Brief #36—Economics
By Samuel C. O’Brient
Private prisons have existed in the U.S. for years but under Trump, the stocks of two publicly traded companies, CoreCivic (NYSE: CXW) and GEO Group (NYSE: GEO) that make up the industry have surged.
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2026 Democratic Primary Preview Series: Maine (Brief #15)
Shifting to the Pine Tree State, Maine features one of the most consequential Senate races for Democrats in 2026, alongside two U.S. House contests. The primary will be June 9th followed by the general on November 3rd.
2026 Democratic Primary Preview Series: Kentucky (Brief #14)
In Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, voters will decide one U.S. Senate race and all six U.S. House seats in 2026. The marquee contest follows the retirement of Mitch McConnell, ending decades of Republican leadership in Washington. McConnell’s tenure included serving as Senate Majority Leader and playing a central role in shaping the modern federal judiciary. His relationship with former President Donald Trump deteriorated following the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, limiting his standing within the party’s populist wing, but his institutional influence remained significant through the end of his career.
2026 Democratic Primary Preview Series: Iowa (Brief #9)
In 2026, Iowa will see one Senate race & four House races in its congressional elections. The Hawkeye state has been a Republican stronghold since Trump came on the scene in 2016, but the Cook Political Report currently has two of Iowa’s House seats as toss-ups. In a year where Democrats should be expected to overperform, we could see Hawkeye voters change the distribution of the state’s legislative power in Washington. Currently, all 6 of Iowa’s congressional seats are held by Republicans, but 2026 could see one, if not more, of these change. Voters will be able to cast their ballots in the primary on June 2, 2026 & in the general election on November 3, 2026.
2026 Democratic Primary Preview Series: Hawaii (Brief #8)
The Aloha state will feature two House races but will be absent a headlining Senate race. Senior Senator Brian Schatz will be back up for re-election in 2028 & the Junior Senator Mazie Hirono will be back up in 2030. Overall, the state is solidly Democratic, with all four members of Congress under the Democratic banner. Further, at the state level, of the 51 state house members, only 9 are Republicans. That means the remaining 42 are Democrats since no Independent has a seat in the Hawaii State House. In the Hawaiian Senate, the breakdown is 3 Republicans to 22 Dems. Hawaii is a solidly blue state, & the real campaign or battle will be in the Democratic primaries.
2026 Democratic Primary Preview Series: Connecticut (Brief #5)
Connecticut, known as the Constitution State, will feature five U.S. House races in 2026, with no U.S. Senate contests on the ballot. Both of the state’s U.S. Senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, are midway through their six-year terms, having last been elected in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Alabama (2026 Democratic Primary Preview Series Brief #1)
The Yellowhammer State will have all seven of its U.S. House seats on the ballot in 2026, along with one of its U.S. Senate seats. Alabama’s current House delegation includes: District 1: Barry Moore (R); District 2: Shomari Figures (D); District 3: Mike Rogers (R); District 4: Tyler Aderholt (R); District 5: Dale Strong (R); District 6: Gary Palmer (R); and District 7: Terri Sewell (D).
Funding Dissent in the Crosshairs: Trump’s War on the Soros Foundations (Elections & Politics Policy Brief #200)
The Trump administration has targeted George Soros and the Open Society Foundations (OSF) in its post-Kirk “crackdown” on what it calls radical left networks. Trump has floated the use of RICO charges, ordered agencies to scrutinize progressive donors and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and tied OSF to so-called organized political violence. OSF and other left-leaning groups have dismissed these moves as a politically motivated effort to silence dissent and restrict civil society.
Unmasking the Target: Antifa & Trump’s Crackdown on Dissent (Elections & Politics Brief #199)
Trump’s crackdown on political opposition, announced in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, is aimed at a range of Democratic and resistance groups. The first of these under examination is Antifa, a key target of the administration’s rhetoric and investigations. Yet Antifa is a far more diffuse and abstract entity than the White House suggests.
The ‘Radical Left’: Defining Dissent in Divided America (Elections & Politics Brief #196)
Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, President Trump is pushing to go after ‘radical left’ groups, those he claims promote political violence and engage in hate speech. What happened to Charlie Kirk is despicable & the politically motivated murder of an American has been condemned by leaders across the political spectrum. That said, the way we do that is by coming together as Americans not targeting our fellow citizens.










