The four horsemen of Republicans’ midterm apocalypse There was a blue tsunami in the midterms. Peer inside it and you see a few powerful forces: Artificial intelligence. MAHA. Trade. Israel.

In our new issue, reporters went deep on how these became four of the biggest policy disputes that defined 2026. These issues divided voters between and within political parties, spurred the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars and scrambled campaigns all over the country from Iowa to Michigan to New York.

Grab your pumpkin latte infused with collagen and topped off with raw milk — yes, that’s a real drink mentioned in our MAHA story — and read on. Tessa Berenson Rogers Editor of POLITICO Magazine Read on for the magazine’s post-midterms cover package.

The Year AI Was on the Ballot: Big Tech tried to buy the AI debate. Instead, it galvanized the opposition — and handed Democrats a 2028 issue. By Calder McHugh and Alec Hernandez The Year MAHA Was on the Ballot: The MAHA coalition embraced the GOP. It’s not so sure now. By Catherine Kim, Cheyenne Haslett, Amanda Chu and Marcia Brown The Year Trade Was on the Ballot: In Trump’s trade war with Canada, Republican lawmakers paid the price.

By Liz Crampton, Zi-Ann Lum and Daniel Desrochers The Year Israel Was on the Ballot: AIPAC wanted to shape the debate. Now it is the debate. By Kathy Gilsinan Texas Is ‘Absolutely’ on the Presidential Map: In an interview, the Texas senator-elect James Talarico urges Democrats to compete in his state in 2028. By Adam Wren Democrats Seized the Capital of GOP Lawfare: The president of the Democratic Attorneys General Association lays out the ripple effects of their big election night in Texas.

By Joseph J. Schatz Trump’s Whole Theory of Power Is in Ruins: More than any American president, Trump has used fear as a central tool of policymaking. He doesn’t look so fearsome now. By Alexander Burns Republicans’ 2028 Presidential Map Just Blew Up: The Democratic wave reached deep into Republican territory, reshaping the map and raising new questions about the GOP’s path to the White House. By Jonathan Martin The Midterms Delivered a Warning to the Democrats, Too: The party needs to settle on a game plan, particularly now that it has unexpectedly captured both the House and Senate, raising people’s expectations.

By Victoria Guida What Trump Forgot Before the Wave Crashed Down: The forces Trump unleashed are now working against him. By John F. Harris Why South Carolina Is Sending a Democrat to the Senate: In a preelection interview, Annie Andrews made clear that a Senate victory was in her grasp.

By Jonathan Martin To Save Australia’s Economy, Albanese Must Share the AI Gains and Budget Pains: Another interest rate hike and a renewed search for savings puts Australia’s prime minister in a bind. By Paul Karp From the drafting table of editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker.