The 2026 Midterms with The Cook Political Report

Join the Institute of Politics for a special discussion with Erin Covey and Jessica Taylor of The Cook Political Report, two of the nation’s leading analysts of congressional and gubernatorial races. With the 2026 midterm elections on the horizon, Covey and Taylor will offer their expert insights on the current political landscape, key races to watch, and the dynamics shaping control of Congress and governorships across the country. The conversation will be moderated by IOP Fellow Brock Lowrance, former Senior Advisor at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

In keeping with our long tradition at the IOP to ensure honest and candid discussions of politics, this conversation is off-the-record.

About Erin Covey

Erin leads The Cook Political Report's coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives. Erin comes to CPR from Inside Elections where she analyzed and handicapped House, Senate, and gubernatorial races. She has also worked at National Journal, where she reported on campaigns and national politics as a writer and editor of Hotline’s Wake-Up Call and Hotline’s Latest Edition, and worked as a news assistant for NPR’s Morning Edition and Weekend Edition.

Erin has appeared on CBS, NPR, C-SPAN and Bloomberg Television, and her analysis has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and local news outlets across the country. She is a contributing author for the 2024 Almanac of American Politics and was a co-host of the Inside Elections Podcast.

Erin is originally from San Antonio, Texas, though she grew up around the world as a member of a military family. She graduated from Liberty University, where she studied journalism and English and was a news editor at the school paper.

About Jessica Taylor

Jessica Taylor is the Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Before joining the CPR, Taylor was a political reporter for National Public Radio for five years, where she covered elections and breaking news, ranging from the White House to both chambers of Congress and statewide elections. She is the first female senior author for The Almanac of American Politics in the book's 50 year history, a role she held for both the 2022 and 2024 editions.

Jessica has previously served as a senior analyst/reporter for The Rothenberg Political Report (now Inside Elections). Her analysis is frequently referenced by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and numerous other publications. She has reported on politics for several prestigious outlets over the past decade — including the NBC News Political Unit, National Journal, Politico and The Hill, where she served as campaign editor. She has appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, C-SPAN and CNN. Her expert analysis contributed to real-time election night coverage and analysis at CBS in 2012 and for C-SPAN in 2020 and 2022.

An East Tennessee native, she graduated magna cum laude in 2007 with a B.A. in political science from Furman University in South Carolina, where she serves on the Alumni Board.

About Brock Lowrance

Brock Lowrance is the former Senior Advisor and Independent Expenditure Director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). In 2024, Brock helped lead the effort to flip the Senate back to Republican control and was the strategist to the NRSC’s $100M paid media and advertising efforts.

Brock is an experienced media strategist, award-winning ad writer and producer, and political consultant. Brock has produced advertising for candidates, Super PACs, ballot initiatives, and public affairs efforts across the country. Brock has worked at the highest levels of national and state political party committees, served as Western Regional Political Director in George W. Bush’s White House, and has managed campaigns for Governor, U.S. House, and Senate.

Brock is a trusted political advisor and strategist to numerous elected officials, and a founding partner at S2R Public Affairs, a full-service public affairs and political consulting firm. A proud Montanan and graduate of the University of Montana, Brock resides in Alexandria, VA.