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Ben Williams (@ElectionBen) profile picture

Ben Williams

@ElectionBen

Senior Policy Counsel @FairVote. Tweets are my own

fairvote.org
Joined June 2009
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  • Following648
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Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)Photo by Ben Williams (@ElectionBen)
Ben Williams retweeted
Nick Troiano (@NickTroiano) profile picture
Nick Troiano
@NickTroianoOct 30
"If any system can absorb a ballot with two Dan Sullivans, it is the one Alaskans chose...Name confusion, spoiler candidates, and vote-splitting among similar candidates are the problems the system was designed to solve." ~ @GregOrman realclearpolitics.com/articl…
DOJ Just Made the Case for Ranked-Choice Voting | RealClearPolitics

DOJ Just Made the Case for Ranked-Choice Voting | RealClearPolitics

Alaska’s U.S. Senate race was already one of the closest in the country. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is fighting for a third term against former Rep. Mary...

realclearpolitics.com
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Nevada is a first past the post state, so anyone confused by this “Decoy Ford” play truly has had their vote wasted. But the two Dan Sullivans in Alaska? Ranked choice voting saved the day. Any confused voter can rank both Dan Sullivans. Their vote for Sen. Sullivan will count.
Organizermemes (@OrganizerMemes) profile pictureOrganizermemes
@OrganizerMemesOct 30
Massive midterm con in the super-close Nevada gov race — GOP is propping up third-party spoiler candidate Danielle Ford to siphon votes from surging Dem candidate, @AaronDFordNV. They’re falsely implying she’s endorsed by AOC in mailers and Snapchat ads. thenevadaindependent.com/art…
PAC boosting third-party NV governor candidate as 'AOC of Nevada' has GOP ties - The Nevada...

PAC boosting third-party NV governor candidate as 'AOC of Nevada' has GOP ties - The Nevada...

The mailer may be an attempt to pull voters away from the Democratic candidate in the race with the same last name.

thenevadaindependent.com
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Ben Williams retweeted
Scott Kendall (@scooterkendall) profile picture
Scott Kendall
@scooterkendallOct 29
These shady tactics are everywhere, not just Alaska. They are a cancer on our democracy. The good news here is that in Alaska we have Ranked-Choice Voting, which actually minimizes the impact of these schemes. #akleg nytimes.com/2026/10/29/us/po…
Third-Party Spoilers, Long Fueled by Both Parties, Could Matter This Year (Gift Article)

Third-Party Spoilers, Long Fueled by Both Parties, Could Matter This Year (Gift Article)

The other Dan Sullivan in Alaska has drawn the most attention, but both parties are quietly trying to use little-known candidates in other battlegrounds to siphon votes, too.

nytimes.com
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Nicholas Stephanopoulos (@ProfNickStephan) profile pictureNicholas Stephanopoulos@ProfNickStephanOct 28
Replying to @ProfNickStephan
In a state without IRV, on the other hand, a voter voting for the wrong Dan Sullivan would actually waste her vote. So thank goodness for Alaska's quirky system!
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I clearly missed this entire news story, but…does any voter actually care about Phi Beta Kappa membership?
Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) profile picturePolitics & Poll Tracker 📡
@PollTracker2024Oct 21
#MinnesotaSenate Minnesota Star Tribune: Phi Beta Kappa says Peggy Flanagan was an honor society member The Democrat running for U.S. Senate said in a 2016 Minnesota House committee hearing she was a member, which was called into question Wednesday. startribune.com/peggy-flanag…
Phi Beta Kappa says Peggy Flanagan was an honor society member

Phi Beta Kappa says Peggy Flanagan was an honor society member

Flanagan, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, had her Phi Beta Kappa credentials questioned in a published report. But the academic society said that she in fact did graduate with those honors.

startribune.com
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Ben Williams retweeted
Kody Wilson (@kodythewxguy) profile picture
Kody Wilson
@kodythewxguyOct 17
On cold nights, I turn off the thermostat and play a game called “how low can you go?” LOL 62° in my house. Perfect sleeping weather. Bury myself in a hoody. Watch football all day. Life is good 😎 K bye
Image from Kody Wilson (@kodythewxguy)
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The most interesting thing about Alaska is that its political geography is the inverse of most of America: rural areas are blue, with red areas concentrated in Anchorage suburbs + Mat-Su. That Dem geographic advantage + left-trending suburbs is driving Alaska's changing politics.
The Washington Sun (@washingtonsun) profile pictureThe Washington Sun
@washingtonsunOct 16
There’s an overlooked factor boosting Mary Peltola ahead of November’s election. washingtonsun.com/campaigns/…
Alaska Is Becoming a Swing State

Alaska Is Becoming a Swing State

This year’s tight races are part of a decades-long trend. “I believe it is turning purple. I can feel it,” Mark Begich told The Sun.

washingtonsun.com
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Big day for people who think the world was better before human rights were codified
TMZ (@TMZ) profile pictureTMZ
@TMZOct 8
Fort Hood shooter's firing squad execution will stream live for public viewing. Exclusive details: tmz.com/2026/10/08/pete-hegs…
Image from TMZ (@TMZ)
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Ben Williams retweeted
Sean T at RCP (@SeanTrende) profile picture
Sean T at RCP
@SeanTrendeOct 8
This is horrible and if you watch this you are a sick person.
The Associated Press (@AP) profile pictureThe Associated Press
@APOct 8
BREAKING: The Pentagon says it will livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. apnews.com/article/fort-hood…
Pentagon says the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be livestreamed

Pentagon says the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be livestreamed

The Pentagon says the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be livestreamed after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution would be “public.”

apnews.com
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Ben Williams retweeted
Dionisa 2.0 (@frommontenegro) profile picture
Dionisa 2.0@frommontenegroOct 5
Image from Dionisa 2.0 (@frommontenegro)
BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) profile pictureBRICS News
@BRICSinfoOct 5
JUST IN: 🇷🇺 Russian officials say "situation under control" following lab leak.
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This is logically correct, but (a) the party probably can’t bring itself to abandon Texas, much as Dems couldn’t abandon California or New York were the tables turned; and (b) Texas-based donors might close their checkbooks nationwide if the party cuts Paxton loose.
Lakshya Jain (@lxeagle17) profile pictureLakshya Jain
@lxeagle17Oct 4
Replying to @realPrestonHill
FWIW if I was the GOP, I would just cut Texas and start focusing on Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Maine, Alaska, Michigan, and Minnesota. They're demographically friendlier and Texas is as expensive as all of them combined, with no evident ROI on Paxton's slim airtime edge.
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So glad Will Stein had the guts to go for two in the first overtime. The right call that most coaches (frustratingly) avoid
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The conventional wisdom benchmark in Vermont is Scott + 10, for what it’s worth. This seems roughly in line with a slight underperformance by the Governor.
Chaz Nuttycombe (@ChazNuttycombe) profile pictureChaz Nuttycombe
@ChazNuttycombeOct 2
Replying to @ChazNuttycombe
Scott up now by 6.4%, now at 48%. This is looking more like a Lean R race than a Toss-Up, but again we're missing 18-29s pretty much for the raw sample, also some non-college voters. We'll be getting a few hundred more people tomorrow in our survey to balance out our raw sample.
Image from Chaz Nuttycombe (@ChazNuttycombe)
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Even if the polls are off to some degree (which I suspect they are), this is a very bearish signal for Republicans. Trump should only need to shore up GOP support in Nebraska in a big blue wave environment.
Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) profile picturePatrick Svitek
@PatrickSvitekSep 29
Trump will headline a midterm rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday, the RNC announces
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In no particular order, I think you have to choose from A, F, E, J, or O. Strong case also for C or G, but never seeing the ocean again would be rough. K is beautiful but the sunless winters would be hard. H, I, M, N aren’t geographically diverse enough. L is desert.
Josh Barzon (@JoshuaBarzon) profile pictureJosh Barzon
@JoshuaBarzonSep 24
You have to stay in one box for the rest of your life. Which one are you picking?
Image from Josh Barzon (@JoshuaBarzon)
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The three parties if the US had a multiparty system
Hudson (@HudsonIsOnline) profile pictureHudson@HudsonIsOnlineSep 24
Alright Jennifer
Image from Hudson (@HudsonIsOnline)
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Runoffs might cost the Georgia GOP a third statewide seat in less than 10 years
DDHQ Data (@DDHQdata) profile pictureDDHQ Data
@DDHQdataSep 23
Replying to @DDHQdata
YouGov 09/15 – 09/18 3,414 RV Georgia Governor General Ballot Test 🔴 Rick Jackson -- 45.0% 🔵 Keisha Lance Bottoms -- 44.0% d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.ne… --- VIEW OUR POLLING AVERAGES HERE: votes.decisiondeskhq.com
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So western Mass bar day is a top 5 all time Twitter day, right?
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My wife watching my come from behind win in fantasy football
wok (@wokdior) profile picturewok
@wokdiorSep 21
Taylor Swift Showing Off the Ring After the Travis Kelce TD
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Ben Williams retweeted
Sean T at RCP (@SeanTrende) profile picture
Sean T at RCP
@SeanTrendeSep 14
Seems like as good of a time as any to remind people that "Heritage American" is a bullshit, made-up term and that a person made a citizen yesterday is every bit as much of a citizen and an American as I am, or my wife's family (which stretches back at least into the 1600s).
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