David Nir

@davidnir

Publisher, @the-downballot.com. davidnir (at) the-downballot (dot) com Our site:

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David Nir@davidnir· 25d

x.com/DCpierson/st...

David Nir@davidnir· 25d

And worth noting that in every race where Dems succeeded in elevating a preferred GOP candidate in the primary, it was Dems who won in the general.

David Nir@davidnir· 27d

My mind is still reeling over the response to this Jeopardy clue. We lost our minds and had to pause for a solid minute after dude guessed “Huffington Post.”

David Nir@davidnir· 27d

This might seem crazy, but I really wonder if the GOP will even contest #GASen this year. Collins managed to raise just $2 mil during a quarter that included both the primary and the runoff. It would take at least $100 million in outside spending to ... do what exactly? www.ajc.com/politics/202...

David Nir@davidnir· 27d

Spot-on from @politicalwire.com politicalwire.com/2026/07/15/w...

David Nir@davidnir· 28d

Why, pray tell, do other Democrats lack credibility when it comes to this issue? x.com/aseitzwald/s...

David Nir@davidnir· Jul 11

David Nir@davidnir· Jul 10

This might be my favorite moment

David Nir@davidnir· Jul 9

This is precisely what happened to Dan Moraff! Saw a video of Platner and was star struck.

David Nir@davidnir· Jul 9

David Nir@davidnir· Jul 8

Quite something that Platner's top aides are fueling conspiracy theories about the Politico/CNN reporting. x.com/ryanobles/st...

David Nir@davidnir· Jul 1

If incumbents want to sneer at primary voters, they'll probably keep losing. Serious "No, it's the children who are wrong" energy here. www.axios.com/2026/07/01/m...

Why it matters: Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) was a staunch progressive, not a moderate, these members are privately fuming. So why did she become a target of the left?

"One more case in the growing dynamic of performative politics," one House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid analysis on the results, told Axios.
"Diana was an excellent representative with seniority — but the style of someone younger and more outspoken has become more attractive to that cohort of motivated urban left voters."
A senior House Democrat called the result a "wake-up call" for members of Congress

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 30

I'm anti-moaning, but Mamdani's statement on the ruling wasn't terrific, either! www.nyc.gov/mayors-offic...

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 30

It's right here when you click the ellipsis under a quote-tweet! Pairs well in summer with a sparkling block.

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 30

Here's a better one, but for those who care about democracy, this case needs to be used as a jumping-off point to make the argument for SCOTUS reform.

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 30

And here's a similar one from the DNC. SCOTUS didn't "emphatically reject" the anti-birthright arguments. It barely did, by the skin of its teeth.

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 30

Statements from Dems like this one make it harder to press for Supreme Court reform. This ruling was a near-disaster and shows how unhinged SCOTUS has become—now just one vote away from overturning the 14th Amendment. But a sitting senator says they "applaud" the ruling.

BREAKING: Rosen Applauds Supreme Court Decision Protecting Birthright Citizenship

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) issued a statement applauding the Supreme Court’s decision in the Trump vs. Barbara case, striking down Donald Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to take away citizenship from children born in the U.S.

“It has always been clear: a child born in the United States is an American citizen,” said Senator Rosen. “I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision today to defend the U.S. Constitution and honor the right to automatic citizenship for all U.S.-born children. Today’s decision also makes clear that Donald Trump is not above the law, and he cannot unilaterally take away anyone’s constitutional rights.”

Senator Rosen has led Congressional efforts to protect citizenship for children born in the U.S. In February, Senator Rosen led an amicus brief in Trump vs. Barbara, demanding the protection of birthright citizenship as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Last year, she led Senate colleagues in introducing the Born in the USA Act, which would effectively block the implementation of President Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order attempting to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States.

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 24

My mom (Boomer, grew up idolizing the Kennedys, literally had a shrine of JFK & RFK memorabilia) did not like Schlossberg *at all*. If someone so perfectly in his ideal demographic had no interest in him, well...

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 19

Landry Shamet to Spend Next Six Weeks Trying to Figure Out What Key to City Unlocks

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 17

Jones doubled down on his support for redistricting today, despite losing last night www.ajc.com/politics/202...

And Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the president of the Senate who lost the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday, added that “we owe it to the voters that elected us to deliver on this critical issue.”

“I stand behind the governor’s plan to redraw the maps during this special session,” Jones said. “Failure to deliver is not an outcome I am willing to accept. We need to do our jobs and get this done.”

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 17

So maddening that this is what passes for a "very influential Democratic insider." A properly drafted amendment would prevent state courts from reviewing nearly all challenges to a new map. Yes, it really is that simple. www.politico.com/newsletters/...

It’s not dead enough that top Democrats will go on the record. But when I asked a very influential Democratic insider if they thought Democrats would go through with it, their response was “I don’t think so.”

Here’s the reasoning: Democrats are increasingly confident they can go from a 9-3 Democratic delegation to 10-2 without having to redraw the map. They won’t be able to get anything beyond 11-1 through redistricting. And even getting there would likely require uncomfortable votes and maybe court fights. “Lawyers are the ones who will make money. And we’ll be subject to whatever the courts decide, and they’ll probably say this is a little bit of a stretch,” the Democrat told me.

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 12

This is how good the vibes in the city are right now

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 12

"I'm actually just a stenographer" is not exactly the defense he seems to think it is x.com/juliaioffe/s...

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 10

Why The Downballot Discord is just so freaking awesome. ND voters just approved an amendment tonight limiting future amendments to a single subject. Is this a good idea, a bad idea, or something in between? Fortunately, we have ̶M̶a̶r̶s̶h̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶M̶c̶L̶u̶h̶a̶n̶ Quinn @yeargain.bsky.social right here!

9:32 PM]bkhipsterball: @Quinn Yeargain Are there merits to single subject requirements, or are they simply mechanisms to suppress direct democracy?
[9:41 PM]Quinn Yeargain: I have a three-part answer:

in theory, yes. it does make sense to say that unrelated measures should not be included with each other. preventing logrolling and allowing voters a legitimate choice makes sense. if there's going to be a broader revision to a constitution that includes a ton of changes, many of which are unrelated, it should be presented as a new constitution. I don't know that there's any particular remedy for a violation of single subject for, say, a statute or something.

in practice, there is no objective way to police what a "subject" is or when there is more than one of them. I have found this quote from a legendary Oregon Supreme Court justice helpful when teaching the concept:

I question whether characterizing the "one subject" of a measure is a usable legal test for its constitutionality, or whether it simply compels endless conceptual manipulation, controversy, and litigation unless it is refined.

The Linnean system of classifying plants and animals offers a familiar illustration. A measure to control the anopheles mosquito deals with a particular genus. Try to control gypsy moths as well as mosquitos, and your "subject" skips past families and orders to the class of insects. Add rattlesnakes and ragwort, and the measure simply vaults past the separate plant and animal kingdoms to the "subject" of controlling "dangerous organisms," or perhaps "pests." Measures to preserve "endangered species," "the environment," or "public health," or to prevent "pollution" are similar examples.

so, as a voter I would always vote against it, and when teaching it, I take a super cynical/realistic position and make a point of basically saying "learn what your jurisdiction says because there are no universal rules."

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 6

Menachem Mendel Brunson From @shirtsthatgohard.bsky.social thegoodshirts.com/products/bas...

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 5

Incorrect! www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 5

Some remarkable numbers re ranked-choice dropoff in @surveyusa.bsky.social's new #MEGov poll. By the 4th round, 72% of Dems are still ranking candidates but only 36% of Republicans are. (A 5th round wasn't needed for Dems since they have only 5 candidates.) www.surveyusa.com/client/PollR...

David Nir@davidnir· Jun 3

Oh god. I love the New Yorker, but there's a reason why I don't think of them for elections coverage. www.newyorker.com/news/electio...

The California gubernatorial primary is a so-called “jungle” primary, meaning that all candidates, from any party, run against one another in a single election. If one candidate receives more than fifty per cent of the vote, they immediately win the election. Otherwise, the two candidates who receive the most votes face each other in the general election in November.

David Nir@davidnir· May 15