Columnists

Pittsburgh, PA - Inside mission control at Voyager’s North Side headquarters, where engineers will steer the Griffin lander to the moon. (Shannon M Venditti)

Pittsburgh’s moon shot

Salena Zito · November 6, 2026 12:55 pm

marco rubio and jd vance

In the GOP, a new 2028 race

Blue wave congress

America does the right thing after exhausting every other option

Ken Paxton election night watch party

The Red Wedding election

From left: Sen.-elect Troy Jackson (D-ME) celebrates his victory over Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in Portland, Maine, Nov. 3, 2026; Sen.-elect James Talarico (D-TX) celebrates in Austin, Texas, Nov. 3, 2026; and Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton (D-KS) thanks supporters at a victory party in Overland Park, Kansas, Nov. 3, 2026. (From left: Scott Eisen/Getty; Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty; Austin Johnson/AFP/Getty)

Character matters, unfortunately for Republicans

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, joined by, from left, Sen. John Thune, Sen. Joni Ernst, Republican presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul, and Sen. James Lankford speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The GOP has a leadership crisis

W. James Antle III July 30, 2015 9:00 pm

Republican voters have been seething with discontent at their party's officeholders and have not become enchanted with any one of 15 more or less conventional politicians who are running.Â (Photo by Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)

Asymmetrical politics: Republicans act like an unruly mob, Democrats like a regimented army

Michael Barone July 29, 2015 9:00 pm

This week, McConnell is trying to add a long-term highway bill to that list of accomplishments.Â (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

McConnell’s vision of ‘governing’ drags GOP astray

Timothy P. Carney July 28, 2015 9:52 pm

The cast of the 2009 Broadway production of "HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical", performing "Aquarius". (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Is America entering a new Victorian Era?

Michael Barone July 27, 2015 4:01 am

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks Friday, July 24, 2015, at the New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Hillary’s story — for the children

Hugh Hewitt July 26, 2015 9:00 pm

When Trump attends their events, conservatives feel culturally relevant, no matter how much his outlandish remarks may hurt their cause. (Getty)

Donald Trump and the conservative cult of celebrity

Daniel Allott July 25, 2015 4:01 am

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, followed by Senate Majority Whip, John Cornyn, R-TX, arrive at a press conference on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, July 21. 2015. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner)

Mitch McConnell clears a path to restart the Export-Import Bank

Timothy P. Carney July 24, 2015 3:18 pm

At this point, Donald Trump's hat will generate more media coverage than any policy pronouncement of Scott Walker's. (AP Photo)

How Donald Trump’s surge helps Scott Walker

Philip Klein July 23, 2015 11:56 pm

Sgt. Benjamin Tranter, a former classmate of Lance Cpl. Squire Wells, seen in photo at right, attends a memorial service for Wells at Sprayberry High School where they both attended, Tuesday, July 21, 2015, in Marietta, Ga. (AP Photo)Â

Slut-shaming the military

Ashe Schow July 23, 2015 5:00 am

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan speaks at a rally for Senator Durenberger February 8, 1982. Reagan turns 92 on February 6, 2003. (Photo by Michael Evans/The White House/Getty Images)

Can Republicans even cut government?

W. James Antle III July 23, 2015 4:01 am

At last weekendâs Netroots Nation conference in Phoenix, Martin OâMalley, the former Maryland governor whose candidacy has made few ripples so far, was faced with âBlack Lives Matterâ protesters. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Increasingly divided Democrats causing problems for their party

Michael Barone July 22, 2015 9:48 pm

Former Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center July 21, 2015 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Dodd-Frank was a mixed bag for Wall Street, all gain for K Street

Timothy P. Carney July 21, 2015 9:27 pm