Post by Issue One

Two stories unfolded this month that tell you everything about where American democracy stands. In Indiana, a group of Republican legislators refused to go along with a Trump-backed mid-decade gerrymander. The pressure was enormous. The political consequences were clear. They voted no anyway. Then five of the seven lost their primaries. When asked if he had any regrets, state Sen. Jim Buck said simply: "My district told me overwhelmingly to vote no, and that's what I did." A thousand miles away, Colorado Governor Jared Polis spent months resisting Trump's demands to release Tina Peters—a former election official convicted of breaching secure election equipment to advance 2020 conspiracy theories. Trump called him a "scumbag" and a "sleazebag." His administration threatened to defund Colorado’s federal funding, disaster relief, and research programs. Last week, Polis caved—announcing Peters would be released. Two cases of intimidation. Two very different choices. One lesson. The Indiana legislators who lost their seats this month leave with something most politicians never earn: the knowledge that when it mattered, they chose right over easy. To read the full story, check out the 🔗 in comments.