I don't really understand the purpose of this story. Nothing's changed. NE Republicans have (unsuccessfully) sought to change this since the EC split was instituted in 90s. www.axios.com/2026/06/07/m...

Super Tuesday presidential primary bill unanimously passes Rhode Island Senate www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/06/supe...

This was barely 24 hours ago. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

The Democrats and ranked choice voting in the 2028 presidential nomination process Coming off a Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting primarily devoted to the primary calendar, the headline maybe instead should be about RCV. www.fhqplus.com/p/the-democr...

The Democrats and ranked choice voting in the 2028 presidential nomination process Coming off a Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting primarily devoted to the primary calendar, the headline maybe instead should be about RCV. www.fhqplus.com/p/the-democr...

For all the chatter about Democrats and their 2028 primary calendar last week, I really thought the Rules & Bylaws Committee's dive into ranked choice voting on Friday was more interesting. Lots to sift through in this one... www.fhqplus.com/p/the-democr...

That she walked it back so quickly is an indication of how Sherman-ish -- no, not Shermanesque -- the original statement about not running was. www.frontloadinghq.com/2021/01/invi...

There are 5 southern states vying for an early spot (or maybe two) in the Democrats' early window on the 2028 presidential, and 5 of the region's other Dem chairs -- AL, AR, LA, MS & WV -- back SC as not only among the early states but to be the lead off contest. apnews.com/article/demo...

It potentially bodes well for getting a second southern state into the early window in 2028. I also think it affects where in the order New Hampshire might end up. I was surprised at how differently their argument for the first slot hit yesterday, post-Callais.

The DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee is gathering again today to consider the remainder of state applications for early window spots on the 2028 presidential primary calendar. Here's a recap of day #1 yesterday...

The DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee convened this morning to begin hearing directly from state parties vying for the 4 or 5 early spots on the 2028 presidential primary calendar. The panel's going through states by region and alphabetically within regions. So far they've heard pitches from DE & NH. 1/

Iowa Democrats are potentially making a big ask of the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee to trust the state party that they can pull off another new party-run presidential nomination process -- even a simplified one -- on the first go. www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/05/demo...

Now that everyone has moved on from the DNC report, I wrote about it. What would a well-designed report do? And why no one has any incentive to do it. open.substack.com/pub/goodpoli...

Eh. While this not surprisingly misses -- or ignores! -- the vast majority of the constraints national parties face in influencing a presidential primary calendar, I did appreciate some of the comments on primary debates (if we're not going to scrap them altogether). www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/o...

Maybe they were being serious, maybe they weren't. But Illinois Democrats, in a video promoting the Prairie state's presidential primary for early 2028 status, raised the prospect of going first. I take a closer look at the chances of getting Illinois to first. www.fhqplus.com/p/illi-noise...

(1) I both feel a need to talk about the DNC autopsy report (to the extent that it was a report, which it wasn't) while also being more than happy to just direct people to @smotus.bsky.social and others' takes and enjoy my day. But my need-to-talk-side won out sooooo....

Maybe they were being serious, maybe they weren't. But Illinois Democrats, in a video promoting the Prairie state's presidential primary for early 2028 status, raised the prospect of going first. I take a closer look at the chances of getting Illinois to first. www.fhqplus.com/p/illi-noise...

Yeah, I mean, there is also a pretty good chance that two southern states end up in the early window of the 2028 Democratic presidential primary calendar. ...and that's before one gets to a rather southern-tinged Super Tuesday immediately thereafter. www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

It's been six months since FairVote and Celinda Lake lobbied the DNC to include ranked choice voting in the 2028 presidential primaries. That effort went nowhere, so they are back to trying to grab attention. This time with a poll! fairvote.org/press/kamala...

With today's news in the Texas Senate race, I am sharing this paper co-authored with my Carl Albert Center colleagues. We find Trump's 2022 endorsements hurt Republican candidates, especially moderates, by signaling ideological extremism to independent voters. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

The close of the 2026 legislative session kills the latest attempt to restore Missouri's presidential primary www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/05/the-...

This really shouldn't be normalized. Vance may be the frontrunner for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, but I object to the use of "presumptive nominee" at this point. ...*in the invisible primary!* www.wired.com/story/trump-...

Falls pretty firmly into running *for* (but not yet clear if she'll be running *in*) 2028 territory. www.frontloadinghq.com/2021/02/invi...

Super Tuesday presidential primary bill clears committee hurdle in Missouri Senate www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/05/supe...

Missouri Senate committee gives Super Tuesday presidential primary bill the thumbs up www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/05/miss...

By popular (?) demand, I've updated (and cleaned up) my suffrage and citizenship timeline with recent events and some additional clarifications. Feedback welcome! I will make the file available on my website (christinawolbrecht.com) by COB.

I’m pleased to introduce my new newsletter, The Smotus Report. My first post – on the 2028 presidential primaries and how they’ll affect, and be affected by, the health of American democracy – is linked below. (1/4)

Rhode Island House passes Super Tuesday presidential primary bill www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/04/rhod...

The funny thing is that the committee itself didn't actually engage with the content of this bill (the reinstatement of the primary). The "debate," to the extent one occurred during Monday's hearing, was among those testifying for and against. www.frontloadinghq.com/2026/04/miss...

A few notes on this piece. I started with the idea of comparing the moments after Jan 6 with the moment last week when people all across the board started talking 25th + impeachment 1/

@samrosenfeld.bsky.social and I wrote about the limits of Democrats expecting policy solutions to political problems. To respond to some chatter, our point is that all factions should be thinking organizationally--not that it's a cudgel for factional disagreement. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/o...

NASA just dropped this image of Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch looking back at us. The first woman to ever see our planet in its entirety. I’m not crying you’re crying 🥹🔭🧪 📸: NASA

No cover just yet, but still excited to see the pre-order up for my next book!

Today is the Transgender Day of Visibility and I'll take the opportunity to once again say that trans people matter, their lives have meaning, and what's being done to them by so many politicians and people in this country is wrong.

Throughout much of the post-reform era, South Carolina has played a unique role early in the Republican presidential nomination process. However, part of what has differentiated the South Carolina primary will be different in 2028. FHQ explains here... www.fhqplus.com/p/winner-take

Throughout much of the post-reform era, South Carolina has played a unique role early in the Republican presidential nomination process. However, part of what has differentiated the South Carolina primary will be different in 2028. FHQ explains here... www.fhqplus.com/p/winner-take

The push to restore the Missouri presidential primary has seen bill after bill fail since the election's elimination in 2022. It hasn't been any different in 2026: the roadblocks are the same. But one amended bill would have some interesting implications if passed. www.fhqplus.com/p/hopping-ba...

The push to restore the Missouri presidential primary has seen bill after bill fail since the election's elimination in 2022. It hasn't been any different in 2026: the roadblocks are the same. But one amended bill would have some interesting implications if passed. www.fhqplus.com/p/hopping-ba...

So grateful to have worked on this project with some very distinguished colleagues--and more importantly, friends. The best kind of research team! #ncpol

Yep. The parties have every incentive in a competitive state to invite unaffiliated voters into the process, especially when the vast majority of them are closet partisans anyway. Voting in the primaries means they are much more likely to (be targeted and subsequently) vote in the general later on.

Look, I don't know whether either Newsom or Harris or both will ultimately formally seek the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. But I do know that the California primary will follow the remainder of the invisible primary and four or five early states. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

The thing is -- and this comes up each cycle -- that Democrats have delegated themselves into a corner on convention sites. There just aren't that many cities that can accommodate all of the delegates. 1/

FHQ takes an expansive look at rules changes Republicans have made (so far) for 2028. First under the microscope? Backdoor winner-take-all delegate allocation. The practice looks to have been shown the door. www.fhqplus.com/p/bye-bye-ba...

FHQ takes an expansive look at rules changes Republicans have made (so far) for 2028. First under the microscope? Backdoor winner-take-all delegate allocation. The practice looks to have been shown the door. www.fhqplus.com/p/bye-bye-ba...

Good piece from Seth. FWIW, ambitious Dems to this point have been behaving as if the 2028 calendar was going to be a traditional one. A disproportionate number of their visits have been to IA, NH, NV & SC (& to some degree MI). Visits to those places still grab attention at this stage. 1/

Good interview. If nothing else, NC Dems replying to the request for proposals from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee for early state status in 2028 puts the national party on notice that NC Dems intend to be a player for an early primary calendar spot for *future* cycles. But for 2028? 1/

Heading into the weekend, I had some extended thoughts on the recent DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting focused on the 2028 presidential primary calendar. www.fhqplus.com/p/some-addit...

New at FHQ Plus... DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee moves all 12 states vying for early state status for 2028 to next stage State parties will now make in-person presentations to the panel for inclusion in the early window www.fhqplus.com/p/dnc-rules-...

New at FHQ Plus... DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee moves all 12 states vying for early state status for 2028 to next stage State parties will now make in-person presentations to the panel for inclusion in the early window www.fhqplus.com/p/dnc-rules-...