On the House floor, any member can claim one minute at the microphone to talk about anything they want. We borrowed the clock. At the end of our 535 interviews, we ask our guests a round of rapid-fire questions: no staff, no notes, no talking points. Every Friday, we pull together the best answers.

Usually, the clock belongs to members of Congress. But with Election Day on Tuesday and most members out campaigning, this October we've been putting the questions to the people who know Washington from the inside.

This week:
- Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson on his Election Day ritual: a dark room and a bottle of scotch
- Sam Feist, CEO of C-SPAN, on the career advice that's kept him out of trouble, the superpower every Washingtonian wants and the one thing he'd change about Congress
- Katie Harbath, author of "Disrupting Politics," on the two words that work in this town, and her pick for coffee, lunch or happy hour
- FEC Commissioner Acting as Chair Shana M. Broussard on her superpower and the question that made her a commissioner: "Why not me?"

New One Minutes every Friday. Watch the full interviews at 535.news.

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If it's important to the 535, it's important to us.

It’s Thursday, October 29, five days until Election Day. On today’s 535, we look at how both parties are closing out the campaign, how AI is affecting election integrity, the fight for control of Congress and what’s happening on the trail in Maine.

Brad Dayspring, executive director of strategy and engagement at Purple Strategies and a former NRSC communications director, and Meredith Kelly, partner and co-owner of Declaration Media and a former DCCC communications director, discuss the closing ground games, where each party is putting its resources and the data driving both sides.

Katie Harbath, CEO of Anchor Change, advises policymakers, tech platforms and civil society groups on AI and election integrity. She discusses what to watch in the final days of the election.

Jonathan Tamari, senior Washington reporter for Bloomberg Government and co-author of the Daily Washington Edition newsletter, discusses the battle for control of Congress in the final stretch.

Nathaniel Reed, senior congressional correspondent for Scripps News, discusses his reporting from Maine and the congressional races he’s covering across the country.

If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news.

It’s Wednesday, October 28, and we're in the final week of campaigning before Election Day. Today from Capitol Hill, four conversations:

Sam Feist, CEO of C-SPAN, discusses C-SPAN’s role covering Congress and its mission of “Democracy Unfiltered.”

John Donnelly, senior writer at CQ Roll Call, discusses the Pentagon, defense policy and congressional oversight heading into the lame duck.

Jesse Ferguson, Democratic strategist, discusses closing messages and the ground game in the final week.

Natalie Fertig, author of the Out of State newsletter, discusses rural and working-class voters on the campaign trail.

If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news.

It’s Tuesday, October 27, one week until Election Day. On today’s 535, we look at where the key races stand and the money behind them.

Shana M. Broussard, Commissioner, Acting as Chair of the Federal Election Commission, discusses campaign finance enforcement and the billions of dollars being spent in the final stretch.

Kirk Bado of National Journal’s The Hotline and Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report break down the races that will decide the balance of power in Congress. They discuss bellwethers, recent ratings changes and what to watch on election night.

If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news.

Welcome to the first edition of The Previous Questions, a quick look back at the week on 535. Every week on the podcast, we pull the sharpest questions our reporters asked and the answers that stood out:

• Sen. Andy Kim (D–NJ) gives Paul Kane the elevator pitch for Medikids, guaranteed health care for every child from birth, and explains why his stock trading ban reaches the president, the cabinet and the Supreme Court.
• Matt Sparks, a former communications chief for Speaker Kevin McCarthy, says Republicans have “wins on the board.” Drew Hammill, a former deputy chief of staff to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, says the wave is “baked in the cake.”
• Rey Fuentes of the Roosevelt Institute tells Colby Itkowitz what happens to Social Security if Congress does nothing.
• Adam Jentleson, author of “Supermajority,” tells Susan Davis how many Senate seats Democrats should aim for.
• Robert Draper of The New York Times tells Paul Kane what members really think of the place they work.
• Lauren French of Senate Majority PAC tells Scott MacFarlane where Democrats are spending next, from Kansas to Mississippi.
• Sara Schreiber of the LCV Victory Fund tells Colby Itkowitz why utility bills could move swing voters.

If you liked this episode, rate and review 535 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. It helps more people find the show.

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Welcome to the first bonus edition of the 535 One Minutes.

On the House floor, any member can claim one minute at the microphone to talk about anything they want. We borrowed the clock. At the end of our 535 interviews, we ask our guests a round of rapid-fire questions: no staff, no notes, no talking points. Just sixty seconds with the people behind the policy. Every week, we pull together the best answers.

Usually, the clock belongs to members of Congress. But with Election Day less than two weeks away and most members out campaigning, this October we're putting the questions to the people who've run Congress from the inside: top aides, Senate veterans and the strategists working the final stretch.

This week:
- Sen. Andy Kim on the cat paw prints hidden in the Capitol, and the legend of the demon cat
- Drew Hammill and Matt Sparks, former top aides to Speakers Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy, finish the sentence "Washington is…"
- Scott Sloofman, former staff director of the Senate Republican Communications Center, makes the case for canceling the State of the Union
- Adam Jentleson author of "Supermajority" and former deputy chief of staff to Sen. Harry Reid, on what he learned from his old boss
- Lauren French of Senate Majority PAC on why bad bosses teach you the most
- Rey Fuentes of the Roosevelt Institute on D.C.'s best ritual

Watch the video and the full interviews at 535.news.

If you liked this episode, rate and review 535 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. It helps more people find the show.

If it's important to the 535, it's important to us.

Lauren French, communications director for Senate Majority PAC, explains why the group is expanding into Kansas and Mississippi, how it’s approaching Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and Michigan, and how it handles races with independent candidates.

Aaron Bos Lun, executive director of Men4Choice, says men need to get off the sidelines in the fight over reproductive rights. He discusses how the group organizes young men in nine states and what he sees as the stakes beyond reproductive rights.

Sara Schreiber of the League of Conservation Voters explains why the group is spending $2 million on ads in six House Republican races over a bill with tax breaks for data center developers. She discusses energy bills, the guardrails the group wants on data centers and why she says opposition to them grew so quickly.

Joe Keenan, former director of the Senate Daily Press Gallery, remembers Laura Lytle, who directed the gallery for more than a decade.

If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, discusses his MediKids plan for children’s health care, what he’s hearing from voters in battleground states and his push to ban stock trading and lobbying by lawmakers.

Robert Draper of The New York Times explains why lawmakers say Congress feels broken, how power is shifting between Congress and the White House and what the housing bill shows about getting things done.

Mark Keida of Narrative Strategies walks through the new 535-Narrative Strategies poll on what voters think about the issues shaping the election, including where they stand on AI and the economy.

Former Hill aides Hannah Muldavin and Scott Sloofman discuss what both parties are doing behind the scenes in the final stretch, including preparing for the lame-duck session, investigations, impeachment and a closely divided Senate.

If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news.