Early polls suggest that voters want more options than just Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election. This hour, we look beyond the two-party system and ask what a non-Democrat or Republican candidate could mean for the race to the White House.  

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/27/presidential-election-third-parties/">Early polls</a> suggest that voters want more options than just Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election. This hour, we look beyond the two-party system and ask what a non-Democrat or Republican candidate could mean for the race to the White House.

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

Connecticut's best journalists come out of the political trenches every Wednesday to join us on WNPR's weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse.

The Wheelhouse

Beyond the binary of American politics and the two-horse presidential race

The Connecticut General Assembly has adjourned for the year.

In an election year – and an era of fiscal discipline – there was only so much that was going to be done during a short legislative session to address climate change, funding shortfalls in education and shortages in affordable housing and child care. Today on The Wheelhouse, a look back at Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session and a look ahead at how state lawmakers will handle unfinished business.

GUESTS:
Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief and co-founder, CT Mirror
Susan Raff, Chief capitol reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3
Michayla Savitt, State government reporter, Connecticut Public

The Connecticut General Assembly has adjourned for the year.
In an election year – and an era of fiscal discipline – there was only so much that was going to be done during a short legislative session to address climate change, funding shortfalls in education and shortages in affordable housing and child care. Today on The Wheelhouse, a look back at Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session and a look ahead at how state lawmakers will handle unfinished business.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ctmirror.org/author/mpazniokas/" data-cms-ai="0">Mark Pazniokas</a>, Capitol bureau chief and co-founder, CT Mirror</li>
<li><a href="https://www.wfsb.com/authors/Susan-Raff/" data-cms-ai="0">Susan Raff</a>, Chief capitol reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/people/michayla-savitt" data-cms-ai="0">Michayla Savitt</a>, State government reporter, Connecticut Public</li>
</ul>

Closing the book on the short 2024 legislative session in Connecticut

In April, a group of owners of National Hockey League teams approved the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah.

The move was a disappointment for Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. Lamont had pitched the idea of the Coyotes coming to Hartford to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman earlier this year.

Today on The Wheelhouse, what would it take for Hartford to get the NHL – and the Whalers – back?

And later, May marks 25 years since a partnership between Connecticut and the NFL’s Patriots fell apart. We’ll revisit the May 1, 1999 dissolution of the Connecticut NFL project.

GUESTS:
Colin McEnroe, host of Connecticut Public’s The Colin McEnroe Show
Andrew Zimbalist, professor of Economics, Smith College
Dan Haar, columnist and senior editor, Hearst Connecticut Media Group

In April, a group of owners of National Hockey League teams approved the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah.
The move was a disappointment for Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. Lamont had pitched the idea of the Coyotes coming to Hartford to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman earlier this year.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what would it take for Hartford to get the NHL – and the Whalers – back?
And later, May marks 25 years since a partnership between Connecticut and the NFL’s Patriots fell apart. We’ll revisit the May 1, 1999 dissolution of the Connecticut NFL project.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/people/colin-mcenroe" data-cms-ai="0">Colin McEnroe</a>, host of Connecticut Public’s The Colin McEnroe Show</li>
<li><a href="https://sites.smith.edu/azimbali/" data-cms-ai="0">Andrew Zimbalist</a>, professor of Economics, Smith College</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ctinsider.com/author/dan-haar/" data-cms-ai="0">Dan Haar</a>, columnist and senior editor, Hearst Connecticut Media Group</li>
</ul>

The Arizona Coyotes are just the latest ‘one that got away’ from Hartford

Student-led protests of the Israel-Hamas War are growing as the fighting continues. Students camp out and call on their educational institutions to divest from companies they say support the killing of civilians – while the world reacts.

This hour, we look at how the protests in support of civilians in Gaza – and the war in general – are being talked about and how that rhetoric affects the safety of Palestinian and Jewish people.

GUESTS:
Sharon Otterman: Reporter covering education, health, other issues in New York City, New York Times
Eddy Martinez: Breaking News Reporter, CT Public
Jason Stanley: Professor of Philosophy, Yale University
Gregg Gonsalves: Associate Professor at Yale School of Public Health and Associate Professor at Yale Law School

Student-led protests of the Israel-Hamas War are growing as the fighting continues. Students camp out and call on their educational institutions to divest from companies they say support the killing of civilians – while the world reacts.
This hour, we look at how the protests in support of civilians in Gaza – and the war in general – are being talked about and how that rhetoric affects the safety of Palestinian and Jewish people.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/sharon-otterman" data-cms-ai="0">Sharon Otterman</a>: Reporter covering education, health, other issues in New York City, New York Times</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/people/eddy-martinez" data-cms-ai="0">Eddy Martinez</a>: Breaking News Reporter, CT Public</li>
<li><a href="https://philosophy.yale.edu/people/jason-stanley" data-cms-ai="0">Jason Stanley</a>: Professor of Philosophy, Yale University</li>
<li><a href="https://ysph.yale.edu/profile/gregg-gonsalves/" data-cms-ai="0">Gregg Gonsalves</a>: Associate Professor at Yale School of Public Health and Associate Professor at Yale Law School</li>
</ul>

Beyond the binary of American politics and the two-horse presidential race

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