Derek Willis
@dwillis.bsky.social
I teach data journalism at the University of Maryland, run OpenElections. Fan of WBB & test cricket. Posting obscure things about campaign finance, Congress & elections.
https://github.com/dwillis
https://thescoop.org
https://github.com/dwillis
https://thescoop.org
More than a decade ago, the folks at @upshot.nytimes.com allowed me to write a piece about the Sunday morning talk shows that came the closest to mockery that I was able to achieve at the NYT.
Turns out I thought too highly of them.
www.nytimes.com/2014/09/06/u...
Turns out I thought too highly of them.
www.nytimes.com/2014/09/06/u...
Looking for John McCain? Try a Sunday Morning Show (Published 2014)
www.nytimes.com
January 18, 2026 at 5:40 PM
More than a decade ago, the folks at @upshot.nytimes.com allowed me to write a piece about the Sunday morning talk shows that came the closest to mockery that I was able to achieve at the NYT.
Turns out I thought too highly of them.
www.nytimes.com/2014/09/06/u...
Turns out I thought too highly of them.
www.nytimes.com/2014/09/06/u...
Reposted by Derek Willis
The story in Minnesota is not about “clashes” or protests. What is happening here is the clearest example in my life of the government violating every basic principle America is supposedly founded upon. It is lawless, unconstitutional, and un-American.
January 18, 2026 at 4:56 PM
The story in Minnesota is not about “clashes” or protests. What is happening here is the clearest example in my life of the government violating every basic principle America is supposedly founded upon. It is lawless, unconstitutional, and un-American.
Political scientists: candidates matter
Election results: candidate names don't matter
Election results: candidate names don't matter
January 16, 2026 at 11:05 PM
Political scientists: candidates matter
Election results: candidate names don't matter
Election results: candidate names don't matter
Adventures in fundraising email "survey" questions:
January 16, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Adventures in fundraising email "survey" questions:
January 16, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by Derek Willis
New interview: @simonwillison.net shares his technical blogging experiences and advice writethatblog.substack.com/p/simon-will...
January 15, 2026 at 2:12 PM
New interview: @simonwillison.net shares his technical blogging experiences and advice writethatblog.substack.com/p/simon-will...
Bumping this one again.
Your regular reminder that the point of protest is to make people uncomfortable.
"Please protest the way I want you to" is the cry of people who do not actually believe in the First Amendment.
"Please protest the way I want you to" is the cry of people who do not actually believe in the First Amendment.
January 15, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Bumping this one again.
Reposted by Derek Willis
Something curious about this moment is that for the last 15 years congressional Republicans have railed against "tyranny" for all sorts of things that a Democrat in the White house tried to do.
"Forcing Americans to switch to more expensive electric stoves is straight up foolish and tyrannical."
"Forcing Americans to switch to more expensive electric stoves is straight up foolish and tyrannical."
January 15, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Something curious about this moment is that for the last 15 years congressional Republicans have railed against "tyranny" for all sorts of things that a Democrat in the White house tried to do.
"Forcing Americans to switch to more expensive electric stoves is straight up foolish and tyrannical."
"Forcing Americans to switch to more expensive electric stoves is straight up foolish and tyrannical."
Reposted by Derek Willis
Here's our #spsa2026 presentation on using LLMs to parse election results data:
openelections.net/spsa2026/
tipsheet: github.com/openelection...
openelections.net/spsa2026/
tipsheet: github.com/openelection...
LLMs for Precinct Election Results Data Extraction
openelections.net
January 15, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Here's our #spsa2026 presentation on using LLMs to parse election results data:
openelections.net/spsa2026/
tipsheet: github.com/openelection...
openelections.net/spsa2026/
tipsheet: github.com/openelection...
They finally posted one about the FBI raid on a Post reporter's home. It is five paragraphs long.
Editorials published by the Washington Post's editorial board, by day:
Jan. 7: 5
Jan. 8: 4
Jan. 9: 2
Jan. 10: 1
Jan. 11: 3
Jan. 12: 3
Jan. 13: 3
Jan. 14: 1
Slow opinion day today, I guess. Not much to comment on.
Jan. 7: 5
Jan. 8: 4
Jan. 9: 2
Jan. 10: 1
Jan. 11: 3
Jan. 12: 3
Jan. 13: 3
Jan. 14: 1
Slow opinion day today, I guess. Not much to comment on.
January 15, 2026 at 1:03 AM
They finally posted one about the FBI raid on a Post reporter's home. It is five paragraphs long.
Editorials published by the Washington Post's editorial board, by day:
Jan. 7: 5
Jan. 8: 4
Jan. 9: 2
Jan. 10: 1
Jan. 11: 3
Jan. 12: 3
Jan. 13: 3
Jan. 14: 1
Slow opinion day today, I guess. Not much to comment on.
Jan. 7: 5
Jan. 8: 4
Jan. 9: 2
Jan. 10: 1
Jan. 11: 3
Jan. 12: 3
Jan. 13: 3
Jan. 14: 1
Slow opinion day today, I guess. Not much to comment on.
January 14, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Editorials published by the Washington Post's editorial board, by day:
Jan. 7: 5
Jan. 8: 4
Jan. 9: 2
Jan. 10: 1
Jan. 11: 3
Jan. 12: 3
Jan. 13: 3
Jan. 14: 1
Slow opinion day today, I guess. Not much to comment on.
Jan. 7: 5
Jan. 8: 4
Jan. 9: 2
Jan. 10: 1
Jan. 11: 3
Jan. 12: 3
Jan. 13: 3
Jan. 14: 1
Slow opinion day today, I guess. Not much to comment on.
Looking forward to seeing folks at #spsa2026 this week! If you need a searchable schedule, I got you covered:
openelections.net/spsa2026/ske...
openelections.net/spsa2026/ske...
SPSA 2026 Conference Schedule
openelections.net
January 14, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Looking forward to seeing folks at #spsa2026 this week! If you need a searchable schedule, I got you covered:
openelections.net/spsa2026/ske...
openelections.net/spsa2026/ske...
Straight into the syllabus
I built this for fun. Not really sure what to do with it. Maybe it will be useful to people trying to understand polling. Might even be a decent teaching example. (Feedback welcome. I am not a web designer, please be kind.)
poll-simulator.netlify.app
poll-simulator.netlify.app
Polling Simulator - How do polls work?
Explore how random error and methodological choices shape the results of political polls.
poll-simulator.netlify.app
January 14, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Straight into the syllabus
You only force the FBI to perform what is likely an illegal search of a reporter's home in order to intimidate: journalists, news organizations and potential sources. That's the method of communication these folks most value.
January 14, 2026 at 2:34 PM
You only force the FBI to perform what is likely an illegal search of a reporter's home in order to intimidate: journalists, news organizations and potential sources. That's the method of communication these folks most value.
Reposted by Derek Willis
Great article in @theguardian.com today focused on CRN committee member Michael Collins’s work into Windrush cricket:
Windrush and the rise of wandering Caribbean cricket clubs that fuelled talent in English game
Their history was in danger of being lost but a new book and project has put together an archive documenting such vibrant contributions to the game
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Great article in @theguardian.com today focused on CRN committee member Michael Collins’s work into Windrush cricket:
I think Mary Peltola is running for the Senate, if my fundraising emails are to be believed.
January 14, 2026 at 2:54 AM
I think Mary Peltola is running for the Senate, if my fundraising emails are to be believed.
Been awhile since we've had a good Computer Jesus job posting. The qualified applicant pool for this position (assuming they want both areas) is ~10 people. If they want just one, it's slightly larger.
It is a nice wish list, tho.
It is a nice wish list, tho.
January 13, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Been awhile since we've had a good Computer Jesus job posting. The qualified applicant pool for this position (assuming they want both areas) is ~10 people. If they want just one, it's slightly larger.
It is a nice wish list, tho.
It is a nice wish list, tho.
This is a Schumer-style play, right down to the all-caps titles.
I feel like 13 press releases in an hour might be a touch too aggressive, Governor.
January 13, 2026 at 8:32 PM
This is a Schumer-style play, right down to the all-caps titles.
Students in my @merrillcollege.bsky.social class on using LLMs to explore news archives last fall built several "beat books" to help new reporters better understand the places & institutions they cover. Here's one on Talbot County for the Star-Democrat in Easton, MD:
thescoop.org/files/talbot...
thescoop.org/files/talbot...
Beat Book: Talbot County, MD
thescoop.org
January 13, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Students in my @merrillcollege.bsky.social class on using LLMs to explore news archives last fall built several "beat books" to help new reporters better understand the places & institutions they cover. Here's one on Talbot County for the Star-Democrat in Easton, MD:
thescoop.org/files/talbot...
thescoop.org/files/talbot...
Reposted by Derek Willis
Prisoner homicides hit a modern record high last year with 13. There's already been one so far in 2026, at the state's deadliest prison, a "hypermax" facility in Cumberland.
by @invisibae.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
by @invisibae.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
Another man killed at Maryland’s deadliest prison
Maryland State Police have launched an investigation following a reported killing at North Branch Correctional Institution in Allegany County.
www.thebanner.com
January 11, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Prisoner homicides hit a modern record high last year with 13. There's already been one so far in 2026, at the state's deadliest prison, a "hypermax" facility in Cumberland.
by @invisibae.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
by @invisibae.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
Just got this text message from HollywoodDemocrats.com, which since 2023 has raised more than $200k and spent $0 on candidates or IEs. What it does spend money on: consultants.
Folks, this ain't it.
www.fec.gov/data/disburs...
Folks, this ain't it.
www.fec.gov/data/disburs...
January 11, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Just got this text message from HollywoodDemocrats.com, which since 2023 has raised more than $200k and spent $0 on candidates or IEs. What it does spend money on: consultants.
Folks, this ain't it.
www.fec.gov/data/disburs...
Folks, this ain't it.
www.fec.gov/data/disburs...
Reposted by Derek Willis
Thanks to a FOIAed spreadsheet from @jasonleopold.bsky.social at www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet..., I have updated the DOGE Tracker with a lot more info on who was getting paid.
dogetrack.info/people/paid-...
The myth of everybody working for free is a lie. Many were appointed GS-15 max salary
dogetrack.info/people/paid-...
The myth of everybody working for free is a lie. Many were appointed GS-15 max salary
Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025
The IRS hired 1,313 employees in January 2025. Over the next two months the agency laid off 11,000 workers, or about 11% of its workforce. Additionally, the data identifies employees tied to DOGE.
www.bloomberg.com
January 10, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Thanks to a FOIAed spreadsheet from @jasonleopold.bsky.social at www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet..., I have updated the DOGE Tracker with a lot more info on who was getting paid.
dogetrack.info/people/paid-...
The myth of everybody working for free is a lie. Many were appointed GS-15 max salary
dogetrack.info/people/paid-...
The myth of everybody working for free is a lie. Many were appointed GS-15 max salary
Reposted by Derek Willis
Mark Kelly spent $66K on Meta ads on Thursday bringing his 4 day total to $511K
In the 6.5 years I've collected this data, there's only been 80 pages that spent $500K+ on Meta ads over 4 consecutive days
Kelly did it in Sept '20
4 pages that did it last year including Gavin Newsom + Jon Ossoff
In the 6.5 years I've collected this data, there's only been 80 pages that spent $500K+ on Meta ads over 4 consecutive days
Kelly did it in Sept '20
4 pages that did it last year including Gavin Newsom + Jon Ossoff
January 11, 2026 at 12:10 AM
Mark Kelly spent $66K on Meta ads on Thursday bringing his 4 day total to $511K
In the 6.5 years I've collected this data, there's only been 80 pages that spent $500K+ on Meta ads over 4 consecutive days
Kelly did it in Sept '20
4 pages that did it last year including Gavin Newsom + Jon Ossoff
In the 6.5 years I've collected this data, there's only been 80 pages that spent $500K+ on Meta ads over 4 consecutive days
Kelly did it in Sept '20
4 pages that did it last year including Gavin Newsom + Jon Ossoff
Hang on, there might be a broader spelling issue:
January 10, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Hang on, there might be a broader spelling issue:
