Nate Rathjen
@rathjen.us
a singer and an old bourbon drinker
📍Del Ray, Alexandria, Va.
📍Del Ray, Alexandria, Va.
in which my friend — an unassuming, mid-30s white mom — is accosted by an Arlington cop for the heinous and dastardly crime of…being in Bluemont Park for a run half an hour before sunrise
@arlingtonvapd.bsky.social this is completely unacceptable behavior from one of your officers.
@arlingtonvapd.bsky.social this is completely unacceptable behavior from one of your officers.
February 1, 2026 at 3:45 PM
in which my friend — an unassuming, mid-30s white mom — is accosted by an Arlington cop for the heinous and dastardly crime of…being in Bluemont Park for a run half an hour before sunrise
@arlingtonvapd.bsky.social this is completely unacceptable behavior from one of your officers.
@arlingtonvapd.bsky.social this is completely unacceptable behavior from one of your officers.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Bingo by @djsoke.bsky.social, this is the killer combo to look/hope for this fall: "huge Latino swings, Dem turnout edge," "another layer of R malaise and D enthusiasm" bluevirginia.us/2026/02/its-...
February 1, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Bingo by @djsoke.bsky.social, this is the killer combo to look/hope for this fall: "huge Latino swings, Dem turnout edge," "another layer of R malaise and D enthusiasm" bluevirginia.us/2026/02/its-...
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Livid at every single person who knew about this post and didn’t tell me
February 1, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Livid at every single person who knew about this post and didn’t tell me
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Do y'all know how f*cking hilarious it would be if their gerrymandering backfires so bad that Dems take the TX legislature and governorship??
A few broader thoughts:
1) This election happened, period.
2) It happened in Texas, no less.
3) It happened even though Trump himself took an intense interest in winning it.
If Trump could cancel elections or ordain their outcomes, then why didn't he do that tonight?
1) This election happened, period.
2) It happened in Texas, no less.
3) It happened even though Trump himself took an intense interest in winning it.
If Trump could cancel elections or ordain their outcomes, then why didn't he do that tonight?
BREAKING: Texas Democrat Taylor Rehmet just won a *massive* landslide to flip a deep-red Senate district. He's up by 14 points in a Trump+17 seat—an overperformance of more than 30 points.
How did he do it? Here's our full writeup:
How did he do it? Here's our full writeup:
February 1, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Do y'all know how f*cking hilarious it would be if their gerrymandering backfires so bad that Dems take the TX legislature and governorship??
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Two things can be true: we’re a competitive authoritarian state with all sorts of efforts to put a thumb on the scale of who has power AND we have sufficiently free and sufficiently fair elections that every month we see the party in power lose.
JUST IN: Democrats flip a red seat in the Texas Senate.
Taylor Rehmet wins against Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist who helped lead right-wing efforts to take over TX school boards.
With all early vote, and 95% of precincts, in, Dem up 57/43.
Trump won this seat by 17% in Tarrant County.
Taylor Rehmet wins against Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist who helped lead right-wing efforts to take over TX school boards.
With all early vote, and 95% of precincts, in, Dem up 57/43.
Trump won this seat by 17% in Tarrant County.
February 1, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Two things can be true: we’re a competitive authoritarian state with all sorts of efforts to put a thumb on the scale of who has power AND we have sufficiently free and sufficiently fair elections that every month we see the party in power lose.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
JUST IN: Democrats flip a red seat in the Texas Senate.
Taylor Rehmet wins against Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist who helped lead right-wing efforts to take over TX school boards.
With all early vote, and 95% of precincts, in, Dem up 57/43.
Trump won this seat by 17% in Tarrant County.
Taylor Rehmet wins against Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist who helped lead right-wing efforts to take over TX school boards.
With all early vote, and 95% of precincts, in, Dem up 57/43.
Trump won this seat by 17% in Tarrant County.
February 1, 2026 at 5:05 AM
JUST IN: Democrats flip a red seat in the Texas Senate.
Taylor Rehmet wins against Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist who helped lead right-wing efforts to take over TX school boards.
With all early vote, and 95% of precincts, in, Dem up 57/43.
Trump won this seat by 17% in Tarrant County.
Taylor Rehmet wins against Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist who helped lead right-wing efforts to take over TX school boards.
With all early vote, and 95% of precincts, in, Dem up 57/43.
Trump won this seat by 17% in Tarrant County.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Blue wave watch: Democrat flips Trump +17 Texas Senate seat in 32-point swing
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/blue-wave-...
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/blue-wave-...
February 1, 2026 at 6:16 AM
Blue wave watch: Democrat flips Trump +17 Texas Senate seat in 32-point swing
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/blue-wave-...
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/blue-wave-...
Arthur says happy Saturday!
February 1, 2026 at 1:31 AM
Arthur says happy Saturday!
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
We are very much in upset territory in the Texas #SD09 (Trump+17) special election. Early vote just dropped:
Taylor Rehmet (D)- 56.2%
Leigh Wambsganss (R)- 43.8%
Given that the early vote usually makes up a good chunk of the final vote, I think the Dems will win this one.
Taylor Rehmet (D)- 56.2%
Leigh Wambsganss (R)- 43.8%
Given that the early vote usually makes up a good chunk of the final vote, I think the Dems will win this one.
February 1, 2026 at 1:23 AM
We are very much in upset territory in the Texas #SD09 (Trump+17) special election. Early vote just dropped:
Taylor Rehmet (D)- 56.2%
Leigh Wambsganss (R)- 43.8%
Given that the early vote usually makes up a good chunk of the final vote, I think the Dems will win this one.
Taylor Rehmet (D)- 56.2%
Leigh Wambsganss (R)- 43.8%
Given that the early vote usually makes up a good chunk of the final vote, I think the Dems will win this one.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Sourdssss! ⚔️⚔️⚔️ Caps win!
February 1, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Sourdssss! ⚔️⚔️⚔️ Caps win!
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Bloomberg Law reporting is about as staid and boring as it gets (complimentary). This is basically the equivalent of the A.P. calling for a coup.
Lawyers can't reach clients in ICE detention. I've heard it anecdotally, but scale of issue is horrifying.
Bloomberg Law is a legal trade pub so many may miss this. Screenshot from their CA newsletter summarizes "bleak" situation for justice and rule of law.
news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/l...
Bloomberg Law is a legal trade pub so many may miss this. Screenshot from their CA newsletter summarizes "bleak" situation for justice and rule of law.
news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/l...
January 31, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Bloomberg Law reporting is about as staid and boring as it gets (complimentary). This is basically the equivalent of the A.P. calling for a coup.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
You can test new tech ideas using the Seinfeld Test
Would the product eliminate the plot of an episode? (Google maps, cell phones, paypal, battery packs)
Good tech.
Would the product inspire new Seinfeld plots? (NFTs, AI chatbots, crypto currency, blindboxes, metaverse land sales)
Bad tech.
Would the product eliminate the plot of an episode? (Google maps, cell phones, paypal, battery packs)
Good tech.
Would the product inspire new Seinfeld plots? (NFTs, AI chatbots, crypto currency, blindboxes, metaverse land sales)
Bad tech.
January 31, 2026 at 6:57 AM
You can test new tech ideas using the Seinfeld Test
Would the product eliminate the plot of an episode? (Google maps, cell phones, paypal, battery packs)
Good tech.
Would the product inspire new Seinfeld plots? (NFTs, AI chatbots, crypto currency, blindboxes, metaverse land sales)
Bad tech.
Would the product eliminate the plot of an episode? (Google maps, cell phones, paypal, battery packs)
Good tech.
Would the product inspire new Seinfeld plots? (NFTs, AI chatbots, crypto currency, blindboxes, metaverse land sales)
Bad tech.
holy shit
Carbque Last Night in Dupont Circle – “got stuck in the snow and floored it until the engine exploded” - Wait, what? Oh yo this is nuts: www.popville.com/2026/01/carb...
Carbque Last Night in Dupont Circle – “got stuck in the snow and floored it until the engine exploded” - PoPville
Thanks to Daniel for sending from last night (and the aftermath this morning): "Car got stuck in the snow and floored it until the engine exploded. Alley between q and Corcoran and 16th and 17th." Lot...
www.popville.com
January 31, 2026 at 6:20 PM
holy shit
ban knees
i hate acl season
January 31, 2026 at 6:16 PM
ban knees
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
“bari weiss’s wife in the epstein files” is simply too perfect
If I have the right Nellie Bowles, the partner in question is Bari Weiss
January 31, 2026 at 4:12 PM
“bari weiss’s wife in the epstein files” is simply too perfect
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
To be fair, World's Economy Held Hostage by Child Sex Trafficking Ring is much less important than Plan to Save Elephants Turns Deadly.
January 31, 2026 at 6:04 PM
To be fair, World's Economy Held Hostage by Child Sex Trafficking Ring is much less important than Plan to Save Elephants Turns Deadly.
this is the snow pile at Randolph and Vernon — it is taller than I am
throw whoever did this in jail I am serious
throw whoever did this in jail I am serious
January 31, 2026 at 5:46 PM
this is the snow pile at Randolph and Vernon — it is taller than I am
throw whoever did this in jail I am serious
throw whoever did this in jail I am serious
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Me, a middle aged professional: better proof read for tone and content before I click send.
The people running the entire world: lol cu n fl 4 crimes
The people running the entire world: lol cu n fl 4 crimes
January 31, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Me, a middle aged professional: better proof read for tone and content before I click send.
The people running the entire world: lol cu n fl 4 crimes
The people running the entire world: lol cu n fl 4 crimes
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Oh wow, not the guy who deliberately tries to look like a Nazi.
January 31, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Oh wow, not the guy who deliberately tries to look like a Nazi.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
Good Lord: Mark Kelly isn't even up for re-election until 2028 and he raised $12.5 million this last quarter after Pete Hegseth targeted him.
January 31, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Good Lord: Mark Kelly isn't even up for re-election until 2028 and he raised $12.5 million this last quarter after Pete Hegseth targeted him.
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
This establishment didn’t have booster seats for barstools so he was forced to stand. 🥲
Greg Bovino spotted in Las Vegas, laughing and drinking—just a week after Alex Pretti was murdered in Minneapolis by his agents.
Absolutely infuriating.
📷: Las Vegas Sun
Absolutely infuriating.
📷: Las Vegas Sun
January 31, 2026 at 5:15 PM
This establishment didn’t have booster seats for barstools so he was forced to stand. 🥲
Reposted by Nate Rathjen
the democrats have everything they need to destroy the largest funder of the opposition right now today if they want to, if not legally then in the public square
January 31, 2026 at 3:37 PM
the democrats have everything they need to destroy the largest funder of the opposition right now today if they want to, if not legally then in the public square
oh man @annierau.bsky.social (the @depthsofwikipedia.bsky.social girl) makes an excellent Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me panelist!
January 31, 2026 at 5:04 PM
oh man @annierau.bsky.social (the @depthsofwikipedia.bsky.social girl) makes an excellent Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me panelist!
why in the ever loving shit are we wasting time clearing parking on side streets
::Breathes deeply::
Last night 3! precious bobcats moved giant piles of snow from parking spots in the middle of the block to the corner, where they now create a brand new impassable snow mountain where a perfectly passable sidewalk once stood.
This is not prioritizing pedestrians or schools. 😡
Last night 3! precious bobcats moved giant piles of snow from parking spots in the middle of the block to the corner, where they now create a brand new impassable snow mountain where a perfectly passable sidewalk once stood.
This is not prioritizing pedestrians or schools. 😡
January 31, 2026 at 3:26 PM
why in the ever loving shit are we wasting time clearing parking on side streets