There are some neat partisan and presidential patterns with how members of congress write to constituents using the word "failed".

Use of the term "child care" in official congressional e-newsletters, over time, by party

Something about having an out-party President starts to awaken congressional Democrats to the idea of talking about their own party and about Republicans. Most of the time (over the last 15 years) Republicans have written to constituents more about Republicans AND Democrats. Here's Republican:

This is a decent 13 minute example of civil debate in the House of Representatives on the topic of censorship Congressman McCormick Offers Up His Anti-Censorship NDAA Amendment on the House Floor www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw39...

Congressman Steve Cohen Fri, Sep 5,

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler Mar 14, 2023

Rep. Dan Bishop Mar 17, 2023

Over the last 15 years about 9% of all official congressional e-newsletters sent from Republicans in Congress to constituents have mentioned "fox".

Use of the word "censorship" in official congressional e-newsletters, over time, by party

Use of the word "radical" in official congressional e-newsletters, over time, by party

Thanks to @oceansinitiative.org for prompting this idea. Here's the state heatmap of where official congressional e-newsletters mentioning "killer whale" come from:

Use of the word "evil" in official congressional e-newsletters, over time, by party

Despite marijuana still being federally illegal, the new Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act clarifies the waiver process for those who tested positive for THC, so they can attempt to reenlist. www.congress.gov/committee-re...

Which members of Congress Used to Talk About Charlie Kirk in Official E-newsletters? And what that means about the contours of American politics dcinboxinsights.substack.com/p/who-in-con...

Congressional Republicans are better at controlling the overall political narrative for their own issues and some of those originally staked out by Congressional Republicans. See the discussion of the "Green New Deal" over time, by party in official constituent e-newsletters.

Can some political scientist who likes DW-NOMINATE data make a thing that we can use to quickly visualize specific members relative to everyone else?

Congressional Republicans (especially the men of the party) are far more likely to host their own podcasts, go on other podcasts, and talk about podcasts in their official constituents communications than Democrats - this is a key part of our politics that is under understood.

Official congressional e-newsletters mentioning the word "creator" over time, by party

Charlie Kirk was just 23 years old when a member of Congress mentioned his organization in an official e-newsletter, "campus chapter of Turning Point USA which is a non-profit organization that promotes fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government." dcinbox.com/email/?id=13...

Mentions of "God-given" in official congressional e-newsletters, over time, by party

Congressional Republicans are way more likely than Democrats to write to constituents about a "county fair".

Government Shutdown Pre-Game: How members of Congress are messaging on the potential September 30 Shutdown dcinboxinsights.substack.com/p/government... It's now just 21 days away...

This is still true

State heat map of Official congressional e-newsletters mentioning the word "milk"

Just so it's out there - it looks like congressional Republicans are going to transition from talking about the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act and instead go with calling it the "Working Families Tax Cut Plan". Speaker Johnson said it earlier and it's starting to show up in DCinbox.

On midterm conventions, plus so many links @mattglassman312.bsky.social @normornstein.bsky.social @mirandayaver.bsky.social @smotus.bsky.social @dcinbox.bsky.social @dandrezner.bsky.social @johnsides.bsky.social @nataliej.bsky.social and more goodpoliticsbadpolitics.substack.com/p/midterm-co...

Over the last 15 years, Congressional Republicans have talked a lot more about Russia in official constituent communications, but the lead individual mentioner is Democrat, Jim Cooper (D-TN)

Federal legislators are starting to show Blue Sky accounts on their main pages for constituents.

Congressional Republicans have focused a lot more on fentanyl in official constituent communications than Democrats have over the past 9 years.

This might look a bit different in the next few days

Since 2022 Congressional Republicans have started to say "lunatic" in their official e-newsletters more frequently than before, and Democrats rarely ever use this word.

Congressional focus on Jeffrey Epstein has come from both Democrats and Republicans since 2019 - and now we are coming close to a discharge petition. Here's how it's played out in official congressional e-newsletters.

The only time congressional Democrats have used the word "defund" at similar levels to congressional Republicans is over the past 8 months. Before that it was mostly Republicans telling constituents Democrats were talking about defunding.

Who Talks About the President to Constituents? It's a partisan story dcinboxinsights.substack.com/p/who-talks-...

Congressional e-newsletters mentioning "South Korea" over time, by party. This spike in 2011 is an example of how partisan priorities in communications can be very different despite the same underlying political reality.

Mentions of "government shutdown" in official congressional e-newsletters, over time, by party

Republicans in congress talk about/use the word "bail" in official e-newsletters a lot more than Democrats do.

Official congressional e-newsletters mentioning the word "tariff" over time, by party

Congressional Republicans use the word "aggressive" about 4x as much as Congressional Democrats do in official constituent e-newsletters.

Official congressional e-newsletters mentioning the word "Vietnam" over time, by party

All members of Congress are authorized by law to nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. Service Academies. Here's mentions of U.S. Service Academy Application over time, by party

The share of official congressional e-newsletters that mention "China", over time, by party

Rep Kevin Kiley (R-CA) just introduced H.R. 4889 to prohibit Mid-Decade Redistricting nationwide d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/kiley.house....

I have always been a little "handy but useless" so this fits

Official congressional e-newsletters mentioning the word "emergency" over time, by party

The full write up is here: Was It Something The Democrats Said? A Response to Third Way’s Political Language Memo open.substack.com/pub/dcinboxi...

Official congressional e-newsletters mentioning "Hispanic" by party, over time.

What does Congress Pray For? open.substack.com/pub/dcinboxi...

Official Congressional e-newsletters mentioning the word "Hurricane" By State, Per Member of Congress

Right now congressional Democrats are saying the word "overreach" more than they ever have before in official e-newsletters. Congressional Republicans mostly point to overreach when a Democrat is in the White House.