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Bridge Grades

Coverage of and analysis using Bridge Grades - a report card on collaboration for Congress.

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Bridgers in the House face disproportionate headwinds in the midterms

Of the 52 House incumbents facing competitive midterms, 43 who earn high scores for collaboration on Bridge Grades are at-risk

Can Congressional ideologues really be top collaborators?

Why strong ideological ratings and high collaboration grades aren't as paradoxical as they seem.

Data is Beautiful: A new way to visualize Congress

Plotting lawmakers on an ideology v. collaboration matrix reveals dimensionality within each party

A spicy take on Rep. Thomas Massie getting primaried

Massie earned an F on Bridge Grades (10.3 / 100). He had his shot. It's someone else's turn next. That's how it works.

"Hey AI: Who should I vote for?"

What happens when even 5% of the voting public asks AI for voting advice?

Bridge Grades: May 2026 Rankings

Which Congressional legislators are moving up and which are moving down

Congress approval ratings dip to 10% - matching American favorability rating of North Korea

Americans are aligned in their disapproval of Congress. The Legislative Branch has become incapacitated by performative and ineffective partisan divisiveness.

Bridge Grades unveil April report cards for 119th Congress

Updated Bridge Grades reveal the top ranking collaborators in the House and Senate.

Updating Bridge Grades: Tuning in the Signal from the Noise

Refining the rubric for the 119th Congress. The fully transparent explanation of why and how are fine-tuning the dials.

Are the Texas primary results a sign that American voters are finally fed up with hyper-partisanship?

Sen. John Cornyn (Bridge Grade A | 87.0) over-performed and Rep. Jasmine Crockett (Bridge Grade F | 8.6) under-performed.

Cross-partisan "bridgers" on Capitol Hill are collaborating on Health Care Affordability -- even if it's not in the news

Who are they, though? 86% earn Bridge Grades of As and Bs and the overall group includes 16 Republicans and 23 Democrats.

...Because Ideology and Collaboration are Independent Variables

Data debunks the myth that ideologues are dividers and centrists are collaborators.

Press Release: Updated Bridge Grades for 119th Congress

Updated grades and scores based on aggregated 3rd party data compiled through December 6, 2025

A podcast conversation with Wilk Wilkinson of "Derate the Hate"/ Braver Angels

The "why" and the "how" of Bridge Grades. Something to listen to during your cardio, commute, or Thanksgiving prep.

Are the eight Senators who just re-opened the government bridgers or cavers?

Do Bridge Grades reward Congress members who cave?

Bridge Grades: A report card for Congress

Using impartial 3rd party data, we calculate an index that scores every member of Congress on how collaboratively or divisivey they govern. Like a polarization score.

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The gerrymandering prisoner's dilemma

Why citizens vote for more gerrymandering even when it's not in their long-term best interests.

Attention GOP: These are the Senators to help you re-open the government.

Senators with high Bridge Scores are the most likely to come to the table and craft a win-win solution

Bridging in the wild -- unlikely House allies collaborate to curb Congressional stock trading

A motley bipartisan crew of House Representatives merge similar bills into collaborative legislation

Analyzing districts considered "in play" in the 2026 midterm elections

44 "bridgers" will fight to keep their House seats, while just 15 "dividers" face competitive races.