The Washington Roundtable Live: The Backlash Midterms

Despite Donald Trump's historically low approval ratings and widespread public disapproval of his policies—especially on the economy and foreign wars—the 2026 midterms feel anything but a surefire Democratic victory. In a live taping at New York’s 92nd Street Y, The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos, Susan Glasser, and Jane Mayer confront a deep anxiety about the integrity of the electoral process itself. They argue that the real threat isn’t just Trump’s unpopularity, but the systematic dismantling of democratic institutions over the past decade: from Supreme Court rulings gutting voting rights to the weaponization of redistricting, the intimidation of judges, and the erosion of press independence. David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, warns that the damage is so profound it may be irreversible—even if Democrats win. The episode reveals a chilling paradox: while the data suggests a backlash election is inevitable, the very systems meant to deliver that outcome are being undermined in real time. The real question isn’t whether Democrats will win, but whether they’ll have a functioning democracy to govern after.