All posts by Tabatha Abu El-Haj

“The surprising group of Republicans preventing Jim Jordan from becoming House speaker”

October 19, 2023, 7:34 ampolitical polarizationHouse SpeakershipTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post offers a nice corrective, noting that it is not clear that the opposition to Jim Jordan is coherent. “6 hail from districts Biden won in 2020.” “8 belong to a bipartisan group of moderates.” The rest have all… Continue reading

Breaking News: “Trump co-defendant Sidney Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election-interference case”

October 19, 2023, 7:23 amUncategorizedTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post: “Pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell has pled guilty in a Georgia election-interference case. . . . She agreed to serve six years of probation, pay a $6,000 fine, pay $2,700 to the Georgia secretary of state’s office and… Continue reading

Republicans in Competive Districts Fear Speaker Fight Could Cost Them House (and Office?)

October 19, 2023, 4:27 ampolitical polarizationcompetitive districts, governanceTabatha Abu El-Haj

N.Y. TImes reports on the rising fears that a Jim Jordan speakership could cost Republicans the House. Even the fight is causing worry. Those most concerned are representatives from districts that voted for Biden in 2022. “The latest round of… Continue reading

“Special counsel Jack Smith pulls subpoena over pro-Trump fundraising”

October 18, 2023, 12:25 pmUncategorizedThe Big Lie, Trump indictmentTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post raises questions about what can be inferred from the decision of Special counsel Jack Smith to withdraw “a subpoena seeking records about fundraising by the political action committee Save America.” The group, controlled by former president Donald Trump,… Continue reading

“Jordan Loses 2nd Vote for Speaker as House Scrambles for Path Forward”

October 18, 2023, 10:50 ampolitical polarizationgovernanceTabatha Abu El-Haj

N.Y. Times and others reporting that Jim Jordan has lost a second bid for Speaker of the House on Wednesday. The House will probably pick a Speaker this week, even as how and whom still remains unclear. And I wouldn’t… Continue reading

“Third Party Candidates Shouldn’t Get Their Hopes Up”

October 18, 2023, 4:10 amballot access, political parties, third partiesTabatha Abu El-Haj

Andy Craig offers a thorough explanation of why a random third party run is unlikely to be successful, even if the candidate has name recognition and some popularity. Think Joe Manchin or Larry Hogan. Craig could have gone further: It… Continue reading

““I Don’t Think They Care”: Virginia Is Slow-Walking the Fix to a Wrongful Voter Purge”

October 17, 2023, 6:09 pmfelon votingvoter purgeTabatha Abu El-Haj

Bolts Magazine: While Virginia officials have admitted to improperly removing some people from voter rolls, they are taking their sweet time in fixing their mistake. This despite the fact that the next election is just THREE WEEKS away. The… Continue reading

Poland’s Partisans Choose Country over Party

October 17, 2023, 5:49 pmcomparative election lawauthoritarianism, comparative politicsTabatha Abu El-Haj

Ian Bassin and Ben Raderstorf (Protect Democracy) offer an interesting analysis of Poland’s recent election in which the pro-democracy forces pulled off a surprise victory. How? They abided by the “important pro-democracy maxim: don’t let the coalition fracture.” The authors… Continue reading

“Black Voters Have New Power in Mississippi. Can They Elect a Democrat?”

October 17, 2023, 12:48 pmfelon votingcompetitive elections, multiracial democracy, southern politicsTabatha Abu El-Haj

N.Y. Times explores potential implications of excising two relics of the state’s 1890 disenfranchising constitution. The 2023 election will proceed without a geographic support threshold for statewide offices and with the votes of felons, if they can be registered and… Continue reading

“Jordan falls short of speakership on first vote”

October 17, 2023, 12:20 pmpolitical parties, political polarizationgovernance, House RepublicansTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post and pretty much everyone else is reporting that Representative Jordan received 200 votes in the first round, well short of the 217 he needs. (Democrat Jeffries received 212). The drama will continue.

Voters “get talked to, but not talked with.”

October 17, 2023, 4:59 ampolitical parties, redistrictingelection timing, party politics, voter turnoutTabatha Abu El-Haj

The newest episode of Our Body Politic also has an excellent interview with Los Angeles City Council Member Nithya Raman about politics in Los Angeles. Raman describes, among other things, a kind of retail, door-to-door politics that involves both listening… Continue reading

“A Legal Fight Over Whether Governors Can Deny Thousands the Vote”

October 16, 2023, 2:28 pmUncategorizedfelon disenfranchisement, Kentucky, VirginiaTabatha Abu El-Haj

NY Times: Three states give their governors unfettered discretion when it comes to restoring the voting rights of felons. Two are being sued under the First Amendment. At the heart of these cases is whether a governor’s discretion to… Continue reading

“Judge imposes gag order on Donald Trump in D.C. trial”

October 16, 2023, 10:45 amUncategorizedTrumpTabatha Abu El-Haj

Politico: Judge Tanya Chutkan has imposed a gag order preventing Donald J. Trump from attacking witnesses, special prosecutor Jack Smith, or the court on social media or in his rally speeches. As reported, the order appears to be centered… Continue reading

Republicans Advantage in House Fading

October 16, 2023, 7:50 amUncategorizedredistrictingTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Morning analyzes how redistricting for Congress is shaping up after the rounds of litigation. Its conclusion: The Republican Party’s advantage is fading. “If everything goes Democrats’ way, roughly 10 House seats could become meaningfully easier to win. Next year,… Continue reading