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Nonpartisan · Nebraska Legislature, district 45

Serving since Jan 6, 2021NE 2025–26 session

Portrait of Rita Sanders, rendered as a two-tone print
Official portrait
$1,500
in itemized contributions in the 2026 cycle, in the bottom 5% of Nonpartisan state legislators

The median for Nonpartisan state legislators is $10.9K. Ranks 45th of 46, where 1st raised the most. 1 itemized donors.

Itemized contributions reported to the state in the 2026 cycle, ranked among Nonpartisan state legislators. State filings leave small gifts out, and totals depend on whether the seat is up this cycle.

At a glance

4 measures against Nonpartisan state legislators. Sanders missed 12% of 1,770 roll calls, attendance in the bottom quarter of the Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) (average 95.5%). 53% of the 30 bills Sanders sponsored got out of committee, in the top quarter of the Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan).

The measures on which Sanders sits furthest from the middle of Nonpartisan state legislators, each against the same group, with the CSIP score when there is one. Every number is explained in its own section below.

Itemized, 2026

$1,500

Nonpartisan state legislators’ median $10.9K · ranks 45th of 46

Attendance

88%

Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) average 95.5% · ranks 44th of 49 · 1,770 roll calls

Out of committee

53%

Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) average 37% · ranks 6th of 47

From Nebraska, 2026

100%

Of itemized individual dollars · ranks 13th of 40 Nonpartisan state legislators

CSIP ideology

+0.24

Right of 0, the centre of the scale · ± 0.04

Statements

No statements in this window

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

Back to topNext: What politicians say

What Sanders says

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

Back to topNext: Ideology

Ideology

Sanders sits at +0.24 on the CSIP scale, right of 0. Approximate range +0.20 to +0.28, which understates the uncertainty; from 91 donors and 714 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”.

+0.24

CSIP ideal point

Approximate range +0.20 to +0.28. From 91 donors and 714 roll calls. Run 2026-10-25T215945. Blue is left of 0, red right of 0.

← More liberalMore conservative →0Sanders +0.2Nonpartisan state legislators +0.2Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) +0.2All Unicameral legislature 0.0

The outlined dot is Sanders, 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 Sanders’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 Sanders sits

Every official in each group, on the CSIP scale

−2.0−1.00.0+1.0+2.0← More liberalMore conservative →Nonpartisan state legislatorsmedian +0.2Sanders +0.2Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan)median +0.2All Unicameral legislaturemedian 0.0
Show the data
Sanders's CSIP score of +0.24 placed against Nonpartisan state legislators, Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan), All Unicameral legislature.
GroupOfficialsMedianShare left of Sanders
Nonpartisan state legislators49+0.261%
Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan)49+0.261%
All Unicameral legislature620.069%
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 Sanders 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 Sanders.

Back to topNext: Money

Money

Sanders reported $1,500 in the 2026 cycle, 14% of the Nonpartisan state legislators’ median of $10.9K. State filings report no small-donation total. 100% of itemized individual money came from Nebraska.

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.

Election cycle
$1,500

itemized in the 2026 cycle

From 1 itemized donors. Nonpartisan state legislators’ median $10.9K.

Where the money came from

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

Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)Individuals (itemized): $1,000 (66.7%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)PACs and other committees: $500 (33.3%)
  • Individuals (itemized)67 squares$1,000
  • PACs and other committees33 squares$500
Show the data
Sources of Sanders's money, 2026 cycle, one square per percent
SourceAmountShare
Individuals (itemized)$1,00066.7%
PACs and other committees$50033.3%
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, 2020 to 2026. The grey line is the Nonpartisan state legislators’ median for 2026.

2020 cycle: $142.8K$142.8K20202022 cycle: $19.4K$19.4K20222024 cycle: $141.8K$141.8K20242026 cycle: $1,500$1,5002026Nonpartisan state legislators median $10.9K
Show the data
Sanders's receipts by cycle against the 2026 Nonpartisan state legislators median.
ItemValue
2020 cycle$142.8K
2022 cycle$19.4K
2024 cycle$141.8K
2026 cycle$1,500

Top donor states, 2026

Itemized contributions by donor state. 100% came from Nebraska.

  1. Nebraska$1,000

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: no dataCONebraska: $1,000NEMissouri: 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: no dataNCSouth Carolina: no dataSCDistrict of Columbia: no dataDCOklahoma: no dataOKLouisiana: no dataLAMississippi: no dataMSAlabama: no dataALGeorgia: no dataGAHawaii: no dataHITexas: no dataTXFlorida: no dataFL
Show the data
Sanders's itemized individual contributions by donor state, 2026 cycle
StateValue
Nebraska$1,000
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
ColoradoNo 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
North CarolinaNo data
South CarolinaNo data
District of ColumbiaNo data
OklahomaNo data
LouisianaNo data
MississippiNo data
AlabamaNo data
GeorgiaNo data
HawaiiNo data
TexasNo data
FloridaNo data
1

itemized donors

People who gave more than $200

100%

from Nebraska

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 Nebraska. Gifts of $200 or less carry no address and are left out.

Top donor occupations

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

No occupations reported.

Top committees

PAC and committee contributions, 2026 cycle.

  1. ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS (ABC PAC)$500

Top employers

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

No employers reported.

Aggregates only. Individual donors are never named.

Back to topNext: Votes

Votes

Sanders missed 12% of 1,770 roll calls. Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) average attendance 95.5%.

1,770 roll calls Sanders could vote on in the NE 2025–26 session, compared with Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan). 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 Sanders voted with the majority of Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan). The count of votes against that majority covers every roll call where the majority took a side.

1,770

roll calls

No party, so no party-line measures. Attendance 88%, ranks 44th of 49.

Attendance and party unity

The thick bar is Sanders, the thin grey bar the Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) average. The scale runs from 80% to 100% to show the gap.

80%100%
Sanders
Peers
Rank
Attendance
88%
95.5%
44th of 49
Party unity
—
—
Show the data
Sanders's attendance and party unity against Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan).
RowSandersPeers
Attendance88%95.5%
Party unity——
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 NE 2025–26 session

Key votes
Party split (yea–nay)Why it’s key
Apr 17, 2026
LB 929
Provide for managed care organizations to pay the deductible, cost sharing, or similar charges on behalf of medicaid enrollees
Fredrickson MO586 failed
Nay—failO 22–26Others 22 yea, 26 nayclose vote
Apr 17, 2026
LB 1256
Redefine a term under the Emergency Management Act
Cavanaugh, J. MO585 failed
Nay—failO 23–22Others 23 yea, 22 nayclose vote
Apr 10, 2026
LB 820A
Appropriation Bill
Passed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 49-0-0
Yea—passO 49–0Others 49 yea, 0 naybecame law
Apr 10, 2026
LB 912A
Appropriation Bill
Passed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 48-1*-0
Yea—passO 48–1Others 48 yea, 1 naybecame law
Apr 10, 2026
LB 955
Provide for practice agreements between pharmacists and physician assistants
Passed on Final Reading 47-2*-0
Yea—passO 47–2Others 47 yea, 2 naybecame law
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 Sanders most often

  1. Rick HoldcroftO1,413 shared votes98%
  2. John ArchO1,286 shared votes98%
  3. Barry DeKayO1,249 shared votes98%
  4. Bob HallstromO1,306 shared votes98%
  5. Brad von GillernO1,279 shared votes98%

Votes least often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Sanders least often

  1. Terrell McKinneyO1,049 shared votes66%
  2. Megan HuntO921 shared votes66%
  3. Danielle ConradO1,103 shared votes67%
  4. Machaela CavanaughO953 shared votes68%
  5. Margo JuarezO1,255 shared votes73%
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

NE 2025–26 session, loads in batches

Back to topNext: Legislation

Legislation

Sanders sponsored 30 bills in the NE 2025–26 session; 11 became law. Cosponsored 11 others. 53% of sponsored bills got out of committee (Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) average 37%; 6th of 47).

The bills Sanders sponsored and cosponsored in the NE 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 NE 2025–26 session

Sponsored30 billsSponsored, Introduced: 3030Sponsored, In committee: 3030Sponsored, Passed one chamber: 1616Sponsored, Passed both chambers: 1616Sponsored, Became law: 1111Cosponsored11 billsCosponsored, Introduced: 1111Cosponsored, In committee: 1111Cosponsored, Passed one chamber: 77Cosponsored, Passed both chambers: 77Cosponsored, Became law: 77IntroducedIncommitteePassed onechamberPassed bothchambersBecamelaw
Show the data
Bills Sanders sponsored and cosponsored, by furthest stage reached
RoleIntroducedIn committeePassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law
Sponsored3030161611
Cosponsored1111777
How to read the blocks

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

53%

of sponsored bills got out of committee

Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan) average 37%. Ranks 6th of 47.

Cosponsorship partners

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

  1. Barry DeKay2
  2. Brian Hardin2
  3. Robert Dover2
  4. Danielle Conrad2
  5. Bob Andersen2
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 Sanders’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
LR 505Express and extend its sympathy and condolences to the family of Master Sergeant Noah Lee TietjensSponsorApr 8, 2026Passed both chambersUnassignedAdopted Apr 17, 2026
LB 1075AAppropriation BillSponsorMar 30, 2026Became lawEconomics and Public Finance(model)Presented to Governor on April 10, 2026 Apr 17, 2026
LR 483Express appreciation to Wilson Munsterman for sharing his insights and congratulate him on the success of his book, "Marked by Adoption".SponsorMar 25, 2026Passed both chambersUnassignedAdopted Apr 1, 2026
LR 385Interim study to examine any issues within the jurisdiction of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee of the Legislature that may arise in the interimSponsorMar 20, 2026In committeeGovernment Operations and Politics(model)Notice of hearing for November 05, 2026 Oct 15, 2026
LR 384Interim study to review the Licensing of Truth and Deception Examiners Act and any rules and regulations for truth and deception examiners in furtherance of the purposes of the Occupational Board Reform ActSponsorMar 20, 2026In committeeGovernment Operations and Politics(model)Notice of hearing for November 05, 2026 Oct 15, 2026

Back to topNext: Online

Online

A site that changed 1 time in 90 days. Sanders’s official site had 1 page when last crawled on Oct 1, 2026.

The lab crawls Sanders’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 Sanders posts with a vision model.

Websites

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.

Images Sanders posted

No images from Sanders’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

427 turns, Feb 10, 2021 to Apr 7, 2026

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 Sanders is most unusual among Nonpartisan state legislators, 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
de8d4e0a-36dd-4a84-96ee-e4b7bc4cf69d
Open States
ocd-person/de8d4e0a-36dd-4a84-96ee-e4b7bc4cf69d

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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