News

Barack Obama Elected President of the United States

November 4, 2008

Barack Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States, an election announced around 8:00 pm Pacific time. The Associated Press reported that John McCain called Obama to congratulate him on the victory. He delivered his concession speech shortly after.

"The American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly," McCain said to a booing crowd in Arizona. He commended Obama, calling the election "historic."

Commentary Independent Voters Crushed Republicans. But Democrats Shouldn't Get Too Comfortable.

Jeremy Gruber11.05.26

Independent voters helped deliver a decisive defeat to Republicans in 2026, but Democrats shouldn't confuse their votes with party loyalty. The message is clear: Neither party is entitled to their support.

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Election Reform Voters Fight Back Against Political Gatekeepers — And Stop Reform Repeal Again in Alaska

Shawn Griffiths11.04.26

Voters rejected another attempt to repeal Alaska's nonpartisan election system and approved election reforms across multiple states, signaling continued support for expanding voter choice over political gatekeeping.

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Midterms Election Night 2026: Live Updates for Independent Voters

IVN Editorial Board11.02.26

Independent coverage of the 2026 midterms: the Senate races independents decide in Texas, Michigan and Maine, Alaska’s ranked choice repeal and Massachusetts Question 3, independent candidates like Dan Osborn, and California’s voter ID and billionaire tax measures.

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Commentary I Grew Up Around Gangs. California's Top Two Repeal Effort Feels Familiar

Rey Lopez-Calderon11.02.26

Drawing on his childhood surrounded by gang culture in Los Angeles, reform advocate Rey David López-Calderón explains why California's effort to repeal the Top Two primary is about more than elections. It's about loyalty, control, and who gets to decide where voters belong.

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Alaska Alaska Republicans Have a 'Decoy Dan' Problem of Their Own

Shawn Griffiths10.29.26

As Republicans cry foul over a same-name candidate in the Senate race, independent Bill Hill says anonymous texts are promoting a convicted felon in the House race — a candidate Republicans have boosted before.

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California DSA Machine Falls Short in California’s Open Dem v. Dem Races

Cara Brown McCormick11.05.26

Democratic Socialists of America and Working Families Party-backed candidates won some competitive races in California's same-party Democratic contests, but fell short in most state legislative races against more moderate Democrats.

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Gerrymandering Analysis: GOP Kicked Out Indiana Republicans Who Saved Them from Further Embarrassment

Shawn Griffiths11.05.26

Republican leaders punished 21 Indiana state senators for blocking a congressional map that could have backfired spectacularly on the GOP. Six of them lost their jobs in Trump-endorsed primary challenges.

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Independent Voter Podcast The Election Night TSUNAMI Wasn’t Blue - It Was Independent (Here’s Why) | EP66

Independent Voter Podcast11.05.26

Election night 2026 brought a wave of unexpected victories driven by independent voters, not partisan loyalties. Hosts Chad Peace, Cara McCormick, Shawn Griffiths, and Ethan Handelman break down upset wins in Maine, Texas, and California, plus why ranked choice voting survived in Alaska.

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Campaign Finance Pop-Up Super PACs with Undisclosed Donors Spent Millions Days Before Midterms. Yes, It's Legal.

Maia Cook11.05.26

Last-minute super PACs are spending millions to influence elections while keeping their donors hidden until after voters cast their ballots. A legal battle in Maine could offer a path to ending this dark money loophole nationwide.

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Alaska Alaska Voters Reject Repeal of Open Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting, Again

IVN Editorial Board11.04.26

Measure 2 has failed. The ballots still being counted are the kind that sank the last repeal attempt.

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