agents to polling places, arguing that states have an essential role in protecting free and fair elections. The conversation then turns to ICE, including recent confrontations in Maryland, the agency’s dramatic growth in funding, accountability for federal agents, and what governors can do when federal immigration enforcement reaches into their communities.

Moore also discusses artificial intelligence, calling for stronger guardrails around children, deepfakes, national security, infrastructure, and weapons systems while arguing that AI can still deliver meaningful benefits in areas such as health and education.

And with the midterms approaching, the conversation turns to persuasion. Moore explains why he believes politicians have to talk to voters across party lines and tells the story of a Republican mayor in western Maryland who did not support him the first time he ran—but later endorsed his reelection after working with his administration following devastating flooding. His takeaway: politicians have to “show and prove,” make their case, and accept that persuasion begins with showing people who you’re willing to fight for.

The Margin is a collaboration between The Electorette and URL Media, focused on the voters, communities, and issues shaping the margins of the 2026 midterm elections.
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Dr. James Peterson of WURD Radio on the political legacy of 9/11, the GOP’s unusual midterm convention, Trump’s $5,000 promise, and the road to November.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, what does this moment mean to an electorate increasingly too young to remember it?

This week on The Margin, Jen Taylor-Skinner is joined by Dr. James Peterson, host of Evening WURDs on WURD Radio, to break down some of the biggest political stories shaping the midterms. They reflect on their own memories of September 11 and the policies and political realignment that followed — including what it means to teach 9/11 to a generation with no living memory of the attacks.

Then they turn to the Republican Party's unusual midterm convention, Donald Trump's attempt to put himself at the center of an election in which he isn't on the ballot, his promise of a $5,000 “dividend” if Republicans win, and why some Republican candidates appear reluctant to tie themselves to him heading into November.

The conversation also gets into Tim Scott's role at the convention and Peterson's argument about why Republicans want prominent Black surrogates while pursuing policies he describes as anti-Black.
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ACLU Deputy Director Ming-Qi Chu on the Trump administration’s latest effort to gut Head Start—and the larger agenda behind it.

The Trump administration is taking aim at Head Start, the 60-year-old program that provides early education, healthcare, nutrition, and other critical services to low-income children and their families.

Jen talks with Ming-Qi Chu, deputy director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, about a proposed rule that would eliminate roughly 90% of Head Start’s performance standards, weaken health and developmental screening requirements, reduce services for children with disabilities, impose English-only instruction, and make enrollment more difficult for some of the country’s most vulnerable families.

They also examine the larger agenda behind the attack: the Project 2025 vision of traditional gender roles, the dismantling of America’s care infrastructure, and why weakening childcare ultimately threatens women’s ability to work and remain economically independent.

Plus, Jen shares her own connection to Head Start—and why the program mattered to her family.
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