The Winston Group

The Winston Group is out with a new policy paper through AEI outlining a new direction for National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). We argue for two key changes to NAEP. aei.org/research-produ…

The 2024 Nation's Report Card found that 40% of fourth graders were considered below Basic in reading. But do voters believe this is the case? Data from our latest survey shows that, by an overwhelming margin, they do. winstongroup.net/2026/03/31/do-…

Republicans are getting a second chance to define their tax policy on their own terms, not just in the short term but for years to come. Will they get it right this time? winstongroup.net/2026/03/27/swe…

Republicans blame the ACA as the reason why today’s health care system is in dire straits, but they could heed the example of selling a legislative accomplishment over the long haul. winstongroup.net/2026/03/27/swe…

Read our full analysis: bettermedicarealliance.org/news/bipartisa…

4. By 2:1, voters want the proposal to be revised and increased to keep pace with rising costs.

3. Our research shows the proposed payment increase of 0.09% is viewed as inadequate, especially among seniors in Medicare Advantage who view the proposal as inadequate by 2:1.

In our new research for @BMAlliance, we explored voter reaction to the federal government’s upcoming decision about Medicare Advantage. Key findings:

2. Since the beginning of 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation tracking shows the costs of medical care have increased 3.6%. From this year’s January report to February, medical cost inflation has increased .4% in that one month timeframe — four times the payment increase of 0.09% that the federal government is proposing for the entire year in 2027.

1. Given the concerns about increasing health care costs, voters interpret the federal government’s proposed payment increase of 0.09% as flat funding, connecting flat funding to consequences like benefit cuts and higher costs to seniors.

In our new research for the Better Medicare Alliance, we explored voter reaction to the federal government’s upcoming decision about Medicare Advantage: Key findings: 1) Given the concerns about increasing health care costs, voters interpret the federal government’s proposed payment increase of 0.09% as flat funding, connecting flat funding to consequences like benefit cuts and higher costs to seniors. 2.) Since the beginning of 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation tracking shows the costs of medical care have increased 3.6%. From this year’s January report to February, medical cost inflation has increased .4% in that one month timeframe — four times the payment increase of 0.09% that the federal government is proposing for the entire year in 2027. 3) Our research shows the proposed payment increase of 0.09% is viewed as inadequate, especially among seniors in Medicare Advantage who view the proposal as inadequate by 2:1. 4.) By 2:1, voters want the proposal to be revised and increased to keep pace with rising costs. Read our analysis here @BMAlliance bettermedicarealliance.org/wp-content/upl…

Despite the clear challenges we face, education rarely, if ever, cracks into the top tier of issues that voters say are most important in their vote for Congress. If education is in such dire straits nationwide, where is the political will to solve it? winstongroup.net/2026/03/20/whe…

When Trump says he was handed an economic mess, the electorate agrees — but the administration’s progress simply hasn’t met people’s expectations. rollcall.com/2026/03/17/con…

Even before the mission in Iran began, the country’s economic picture had become more difficult to assess, writes @dhwinston in @rollcall. But here is what we know so far in three key areas:  rollcall.com/2026/03/17/con…

The foreign policy debate has become more complicated within the GOP, and it isn’t simply a matter of isolationism. winstongroup.net/2026/03/09/the…

The defining question about whether voters will support military action in Iran comes down to this: is this clearly in US security interests? For sustained support of military action in Iran, this is the case that the President must prove. winstongroup.net/2026/03/09/the…

If it goes well, it may improve Trump’s standing. But the electorate continues to have significant economic concerns over the cost of living — still the issue that will likely decide how they vote. rollcall.com/2026/03/04/tru…

The outcome of Epic Fury will be an important issue for the electorate this fall, writes @dhwinston. While the public wants a nuclear-free Iran, early polling shows Trump needs to convince a skeptical electorate that his Iran intervention is the right path.

Eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat is an objective that Republicans supported during Operation Midnight Hammer and most support now. But given Trump’s campaign promise to avoid endless wars, his MAGA supporters may want a better explanation for his decision.

The domestic political implications of Operation Epic Fury await its conclusion, writes @dhwinston for @rollcall.  rollcall.com/2026/03/04/tru…

Second, it had to deliver a positive, uplifting speech that might begin to turn around people's view of the economy and their approval or disapproval of the job the president is doing to address it and their other concerns. rollcall.com/2026/02/25/tru…

Trump’s SOTU speech needed to achieve two objectives. First, it had to give voters some context on the state of the economy and the policies his administration has put into place to fix it. rollcall.com/2026/02/25/tru…