Kansas complicates the midterm map on Washington Week PBS
Jeffrey Goldberg's October 9 panel brings Carrie Dann, Adam Harris, Jonathan Karl and Annie Linskey into the discussion of control of Congress.
Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
Why the map of battleground states is shifting in surprising ways
The full episode drew most. Washington Week PBS's October 9 edition reached roughly 131,000 views, making it the most watched of six new uploads. Its central question was Democrats' chances of taking Congress, with Jeffrey Goldberg and the panel discussing election forecasts and President Donald Trump's unpopularity.
Kansas gives that national conversation a specific place to land. In "Why the map of battleground states is shifting in surprising ways," the panel considers the possibility that the reliably Republican state could elect a Democratic senator. The separate segment has drawn about 95,000 views, and it and the full episode are the channel's busiest videos right now.
Other uploads bring the discussion back to voters' everyday concerns. "Trump's policies put Republicans on the defensive" covers diesel, gas prices, data centers and corruption as election issues. An earlier segment features NPR's Steve Inskeep discussing personal reasons voters might be energized, including cuts to federal grants. Away from electoral arithmetic, Janay Kingsberry addresses the prospects for Trump's proposed arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
The channel gained subscribers over the week, although its current daily viewing is less than half its usual pace. Among nearby broadcasters, RNZ had a similar weekly audience, while The Root had a substantially busier week. For Washington Week, the fresh activity is concentrated in the October 9 panel and its changing battleground map.
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Where next?
The videos drawing views on Washington Week PBS right now
Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, Oct. 9, 2026131,386 views · 2026-10-10
Will Trump's push to tie GOP midterm fate to him backfire?57,618 views · 2026-10-05
Trump’s policies put Republicans on the defensive11,137 views · 2026-10-10
How likely is Trump's arch actually to be built?6,335 views · 2026-10-05
Why the midterms could bring a 'blue wave'5,858 views · 2026-10-05
- Channel
- Washington Week PBS
- Subscribers
- 243,000 ▲ 1,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 839,092
- Videos published this week
- 6
- Video published
- October 10, 2026
- Video views so far
- 95,221
- Views on its first day
- 80,086
The numbers
Here is Washington Week PBS's week in views and subscribers.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which state does the panel discuss as a surprising possible Democratic Senate pickup?
The battleground-map segment specifically considers whether Kansas could elect a Democratic senator.



