Henry Olsen on Breaking Battlegrounds
When Breaking Battlegrounds needs someone to read the polls and the electoral map, it usually calls Henry Olsen. The Ethics and Public Policy Center senior fellow has appeared on the show more than any other elections analyst, covering midterms, Senate races, Trump’s standing with voters, and the populist movements reshaping politics in the United States and Europe.
This page brings together every Henry Olsen interview on Breaking Battlegrounds, including his 2026 midterm analysis.
Who Is Henry Olsen?
Henry Olsen is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he studies and comments on American politics. His work focuses on how populist challenges from both the left and the right are upending America’s political order, and on populism’s impact in other developed democracies.
He hosts the Beyond the Polls and Conservative Crossroads programs. He wrote an opinion column for The Washington Post from 2019 to 2023, and his books include The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism and The Four Faces of the Republican Party, co-authored with Dante Scala.
He has local ties: Olsen was the Thomas W. Smith Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Arizona State University for the Winter/Spring 2023 semester. He has also taught at Villanova University, the Catholic University of America, and the Hillsdale College D.C. Graduate Studies Program, and has held senior executive positions at the American Enterprise Institute, the Manhattan Institute, and the Commonwealth Foundation.
Henry Olsen's Appearances on Breaking Battlegrounds
Podcast 326: The 2026 Midterms and the Battle for Congress (October 2026)
With the 2026 midterm elections weeks away, Olsen analyzed the fight for control of Congress. He assessed Republicans’ chances of keeping the Senate, whether polls are underestimating conservative voters, and the key Senate races in Ohio, Texas, Maine, Michigan, and Minnesota.
He also looked overseas, discussing political shifts in Spain and France and the rise of Europe’s populist right, and explained what early returns on election night could reveal about a possible Republican upset. The episode also features Chuck Flint of the Alliance for IRS Accountability and Jon Riches of the Goldwater Institute.
Trump's Ukraine Strategy and What Europe Misunderstands (2025)
With guest host Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Olsen explained what European leaders misunderstand about Trump’s position on Ukraine and what his transactional approach to foreign policy really means.
→ Listen on Substack (link to the episode page instead if it’s on the website)
Henry Olsen on Trump's Polling Shifts (February 2025)
Early in Trump’s second term, Olsen analyzed the latest shifts in the president’s polling, the economic challenges he faced, whether DOGE could realistically cut $1 trillion through administrative action, and the growing pressure on Europe to take responsibility for its own defense. Washington Post columnist Jason Willick opened the episode with a discussion of the legal fights over Trump’s executive actions.
More Henry Olsen Episodes
What Henry Olsen Argues: Key Themes
- Populism is reshaping both parties. Olsen’s central idea is that working-class voters and populist movements are realigning American politics, a theme that runs from The Working Class Republican through his midterm analysis.
- Polls can miss conservative voters. He returns often to whether surveys accurately capture Republican and working-class turnout.
- Europe is part of the same story. From Spain and France to Sweden, Olsen treats Europe’s populist right as part of a broader democratic trend.
- Elections are won state by state. His midterm previews go race by race rather than relying on national averages.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Henry Olsen?
A senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center who studies American politics and populism, and a former Washington Post columnist.
What did Henry Olsen say about the 2026 midterms?
In Podcast 326, he analyzed Republicans’ chances of holding the Senate and the key races in Ohio, Texas, Maine, Michigan, and Minnesota.
What podcasts does Henry Olsen host?
Beyond the Polls and Conservative Crossroads.
Has Henry Olsen taught in Arizona?
Yes. He was the Thomas W. Smith Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Arizona State University in 2023.
