A weekly podcast focused on one theme in the news.
Host and States Newsroom publisher Chris Fitzsimon, with producer Mallory Cheng, will explore one issue with the help from local journalists, experts and community members who are experiencing the fallout of sweeping changes happening across the country.
By zooming into one story each week, Stories From The States contextualizes what is happening now.
New episodes every Friday.
For more information visit, https://www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stories-states (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stories-states).
Subscribe to Stories From the States on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-from-the-states/id1847663106), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2TfHKVIvoHKZVTGN3DL2WM) and Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL72cugzwBvh94gElF228ZiklLWVK2gxuJ).
Democrats won big on Tuesday. What’s next for American democracy?
An enormous blue wave crashed over all levels of government this midterm cycle. Congressional seats, governor’s mansions and state legislatures flipped from Republican to Democrat, some in surprising fashion. Democrats claimed “trifecta” power in some state capitals, broke supermajorities in others and won other influential statewide offices.
For months, the Trump administration tried to assert federal control over the election process to bolster Republicans’ chances of maintaining power. President Donald Trump pushed GOP-led states to gerrymander their congressional districts, demanded state voter rolls through legal challenges and threatened to send armed federal agents to the polls.
Despite fears about possible interference or intimidation heading into Election Day, voters turned out en masse and have shifted the course of policymaking over the next several years in their states and on Capitol Hill.
In Episode 53, we’re reflecting on the state of American democracy, election integrity and what Tuesday’s results could mean for policymaking in reshaped statehouses.
States Newsroom democracy reporter Jonathan Shorman (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/author/jonathan-shorman) and Evening Wrap (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/newsletter/evening-wrap) newsletter writer Danielle Gaines (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/author/danielle-gaines) will chat about the major trends from this election, what surprised them and what could be next.
Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer (https://www.davidsingerfilm.com/).
Click here (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/episode/democrats-won-big-tuesday-whats-next-american-democracy) for the full transcript.
Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:
Trump’s gerrymandering push flops as Democrats win redrawn seats (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-gerrymandering-push-flops-democrats-win-redrawn-seats) (States Newsroom D.C. Bureau)
What will Pennsylvania Democrats do with a trifecta in Harrisburg? (https://penncapital-star.com/election-2026/what-will-pennsylvania-democrats-do-with-a-trifecta-in-harrisburg/) (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
Shomari Figures wins reelection in AL-02, overcoming Republican gerrymander (https://alabamareflector.com/2026/11/03/shomari-figures-wins-re-election-in-al-02-overcoming-republican-gerrymander/) (Alabama Reflector)
Democrats flip Texas House amid generational wave (https://www.texastribune.org/2026/11/03/texas-house-legislature-outcomes-control-republicans-democrats-2026/) (Texas Tribune)
In blue wave, Democrats flipped legislatures, won trifectas and toppled GOP supermajorities (https://stateline.org/2026/11/04/in-blue-wave-democrats-flipped-legislatures-won-trifectas-and-toppled-gop-supermajorities/) (Stateline)
Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com (mailto:podcast@statesnewsroom.com)
Photo: Attendees celebrate as results roll in at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party’s watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Every Minnesota House district voted more blue than in 2024, leading to a DFL trifecta in the state government. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
30 Oct 2026
Reporters roundtable: Ballot measures are top draw in some states
In some states, ballot measures are expected to be the main force driving voters to the polls in November. Across the country, voters will decide 145 questions during the midterms.
Reproductive rights are on the ballot in four states. In California, residents will decide on a “billionaire’s tax,” among other issues. Elsewhere, ballot questions could determine who has the power to initiate future questions and whether lawmakers have the power to overturn them. There’s a lot on the line.
In Episode 52, States Newsroom journalists discuss the questions before some voters and how interest in the issues might affect state-level races.
Joining the conversation are Rudi Keller (https://missouriindependent.com/author/Rudi-Keller/), deputy editor of the Missouri Independent (https://missouriindependent.com/); Kelcie Moseley-Morris (https://stateline.org/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/), a national reproductive rights reporter at Stateline (https://stateline.org/); and Anna Claire Vollers (https://stateline.org/author/avollers/), a staff writer at Stateline (https://stateline.org/).
Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer (https://www.davidsingerfilm.com/).
Click here (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/episode/reporters-roundtable-ballot-measures-are-top-draw-some-states) for the full transcript.
Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:
News From The States Full Election Coverage (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/election)
Voters to decide fate of state taxes this fall (https://stateline.org/2026/09/23/voters-to-decide-fate-of-state-taxes-this-fall/) (Stateline)
Amendment 6 could make another Missouri congressional gerrymander much harder (https://missouriindependent.com/2026/09/22/amendment-6-could-make-another-missouri-congressional-gerrymander-much-harder/) (Missouri Independent)
2 states, 2 abortion ballot measures, and the effort to win over Gen Z voters (https://stateline.org/2026/10/15/2-states-2-abortion-ballot-measures-and-the-effort-to-win-over-gen-z-voters/) (Stateline/The 19th)
Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com (mailto:podcast@statesnewsroom.com)
Photo: Volunteers pass boxes full of signed ballot initiative petitions through the Idaho Capitol on July 2, 2026. The proposed Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act would restore abortion access “without government interference” until fetal viability, and would protect fertility treatments and other reproductive care such as contraception. (Photo by Kelcie Moseley-Morris/Stateline)
23 Oct 2026
Reporters roundtable: Gubernatorial and legislative races to watch
In November’s midterm elections, Democrats could win a majority of governor’s offices (https://stateline.org/2026/10/06/democrats-could-win-majority-of-governors-offices-for-first-time-in-16-years/) for the first time in 16 years.
President Donald Trump’s influence towers over some tight races. In Wisconsin, the GOP nominee, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election. In Georgia, Rick Jackson has said he wanted to be “Trump’s favorite governor.” Both Tiffany and Jackson have since tried to distance themselves from the president.
Democratic candidates are taking advantage of Republican tension, and hope to see a “blue wave.” Party leaders in some states, like Michigan, are hoping to capture a trifecta: control of the governor’s office and both chambers of the state legislature.
In Episode 51, States Newsroom reporters Alander Rocha (https://georgiarecorder.com/author/Alander-Rocha/) from the Georgia Recorder (https://georgiarecorder.com/about/), Ben Solis (https://michiganadvance.com/author/Ben-Solis/) from the Michigan Advance (https://michiganadvance.com/) and Baylor Spears (https://wisconsinexaminer.com/author/baylor/) from the Wisconsin Examiner (https://wisconsinexaminer.com/about/) help break down what is happening in their gubernatorial elections and whether the political makeup of their statehouses might flip.
Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer (https://www.davidsingerfilm.com/).
Click here (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/episode/reporters-roundtable-gubernatorial-and-legislative-races-watch) for the full transcript.
Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:
News From The States Full Election Coverage (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/election)
Democrats could win majority of governor’s offices for first time in 16 years (https://stateline.org/2026/10/06/democrats-could-win-majority-of-governors-offices-for-first-time-in-16-years/) (Stateline)
Bottoms faces empty podium on debate stage while Jackson campaigns with Kemp (https://georgiarecorder.com/2026/10/12/bottoms-faces-empty-podium-on-debate-stage-while-jackson-campaigns-with-kemp/) (Georgia Recorder)
In Detroit debate, Benson and James each blame the other’s party leadership for today’s problems (https://michiganadvance.com/2026/10/15/in-detroit-debate-benson-and-james-each-blame-the-others-party-leadership-for-todays-problems/) (Michigan Advance)
Billionaire Diane Hendricks helps Wisconsin Republicans defend legislative majorities (https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/10/07/billionaire-diane-hendricks-helps-wisconsin-republicans-defend-legislative-majorities/) (Wisconsin Examiner)
Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com (mailto:podcast@statesnewsroom.com)
Photo: Voters fill out their ballots at a Sioux Falls polling place during the South Dakota primary election on June 2, 2026. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
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