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The Chaotic New Era of British Politics
Keir Starmer’s unpopularity has led Labour to a humiliating defeat in local elections. Now, with five major parties competing for votes, the far right could be well positioned for a general-election victory.
Undefeated Local Favorite Taj Mahal Targets Preakness
Taj Mahal, running for trainer Brittany Russell, enters the Preakness Stakes off the back of an authoritative 8 1/4-length romp in the April 18 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park. The son of Nyquist earned an automatic berth to the Preakness with that victory and remains a perfect three-for-three ...
Virginia Supreme Court rules on new congressional map
The ruling is a significant victory for Republicans in the state, who argued the map was an "unconstitutional power grab," and would grant Democrats a 10-1 advantage.
In Huge Blow to Democrats, Virginia Court Strikes Down House Map
The decision by the state’s top court is a major victory for Republicans, wiping away a measure approved by voters to allow Democrats to gain as many as four House seats in the midterms.
The beauty founder who built a business on QVC is ready as America discovers a new love for live shopping
As Americans embrace shopping through TikTok Shop and Whatnot, beauty entrepreneur Victoria Jackson says the format isn’t new.
Victoria Beckham’s Teen Daughter Turned Her Skin Issues Into Business Idea
Victoria Beckham’s teen daughter turned her skin problem into a business idea. During an episode of the “Aspire with Emma Grede” podcast, the fashion designer made an appearance. She spoke about how h...
Is the FDA Really Suppressing Science? Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, May 7. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Aaron MacLean says Trump is poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Iran war. Joe Klein on the life of CNN founder Ted Turner. Jillian Lederman on why cruise ships are here to stay. And much more. But first: Is the FDA suppressing science? On Tuesday, The New York Times published a story with an alarming takeaway. “FDA Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe,” read the headline. It is the latest in a string of stories that all have the same message: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other agencies, are engaged in a cover-up—and silencing scientists trying to get the word out about the Covid vaccine. What all these stories suggest—some more subtly than others—is that the outsiders now running the public health establishment, officials such as Marty Makary at the FDA and Jay Bhattacharya at the National Institutes of Health, are on a revenge tour. That they are doing harm to the country to get back at the scientists and bureaucrats who ostracized them for deviating from the public-health consensus during the pandemic. It’s a seductive narrative. But is it true? That’s the question we address in our latest editorial. —The Editors Read [ Marty Makary's FDA Has All the Right Enemies ](https://www.thefp.com/p/marty-makary-vaccine-study-fda) [ Trump Blinks First ](https://www.thefp.com/p/iran-peace-deal-pakistan-trump-strait-of-hormuz) Aaron MacLean In return for no detectable concessions, President Trump this week gave up on forcing open the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the Trump administration looks desperate for a deal to end the war with Iran. It’s easy to understand the desire to end the war, but are they blowing the chance at victory? Aaron MacLean makes sense of the administration’s latest moves—and Iran’s response—in his column today. Read full story Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson: Live in New York City Join Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson on May 19 for a live recording of School of War at the iconic New York Historical. In a conversation as timely as it is wide-ranging, Aaron and Niall will explore the strategic stakes of the moment, including the Middle East, China, and the future of American leadership on the global stage. Get Tickets Now [ Ted Turner, the Optimist Who Built CNN ](https://www.thefp.com/p/ted-turner-cnn-tribute) Joe Klein The man who gave us CNN and the 24-hour news cycle, Ted Turner, died Wednesday at the age of 87. Today, political writer Joe Klein—who almost ghostwrote Turner’s autobiography—remembers his friend, the American media mogul who stood out for his idealism and lack of a filter—something that got Turner in trouble more than once. “His was not a traditional intelligence, but one of horizon: Ted saw things before other people did,” Joe writes. Read full story [ Nothing Can Sink the Cruise Ship ](https://www.thefp.com/p/cruise-ship-hantavirus) Jillian Lederman A viral outbreak on a cruise ship that left three passengers dead has left some people wondering: Are cruise ships on the way out? Not so fast, says Jillian Lederman, who has been on many a cruise herself. Read her piece on why 38 million people a year take a cruise—and aren’t about to stop. Read full story [ The Great Writers Who Were Terrible People ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-great-writers-who-were-terrible) Shilo Brooks Throughout history, some of the greatest literary geniuses have also been immoral bigots. In the latest episode of Old School, Shilo Brooks is joined by Eli Lake for a conversation about those geniuses, from Voltaire to Norman Mailer and Roald Dahl—and why we should read their work despite their odious prejudices. Listen on MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Inside the Digital Intifada ](https://www.thefp.com/p/digital-intifada-social-media-hamas-terror) Warren Kinsella Read full story [ This Week in American History: Trump’s Over-Arching Problem ](https://www.thefp.com/p/this-week-in-american-history-trumps-over-arching-problem) Jonathan Horn Read full story [ Humanity Is Still Evolving—and Fast ](https://www.thefp.com/p/humanity-is-still-evolvingand-fast) Razib Khan Read full story THE NEWS Thirteen D.C. Metropolitan Police officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination after an internal investigation found evidence that crime statistics were manipulated to make the city look safer. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee previously alleged that former D.C. police chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to skew data. Tennessee Republicans unveiled a redrawn U.S. House map yesterday that would split up Memphis’s black-majority Democratic district, the latest move in a nationwide push to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms. The effort follows a Supreme Court ruling last week on Louisiana’s districts, which Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said gave states the green light to redraw maps along partisan lines. Israel struck Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect last month, saying it targeted a commander of the militant group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. The strikes risk destabilizing that truce at a delicate moment, as Iran and the U.S. report progress toward a deal to resolve their own standoff. The U.S. Air Force is aiming for a Fourth of July delivery of a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, hoping to add it to the Air Force One fleet in time for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, Reuters reported. (For more on the controversy surrounding the aircraft, read Jed Rubenfeld’s piece “It’s a Terrible Idea, but Trump Probably Can Accept a Free Jet from Qatar.”) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified privately before Congress that he has no memory of why he and his family dined on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012, according to Reuters. The admission contradicts Lutnick’s earlier claim that he had cut ties with the convicted sex offender well before that visit. Weeks before a former JPMorgan investment banker filed a lawsuit packed with explosive allegations, the bank reportedly offered him $1 million to settle his sexual assault and harassment claims, according to The Wall Street Journal. The suit, filed by Chirayu Rana, alleges he was sexually assaulted by a female colleague, subjected to racial discrimination, and forced into a degrading dynamic at work. JPMorgan says the claims lack merit, and the female colleague’s lawyers call the accusations fabricated. A new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that, for the first time in roughly 20 years, church attendance is trending upward, with more people volunteering and clergy expressing renewed optimism. The study’s authors described the findings, based on a survey of more than 7,400 congregations, as showing signs of widespread recovery from low attendance numbers.
'It wasn't stage-managed, it was just joy'
Arsenal should celebrate. If there's one learning to be taken from the days between Saturday's victory over Fulham and Tuesday's against Atletico Madrid - it's that vibes are paramount. For the majority of this season, Arsenal have been top of the table, soundtracked by endless talk of a quadruple or non-quadruple, unable to move for bottle memes.
Spurs respond to Game 1 loss with beatdown of Timberwolves in Game 2
Victor Wembanyama and co. didn't play around in Game 2.
In Retreat, Health System Drops Plans to Outsource Eugene Emergency Departments to Out-Of-State Firm
Lawmakers, providers hail victory for Oregon’s newly-bolstered law limiting corporate control of medical practices.
Trump-Backed Wins Redraw Indiana’s Political Landscape
Primary victories signal growing influence in state-level races and future policy debates.
No. 4 Men’s Tennis Downs No. 5 NC Central 4-1; Advances to UTR Sports NIT Semifinals
ROME, Ga. (May 6, 2026) – The No. 4 seed Chattanooga Mocs men's tennis team earned an impressive 4-1 victory over No. 5 North Carolina Central during the quarterfinal round of the 2026 UTR Sports NIT Championship on Wednesday afternoon inside the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Ga.
Trump strikes back: GOP lawmakers who opposed president on redistricting pay price
President Trump scored major victories in Indiana's GOP primary as his endorsed challengers defeated state senators who blocked his redistricting push.
May 7 Vacaville/Vallejo Arts-Entertainment Source: Faces and Places
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson announced that Victoria Wang from Sonoma County was chosen as the overall winner for California’s Fourth District 2026 Congressional Art Competition. Lilly Bertlin was named as the Solano County finalist.
Cameron Young's Trump comments after PGA Tour victory were non-political, which is what most of us want
Cameron Young's post-win comments about President Trump at the Cadillac Championship were politicized despite being basic respect for the office.
Justice Department seeks the names of 2020 election workers in Georgia's Fulton County
The Justice Department is seeking the names of every person who worked in the 2020 election in Georgia’s Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold Donald Trump has accused of widespread voter fraud he says cost him victory against Joe Biden in the state that year.
Victor Hedman stepped away from Lightning to focus on his mental health
The 35-year-old defenseman missed the team’s final 15 regular-season games and the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Victor Hedman says personal leave was to address mental health
Lightning captain Victor Hedman revealed that his absence in the final weeks of the season was caused by a need to address his mental health.
Victor Hedman reveals mental health struggle that kept him out of action with Tampa Bay Lightning
Hedman released a statement after the end of Tampa's season.
NBA playoff winners and losers: Victor Wembanyama sets record, but offense eludes him, Jalen Brunson dominates
The Knicks and Timberwolves were both Game 1 winners as the second round got underway Monday night
Victor Wembanyama sets NBA postseason record with 12 blocks, but can’t lead Spurs past Timberwolves in Game 1
Victor Wembanyama only needed three quarters to match the NBA's single-game playoff blocks record on Monday night.
I left the business I founded to paint full time
Victoria Hugo left her social media business to start an art hustle, doing commissions of famous cities and places, painted on boarding passes.
Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde on Golden Tempo’s ‘pretty dramatic’ win at the Kentucky Derby
Pat Forde has covered 39 Kentucky Derbys. He has never seen one like last weekend’s. Nobody has. The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby will go down as one of the most memorable. Golden Tempo’s last-to-first victory captivated America and made Cherie DeVaux a star as she became the first female trainer to win the…
Newhook scores late as Canadiens eliminate Lightning in Game 7
Alex Newhook broke a tie with 8:53 left and the Montreal Canadiens outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Game 7 on Sunday night to end the thrilling first-round series. The Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round after finishing off their first series victory since losing the Stanley Cup Final to Tampa Bay in 2021. Game 1 is Wednesday night in Buffalo.
4 Takeaways From Chase Elliott's Victory At Texas
Chase Elliott's win at Texas was his second of the season, making it clear that he's going to be a real threat in 2026.
Beitar defeats Maccabi Tel Aviv in the capital
Jerusalem maintains a slim one-point lead over Hapoel Beersheba in the title race, as Yellow-and-blue is fading. Beitar Jerusalem defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 4-2 over the weekend as four different goal scorers helped the yellow-and-black to the victory at Teddy Stadium and remain in first place with only six matchdays left in the Championship Playoffs.
Jannik Sinner becomes first man to win 5 straight Masters 1000 titles with victory in Madrid Open
The world No. 1 broke a tie with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Have West Ham given Tottenham an escape route?
When Tomas Soucek's effort grazed the post in the final stages of West Ham United's defeat at Brentford on Saturday afternoon, their supporters could've been forgiven for exchanging exasperated looks. The 3-0 scoreline at Gtech Community Stadium may point to a comfortable victory for Keith Andrews' Europe-chasing side, but it tells only half the story. Victory would have lifted West Ham five points clear of the bottom three, but instead they have left the door ajar for Tottenham to leapfrog them with victory at Aston Villa on Sunday night.
Curing U.S. Health Care, Part II
On March 23, 2010 President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — usually referred to either as the Affordable Care Act or as Obamacare — into law. Joe Biden, then the vice president, could be overheard whispering “This is a big fucking deal.” And it was. The ACA, which went into full effect in 2014, created a system of subsidies and regulations designed to make health insurance available to many Americans who had previously been left out. It worked: In 2010 there were 47 million uninsured people in America, but by 2016 this number had dropped to 27 million. This still fell short of the universal health insurance that every other advanced nation has, but it was real progress. In 2017, during his first term, Donald Trump tried to destroy the ACA, replacing it with the American Health Care Act — legislation that would have eliminated most of the provisions that expanded health insurance under Obama. At the time the Congressional Budget Office projected that the G.O.P.’s replacement bill would nearly double the number of Americans without health insurance, increasing the total uninsured population by 23 million and undoing all of the progress achieved under the ACA. However, the attack on Obamacare failed by one vote in the Senate, and the ensuing public backlash against the G.O.P. delivered a large victory in the 2018 midterms to the Democrats. After these developments many observers assumed that the ACA had become a more or less permanent feature of American life. Such assessments, however, failed to take into account the deep hostility of the U.S. right toward policies that expand access to healthcare. As we’ll see, this hostility goes back generations. And the second Trump administration has taken actions that the CBO projects will add 16 million people to the rolls of the uninsured by 2034. How did we get here? And now what? Today’s primer will analyze the political economy of U.S. healthcare since the 1940s and the combination of danger and opportunity created by the current crisis. Beyond the paywall I will discuss the following: US health care on the eve of Trump II 80 years of US health politics The Obamacare story The new assault on healthcare
🗞️Today's front pages: Possible title-winning Sunday for Barça
Barça’s victory over Osasuna leaves everything now pending what happens today between Espanyol and Real Madrid.There is no other topic in the national sports press. Today, Barça can be crowned LaL...
Burke dethrones King in 4-0 Sox victory
The South Siders extend their winning streak to five
Canes Dominate Flyers, Start Round 2 with 3-0 Victory
The Canes started on time, and were locked in on the defensive end.
76ers Coach Makes Statement on Joel Embiid’s Health After Game 7
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse addressed the state of Joel Embiid's health after the Game 7 victory over the Celtics.
Embiid, Maxey shine as 76ers eliminate Celtics in NBA playoffs
Joel Embiid scored 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to propel the Philadelphia 76ers to a 109-100 victory over Boston that eliminated the Celtics from the NBA playoffs on Saturday.Jaylen Brown scored 34 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Celtics and Derrick White added 26 points.
UCLA holds off Michigan State in 4-3 victory
UCLA scored four runs in the first inning, followed by a quality outing from Michael Barnett to defeat Michigan State 4-3.
Georgia baseball shuts out Missouri 4-0 behind dominant pitching
No. 5 Georgia baseball leaned on a dominant outing from its starting pitcher and timely offensive execution to secure a 4-0 shutout victory over Missouri on Friday night at Foley
Game 34: Blue Jays at Twins
First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDTTV: Twins.TVRadio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy This week, I had free tickets to my first two Target Field games of the year, the deflating Tuesday night loss against the Seattle Mariners, and the series-opening victory against these very same Toronto Blue Jays. I wish I could say […]
Women, The official line-ups for Inter vs. Milan
After two back-to-back victories that secured Champions League qualification, Inter Women are ready for the Derby di Milano. Following their comeback victory against Genoa on the road, the Nerazzurre ...
Hannibal told not to 'antagonise' crowd at Elland Road
For a few weeks now, Burnley had made it clear Hannibal Mejbri was on the verge of his return from a hamstring injury. This season the midfielder received a four-match ban and was given a £15,000 fine after admitting to spitting at Leeds supporters during Burnley's 2-0 victory at Turf Moor back in October. Being the last name on the teamsheet, it was a long build-up to the inevitable boos which followed "Hannibal" being read out by the stadium announcer.
Crues retain Premiership status with shootout win over Annagh
Crusaders secured their Irish Premiership status for next season after a dramatic penalty shootout victory which sealed the play-off victory over Annagh United.
Birmingham defeats 9-time defending champ Palisades for City title
Birmingham captures its first City Section title in boys' lacrosse in more than a decade with a 20-8 victory over nine-time defending champion Palisades.
Knicks eliminate Hawks with a 140-89 Game 6 blowout
OG Anunoby scored 29 points in 27 minutes, Karl-Anthony Towns had his second triple-double of the series and the New York Knicks had their biggest playoff victory in franchise history, overwhelming and eliminating the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 in Game 6 on Thursday night. The Knicks broke several NBA records by halftime. Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson were ejected after fighting following a pair of free throws from Anunoby that gave the Knicks a 50-point lead in the second quarter.
Andreeva beats Baptiste to reach first Madrid final
Teenager Mirra Andreeva reaches her first Madrid Open final with a 6-4 7-6 (10-8) victory over Hailey Baptiste.
Cristiano Ronaldo Nearing End To 5-Year Trophy Drought
Cristiano Ronaldo has put Al-Nassr on the brink of Saudi Pro League glory after inspiring his side to a vital 2-0 victory over rivals Al Ahli.
One Day Takeover Brings Entertainment, Arts & Music Industry Straight to VVC Festival
Victor Valley College will host a Fine Arts, Animation and Music Experience on May 1, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free festival features panels with industry professionals like Damon Sharpe and workshops focusing on various creative fields. Check out the live music mini-concerts and food trucks. Read more at vvng.com #vvng #news #victorville
Top-seeded Pistons stay alive in playoffs with Magic win
An epic Cade Cunningham performance kept top-seeded Detroit's NBA playoff run alive in a crucial 116-109 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.The Magic -- who only qualified for the playoffs via the play-in tournament -- will have another chance to finish a surprise series win on Friday back in Orlando.
Victor Wembanyama defends tears on the court amid first career Spurs playoff run
Republicans score twin redistricting victories: From the Politics Desk
Plus, King Charles tries to smooth over tensions between the U.S. and the U.K.
Supreme Court ruling will reshape American politics. The only question is when
The U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority on Wednesday handed Republicans their biggest victory yet in the perpetual battle to control the House of Representatives and statehouses across the country — but it may have come too late to have much of an effect on this year's midterm elections.
Supreme Court ruling is set to reshape American politics
The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority has handed Republicans their biggest victory yet in the battle to control the House of Representatives and statehouses across the country.
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow has overcome tragedy. Now she has Trump’s backing for the Senate.
Can President Trump’s endorsement help carry Letlow to victory?
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs hold on after dominant start to top Trail Blazers in Game 5 and close out series
The Spurs are now on their deepest playoff run since 2017.
How HGTV Star Alison Victoria’s Boyfriend Has Helped Her Through Menopause
The 'Sin City Rehab' star opened up about her menopause ups and downs.
Inside Victory Heights: Pitt’s $240M transformation built from the ground up
About 22 wrestlers carried it in. A 42-foot mat, weighing roughly 3,200 pounds, inching its way up the stairs and into Pitt’s new Victory Heights...
'Jeopardy' champ Jamie Ding's historic winning streak ends at 31 games
Red-hot 'Jeopardy' champion Jamie Ding's historic winning streak has come to an end at 31 games — leaving him just one victory short of James Holzhauer.
He advanced from Science Olympiad to Diamond Shoals
Senior Victor Hieu Nguyen’s love for science began in middle school and expanded through research at Carolina.
USC women hold off Cal for Trojans' 7th water polo title
USC earned its seventh national championship in women's water polo with a 10-9 victory over California on Sunday night at UC San Diego.
Hocevar claims first Cup victory at Talladega; massive wreck collects more than 20 cars
Carson Hocevar claims his first win as a Cup series driver at Talladega.
Victor Wembanyama returns from concussion, helps lead Spurs from 19 down past Trail Blazers for 3-1 lead
San Antonio dominated the second half with a 73-35 advantage after going into halftime with a 17-point deficit.
Astros vs. Yankees Game Thread: Game 29, 4/26/2026
The Houston Astros (10-18) will try to salvage a victory in the finale this three-game series opposite the rival New York Yankees (18-9) today at Daikin Park. RHP Spencer Arrighetti, who’s 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his two starts this season, will put his perfect record up against RHP Luis Gil (1-1, 4.11 ERA) […]
Slot makes honest Isak admission after Palace breakthrough
Liverpool’s victory over Crystal Palace brought a long-awaited moment for Alexander Isak, and Arne Slot made it clear afterwards just how significant that goal could be for us heading into the final...
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace: Relief and Reality in Chaotic Win
Liverpool Edge Past Crystal Palace as Lola Katz Roberts Dissects “Weirdest” WinLiverpool’s victory over Crystal Palace sparked an immediate and honest reaction on The Gags Tandon Show, where hos...
Rampant Gilgeous-Alexander fuels Thunder, Magic and Knicks win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points Saturday to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-109 victory over Phoenix and a commanding 3-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.They'll try to polish off a sweep in the best-of-seven series on Monday in Phoenix, where the Suns will be painfully aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a playoff series.
Sports Highlights
*This story has been corrected Kell Vandehey: Kell Vandehey, a junior pitcher on the Lake Oswego baseball team, lifted his team to an important Three Rivers League victory on Friday, […]
I shopped Gap's Victoria Beckham collection. It's good, but flawed.
The Gap x Victoria Beckham line is full of high-quality basics and chic designs. Unfortunately, many of the items seemed too tight or too long on me.
Why Trump's winning streak at the Supreme Court came to an abrupt end
The Trump administration won a series of high-profile victories last year, but the president has made fewer emergency appeals and is facing losses on his signature policies.
Legal victory for home and business owners impacted by Hurricane Harvey flooding downstream from Addicks and Barker dams
A federal judge ruled downstream property owners near the Addicks and Barker dams suffered damage after government water releases following Hurricane Harvey.
Victor Wembanyama cleared in concussion protocol to travel for Spurs' Game 3 against Trail Blazers; playing status uncertain
@Me with Victoria B: Isabella Atkinson from Bally’s talks entertainment, marketing, Real Housewives
Victoria brings in Isabella Atkinson, Regional Marketing Coordinator for Bally’s Corporation, for a behind-the-scenes look at the world of entertainment marketing.
Thirsty Turtle top honoree in Victor Business awards
The Thirsty Turtle was named business of the year at the Victor Local Development Corp.'s 20th annual Victor Business Awards.
NBA Playoffs Power Rankings for the remaining teams
The NBA Playoffs are underway. The early story was the Orlando Magic giving the Detroit Pistons issues. Orlando entered the playoffs confidently, and it has shown through two games. The biggest story is the health of San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.…
Victor Wembanyama 'hopeful' to travel to Portland for Game 3 after reportedly doing cardio work during concussion recovery
College basketball transfer portal 2026-27 winners and losers: Duke, Florida lead free agency victors
The good, the bad and the ugly from the first wave of college basketball's free agency period
Trump political director on midterm outlook: ‘It’s way too soon to declare defeat’
President Trump’s political director James Blair expressed his confidence on Wednesday for GOP midterm election victories, despite falling economic approval ratings and a recent loss on a redistric…
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger says she’s not surprised about narrow margin of victory for Dems in redistricting fight
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama out with concussion; final NFL Draft big board; Bulls' Donovan steps down
Plus our way-too-early women's college basketball rankings
How Teaching Wilderness Science in Yellowstone Inspired a Fantasy Novel in Victorian London
It was around sundown when, after putting my eighth graders in their tents for quiet time, the grizzly bear came charging into camp. This was not a totally unusual occurrence in Yellowstone—after…
Spurs lose Victor Wembanyama — and control — as Portland evens series. How can they adjust if Wemby misses Game 3?
Trail Blazers-Spurs takeaways: Scoot Henderson's emergence crucial as Portland capitalizes on Victor Wembanyama's absence
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama leaves Game 2 loss to Portland early, enters concussion protocol after smacking face on court
The Trail Blazers rallied from a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter to stun the Spurs on Tuesday night after Victor Wembanyama entered concussion protocol.
Victor Wembanyama enters concussion protocol after scary Spurs moment
Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the rest of Game 2 of the Spurs’ opening round series with the Trail Blazers.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama leaves Game 2 vs. Portland early, enters concussion protocol after smacking face on court
The Spurs quickly ruled Victor Wembanyama out for the rest of the game after placing him in concussion protocol.
No. 24 on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians: Harry Cohen
Cohen faces re-election this year, but as a testament to his command of office, he likely faces an easy path to victory.
Immigration and Kitchen Table Politics: Lessons from NJ-11
By: Nedia Morsy, Make the Road Action New Jersey, and Maegan Llerena, Make the Road Action As Analilia Mejia takes a victory lap in New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, her stunning win – first, a massive upset in February’s primary special election and then, a resounding win in this week’s general – can teach us[...]
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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