Political Theater

Last year, Julian Ha of Heidrick & Struggles said the swamp was “constipated,” as the lobbying world continued adjusting to the Trump …

President Donald Trump's State of the Union address touched on familiar themes and not so familiar ones like bipartisanship. Yet, the goal of many …

When President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to both chambers of Congress on Feb. 5, he will not be the only star of the …

Politics never sleeps, not even during a government shutdown. That is especially true of Senate campaigns, because the unique nature of that chamber …

“Decide what kind of member of Congress you want to be,” says Tom Davis, the former congressman from Virginia. “Voters see through phoniness pretty quickly.”

Davis, who chaired the Republican campaign committee and …

If it’s a new year in an odd-numbered year, then you’ve got yourself a new Congress. As the 116th Congress is sworn in, things are going to look and operate differently: A record number of women in the House and Senate, …

Whether it was a cramped schedule, the funeral of a president, changes to the tax code or overall crankiness, the holiday party scene this year …

There might be no better example of “political football” than what the Washington Redskins are doing by working with Congress, the White House and …

In her new film, director and producer Alexis Bloom examines the life of the late Republican Party kingmaker and controversial Fox News leader who, …

The results of the Mississippi Senate runoff election were not surprising. The Republican won. The Democrat lost. It is a Republican state. But the …

What’s my Representational Allowance? Why can’t I take pictures on the House floor? Where are the bathrooms?

Newly elected lawmakers are participating in freshman orientation this week, and while it has a first day of …

At a time when journalists around the world face threats and are characterized as the enemy of the people, the new movie "A Private War" arrives at delicate point. Director Matthew Heineman and star Rosamund Pike …

Praising violence against reporters. Sending pipe bombs to public figures. Threatening political opponents. The fiery rhetoric is in full swing as …

Will appealing to Whataburger partisans get out the vote? What about a new Willie Nelson song? These are but some of the questions that will be …

“The Front Runner” is not going to tell you how to feel about politics. The new film, starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Jason Reitman and …

In upstate New York, two Republican House freshmen are fighting for their political future against two Democrats who hope that kitchen sink issues …

Minnesota is suddenly the center of the political universe and voters there are more focused on health care and the economy than the latest scandal …

In the middle of a singularly rough Supreme Court nomination fight, the business of the high court goes on. The fate of Brett Kavanaugh, President …

Senate Democrats are trying to make the most of the Supreme Court nomination hearing of Brett Kavanaugh looking to bolster support for the midterms …

Sen. John McCain had countless interactions with members of the press during a career on Capitol Hill that spanned more than three decades. CQ's …

Pro tip: Don’t put in writing your complaints that your campaign treasurer won’t dish out petty cash for your personal use. That’s just one of the …

For actor Ben Foster, veterans’ re-entry to civilian life is part of what he says is “a continuing conversation” he says is important. It shows in his body of work, including his latest movie, “Leave No Trace,” which he …

Director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering discuss their documentary "The Bleeding Edge" about the medical device industry and its unknown dangers. The movie comes as Congress again considers repealing the tax on …

July 24, 1998 changed everything on Capitol Hill. The shooting and ensuing deaths of two Capitol Police officers left a scar on the close-knit …

Midterm elections typically have lower voter turnout than presidential ones. If that turns out to be the case in 2018, it won't be because of a lack of cash or candidates. In short, the midterm cycle is awash in …

Filmmaker Kimberly Reed grew up in Montana with little anticipation her home state would be ground zero for a massive fight over money in politics. …

Roll Call photographers Tom Williams @pennstatetom and Bill Clark @billclarkphotos describe their time covering Congress and how they came to take …

New York's Democratic primary has delivered the latest shock to the political system: the loss of House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joseph Crowley. …

Journalists and lawmakers face off at the annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game, an event that Roll Call political Reporter Bridget Bowman and …

The annual Congressional Baseball Game has for years allowed lawmakers and staff a light-hearted outlet for their competitive drive. That changed a …

Senate Republicans cancelled the August recess, citing historic obstruction by Democrats. But when you crunch the numbers, the delay tactics are far from historic, according to CQ Senate Managing Editor Ed Pesce.

The Netflix documentary series “Bobby Kennedy for President” marks the upcoming 50th anniversary of the late senator and presidential candidate’s assassination in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968. The four-part series by …

President Donald Trump is a television fan and a polarizing figure in American culture. Two critically acclaimed television shows that just wrapped …

Women were big winners in Tuesday's primaries as they are poised to change the midterm dynamics in states like Nebraska and Pennsylvania, explains …

West Virginia Republicans lined up for the right to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III, and after a knock-down, drag-out fight, state …

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a bona fide pop icon, perhaps strange territory for an 85-year-old, diminutive, reserved constitutional …

Republican Debbie Lesko won a close House race in an Arizona district that is usually very friendly to her party. As the midterm election season …

Members of Congress are the players we see on stage, but the production that is politics would go nowhere without the backstage people making up the …

Speaker Paul D. Ryan's announcement that he will not seek re-election once he finishes out his term has set off a scramble on several fronts …

President Donald Trump's desire to have the National Guard help patrol the Southern border is not all that different from actions taken by former …

Wondering what former members of Congress do after leaving Capitol Hill? Perhaps that's why the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress was …

The opioid epidemic is a massive public health crisis that Washington is only now starting to grasp. Reid Wilson, national correspondent for the Hill, has a new book about the last time the U.S. government got things …

The special election result in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District has rocked the political world on its heels, with Democrat Conor Lamb’s …

In light of Tuesday's 74th Annual Congressional Dinner, Political Theater talks to Washington Post humor columnist Alexandra Petri about when satire …

HULU’s new mini-series “The Looming Tower” traces the rising threat of Al Qaeda in the runup to the 9/11 attacks and is adapted from Lawrence …

Among the stars at next month's Oscars will be Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader, one of the subjects of the Academy Award nominated Netflix documentary "Heroin(e)". She's a first responder on the front lines of the …

Roll Call Political analyst Stu Rothenberg explains why GOP gains in a generic ballot represent just a part of the overall political picture and …

Texas kicks off primary season in less than a month, and will shape midterm contests that could help determine majorities in the House and the …

Ben Terris, national political reporter at The Washington Post, discusses with Roll Call how President Trump used his State of the Union to build …

Roll Call political reporters Simone Pathé and Bridget Bowman discuss the Senate Democrats up for re-elections in the 2018 midterms in states won by …

“The Final Year,” director Greg Barker’s documentary about a year in the life of the Obama administration’s foreign policy team, opens this Friday in …

The Big Story Podcast is now Political Theater, in which we examine the spectacle of politics and how it fits, or doesn’t, into the nation’s culture. 

The biggest tax overhaul in three decades, a record roster of judicial confirmations, strikes at Obamacare and a regulatory rollback: White House …

Roll Call politics reporter Bridget Bowman, who is on the ground in Alabama, discusses how Democrat Doug Jones’ win is reverberating in the political …

A week before Alabama's special election, Roll Call election analyst Nathan Gonzales  describes how he unearthed  an obscure political action …

Even though Democratic leaders snubbed President Donald Trump's invitation to the White House this week, it doesn't mean they don't want to negotiate …

Allegations against current lawmakers, plus revelations of many taxpayer-funded settlements, are forcing leaders of both parties to confront the …

Roll Call columnist Walter Shapiro and Leadership Editor Jason Dick discuss the political morass Congress finds itself in with the debate over state …

While the Democratic surge in the off-year voting gives the party reason to smile, the midterm election is a long way off. Roll Call reporters Simone …

CQ lobbying reporter Kate Ackley explains how K Street and the business community are shaping the much-anticipated GOP tax overhaul.

Donald Trump's presidency has encouraged women to make campaign contributions in unprecedented numbers. Will more women run for Congress, too? CQ …

Do lawmakers read or understand the legislation they pass? They are about to pass a budget resolution they say isn't about the budget and passed …

Roll Call political reporters Simone Pathé and Bridget Bowman explain how the primaries are shaping up ahead of the 2018 midterm elections amid a …

Louisiana's Sen. Bill Cassidy, a key architect of the Graham/Cassidy health care overhaul proposal, tells CQ Roll Call that with some adjustments and …

CQ Roll Call lobbying reporter Kate Ackley and executive talent-hunter Julian Ha discuss the job market for lawmakers and staff members in the Age of …

Alabama's Senate contest Tuesday is the first election skirmish in this year’s Republican civil war. Appointed Sen. Luther Strange is the candidate of the party establishment yet has the backing of the outsider …

A recent spate of lawmakers have announced they're retiring from Congress, and they are likely to be followed by others, says Roll Call elections …

Hill Republicans lambasted President Barack Obama’s deportation protections for 800,000 young people brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents, but now they sound willing to heed President Donald Trump’s …

Philadelphia's suburbs have long been political bellwethers, and any road to a House majority will likely run through them. Democrats are targeting …

Sen. Jeff Flake's path to re-election is complicated. The Arizona Republican was potentially vulnerable even before President Donald Trump touched …

Last weekend’s bloody Virginia demonstrations incited by white supremacists will focus new attention on how the Trump administration is altering the Justice Department’s approach to hate crimes and other civil rights …

Republicans competing for Jeff Sessions’ Senate seat in Alabama are striving to tell primary voters just how much they support President Donald Trump and, perhaps surprisingly, are using Senate Majority Leader Mitch …

Senators are heading home for summer break, after a health care implosion highlighted the partisan ill will that’s festered all year. Ed Pesce, who edits CQ’s Senate coverage, explains how hardline GOP procedural …

CQ Roll Call columnist Walter Shapiro and senior editor David Hawkings consider the Watergate scandal and what its rhythms reveal about why today’s …

The Senate will stick around Washington a little longer in August, shortening its recess to focus on an ambitious agenda. The list of things to do …

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell likened his search for 50 senators willing to vote for the same repeal-and-replace legislation to solving a Rubik’s …

The Senate majority leader hasn’t abandoned hope of finding 50 votes for the year’s top GOP priority. But postponement over the July Fourth break …

Special election season is over, yielding an expensive status quo in the House’s partisan balance. But there are lessons to learn from these contests, including how they will affect the congressional agenda and what it …

Roll Call political correspondent Simone Pathè explains how the most expensive House race in history, next week's contest to fill an open seat in …

After a series of fits and starts, the Senate is starting to clear a path so it can consider legislation dismantling Obamacare, say CQ Roll Call's …

Even with the first all-Republican government in a decade, Congress has yet to send any meaningful legislation to President Donald Trump, say CQ Roll …

Democrats heading into the 2018 midterm elections should pay attention to the party hubris that likely contributed to Hillary Clinton's …

Special elections are coming up in Montana, Georgia and South Carolina and candidates are trying to work around the seemingly endless White House …

The Republican effort to replace Obamacare has put some electorally vulnerable House Republicans on the defensive, CQ Roll Call political reporter …

Congress struck a deal on a long-overdue spending bill to keep the government running, and all hell broke loose. CQ Roll Call’s Jason Dick, Niels …

The first 100 days of an administration have been used as a benchmark to gauge the progress made by a sitting president. Donald Trump’s first 100 days are punctuated by successes such as confirmation of a Supreme Court …

President Donald Trump is moving on several fronts to deregulate environmental protection, prompting some states to intervene. But deep EPA budget …

President Donald Trump has a blasé approach to the long list of complaints about his ethical conflicts and quandaries, and his GOP base hardly seems …

The Senate is waiting for hundreds of high-profile nominations to lead the federal government and the U.S. court system, but it might be a long time …

The Republican majority is preparing to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court confirmations if that’s what it takes to assure Neil Gorsuch is …

CQ Roll Call's senior Senate reporter Niels Lesniewski leads us through a fascinating conversation on how the Senate leader's political machine …

CQ Roll Call’s health editor Rebecca Adams breaks down why the Republican replacement for Obamacare is being attacked on all sides. And senior editor …

CQ Roll Call's leadership editor Jason Dick and senior political reporter Bridget Bowman explain the bumpy road ahead for Republican leaders as they …

President Donald Trump's well-received speech reflects three factions operating within the White House, says CQ Roll Call White House reporter John …

For four long months, Democrats have debated what to do to get out of the political wilderness. This weekend, the Democratic National Committee votes …

As they head back into their states and districts next week, lawmakers could continue to face angry voters at town halls over repealing the …

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's selectively applied rebuke of Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren touched on volatile issues of race and …

The Senate is known for its courtesies and decorum, but it’s just two weeks into the Donald Trump administration and the chamber has become as …

Ahead of the GOP retreat, CQ Roll Call's leadership editor Jason Dick and White House correspondent John Bennett provide insight into the awkward …

CQ Roll Call Senior Editor David Hawkings and Leadership Editor Jason Dick examine the fallout from President-elect Donald Trump’s criticism of civil …

CQ Roll Call's Senate leadership reporter Niels Lesniewski walks us through how the GOP-controlled Congress can use the Congressional Review Act to …

With Donald Trump in the White House, Republicans in Congress may finally have the momentum to change immigration policy that could spell trouble for …

CQ Roll Call's National Security reporter Ryan Lucas explains how Republicans and Democrats reach sometimes conflicting conclusions about whether the …

CQ Roll Call’s Money and Politics reporter Kate Ackley digs into President-elect Donald Trump's web of potential conflicts of interest and his pledge …

Lawmakers have until Dec. 9 to pass a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running until President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. But Trump has asked that the temporary spending bill be extended to March 31, …

With control of the White House and Congress, Republicans can easily repeal big parts of President Obama’s health care law, but finding alternatives …

Roll Call columnists Patricia Murphy and Matt Lewis reflect on the nasty presidential campaign, how it changed some of the norms of politics and the …

Democrats are poised to pick up House seats. If GOP losses are particularly heavy, then Republicans are likely to blame Speaker Paul Ryan, say CQ …

Long before the polls close, 29 nominees for open seats are all but certain to win and they could end up as half or more of the House’s Class of …

The U.S.-backed military campaign in Iraq to drive the Islamic State from the city of Mosul is expected to succeed, but it could open the door to a …

Republicans are polling to see if their House and Senate candidates have been tainted by Donald Trump’s crude comments about women captured on video, …

CQ Roll Call Columnist Walter Shapiro, CQ Policy Editor Catalina Camia and CQ Roll Call’s News Director Steve Komarow weigh in on the vice …

A deal to fund the government until Dec. 9 all came down to House Republicans giving in to Democratic demands to help Flint, Michigan, address its …

With the clock ticking, CQ Roll Call explains the obstacles lawmakers must overcome to reach a temporary solution to fund the government beyond Sept. …

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created after the 2008 financial crisis just fined Wells Fargo millions of dollars for creating …

A scoop by CQ Roll Call’s defense reporter John M. Donnelly reveals how the U.S. military bureaucracy treats the fallen differently, shortchanging …

Though Congress and the Obama administration are still fighting over how to respond to the Zika virus outbreak, the gridlock hasn’t kept government scientists from trying to develop an effective vaccine. But with …

Congress is grappling with a plethora of technology-related legislation that appears to be headed nowhere fast, in part because of concerns over …

Many have asked what it would take to remove Donald Trump from the GOP ticket and nominate a new presidential candidate. CQ Roll Call’s senior …

The 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement has become a thorny issue for presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her Democratic Party, …

Texas Sen Ted. Cruz has cast a shadow over the last day of the Republican National Convention after he was booed off stage Wednesday night for refusing to endorse Donald Trump for president. This memorable moment also …

Congress is going on a seven-week summer break without resolving critical issues from funding the government beyond Sept. 30 to paying for a response …

Gun legislation is posing a real challenge for House Speaker Paul Ryan. Last month it was a Democratic sit-in demanding votes on gun control measures …

Working on Capitol Hill may sound glamorous, but for many congressional staffers their salaries don’t match the importance of their jobs. A Roll Call …

Despite dire warnings that the mosquito-borne Zika virus is poised to become a public health threat, the Senate was unable to overcome partisan bickering to allocate money toward prevention efforts.  Lawmakers, however, …

Listen to The Economist Washington Bureau Chief David Rennie describe the potential economic consequences to the U.S. economy of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union and the parallels between Brexit voters and …

Lawmakers in the House and Senate remain divided over gun control in the aftermath of the June 12 Orlando attack. But, as CQ Roll Call's Adriel …

CQ Roll Call's Managing Editor Adriel Bettelheim and CQ Magazine Deputy Editor Jason Dick break down how so-called ''poison pill'' amendments get the …

As President Barack Obama heads to Japan for a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven, the world's biggest economic powers, CQ Roll Call's foreign …

Watching Consumers’ Online habits to Set Insurance Rates

State lawmakers across the country are growing concerned about a new practice by the insurance industry:  setting prices based on their customers’ retail …

She’s from Nevada, via Brooklyn, N.Y., carries two pistols at all times, supports gay rights, Ted Cruz for President and helped negotiate the end of …

Champions of clean energy often look to California and other blue states for leadership on  green issues, but lately the state that is the king of wind power is a decidedly red one in the heart of Middle America. To be …

Three congressional oversight hearings and at least four visits by lawmakers to Flint, Mich., have provided little traction for legislation to …

The handful of red state governors and lawmakers who have been willing to expand Medicaid under the 2010 health care law have tried to put their own …

There’s good news and bad news for state treasuries – and a surprise about what can happen when states raise taxes on high-income households whose …

A controversial federal program that over the years has sent billions of dollars to state and local police was halted in December after Congress …

There is a movement by states to prohibit mental health professionals from providing so-called gay conversion therapy. In just the last two years California, New Jersey, Illinois, Oregon and Washington D.C. have banned …

The new Democratic Governor, John Bel Edwards, and the Republican Legislature are going to have to work together to clean up a mess that even some Republicans in the state say was created by Edwards predecessor, …