In which I try to answer your questions about modern politics.... In today’s Politics Chat: The New York Times story about a second Dan Sullivan on the Alaska ballot is a non-story. Spoiler candidates are common in American elections. The bigger Alaska story is that at least 18 early and absentee in-person voting sites failed to open. Elon Musk funded Cornel West’s 2024 presidential run through two dark money channels. In the election of 1844, Liberty Party candidate James G. Birney drew enough votes in New York to hand the presidency to James K. Polk. Polk’s win led to the Mexican-American War and the spread of slavery into the Southwest. Democratic control of either chamber of Congress would open investigations into the Trump administration. A Democratic Senate could stop rubber stamping Trump’s judicial nominees. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is the likely first target for impeachment. Trump pulled out of a scheduled rally in Kansas. He is laying the groundwork to claim the election was rigged. Republicans endorsing Democrats this year echo the Mugwumps of 1884. From Politics Chat, October 29, 2026 The live streamed version is available here: https://www.youtube.com/live/KYnvqlpDPOQ?si=1ehRfK2zgMl6k62b We’re live here on YouTube, Substack, and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 pm PT). Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe 250 to 250 | Follow Along https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2dS6uX1RkUzLppeUrqtvApwnR6whO7I_ You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson?sub_confirmation=1 © 2026 Heather Cox Richardson. All Rights Reserved. All content in this video is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or re-uploading, in whole or in part, without prior written consent is prohibited.