February 8, 2026

I spent part of last week meeting with the entire 22-person Democracy Docket team. Reporters, social media, video, newsletter and business staff from Washington, D.C., and New York City gathered in Jersey City to discuss what we got right in 2025 and how we can better serve our pro-democracy audience in the year ahead.

Much of our time was spent discussing how to fill the growing gaps in democracy news coverage, exploring different platforms to meet readers where they are, and planning a roadmap for the 2026 midterm elections. We also reflected on the history of Democracy Docket and how it has evolved over the past five years to provide its expanding audience with the pro-democracy news, information and analysis it needs.

We had just laid out a plan to grow Democracy Docket’s headcount by nearly a third in 2026 when news broke that the owner of the Washington Post had fired roughly the same proportion of its staff. We soon learned that more than 300 journalists were affected.

The tragedy of that day was not limited to those who lost their jobs. Someone once told me that Washington, D.C., is a company town and that the Post is its newspaper. In a single day, people living in and around the nation’s capital lost most of their local news coverage and all of their sports reporting.

It is true that the Post’s dominance in the city has been declining for years. In the 1990s, Roll Call challenged its coverage of Congress. Later, The Hill, Hotline and various political tip sheets chipped away at its market share. Ultimately, however, it was the rise of Politico that eroded much of the Post’s natural advantage by redefining political coverage for a new generation of readers.

When Jeff Bezos bought the Post in 2013, it appeared that its problems had been solved. A billionaire owner seemed willing to uphold the institution’s traditions and invest in its future. In 2017, the Post adopted the slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” and for much of the first Trump term, it felt as though Bezos was committed to keeping democracy’s lights on.

Then, in the run-up to the 2024 election, that changed. The Post’s leadership made a series of editorial decisions that alienated subscribers — and, with them, its primary source of revenue.

The Post was not alone. Many legacy media outlets betrayed the trust of their readers and viewers. 

They also failed to recognize a fundamental shift: News consumers wanted deeper coverage of the few topics they cared most about, and they were willing to pay more for it than for broad, superficial reporting that tried to cover everything.

I noticed that trend in my own life. As early as 2019, I found myself seeking out individual authoritative voices rather than news brands. By 2020, I was convinced there was an underserved community that wanted deeper, smarter and more fearless coverage of what was happening to voting and elections in the courts.

In March of that year, I launched Democracy Docket. Six years later, it has exceeded my wildest predictions. With more than 400,000 subscribers, Democracy Docket publishes daily and weekly newsletters, operates a news website, and runs a growing YouTube channel. While many legacy outlets have struggled, Democracy Docket has experienced rapid growth.

Although its scope has expanded to democracy more broadly, its mission remains unchanged. Democracy Docket is obsessed with serving its audience. With no corporate backers or side businesses, its readers and viewers are the beating heart of the organization.

Democracy isn’t just in the name — it’s in the DNA. It is the uncompromising mission that drives every decision.

And Democracy Docket isn’t cutting back. It’s growing — and hiring. To take it to the next level, we need talented voices willing to stand up and report on the challenges facing free and fair elections. We need bold reporters ready to take on this fight head-on, and creative thinkers determined to use their skills to defend democracy.

If you’re a laid-off Washington Post employee who is passionate about voting rights analysis and pro-democracy coverage, we have a home for you at Democracy Docket. We have several openings and will soon be adding more. If you’re eager to jump into the fight, fill out this form to join our talent pool.

It has been heartbreaking to watch the Washington Post shrink at such a critical moment in our history. But independent media outlets like Democracy Docket will not let democracy die in darkness. We are here, and we are ready to fight. And with you by our side — our members, our readers, and other talented journalists — I believe we will win.