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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
March 9, 2026
Perry Bacon
Guess What Moderate Democratic Voters Aren’t Anymore? Moderate.
Two new polls suggest that moderate Democrats too want higher taxes on the rich and some measure of economic populism. Moderate isn’t what it was in 1992.
March 4, 2026
Perry Bacon
He’ll Need Some Luck, but James Talarico Can Win the Texas Senate Seat
Talarico awaits the result of a May 26 Cornyn-Paxton runoff. The scandal-plagued Paxton would give Democrats a real chance at an upset.
February 26, 2026
Perry Bacon
Pathetic: Maryland Democrats Have Surrendered on Gerrymandering
Maryland could easily have added one Democratic House district, but the state Senate president—a Democrat—wouldn’t let it happen.
February 20, 2026
Perry Bacon
Red States’ Fascist Campaign Against Colleges and Professors
Trump and his hench people get all the attention, but red-state governors and legislators are waging a largely under-the-radar war on liberal education.
February 16, 2026
Perry Bacon
You Know What? Maybe the Time Is Right for an AOC Presidential Bid
She’s only 36, and there’s a good argument that she should run for Senate and bide her time. But she also could be a formidable White House candidate.
February 13, 2026
MagazinePerry Bacon
Instead of Pandering, Democrats Should Try Changing Voters’ Minds
How can the party of liberalism make liberal ideas more popular? By creating a more liberal electorate. Yes, it can be done. Here are five ways how.
February 12, 2026
Perry Bacon
Forget Congress—the Real Leaders Who Might Stop ICE Are Local
When Kentucky’s Andy Beshear says ICE should be withdrawn from its deployments, you know something interesting is happening out there.
February 4, 2026
Perry Bacon
The Washington Post Is in Free Fall—and There’s One Person to Blame
Today’s layoffs at this once great newspaper were nowhere near inevitable. But Jeff Bezos was never committed to the paper’s best traditions.
February 4, 2026
Perry Bacon
Why Do Some Liberals Go Gaga Over So-Called Non-MAGA Republicans?
A certain breed of liberal is constantly in search of Republican politicians who seem to be anti-Trump. When will they ever learn?
January 30, 2026
Perry Bacon
Senate Democrats’ ICE Proposals Are a Huge and Inexcusable Whiff
Their opening bid should have been eight or 10 bold proposals. But as usual, the Democrats start by negotiating with themselves.
January 27, 2026
Perry Bacon
Democrats Have Much to Gain—and Nothing to Fear—From Attacking ICE
Some will still shy away from saying “abolish” for now. That’s OK—but what they mustn’t do is foreclose the possibility of future abolition.
January 21, 2026
Perry Bacon
Abigail Spanberger’s First Move as Virginia Gov. Was a Masterstroke
Even moderate Democrats can be boldly anti-MAGA. Other centrist Democrats should follow her example.
January 15, 2026
Perry Bacon
Amazingly, the Democrats Have a Shot at a Senate Majority
Alaska’s Mary Peltola’s candidacy changes things. And even if they can’t pull it off this year, they could take steps toward a 2029 majority—with a Democratic president and House.
January 13, 2026
Perry Bacon
GOP Pols and Judges Are Accomplices in Democracy’s Destruction
Trump, Noem, Miller, Vance—yes, they are the chief authors of this tyranny. But Washington is full of enablers. Be mad at them too.
January 8, 2026
Perry Bacon
On Venezuela, Democrats Are Actually Acting Like an Opposition Party
Even some moderate Democrats who’ve capitulated to Trump are taking a stand on the Venezuela madness. It’s a good sign—for now.
January 5, 2026
Perry Bacon
Bari Weiss Is Dead Wrong—Good Journalism Isn’t About Being Pro-America
The CBS boss and her new evening anchor have released new “principles.” Among them: “We Love America.” They have no understanding of journalism—but they sure know where their bread is buttered.
December 26, 2025
Perry Bacon
Under Kash Patel, “FBI” Means Foolish, Belligerent, and Incompetent
All of Trump’s law enforcement people are toadies. But Patel and number two Dan Bongino have brought extra incompetence to the party.
November 25, 2025
Perry Bacon
Um … Is Donald Trump Seriously Going to Start a War with Venezuela?
His moves these last three months have been bellicose, aggressive—and almost completely undebated by Congress. Are we doing regime change again?
November 18, 2025
Perry Bacon
A Tea Party for Democrats? No. There’s A Much Better Strategy
In the wake of the Senate eight’s capitulation, some are calling for extreme measures. There are better models to follow that can still lead to the needed big changes.
November 11, 2025
Perry Bacon
Voters Hate Trump. Good. But Democrats Should Take No Solace in That.
It’s great that voters have turned against Trump. But they turned against Biden. They keep turning against presidents. Here’s how Democrats can deal with that.

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