Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Dave Wasserman on All Things Elections Analysis & Redistricting

March 29, 2022 Zac McCrary
Pro Politics with Zac McCrary
Dave Wasserman on All Things Elections Analysis & Redistricting
Show Notes

Dave Wasserman, a Senior Editor at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, is universally regarded as one of the foremost election analysts on the planet - especially when it comes to US House races. In this conversation, Dave talks his early obession with all things politics, how he turned that into a job at the Cook Report, his approach to political analysis, the story behind his twitter catchphrase "I've seen enough", and his take on both the 2022 redistricting developments & overall House playing field. 

IN THIS EPISODE…

Dave’s early love of maps…

How a cable system glitch leads Dave to find politics…

Dave’s unusual gift request for his 13th Birthday…

The one race that drew Dave into congressional politics…

The story behind a teenage Dave’s appearance as a pundit on a local public affairs show…

Dave talks his important intersection with UVA Professor Larry Sabato…

The $10 bet Dave won from Larry Sabato…

The college analysis Dave wrote that led to his role with the Cook Report…

Dave talks the approach he brings to elections analysis…

What goes into creating Dave’s election night models…

Dave on the races he’s proud he got right, plus some that surprised him…

Dave talks trends he’s observed in House races during his time as a race-rater…

Dave takes us behind the scenes of the NBC Election Night Decision Desk…

The origin of Dave’s catchphrase to call elections…

Dave breaks down the average work week for a race-rating analyst…

Dave talks his longtime fascination with the redistricting process…

Dave gives his thoughts on the 2022 redistricting process…

Dave provides an update on recent legal ground that’s been broken around redistricting…

Dave’s overall read on the '22 House playing field…

Dave talks signs the Trump hold on the House GOP caucus may be weakening…

Dave’s advice to the next generation of race-raters…

AND 2,568 districts, George Allen, Mrs. Barkley, Ben Bernanke, Mary Bono Mack, Lauren Boebert, Bridgegate, Scott Brown, bruised egos, C-Span, Eric Cantor, Joe Cao, Don Cazayoux, Julia Carson, James Carville, Travis Childers, Emanuel Cleaver, Martha Coakley, Miles Coleman, compulsive list making, Jim Cooper, cranberry bread, creative ethics, Joe Crowley, Ted Cruz, Henry Cuellar, Rodney Davis, Pete Dawkins, Peter DeFazio, dummymanders, Election Twitter, Marc Elias, false suspense, food science, Louie Gohmert, Governing Magazine, Josh Harder, Andy Harris, Rush Holt, Bill Jefferson, John Katko, Dan Kildee, Steve Kornacki, Frank Lautenberg, Elaine Luria, Morgan Lutrell, Sean Patrick Maloney, map recipients, Terry McAuliffe, Kevin McCarthy, Bob McDonnell, David McKinley, Peter Meijer, Mary Miller, minimum split districting, Alex Mooney, Nathaniel Moran, Joe Morelle, oddly engrossing debates, Mike Pappas, Nancy Pelosi, PoliticsNJ.com, Premier League Soccer, QVC, Raul Ruiz, Stu Rothenberg, Rutgers, Bernard Shaw, Chris Shays, Siskel & Ebert, Elissa Slotkin, Abigail Spanberger, the Squad, Starbucks, Kenneth Starr, useful stereotypes, Paul Tonko, Lauren Underwood, the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, Fred Upton, violin lessons, Wal Mart, Amy Walter, Jim Webb, West River South Dakota, David Wildstein, Judy Woodruff, John Yarmuth, Glen Youngkin, …& more!