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Headshot of Perry Bacon
Perry Bacon

Perry Bacon is a staff writer at The New Republic and host of the TNR show Right Now With Perry Bacon. Prior to TNR, he was a weekly columnist at The Washington Post. Perry has also been a commentator at MSNBC, a fellow at New America and the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and a political writer at Time, TheGrio, NBC News, and FiveThirtyEight. He has covered six presidential campaigns and interviewed Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Nancy Pelosi, and numerous other prominent politicians. He is a graduate of Yale University and lives in Louisville, his hometown.

All Articles
November 6, 2026
Perry Bacon
Trump’s Vaunted Multiracial Coalition Is Dead
The pundit class couldn’t get enough of the narrative that nonwhites were constructing a durable multiracial MAGA coalition. So much for all that.
November 5, 2026
Perry Bacon
The Blue Wave Disintegrated Red America
The Democratic Party’s wins at the state level are so sweeping that more than half of Americans will now live in states where Democrats dominate government.
November 4, 2026
Perry Bacon
Abdul El-Sayed’s Victory Is Historic for These Two Reasons
Michigan just put a Muslim in the Senate—and a progressive too.
October 31, 2026
Perry Bacon
What’s the Secret to These Southern Democrats’ Success?
Roy Cooper and Jon Ossoff are winning in tough states—but with wildly different strategies.
October 29, 2026
Perry Bacon
Democrats Have an Islamophobia Problem Too
Centrist Democrats spent last year criticizing the party’s most visible Muslim candidate—and have done so again in 2026.
October 26, 2026
Perry Bacon
Lula’s Upset Is a Win for the Rule of Law and a Blow to Trump
The leftist leader’s surprising victory over the favored far-right candidate should be celebrated—and perhaps emulated—by supporters of democracy worldwide.
October 21, 2026
Perry Bacon
A Blue Wave Won’t Wash Away Our Oligarchy Problem
The massive election spending by Elon Musk and other billionaires is a huge problem, even if many of the superwealthy’s favorites lose next month.
October 16, 2026
Perry Bacon
Will Democrats Learn the Wrong Lesson From a Blue Wave?
It’s not clear if the party’s pending successes are about voters hating the president and his movement or just part of a broader, worldwide anti-incumbent sentiment.
October 14, 2026
Perry Bacon
As Progressives Prosper, Centrist Democrats Are Moving the Goalposts
With insurgent candidates poised to win in purple areas in November, establishment Dems could lose their “electability” cudgel.
October 9, 2026
Perry Bacon
Why Does Gavin Newsom Keep Helping the Oligarchs?
In opposing the California wealth tax and helping push through the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger, the governor is doing the bidding of billionaires.
October 7, 2026
Perry Bacon
Are the Blue Wave Polls Too Good to Be True?
If Democrats don’t win by as much as the polls suggest, many liberals will be disappointed and the media will downplay the anti-Trump wave.
October 1, 2026
Perry Bacon
Liberals Must Fight The New York Times’ Monopoly Too
The paper’s editorial vision is out of step with the robust liberalism needed today.
September 29, 2026
Perry Bacon
Why Democrats Should Stop Using the Phrase “Culture Wars”
Texas’s Gina Hinojosa and others slamming the party for focusing too much on so-called cultural issues are pushing a flawed electoral and policy strategy.
September 21, 2026
Perry Bacon
The White House Press Corps Must Stand With CNN, MS NOW, and Politico
First of all, this judge should rule with the media outlets immediately. And if he doesn’t—the non-banned outlets must walk.
September 16, 2026
Perry Bacon
How the Midterms Could Shrink Red-State America—and Why It Matters
Right now, there are 23 GOP “trifecta” states, and only 16 Democratic ones. That may change big-time—and the ramifications are huge.
September 14, 2026
Perry Bacon
How Keisha Lance Bottoms and David Crowley Can Make Political History
Keisha Lance Bottoms and David Crowley could show that anti-Black, anti-urban sentiment is no longer a barrier to Black candidates in swing states.
September 2, 2026
Perry Bacon
Good Riddance, Seth Moulton: You Got What You Deserved
The congressman who got drubbed by Ed Markey on Tuesday tried to distance himself from the base. That just doesn’t work anymore.
September 1, 2026
Perry Bacon
Stop the Sabotage, Democrats! You Need Talarico and El-Sayed to Win.
Would these Democrats really rather have Trumpy Republicans in the Senate than Democrats they have disagreements with? It kinda looks that way.
August 25, 2026
Perry Bacon
What the Hell Are Karen Bass, Xavier Becerra, and Gavin Newsom Doing?
California’s attorney general is doing his job in asking questions of Paramount. It’s pathetic that other state Democrats are undercutting him.
August 17, 2026
Perry Bacon
The DNC Did Something Right? Actually, It Was Three Things!
The committee and chairman Ken Martin have been on a very hot hot seat lately. But at their weekend meeting, the Democrats actually made some shrewd moves.

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