The Frontier

Nate Cohn argues that the progressive left's narrow victories and losses in swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin show they are now competitive statewide. This represents a significant shift from their previous isolation in young, highly educated urban areas.

In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic Senate nomination by a slim margin despite being heavily outspent by establishment-backed candidate Haley Stevens. Stevens ran on her record with the Detroit auto bailout but faced opposition due to her strong support for Israel.

In Wisconsin, establishment-backed candidate David Crowley narrowly defeated Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong for the gubernatorial nomination. Hong lost her lead following controversies over social media posts criticizing Thanksgiving and Halloween.

Nate Cohn notes that young voters overwhelmingly drive support for progressives, winning 60 to 80 percent of their vote. For example, Abdul El-Sayed won 95 percent of the vote in certain Ann Arbor college precincts.

Moderate establishment candidates perform exceptionally well among high-income voters. Nate Cohn points out that in neighborhoods where residents earn $150,000 or more, moderate candidates frequently defeat progressive rivals by a two-to-one margin.

Establishment candidates historically outperform progressives among Black voters, who generally vote Democratic regardless of ideology. Nate Cohn explains this is driven by moderate Black primary voters and low turnout among younger, more progressive Black voters.

The progressive coalition has shifted significantly since Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential run. While Sanders won white working-class rural areas with economic populism, today's progressives lose those regions but gain suburban, college-educated liberals disillusioned with the Democratic establishment.

Today's progressive candidates focus heavily on non-economic issues like the war in Gaza, which Nate Cohn argues dilutes their economic populist appeal. This rhetorical shift prevents them from recapturing the working-class voters who backed Bernie Sanders in 2016.

Nate Cohn predicts a progressive candidate could win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. To counter this threat, mainstream Democrats like Gavin Newsom are already co-opting progressive economic messaging to prevent a hostile takeover of the party.

The Trump administration plans to spend millions of dollars to equip immigration officers with electric stun gloves manufactured by Compliant Technologies. The Department of Homeland Security defended the gloves as de-escalation devices despite their ability to deliver shocks on contact.

Donald Trump used a catering cart hydraulic lift to secretly board a third decoy plane in Turkey. The maneuver aimed to shield Trump from a credible threat posed by Iranian proxies.

After landing in the United Kingdom, the decoy operation delayed Donald Trump's public deplaning by 40 minutes. Ground crews secretly moved him back onto the older Air Force One via a side entrance before he disembarked.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and advisor Stephen Miller traveled on the decoy plane. While Rubio knew of the security threat, several other White House staffers on board were left in the dark.

The administration issued subpoenas to journalists who exposed safety flaws in the Qatari-donated Boeing jet. Maggie Haberman notes that the administration's aggressive secrecy and press hostility ultimately erode their credibility during genuine security crises.

President Bill Clinton successfully used an unmarked decoy plane during a 2000 trip from India to Pakistan. Unlike the current administration, Clinton's staff briefed reporter Susan Page beforehand to coordinate safety and preserve operational trust.

Donald Trump frequently criticized the older Air Force One Boeing jets, which first entered service in 1990. Despite his complaints, security officials used one of the older jets as a decoy during the Turkey trip.

A devastating earthquake in Colombia killed at least 181 people and injured more than 1,300 others. Emergency workers continue searching the rubble of 153 collapsed buildings.

Eric Schmidt reports that the United States has burned through roughly 1,500 Patriot interceptors since February 28, leaving only about 1,700 in its global arsenal. This rapid depletion represents nearly half of the starting US stockpile.

US military doctrine dictates firing two defensive interceptors for every incoming missile to ensure a successful intercept. This math heavily favors adversaries like Iran, who can easily deplete US stockpiles using cheap, mass-produced offensive weapons.

Eric Schmidt reveals that General Dan Kane warned Donald Trump about low missile levels before the war. This ongoing shortage later forced Donald Trump to scale back a major planned escalation of bombing attacks against Iran.

Iran adapted to US strikes by decentralizing its command structure, empowering regional commanders, and deploying maneuverable ballistic warheads. They also execute mixed-weapon swarms of drones and cruise missiles to intentionally overwhelm defensive radar.

A July 16 attack on a base in Jordan exposed these defense gaps when an Iranian missile killed three American soldiers and wounded over 100 others. The strike targeting newly arrived troops undermined regional ally confidence.

Producing a single Patriot interceptor takes two years due to highly specialized supply chains. While Lockheed Martin agreed in principle to triple production from 600 to 2,000 annually by 2030, defense contractors refuse to front the required capital.

Congress has stalled on the Pentagon's record $1.5 trillion budget request. Lawmakers are hesitant to fund expanded munitions production, viewing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as a failing war effort.

To sustain the Middle East conflict, the Pentagon has diverted munitions from military commands in Asia and Europe. Eric Schmidt reports that this maneuver leaves those regions more vulnerable to potential aggression from China and Russia.

Donald Trump ordered a leak investigation after press reports exposed the missile shortages. He berated Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Steve Feinberg at Camp David for misleading him about the true state of US stockpiles.

Donald Trump issued an executive order recommending children be immunized against 11 diseases instead of the 17 recommended by the CDC. Donald Trump justified the reduction by repeating debunked claims linking childhood vaccines to autism.

Early-onset cancer diagnoses among adults under 50 have risen systematically since 1990. Health reporter Nina Agrawal notes that depending on the cancer type, annual cases are increasing by 1% to 6%.

The rise in young adult cancer is not merely a byproduct of increased medical screening. Agrawal points out that adults under 50 are not routinely screened, and mortality rates are rising for colon and uterine cancers.

Younger cancer survivors face unique financial and social disruptions compared to older populations. Survivors navigate career halts, bankruptcy, fertility preservation pressures, and severe relational isolation during prime root-laying years.