Russell Berman
Since joining The Atlantic in 2014, Russell has written extensively about Congress, political reform, and policy experiments in states and cities. He previously covered the House of Representatives for The Hill newspaper and served as a Washington correspondent for the New York Sun.
America’s Bluest State Loves Its Republican Governor
Vermont has weathered the pandemic better than any other state, making Phil Scott a surprising star in Bernie Sanders’s backyard.
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Erik Carter / The Atlantic How the Democrats Rallied
Congress was frozen. Joe Biden’s presidency seemed cooked. What happened?
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Getty; The New York Public Library; Joanne Imperio … How Do You Actually Stop the Steal?
A new bipartisan bill would revise how the presidential vote is certified. But it could come with risky loopholes.
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Ron Haviv / VII / Redux The Kansas Abortion Shocker
The defeat of an anti-abortion ballot measure could buoy Democratic hopes for an outraged electorate this fall.
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Charlie Riedel / AP Abortion Is Literally on the Ballot in Kansas
Tuesday’s statewide referendum will give Democrats an early hint of just how much the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision will motivate their base this fall.
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Mandel Ngan / Getty The Inescapable Conclusion From the January 6 Hearings
Former President Donald Trump could not be compelled to call off the mob that nearly destroyed democracy.
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Bloomberg / Getty It’s Joe Manchin’s America
The senator from West Virginia continues to wield an unfathomable amount of power over the president’s agenda.
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Al Drago / Bloomberg / Getty The Incitement Paper Trail
Today’s January 6 committee hearing contained significant evidence suggesting that the former president knew how the storming of the Capitol would unfold.
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Getty; The Atlantic Democrats Try to Build Back (A Bit) Better
An agreement on drug pricing, climate spending, and tax increases would make the president’s legislative record look a lot more robust.
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Stefani Reynolds / AFP / Getty The Surprising Voice Missing From Gun-Control Talks
Mark Kelly made his name advocating for new gun laws after his wife was shot, but he didn’t play a central role in the big Senate compromise that passed last night.
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Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty The January 6 Committee’s Most Damning Revelation Yet
Donald Trump’s plot to overturn the election was not a whisper, but a roar.
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Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times / Getty How Bipartisan Gun-Control Talks Actually Succeeded
Even skeptics were surprised by the scope of the compromise.
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Ting Shen / Bloomberg / Getty Trump Gets the January 6 Trial He Long Dodged
The first of six House Select Committee hearings aimed to shape the president’s standing in the eyes of future voters.
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Oliver Munday / The Atlantic Pennsylvania Becomes the Land of Oz
The TV doctor’s primary victory owes far more to Donald Trump than a well-timed endorsement.
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The Atlantic; Alamy The Abortion-Rights Message That Some Activists Hate
A devastating defeat in the Supreme Court could be a boon to the Democrats’ slim midterm hopes—if they can agree on the way to convert progressive anger into votes.
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Andre Luis Alve / Getty; Kent Nishimura / … Why the Right Went Quiet on Ukrainian Refugees
And what that reveals about attitudes toward Afghan refugees
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Andrew Harnik / AP; Scott Applewhite / AP; … The Next Big Test of Trump’s Power
The most powerful Republicans in West Virginia are backing a local favorite seeking reelection to Congress. But the former president’s wrath could sink him.
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Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times / Getty Mitch McConnell’s Nightmare Scenario
Why a GOP takeover in this fall’s midterms is not quite a sure thing
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Getty; The Atlantic The Trump Move That Democrats Want Biden to Copy
If Congress won’t approve more COVID funding, should the president go it alone?
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Al Drago / Bloomberg / Getty A Push for Normalcy Tests the Gerontocracy
As those around the president fall ill, the White House—and the nation—must adjust expectations.
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Justin Merriman / Getty The Last of the Establishment Republicans
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine should be a GOP darling. What went wrong?
