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Republican · South Carolina House, district 21

Serving since Jan 6, 2026SC 2025–26 session

Portrait of Dianne Mitchell, rendered as a two-tone print
Official portrait
96%
of State House Republicans score to the left of Mitchell on the CSIP scale

CSIP score +0.81 (approximate range +0.74 to +0.88, which understates the uncertainty); negative is left of the scale’s centre, positive right. From 71 donors and 163 roll calls.

CSIP places every official on one left–right scale estimated from roll-call votes, campaign donations and the text of statements; 0 is the centre of the scale, not a definition of moderate. The share says where Mitchell sits among State House Republicans, not how far from the centre.

At a glance

6 measures against State House Republicans. Mitchell voted against the majority of South Carolina House Republicans 117 times; party unity 89%, in the bottom quarter of the South Carolina House (average 93.8%). 95% of the 576 bills Mitchell sponsored got out of committee, in the bottom quarter of the South Carolina House.

The measures on which Mitchell sits furthest from the middle of State House Republicans, each against the same group, with the CSIP score when there is one. Every number is explained in its own section below.

CSIP ideology

+0.81

More conservative than 96% of State House Republicans · ± 0.07

Party unity

89%

South Carolina House average 93.8% · ranks 107th of 124 · 117 votes against the majority of South Carolina House Republicans

Out of committee

95%

South Carolina House average 96% · ranks 100th of 124

Attendance

93.5%

South Carolina House average 88% · ranks 42nd of 124 · 764 roll calls

Itemized, 2026

$60.3K

State House Republicans’ median $33.7K · ranks 840th of 2,521

From South Carolina, 2026

99%

Of itemized individual dollars · ranks 930th of 2,335 State House Republicans

Peer group: State House Republicans. Rank 1 is the highest value in the group; the thick bar is Mitchell, the thin grey bar the peer average. The headline is the measure on which Mitchell is most unusual among peers (Methods, §08).

Back to topNext: What politicians say

What Mitchell says

No statements for the SC 2025–26 session.No classified statements (posts, press releases, newsletters, floor speeches) in this time window.

Back to topNext: Policy

Policy

No policy statements for the SC 2025–26 session.No classified statements (posts, press releases, newsletters, floor speeches) in this time window.

Back to topNext: Ideology

Ideology

Mitchell sits at +0.81 on the CSIP scale, right of 0, more conservative than 96% of State House Republicans. Approximate range +0.74 to +0.88, which understates the uncertainty; from 71 donors and 163 roll calls.

CSIP, the lab’s Common-Space Ideal Point, places every official, federal and state, on one left–right scale, estimated from roll-call votes, who gives money to whom, and the text of statements. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it; 0 is the centre of the scale, not a definition of “moderate”.

+0.81

CSIP ideal point

Approximate range +0.74 to +0.88. From 71 donors and 163 roll calls. Run 2026-10-25T215945. Blue is left of 0, red right of 0.

← More liberalMore conservative →0Mitchell +0.8State House Republicans +0.4South Carolina House +0.3All State House +0.1

The outlined dot is Mitchell, coloured by its side of 0 (blue left, red right, deeper further out); the bar through it is the approximate range (±1.96 standard errors), which understates the uncertainty; the grey ticks below are the medians of Mitchell’s groups. 0 is the centre of the scale, not “moderate” by definition.

What this means, and what it doesn’t

The score summarises how an official votes, who funds them and how they talk, relative to everyone else. It does not grade positions as good or bad, and two officials with the same score can differ on any single issue. The ± range is 1.96 standard errors, which understates the uncertainty: scores whose ranges overlap may not differ at all, and even scores whose ranges do not overlap may not differ.

Where Mitchell sits

Every official in each group, on the CSIP scale

−2.0−1.00.0+1.0+2.0← More liberalMore conservative →State House Republicansmedian +0.4Mitchell +0.8South Carolina Housemedian +0.3All State Housemedian +0.1
Show the data
Mitchell's CSIP score of +0.81 placed against State House Republicans, South Carolina House, All State House.
GroupOfficialsMedianShare left of Mitchell
State House Republicans2917+0.496%
South Carolina House124+0.388%
All State House5324+0.198%
How to read the strips

Every small dot is one official on the same scale, coloured by its own score (blue left of 0, red right of 0, grey at 0, deeper further out) and spread up and down only to keep dots apart; where a group is crowded the dots overlap, and darker patches mean more officials. The large outlined dot is Mitchell in every row; the rule is each group’s median. The table under the figure gives the share of each group to the left of Mitchell.

Back to topNext: Money

Money

Mitchell reported $60.3K in the 2026 cycle, 1.8 times the State House Republicans’ median of $33.7K. State filings report no small-donation total. 99% of itemized individual money came from South Carolina.

Campaign money from state campaign-finance filings, as aggregates only; the lab never shows an individual donor. Campaigns must report by name every person who gives them more than $200 in a cycle (“itemized”); smaller gifts are reported only as one total (“unitemized”), so donor counts, donor states, employers and occupations describe itemized donors only. State filings report no small-gift total, so these figures add up itemized contributions only.

$60.3K

itemized in the 2026 cycle

From 75 itemized donors. State House Republicans’ median $33.7K.

Where the money came from

Each square is one percent of itemized contributions in the 2026 cycle.

Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)Individuals (itemized): $55.1K (91.3%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)PACs and other committees: $5,250 (8.7%)
  • Individuals (itemized)91 squares$55.1K
  • PACs and other committees9 squares$5,250
Show the data
Sources of Mitchell's money, 2026 cycle, one square per percent
SourceAmountShare
Individuals (itemized)$55.1K91.3%
PACs and other committees$5,2508.7%
What this means, and what it doesn’t

Totals say how much a campaign took in, not how it was spent, and they rise sharply when a seat is up for election; compare cycles with that in mind.

Receipts by cycle

Itemized contributions, 2026 to 2026. The grey line is the State House Republicans’ median for 2026.

2026 cycle: $60.3K$60.3K2026State House Republicans median $33.7K
Show the data
Mitchell's receipts by cycle against the 2026 State House Republicans median.
ItemValue
2026 cycle$60.3K

Top donor states, 2026

Itemized contributions by donor state. 99% came from South Carolina.

  1. South Carolina$54.5K
  2. North Carolina$350
  3. Colorado$250

Small donations

State filings report no total for small gifts.

Not reported in state filings.

Where itemized donors live

Individuals who gave more than $200, by donor state

Alaska: no dataAKMaine: no dataMEVermont: no dataVTNew Hampshire: no dataNHWashington: no dataWAIdaho: no dataIDMontana: no dataMTNorth Dakota: no dataNDMinnesota: no dataMNIllinois: no dataILWisconsin: no dataWIMichigan: no dataMINew York: no dataNYRhode Island: no dataRIMassachusetts: no dataMAOregon: no dataORNevada: no dataNVWyoming: no dataWYSouth Dakota: no dataSDIowa: no dataIAIndiana: no dataINOhio: no dataOHPennsylvania: no dataPANew Jersey: no dataNJConnecticut: no dataCTCalifornia: no dataCAUtah: no dataUTColorado: $250CONebraska: no dataNEMissouri: no dataMOKentucky: no dataKYWest Virginia: no dataWVVirginia: no dataVAMaryland: no dataMDDelaware: no dataDEArizona: no dataAZNew Mexico: no dataNMKansas: no dataKSArkansas: no dataARTennessee: no dataTNNorth Carolina: $350NCSouth Carolina: $54.5KSCDistrict of Columbia: no dataDCOklahoma: no dataOKLouisiana: no dataLAMississippi: no dataMSAlabama: no dataALGeorgia: no dataGAHawaii: no dataHITexas: no dataTXFlorida: no dataFL
Show the data
Mitchell's itemized individual contributions by donor state, 2026 cycle
StateValue
South Carolina$54.5K
North Carolina$350
Colorado$250
AlaskaNo data
MaineNo data
VermontNo data
New HampshireNo data
WashingtonNo data
IdahoNo data
MontanaNo data
North DakotaNo data
MinnesotaNo data
IllinoisNo data
WisconsinNo data
MichiganNo data
New YorkNo data
Rhode IslandNo data
MassachusettsNo data
OregonNo data
NevadaNo data
WyomingNo data
South DakotaNo data
IowaNo data
IndianaNo data
OhioNo data
PennsylvaniaNo data
New JerseyNo data
ConnecticutNo data
CaliforniaNo data
UtahNo data
NebraskaNo data
MissouriNo data
KentuckyNo data
West VirginiaNo data
VirginiaNo data
MarylandNo data
DelawareNo data
ArizonaNo data
New MexicoNo data
KansasNo data
ArkansasNo data
TennesseeNo data
District of ColumbiaNo data
OklahomaNo data
LouisianaNo data
MississippiNo data
AlabamaNo data
GeorgiaNo data
HawaiiNo data
TexasNo data
FloridaNo data
75

itemized donors

People who gave more than $200

99%

from South Carolina

Of itemized individual dollars

How to read the map

Every state the same size. Darker states gave more itemized money; hatched states had no itemized donors; the outlined state is South Carolina. Gifts of $200 or less carry no address and are left out.

Top donor occupations

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

  1. RETIRED$18.7K 30 donors
  2. PHYSICIAN$6,050 12 donors
  3. EXECUTIVE$5,700 8 donors
  4. BUSINESS OWNER$3,750 4 donors
  5. CONSULTANT$2,029 4 donors

Top committees

PAC and committee contributions, 2026 cycle.

  1. TRUCKPAC$2,000
  2. FREEDOM FIRST PAC$1,000
  3. RALPH NORMAN FOR CONGRESS$1,000
  4. TRUCKING INDUSTRY NON-PARTISAN PAC$1,000
  5. AT&T SC PAC$250

Top employers

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

No employers reported.

Aggregates only. Individual donors are never named.

Back to topNext: Votes

Votes

Mitchell voted with the majority of South Carolina House Republicans on 89% of party-line votes and missed 6.4% of 764 roll calls. South Carolina House on average: 93.8% party unity, 88% attendance. Across all roll calls, Mitchell voted against the majority of South Carolina House Republicans 117 times.

764 roll calls Mitchell could vote on in the SC 2025–26 session, compared with South Carolina House. Attendance is the share with a vote recorded. Party unity counts only party-line roll calls, where most Democrats and most Republicans voted on opposite sides, and is the share of those where Mitchell voted with the majority of South Carolina House Republicans. The count of votes against that majority covers every roll call where the majority took a side.

117

votes against the majority of South Carolina House Republicans

Party unity 89%, South Carolina House average 93.8%, ranks 107th of 124. 764 roll calls in the SC 2025–26 session.

Attendance and party unity

The thick bar is Mitchell, the thin grey bar the South Carolina House average. The scale runs from 80% to 100% to show the gap.

80%100%
Mitchell
Peers
Rank
Attendance
93.5%
88%
42nd of 124
Party unity
89%
93.8%
107th of 124
Show the data
Mitchell's attendance and party unity against South Carolina House.
RowMitchellPeers
Attendance93.5%88%
Party unity89%93.8%
What this means, and what it doesn’t

A missed roll call has many causes, from illness to campaigning, so attendance says how often, not why. A vote against the majority can be on procedure as well as substance, and many fall on roll calls where both parties split; the key votes below show the ones that decided something.

Key votes

25 roll calls the lab flagged as key in the SC 2025–26 session

Key votes
Party split (yea–nay)Why it’s key
Aug 25, 2026
H 3305
Supplemental Appropriations
Concur in Senate Amendments
NayAgainst majoritypassD 32–0 · R 64–15Democrats 32 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 64 yea, 15 naybecame law · party crossover
Aug 25, 2026
H 3305
Supplemental Appropriations
Table Motion to Waive Rule 4.8
YeaAgainst majorityfailD 0–32 · R 15–64Democrats 0 yea, 32 nay; Republicans 15 yea, 64 naybecame law · party crossover
Aug 25, 2026
H 3305
Supplemental Appropriations
Table Amendment 1A
NayAgainst majoritypassD 32–0 · R 63–17Democrats 32 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 63 yea, 17 naybecame law · party crossover
Aug 25, 2026
H 3305
Supplemental Appropriations
Table Amendment 2A
NayAgainst majoritypassD 27–3 · R 51–18Democrats 27 yea, 3 nay; Republicans 51 yea, 18 naybecame law · party crossover
Aug 25, 2026
H 3305
Supplemental Appropriations
Waive Rule 4.8
NayAgainst majoritypassD 32–0 · R 63–15Democrats 32 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 63 yea, 15 naybecame law · party crossover
How key votes are chosen

Automatically: a final-passage or override vote where the measure became law, the margin was under 10%, at least 10% of either party voted against its majority, or the bill was among the 25 most mentioned in officials’ own statements. Up to 25 per window, most recent first; five are shown. Bars show yea on the left, nay on the right, per party.

Votes most often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Mitchell most often

  1. Jackie TerribileR695 shared votes98%
  2. Mike BurnsR619 shared votes96%
  3. Ryan McCabeR587 shared votes96%
  4. Jordan PaceR626 shared votes96%
  5. Chris HuffR685 shared votes96%

Votes least often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Mitchell least often

  1. Leon HowardD263 shared votes46%
  2. Terry AlexanderD359 shared votes53%
  3. J.A. MooreD456 shared votes54%
  4. Wendell JonesD590 shared votes57%
  5. Lonnie HoseyD626 shared votes58%
How to read the agreement lists

The share of roll calls both members voted on where they voted the same way, among colleagues sharing at least 50 such votes. High agreement with members of the other party is common on routine votes.

Full voting record

SC 2025–26 session, loads in batches

Back to topNext: Legislation

Legislation

Mitchell sponsored 576 bills in the SC 2025–26 session; 3 became law. Cosponsored 0 others. 95% of sponsored bills got out of committee (South Carolina House average 96%; 100th of 124).

The bills Mitchell sponsored and cosponsored in the SC 2025–26 session, from the official bill records, and how far each got: introduced, referred to or acted on in committee, passed one chamber, passed both, became law. A bill counts at every stage it has reached, so the blocks only shrink to the right.

Bills by stage

Counts for the SC 2025–26 session

Sponsored576 billsSponsored, Introduced: 576576Sponsored, In committee: 576576Sponsored, Passed one chamber: 548548Sponsored, Passed both chambers: 3939Sponsored, Became law: 33Cosponsored0 billsCosponsored, Introduced: 00Cosponsored, In committee: 00Cosponsored, Passed one chamber: 00Cosponsored, Passed both chambers: 00Cosponsored, Became law: 00IntroducedIncommitteePassed onechamberPassed bothchambersBecamelaw
Show the data
Bills Mitchell sponsored and cosponsored, by furthest stage reached
RoleIntroducedIn committeePassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law
Sponsored576576548393
Cosponsored00000
How to read the blocks

Ink blocks are bills Mitchell sponsored, ochre blocks bills Mitchell cosponsored; the figure above each block is the count. Most bills in any legislature never leave committee, so a short staircase is the norm.

95%

of sponsored bills got out of committee

South Carolina House average 96%. Ranks 100th of 124.

Cosponsorship partners

Colleagues who most often cosponsor with Mitchell, by number of shared bills in the SC 2025–26 session; the square shows their party.

  1. Mike Burns16
  2. Sarita Edgerton15
  3. Thomas Beach14
  4. Jackie Terribile14
  5. Jay Kilmartin14
What this means, and what it doesn’t

The score is the share of sponsored bills that a committee reported out or a chamber passed, with at least 5 sponsored bills, ranked within the peer group. Members of the majority party and committee chairs move more bills, so the rank reflects position in the chamber as well as effort. Cosponsorship partners are the five colleagues who share the most of Mitchell’s bills; the toggle shows more.

Bill list

Sponsored and cosponsored, with status and policy area; five are shown, the toggle shows the rest

Bills sponsored and cosponsored
H 5810UNESCO Middle Passage MarkerSponsorAug 25, 2026Passed one chamberUnassignedIntroduced and adopted Aug 25, 2026
H 5806Pastor Sammie D. Simmons Day in SCSponsorAug 25, 2026Passed one chamberUnassignedIntroduced and adopted Aug 25, 2026
H 5800Friendship United Methodist Church 160th AnniversarySponsorAug 25, 2026Passed one chamberUnassignedIntroduced and adopted Aug 25, 2026
H 5807Alica James obituary and memorial serviceSponsorAug 25, 2026Passed one chamberUnassignedIntroduced and adopted Aug 25, 2026
H 5795Katherine Liles, sympathySponsorAug 25, 2026Passed one chamberUnassignedIntroduced and adopted Aug 25, 2026

Back to topNext: Online

Online

The lab crawls Mitchell’s official and campaign websites (weekly for Congress, monthly for the states) and keeps every page’s text, so changes can be read later; it also records social accounts and describes the images Mitchell posts with a vision model.

Websites

No websites are tracked for this official.

How to read the counts

“Pages crawled” is the size of the site at the last crawl; “changes in 90 days” counts pages whose text differed from the previous crawl. Sites change for many routine reasons, such as new press releases, so a high count is not by itself notable.

Social accounts

No social accounts on file.

Images Mitchell posted

No images from Mitchell’s posts have been described.

About the descriptions

Written by a vision model and may be wrong. Open the post to see the original. Five are shown; the toggle shows the rest.

State floor speeches

No transcribed state floor speeches are matched to this legislator yet.

Floor speeches

Transcribed from chamber video or captions by the lab. They are not classified for kinds of statement.

Back to topNext: Methods and sources

Methods and sources

How this page was made. Profile built Oct 28, 2026; site last built Oct 28, 2026. Every number on the page is computed from the sources listed here, by the same rules for every official; nothing is written by hand.

The headline

The headline is the measure on which Mitchell is most unusual among State House Republicans, chosen by one rule for every official of every party. The candidates are the rate of each kind of statement and of extreme labels, party unity, attendance, the small-donor share, the in-state share and total receipts of the latest cycle, the share of sponsored bills that got out of committee, talk-to-bills agreement, and the CSIP score’s place within the party group.

The builder ranks every measure within the same peer group the page compares it with, and writes each official’s percentile: the share of the group below the value, ties counting half, so 0.5 is the median and a value shared by many never ranks first. A measure’s score is how far that percentile sits from the median (0 in the middle, 0.5 at either end), and the highest score leads if it is above 0.25, outside the middle half of the group. Scores within 0.03 of each other are a tie, broken in this order: votes against the party majority, kinds of statement, ideology, roll calls missed, small donations, in-state money, legislation, agreement, extreme labels, receipts.

A measure counts only with at least 200 statements, 100 roll calls or 5 sponsored bills behind it and a peer group of at least 10. Two things never lead: high party unity or attendance, where most members sit, and a high rate of a kind of statement backed by fewer than 10 statements. When nothing qualifies, the headline is a neutral fact instead: statements classified, or years in office. The wording always names the direction (“in the bottom 5% of …”, “votes against the majority of …”).

Identifiers

Profile id
65b53c25-26eb-4478-9ddc-b46e29c20543
Open States
ocd-person/65b53c25-26eb-4478-9ddc-b46e29c20543

Bulk files with the same data for every official:

Freshness of this profile’s data

  • What politicians sayOct 27, 20261 days agoMembers of Congress: tweets since 2017; press releases, newsletters and floor speeches since 2022. State legislators: tweets since May 2024. Governors: tweets since January 2025. Labels from an LLM classifier.
  • Roll calls (state)Oct 21, 20267 days agoOpen States floor roll calls, 2019 on (none for AK and MO).
  • Bills (state)Oct 28, 2026todayOpen States bills and sponsors, 2019 on; stages from roll calls.
  • Campaign money (state)no dateState campaign-finance agencies, 2019 on; aggregates only.
  • Ideology (CSIP)Oct 25, 20263 days agoCommon-Space Ideal Points (CSIP), current validated run.
  • WebsitesOct 25, 20263 days agoWeekly crawls of federal sites since April 2026; monthly state crawls since June 2026.
  • State floor speechesOct 21, 20267 days agoState floor speech turns (published transcripts and captions), 2020 on; not LLM-classified.

How the measures work

What politicians say
Every post, press release, newsletter and congressional floor speech is read by a language model and marked for personal attacks, policy criticism, policy discussion, bipartisanship and credit claiming. A statement can be in several. Rates are shares of statements in the window. The methods paper.
Extreme labels
A statement has an extreme label when it calls a politician, party or policy “far left”, “far right”, “MAGA”, “extreme”, “radical”, “woke”, “fascist” or “communist”. The target is who the label is aimed at.
Policy areas and agreement
Statements and bills share 25 Congressional Research Service policy areas (state bills are assigned by a language model). Agreement is 1 − Jensen–Shannon distance between the two distributions, shown with at least 20 policy statements and 5 bills.
Ideology (CSIP)
Common-Space Ideal Points place federal and state officials on one left–right scale, estimated jointly from roll calls, campaign contributions and the text of statements, with standard errors. Only a validated run is shown. The methods paper.
Campaign money
Campaigns report by name only donors who give more than $200 in a cycle; smaller gifts are reported as one total. Federal totals and the small-donor share come from the FEC’s financial summaries of each campaign committee. Donor counts, donor states, employers and occupations cover itemized donors only. State filings report no small-gift totals, so state figures are itemized only. The lab never publishes donor names.
Votes and key votes
Attendance, party unity and the count of votes against the majority of an official’s own party come from roll calls (Voteview for Congress, chamber records for the states). Key votes are final-passage or override votes that became law, were decided by under 10%, saw at least 10% of a party vote against its majority, or concerned one of the 25 bills most mentioned in officials’ statements.
Peers and ranks
Comparisons are with the same party, chamber and level (for example House Democrats); state legislators are compared within their state and chamber for votes. Every comparison names its group. Rank 1 is the highest value in the group; tied values share the average of their ranks, and the percentile is the share of the group below the value, ties counting half.

America’s Political Pulse · Polarization Research Lab

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