The Midterm What we check
We check names, dates, vote counts, poll results, ratings, fundraising, endorsements, and quotations against official records or the campaign's own materials. We check voting rules against the state election office. Unverified details are cut, not guessed.
The two-source rule
A contested claim needs two independent sources, at least one primary: an official record, filing, transcript, or direct statement. Two outlets repeating the same wire copy are not two sources. When a claim rests on one document, we say so and link to it; when we cannot reach a second source, we call it unconfirmed.
Official records first
We go to the source in this order: state and county election offices, the Federal Election Commission and campaign finance filings, Congress.gov, court dockets, and the candidate's own site or statements. For results, we follow the Associated Press and the state canvass. For rules, we use Vote.gov, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the state election office.
Polling standards
We name the pollster, sponsor, field dates, sample, method, and margin of error, and link to the published results. We do not compare numbers across pollsters, and we label internal campaign polls. We do not build an average unless we can explain the method and show the inputs. If no reliable public poll exists, we say so.
Race ratings
Ratings come from Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, Decision Desk HQ, and other named outlets. We give the rater and date every time. A rating is their judgment, not ours, and ratings are not interchangeable. We explain terms such as "toss-up" on first use.
Disputed claims
When a claim is disputed, we attribute it, add context from the record, and say what we could not confirm. If a campaign did not respond by publication, we say so. We use "charged," "accused," and "alleged" for unproven allegations and link to the court record.
Corrections
If a check finds an error in our own work, we correct it under our corrections policy. Our editorial policy explains these standards, and our contact page explains how to send a claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you fact-check every claim?
We check every factual claim we publish. Not every claim gets a separate fact-check page; the sourcing is in the article and its links.
What is the two-source rule?
A contested claim needs two independent sources, at least one primary document or direct statement.
Why name the pollster and dates?
A poll number means little without the pollster, field dates, sample, and method.
Are your race ratings your own?
No. We report ratings from Cook, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and other named outlets, with the date.
Sources
- AP News Values and Principles — accessed October 28, 2026.
- Pew Research Center: Methods — survey methodology reference. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- AAPOR Standards and Ethics — polling disclosure standards. Accessed October 28, 2026.