By the Ballot Podcast

Virginia is two weeks from its first-ever government shutdown, and one of the last fights standing is a data center tax break worth roughly $1.6 billion a year. This episode breaks down the Virginia data center sales tax exemption, the June 30 budget deadline, and the astroturf text-message campaign funded by the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce urging vote...

TThe DNC just released its 192-page autopsy of the 2024 election. Mentions of Gaza: zero. Mentions of Biden's age: zero. Substantive discussion of affordability: one parenthetical. This episode is about why. Virginia Democratic strategist Matt Royer breaks down the autopsy that couldn't name the body — the Future Forward super PAC that raised nearly a billion dollars and spent it on a theory inste...

Virginia redistricting, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruling, and the Hakeem Jeffries court-packing plan that nobody in Richmond asked for. On this episode of By the Ballot, Matt Royer breaks down the 4-3 SCOVA decision that overturned Virginia's redistricting amendment, the Quinn Yeargain proposal in The Downballot to lower the judicial retirement age to 54, and why House Minority Leader Hakeem J...

Virginia approved midterm redistricting on April 21, 2026, taking the Congressional delegation from 6-5 Republican to 10-1 Democratic. Host Matt Royer breaks down what the 3-point margin means for the 2026 midterms, traces the $29 million dark-money operation funded by Peter Thiel that nearly defeated the amendment, and argues that the 12-point gap between Abigail Spanberger's November win and the...

DoubleSpeak to DoubleThink: How the GOP Talks Out of Both Sides on Redistricting Virginia has a special election on April 21st that could determine control of the House of Representatives — and the Republican Party doesn't want you paying attention to it. In this episode, we break down the GOP's ever-evolving position on redistricting: how Donald Trump pressured Texas to gerrymander five new Repub...

They're Buying Your Vote and You Don't Even Know It | Dark Money in American Politics What if the political content you've been trusting online was secretly paid for by anonymous donors with their own agenda? In this video, we expose how dark money groups on both sides of the aisle are spending millions to manipulate elections, silence progressive voices, and manufacture political opinion — all wi...

Why are so many young men drifting toward the manosphere and right-wing politics ? And why are Democrats increasingly struggling to connect with Gen Z and millennial men ? In this episode of By the Ballot , Matthew Royer breaks down the cultural, economic, and political forces driving the shift. From the rise of manosphere influencers and podcast culture to the role of Christian nationalism, the D...

AIn this episode of By the Ballot , we dive into the growing influence of Evangelical Christian Nationalism on American foreign policy , and why some political and religious leaders view conflicts in the Middle East through the lens of biblical prophecy . For many Americans, war between Israel and Iran is a geopolitical crisis. But for a powerful faction of the American Christian Right, it represe...

Is being anti-Trump enough to lead the Democratic Party? In this episode of By the Ballot , political strategist Matt Royer examines the growing trend of former Republicans being elevated into Democratic leadership roles, media platforms, and candidacies — often with little ideological shift beyond opposing Donald Trump. From George Conway’s run as a Democrat to the rise and collapse of the Lincol...

Are age verification laws really about protecting kids — or are they quietly reshaping the future of online speech? In this episode of By the Ballot , we break down the rapid expansion of age verification requirements across platforms like Discord, Meta, Reddit, and YouTube — and what it means for digital privacy, online organizing, and free speech. As more companies require users to upload govern...

Gambling isn’t just in casinos anymore — it’s everywhere. In this episode, we explore the rapid expansion of sports betting, political prediction markets, and neighborhood skill machines — and what it means for public policy, economic stability, and mental health. As betting becomes frictionless and fully integrated into sports, media, and everyday life, the risks are no longer theoretical. Billio...

Virginia Redistricting Explained: The 10–1 Map, Democratic Infighting, and What Comes Next Virginia Democrats have unveiled a proposed 10–1 congressional redistricting map—and the fallout has been immediate. In this episode, we break down what’s actually in the new Virginia maps, why Democratic leadership fought so hard over the lines, and what this decision means for the 2026 midterms, the House...

Virginia has quietly become the backbone of the internet — home to nearly 40% of the world’s data centers. But as artificial intelligence supercharges demand for electricity, water, and land, everyday Virginians are being left with the bill. In this episode of By the Ballot , Matt Royer breaks down how the explosive growth of AI-driven data centers is: ⚡ Driving up electricity rates across Virgin...

How did a religion built on charity, humility, and service become a political engine for greed, inequality, and conmen? In Part 4 of The Regressive Evangelism of America , we trace the rise of the Prosperity Gospel—from postwar revival tents and televangelism to self-help culture, multi-level marketing schemes, and today’s far-right governing agenda. This episode breaks down how faith was repackag...

In this episode, Matt breaks down why Virginia Democrats swept the 2025 elections — and why winning was the easy part. Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger and Democrats up and down the ballot focused relentlessly on affordability, housing, healthcare, and working-class economics. Voters rewarded that clarity, rejecting culture-war politics and the chaos of Trump-era cuts that hurt federal workers, c...

This week on By the Ballot , Matt digs into the fast-growing gambling crisis reshaping Virginia—from gas-station “skill” machines and new casino proposals to the explosion of digital betting apps targeting young adults. We break down how these industries promise economic growth but overwhelmingly extract wealth from low-income communities, increase crime and addiction, and leave taxpayers holding...

This week on By the Ballot , we’re handing the mic to Andrew Payton — dad of two, educator, climate advocate, and the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s HD-34. Andrew came within 257 votes of flipping a Trump +7 district that hasn’t elected a Democrat since 1985. In this Guest Takeover, he breaks down what he heard knocking thousands of doors across Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, why rural and...

A Virginia statewide candidate just debated an AI-generated version of his opponent — and it might be the clearest sign yet that American democracy is not prepared for the age of deepfakes. In this episode of By the Ballot, Matt Royer breaks down how artificial intelligence is reshaping political communication faster than the law can respond. We explore the fake debate that kicked off a national c...

In an era where campaigns fight tooth and nail for attention on screens, the real opportunity is happening off-screen — in your headphones. In this episode, we dive into why digital audio is the most underutilized, cost-effective, and persuasive weapon in modern political strategy. From podcasts and Spotify ads to AI-narrated articles, audio is where voters actually listen — and where Democrats ar...

The Regressive Evangelism of America — Part 3: Run to the Hills In this episode, Matt is joined by Chuck Corra — policy expert, co-host of Appodlachia , and author of the Substack No Elegy Needed — to dive into a troubling new trend: Christian Nationalist groups building isolated, ideologically driven towns across Appalachia. We explore how Christian Nationalism has evolved from a political force...

In this episode of By the Ballot , Matt breaks down one of the most important lessons from Virginia’s 2025 elections—and a roadmap for Democrats heading into 2026 and beyond: we can’t win lasting majorities without Rural America. Virginia’s results shattered old assumptions. Democrats didn’t just win back the governor’s mansion—they built the largest legislative majority in 36 years. And they did...

This is it — the final argument. As Virginians head to the polls, Matt Royer breaks down what’s at stake for the Commonwealth and the country. From the historic milestones on the ballot to the lessons learned since 2021, this episode lays out why tomorrow’s results will define not just Virginia’s future, but America’s. Featuring reflections on Abigail Spanberger’s campaign, the battle for the Hous...

This week on By The Ballot , Matt Royer breaks down Deciding to Win — a new report from the centrist group Welcome that claims to diagnose why Democrats keep losing and how to fix it. Spoiler: it’s more of the same “move to the middle” playbook that’s failed for decades. Matt digs into what the report gets right about economic focus and messaging clarity — and where it goes completely off the rail...

“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross” Sinclair Lewis, 1935 The Regressive Evangelism of America Part 2: Country Before God White Christian Nationalism isn’t just shaping our politics — it’s reshaping our national identity. In Part 2 of this series, Matt Royer digs into the decades-long campaign to merge Church and State under the banner of American...

In this episode of By the Ballot , host Matt Royer sits down with Larry Wohlers and Parson Brown of New Rural Virginia for a wide-ranging conversation on the political landscape in rural communities ahead of Virginia's November elections. From grassroots organizing and overlooked candidates to the real-life issues voters care about—like healthcare, cost of living, and infrastructure—this episode e...