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Ed Kilgore

Columnist, Intelligencer

Ed Kilgore is a longtime political observer who has been a columnist for Intelligencer since 2015.

  1. early and often
    Republican Never Trump Candidates Fold at the Starting GateWith Christie and Hutchinson gone, Trump-hating Republicans might now back Nikki Haley, who could become Trump’s running mate.
  2. poll position
    Iowa Caucus Polls Pretty Much Nailed ItThe 2024 Iowa caucuses presented lots of obstacles for pollsters, from weather to Trump supporters’ evasiveness. They were still pretty accurate.
  3. early and often
    Trump Won the Only Real Ticket Out of IowaRon DeSantis and Nikki Haley’s campaigns are barely breathing. Now the only Republican who can beat Trump is Trump.
  4. early and often
    2024 Iowa Caucus: How It Works and Who’s Expected to WinPolls show Trump has a huge lead with Haley and DeSantis battling for second place. Here’s what to watch for when 2024 voting kicks off on MLK Day.
  5. poll position
    What the Iowa Polls Say Today: Trump Romps While DeSantis SinksRecent surveys agree that Trump will win by a record margin as DeSantis and Haley fight for second place.
  6. early and often
    Will the Weather Freeze Iowa Caucus Turnout?Iowans are proud of their ability to deal with winter conditions. But on the margins, the better-organized Trump and DeSantis campaigns could benefit.
  7. early and often
    Republican Disarray May Prevent a Government ShutdownMore Mr. Magoo than Machiavelli, Speaker Johnson may luck into another temporary reprieve on the spending disputes that divide the GOP.
  8. early and often
    Christie Drops Out After Blasting Nikki Haley on a Hot MicHis withdrawal will help Nikki Haley against Trump, but don’t expect him to endorse anyone who won’t attack the front-runner.
  9. early and often
    Does It Matter Who Won the DeSantis-Haley Iowa Debate?The first one-on-one cage match got pretty nasty.
  10. government shutdown
    Johnson Needs Trump’s Permission Not to Shut Down the GovernmentLike Kevin McCarthy before him, the house speaker wants Trump to protect his right flank.
  11. early and often
    Biden Set to Avoid New Hampshire Primary HumiliationPolls show President Biden is on track for a huge victory in the New Hampshire primary, though he isn’t even on the ballot.
  12. early and often
    GOP Border Demands Drive New Government Shutdown ThreatConservative hardliners are trying to force Democrats to make concessions on border policy, and Speaker Mike Johnson can’t stop them.
  13. early and often
    Nikki Haley’s New Hampshire Surge Is Getting SeriousAt least one new poll shows Haley within seven points of Trump in the Granite State, and she could get a boost from Iowa, too.
  14. early and often
    Trump’s Appeal to Non-Churchgoing Evangelicals Is Undoing DeSantisA rapidly growing breed of evangelicals resembles Trump in his non-observant habits and focus on smiting perceived enemies.
  15. early and often
    Trump Ludicrously Claims Biden Is the Real InsurrectionistAll Trump allegations must be turned against his foes, so MAGA-land has labeled Biden a “threat” who should be taken off the ballot.
  16. january 6 anniversary
    How Republicans Learned to Love January 6Three years ago, the insurrection was condemned by the very same people who now support returning Donald Trump to power.
  17. early and often
    DeSantis Trying to Out-Trump Trump to the Bitter EndThe Florida governor’s campaign may soon end, but he’s going out with the same MAGA strategy he pursued all along.
  18. early and often
    Chris Christie Can’t Explain Why He’s Still Running for PresidentAsked bluntly by Hugh Hewitt if he’s just helping his nemesis, Donald Trump, Christie got evasive.
  19. past is prologue
    Can Joe Biden Pull Off a Harry Truman?High inflation, third-party candidates, an unpopular incumbent: The 1948 election has some lessons for 2024.
  20. life after roe
    Putting Abortion on the 2024 Ballot Isn’t a Silver Bullet for DemocratsBallot measures on reproductive rights may not save Democrats. But they could drive party realignment and protect constituents.
  21. immigration
    Republicans’ Mayorkas Impeachment Push Is All About BidenThe House GOP is mainly going after the Homeland Security chief to amplify their border-security messaging.
  22. early and often
    Ramaswamy Caps Off 2024 Campaign by Veering to the Far RightEmbracing MAGA conspiracy theories and welcoming Steve King’s endorsement won’t save his fading presidential campaign.
  23. early and often
    2024 Drama Kicks Off With Shutdown Threat and Trump ShowdownsWith congressional funding cliffs, GOP presidential primaries, and Trump court decisions, January and February are sure to be chaotic.
  24. early and often
    Republican 2024 Field Down to Just Trump, Haley, and DeSantisRon DeSantis and Nikki Haley are Donald Trump’s only viable rivals with the other candidates failing to qualify for the last pre-Iowa debate.
  25. early and often
    Biden-Trump 2024 Could Be the Longest Election in DecadesThe general election will likely be set much earlier than usual. It may feel even longer since voters are already unhappy with the rematch.
  26. early and often
    The Real Reason MAGA-World Is Trying to Rehabilitate NixonThey hope that by justifying Nixon’s abuses of power, they can do the same for Trump’s … both past and future.
  27. year in review
    The Wackiest Political Stories of 2023From Lauren Boebert’s steamy Beetlejuice date to Ron DeSantis’s pudding fingers, U.S. politics had another bizarre trip around the sun.
  28. early and often
    Who Was 2023’s Biggest Loser in Politics?There were several politicians who had a terrible, no-good year. But nobody’s 2023 was as brutal as a certain soon-to-be ex-congressman’s.
  29. poll position
    What the Polls Said This Year: Trump’s Up, Americans Are DownHere’s how primary and general-election polls have evolved over 2023, and what they tell us about where the race is headed.
  30. early and often
    It’s Too Late for Biden to Have an ‘LBJ Moment’ and WithdrawIn 1968, there were few primaries and Democrats had plenty of time to find another nominee. That’s not the case today.
  31. early and often
    DeSantis’s Super-PAC Is Imploding, Much Like His CampaignDeSantis off-loaded core campaign functions to a super-PAC. Now it’s falling apart, leaving him running an obsolete strategy against Donald Trump.
  32. early and often
    Trump on Track to Clinch Nomination in March — or Even EarlierThe Trump campaign predicts he’ll have the delegates he needs by March 19. But polls suggest he may knock out his rivals well before that.
  33. early and often
    Supreme Court Shouldn’t Let State Judges Set 2024 BallotThe U.S. Supreme Court could avoid a definitive call on Colorado’s ruling disqualifying Trump. But that would just unleash more election chaos.
  34. israel-hamas war
    Trump Is Benefiting From His Incoherent Israel-Hamas War StanceYoung voters are turning against Biden over his support for Israel. That’s probably why Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet on the subject.
  35. early and often
    Is Failed Candidate Tim Scott a Kingmaker Now?He could deliver some votes in South Carolina and could even become Trump’s veep. But if he wants to run in 2028, he might keep his powder dry.
  36. same-sex marriage
    Don’t Confuse Pope Francis’s ‘Blessing’ With Marriage EqualityWhile progressives welcome the Vatican allowing the blessing of same-sex couples, the church’s stance on marriage won’t change anytime soon.
  37. early and often
    Trump Sees ‘Poison the Blood’ Rhetoric As a Winning TacticHis inflammatory remarks were aimed at mainstream GOP voters, who have grown far more extreme on immigration.
  38. early and often
    The Biden Impeachment Inquiry Is About Placating the MAGA BaseAuthorizing a fishing expedition against Joe Biden is the only morsel House Republicans can give to Donald Trump and his supporters.
  39. early and often
    Third-Party and Independent Voters Are 2024’s Big Wild CardPolls show huge interest in candidates including RFK Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein. But is the threat to Biden and Trump just a mirage?
  40. early and often
    It’s Time for Chris Christie to GoHe’s wildly unpopular and his campaign has a pulse only in New Hampshire, where he’s blocking Haley from a shot at his bête noire Trump.
  41. early and often
    New York Redistricting Could Make or Break Democrats in 2024Likely control of the U.S. House has been teetering between the two parties for months. Now New York’s next move may decide it.
  42. early and often
    Nikki Haley Needs a Miracle, Not Just Hype, to Beat TrumpAn endorsement by New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu is raising hopes for Haley in early states. It’s more likely that Trump trounces her in South Carolina.
  43. israel-hamas war
    Biden Should Follow Bernie Sanders on Conditions for IsraelSooner or later, Biden needs to put teeth into his disagreements with Netanyahu on the ultimate fate of Palestine. Bernie Sanders has a suggestion.
  44. early and often
    Biden’s Low Job Approval Doesn’t Mean He’s Doomed in 2024The president’s sub-40 job-approval rating isn’t unusually low, and the figure may matter less against the also unpopular Trump.
  45. early and often
    Trump Team Accuses DeSantis of Plotting to ‘Rig’ Iowa CaucusCasey DeSantis issued a confusing call for non-Iowans to “descend” on the state. Now Team Trump is crying “voter fraud.”
  46. poll position
    What the Polls Say Today: Trump Is Trouncing DeSantis and Haley in IowaThe winnowing of the GOP field has only added to Trump’s strength, according to a new gold-standard Iowa poll by Ann Selzer.
  47. early and often
    Where Will ‘Spiritual, Not Religious’ Americans Lead Us?A sizable number of people don’t worship or pray but consider themselves spiritual. Are they engaged enough to help society?
  48. early and often
    GOP Debaters Barely Even Tried to Take Down TrumpAfter four debates, it’s obvious no one other than a doomed Chris Christie is willing to target the front-runner in any serious way.
  49. early and often
    CNN Iowa Debate Will Be a DeSantis-Haley Cage MatchWith Trump probably sitting out, the two candidates vying for second may be the only people onstage in the next two GOP debates.
  50. early and often
    DeSantis Refers to Middle Eastern Clothes As ‘Man Dresses’Someone should tell him Jesus Christ dressed that way too.
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