Brakkton Booker

Washington, D.C.

National Political Correspondent at POLITICO

Correspondent and author of The Recast @Politico Past: @NPR, @WAMU, Proud @HowardU alum. Novice golfer, expert lover of fine whiskey. Best Job: Hubby & Dad

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Articles

Michigan is becoming a ‘litmus test’ for the left

5 days ago | politico.com | Adam Wren |Liz Crampton |Brakkton Booker

The Senate primary is becoming a closely-watched battle between progressives and moderates. Abdul El-Sayed addresses supporters during a rally, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018, in Detroit. | Carlos Osorio/AP A podcaster and former Wayne County official’s entrance into the U.S. Senate race with the backing of Bernie Sanders — the progressive champion’s first candidate endorsement of the year — has all but cemented Michigan as a frontline battleground state for the midterms.
Black mayors ‘very concerned’ about Trump tariffs

1 week ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker |Jesse Naranjo

Brakkton Booker is a National Political Correspondent with POLITICO based in Washington D.C. He writes on the intersection of race, politics, culture and power. He is also the author of The Recast newsletter he helped launch in 2021. Prior to joining POLITICO he spent more than 17 years at NPR, serving in various roles including a National Desk reporter.
Democrats see an opening on the economy after Trump's trade war wreaks havoc on global markets

1 week ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker |Andrew Howard

Democrats are targeting Donald Trump’s weakened standing on the economy — even after the president paused his far-reaching reciprocal tariff policy that reverberated across global markets.
Democrats see an opening on the economy after Trump's trade war wreaks havoc on global markets

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Brakkton Booker |Andrew Howard

NowNew York CNN — Global markets are reeling over President Donald Trump’s haphazard approach to tariffs and an escalating trade war with China. Stocks have been volatile, and an unsettling shift has emerged in the bond market. Earlier this week, as stock markets around the world declined, US Treasuries …
Cory Booker won the spotlight. Now what?

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker |Jesse Naranjo

What up, Recast fam! On today’s agenda:Sen. Cory Booker’s record-setting floor speech sparks speculation about his political futureBlack GOP candidates in Michigan and Virginia might make historyWhy Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary reprieve to the Trump administration on bringing back a man it illegally deported to El Salvador Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) speaks with reporters shortly after completing the longest Senate floor speech on record, April 1, 2025, at the Capitol.
John James launches bid for Michigan governor

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker

The Republican representative is entering what’s likely to be a crowded race in a key battleground. Rep. John James, R-MI., speaks during the Republican National Convention Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. | Paul Sancy,File/AP Republican Rep. John James on Monday launched a bid for Michigan governor, forgoing a re-election campaign to his House seat in a swing district.
Dan Osborn makes moves toward another Nebraska Senate run

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker |Jordain Carney

The independent proved a surprisingly strong challenger last year to Sen. Deb Fischer. Dan Osborn speaks during a news conference, May 15, 2024, at his Omaha, Nebraska, home. | Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via AP Dan Osborn, the independent Senate candidate who nearly toppled an incumbent Republican last year, is taking steps to prove his overperformance in deep-red Nebraska was no fluke.
Democrats trounced Trump with their Musk-focused playbook in Wisconsin

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Liz Crampton |Elena Schneider |Alice Ollstein |Brakkton Booker

Republicans, meanwhile, still haven’t cracked the code for how to turn out Trump voters without the president on the ballot. “Donald Trump does two things wonderfully: He gets people to turn out to vote for him and he gets liberals to turn out and vote against anyone he supports,” said Rohn W. Bishop, the Republican mayor of Waupun, Wisconsin and former chair of the Fond du Lac County GOP.
Dems gamble on Musk messaging with Wisconsin voters of color

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker |Jesse Naranjo

What up, Recast fam! On today’s agenda:Elections in Wisconsin will determine ideological control of the state’s high court — but Democrats fear voters of color may sit it out Major developments for the future of Georgia DemocratsTrump sends flights of alleged gang members to El Salvador while admitting at least one migrant “removal was an error” in court documents A woman places her ballot in a box during early voting on March 18, 2025, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Democrats quietly worry their Musk-focused message in Wisconsin isn't resonating with voters of color

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Brakkton Booker

That’s a sign, some Democrats worry, that the party hasn’t found a way to stop the erosion of support among its voters of color that cost them in battlegrounds across the country – including in Wisconsin last year.