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Sean Trende

Sr. Elections Analyst at RCP. Co-Author, Almanac Am. Pols. 2014.

Series

Beyond the Polls, 6 episodesThe Ricochet Podcast, 1 episode

Recent Episodes

Beyond the Polls
Beyond the Polls

Mapmaker, Matchmaker

Though election watchers generally have to make peace with selfish motives and unpleasant truths, there is more to democracy than the cynics would have you believe. Sean Trende is back for a chat on this theme as it applies to the much-discussed redistricting wars. In 2020, the Virginia Supreme Court tasked Sean to help draft the commonwealth's congressional map—the very map that state Democrats unsuccessfully tried to replace this year. He and Henry talk through the labor involved in drawing fair lines, and the unique challenges of doing so in an age of partisan gamesmanship. Plus, we had a primary bonanza on Tuesday! Henry rants through what we can glean from the results still trickling in from California, Republican Zach Lahn's surprise victory in Iowa over his Trump-endorsed opponent, and a few more progressive insurgents breaking through establishment Democrats' trenches. And if you haven't already, be sure to sign up for Henry's "Margin of Victory" newsletter to stay ahead of the curve this election season.

Hosted by Henry Olsen

Organization:
Ricochet

January 2026

Beyond the Polls
Beyond the Polls

Trende Setting at the Top of the Year

We're finally just 10 months away from the 2026 midterms everyone's been on about since Trump returned to office! So to get us off to a good start, Henry sits down again with RealClearPolitics' Sean Trende. The duo considers the political waves that may ripple out from two potentially seismic Supreme Court decisions: Callais v. Louisiana and National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC; they search for precision in assessing the president's needed approval rating among registered voters to keep the House; and they move over to the ostensibly safe Senate to determine the merits of Democrats' claim that their top-billed candidates can triumph over untested Rs trying to hold their party's home turf.

Hosted by Henry Olsen

Organization:
Ricochet

January 2025

Beyond the Polls
Beyond the Polls

Deciphering Our Political Matrix: Is America Red-Pilled?

Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics' Senior Elections Analyst and author of The Lost Majority, returns to share his insights on America's versicolored electorate. He and Henry discuss the country's small-C conservative disposition that Donald Trump won over with his "revolution in common sense". They consider the profound difference between the start of Trump's second term, exemplified by his day one preparedness, along with the challenges he'll face in juggling his coalition's disparate priorities. On the other hand, they consider the great task before the Democratic Party — an uphill battle with a let's-rock-the-boat base whose preferred candidates don't appeal to the center.

Hosted by Henry Olsen

Organization:
Ricochet

November 2020

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

You Can Re-Count On It

Two weeks after the election and we're still deep into re-counts, ballot challenges, and other legal machinations. To help us sort it all out, we asked Powerline's Steve Hayward to sit in for Rob Long and (as John Lennon famously said) give us some truth. And to give us even more truth, we welcome Sean Trende , Real Clear Politic's Senior Elections Analyst. He takes us through many of the legal cases and we try to get some explanation for much of the polling that turned out to be dead wrong. Then, a gear shift as welcome Antonin Scalia. No, it's not a supernatural event (talk about burying the lede), Nino (as he likes to be called), is the great jurist's grandson and he works in the James Madison Program at Princeton and hosts Madison's Notes, a terrific new podcast that coincidentally is carried right here on Ricochet. Finally, several of us on this podcast are residents of California. Last week, our Governor Newsom attended a dinner that gave him indigestion. But not for the reasons you might think. And yes, we've got, a new Lileks Post of The Week, courtesy of Ricochet member Ekosj. Say that three times fast. Music from this week's show: The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow) by The Jam

Hosted by James Lileks, Peter Robinson, and Steve Hayward

Organization:
Ricochet

October 2020

July 2020

Beyond the Polls
Beyond the Polls

Covid-19 and Trump 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted American politics, pushing campaigns to the sidelines and dealing a serious blow to President Trump’s re-election hopes. Real Clear Politics’ Sean Trende has been following the spread of covid-19 in addition to his regular political analysis and joins us to explain what is really going on with covid and the presidential race. We’ll also run down the six primaries for key House and Senate races that occur next week, as well as look in Ad of the Week at how Democratic incumbents portray themselves when they are running in normally Republican districts. Join us on the Horse Race!

Hosted by Henry Olsen

Organization:
Ricochet

February 2020

Beyond the Polls
Beyond the Polls

Trip and Rip

This week's episode looks at aftermath of the Democratic debacle in Iowa with Real Clear Politics' Sean Trende; dives deep into the New Hampshire primary with Granite State political scientist Dante Scala; and explores how Trump smacked down his opponents at the State of the Union address with American Greatness's Julie Ponzi. All this plus an overview of the battle for Senate control in this edition of The Horse Race!

Hosted by Henry Olsen

Organization:
Ricochet