TUESDAY, JULY 14 TO FLIP: SENATE +4, HOUSE +3 112 DAYS OUT
We cover the people and issues shaping the Democratic Party
Welcome to The Caucus. We’re an independent news outlet covering the campaigns, policies, organizations, and politicians in the fight for the future of the Democratic Party. Not in terms of the constant horserace or as merely the responses to Republican attacks, but honest and fair reporting.
We’re here to provide those who care about the future of the Democratic Party a place they can trust to get honest coverage and real facts in a clear, concise way. As a team of reporters and a roster of columnists covering the people and issues shaping the Democratic party, we’re 100% reader supported and not associated with any Democratic Party operation.
Along with the daily coverage on our website, every weekday morning we send out a free newsletter laying out what you should care about in Democratic politics. From the races that matter most to the policies they’re pursuing to the people who are shaping it all, our team of experienced reporters will give you the context you need to make it all make sense.
Want to join? Become a member of The Caucus today.
We're fully independent
The Caucus is supported by its members. We are not affiliated with any party committee, campaign, candidate, or advocacy organization, and nobody outside this newsroom shapes what we publish.
We exclusively cover one party, but we aren’t a partisan news outlet.
Our Team
Elias Isquith
NEWSLETTER WRITER
Elias is a New York–based writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience covering American politics, policy, and democracy. He previously served as senior editor for politics, policy, and ideas at Vox and has also worked as a researcher and producer for The Ezra Klein Show at The New York Times and as a politics writer and editor at Salon.
Kim Lyons
REPORTER
Kim is an Ohio-based journalist who spent more than two decades reporting in Pennsylvania, where she covered the 2024 presidential election. Her priors include The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Morning Brew and the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. She’s also served as a western Pennsylvania correspondent for the New York Times.
Russell Payne
REPORTER
Russell is a reporter covering the Democratic Party and all its factions heading into the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election. His work has previously appeared at Salon.com, The New York Sun, and The Finger Lakes Times.
Alex Rifaat
REPORTER
Alex previously served as White House Reporter for Tax Notes. Rifaat also covered state politics for South Dakota News Watch and the legal industry for Euromoney in New York.
Surina Venkat
REPORTER
Surina has covered all levels of government for both local and national outlets. She has previously worked at The Hill and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Nathalie Baptiste
CONTRIBUTOR
Nathalie is a freelance journalist based in the Washington, D.C. area. Her work has also appeared in HuffPost, Mother Jones, The Nation, and The American Prospect.
Samarth Gupta
COLUMNIST
Samarth is a policy fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. He most recently served as a Policy Advisor at the Treasury Department during the Biden Administration. Before joining the Treasury, he worked under the Chief Economist at the Office of Management & Budget and served on the economic policy team for the Biden-Harris campaign and transition team.
Aleigha Cavalier
COLUMNIST
Aleigha is a nationally recognized political strategist who began her career in Western Pennsylvania politics at 19. She served in the White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach during the Biden-Harris administration, held senior roles on presidential and congressional campaigns, including those of Joe Biden, Beto O’Rourke, Deval Patrick, and Tom Steyer, and helped produce the 2024 Democratic Convention.
Kyle Anderson
COLUMNIST
Kyle is a veteran public affairs strategist who has spent nearly a decade serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was as the executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Democratic staff director for the Committee on House Administration and as the Democratic communications director for the House Rules Committee, among other roles.
Jake Rakov
CO-FOUNDER
Jake has been working in and around Democratic politics since he was in college 20 years ago. A career that led him to run for Congress last year against his former boss, a 30-year incumbent Democratic Congressman.
His extensive background spans political campaigns at every level, from presidential races to local elections. Jake served as Communications Director for Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s successful 2022 reelection campaign. Previously, he held the role of Deputy Communications Director for MJ Hegar’s 2020 U.S. Senate campaign in Texas and served as National Press Secretary for Tom Steyer’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Jake’s background also includes time on Capitol Hill, as well as experience in the national newsroom of NBC News and with prominent communications firms nationwide. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Communication from American University in Washington, D.C., and Bachelor’s degrees in Government and Theater from the University of Texas at Austin.
