Salon de Résistance | The Midterm Algorithm
Advertisement
Join us for a special edition of Salon de Résistance on Thursday, October 29 at Black Iris with three of Virginia’s most influential political content creators: Amanda Nelson of Amanda’s Mild Takes, Kate Powell of Kate for the People, and former CIA operations officer and congressional candidate Adam Dunigan (VA-8), for a conversation about the November 3 midterms, what to expect in Virginia, and how the battle for political influence is fought in 2026.
This is a free event, open to the public. Doors at 6pm. Conversation at 7pm.
---------------
In the before times, political influence moved through relatively stable and predictive channels. Candidates spoke, newspapers and broadcast news reported. Engagement was limited, our attention was not monopolized. Our lifestyles hadn’t been politicized. Most importantly, elections were boring and we were none the wiser for it.
That version of America no longer exists. Today, elections are bloodsport. Campaign narratives move at the speed of algorithm. And the reach of a single content creator or political influencer can change the entire dynamic of an entire election cycle with a single 90 second video. Political education, organizing, fundraising, persuasion, outrage, misinformation/disinformation, and the decisions that shape our future are competing for the same few inches of screen time.
And just days before the 2026 midterms that matters. Because on November 3, Virginians will head to the polls and vote in every congressional district.
Political pundits, writers, and the chattering class always claim that each election is more important than the last. But in the age of Trump, authoritarianism, unrestricted war, corruption on a scale once thought impossible, masked agents of the state snatching people off our streets, AI jailbreaks, data centers ruining communities, surveillance, and a crippling affordability crisis, those warnings no longer feel like hyperbole.
The candidates have to respond. The outcomes of the midterms are real. The future feels as fragile and tenuous as it ever has.
This is a free event, open to the public. Doors at 6pm. Conversation at 7pm.
---------------
In the before times, political influence moved through relatively stable and predictive channels. Candidates spoke, newspapers and broadcast news reported. Engagement was limited, our attention was not monopolized. Our lifestyles hadn’t been politicized. Most importantly, elections were boring and we were none the wiser for it.
That version of America no longer exists. Today, elections are bloodsport. Campaign narratives move at the speed of algorithm. And the reach of a single content creator or political influencer can change the entire dynamic of an entire election cycle with a single 90 second video. Political education, organizing, fundraising, persuasion, outrage, misinformation/disinformation, and the decisions that shape our future are competing for the same few inches of screen time.
And just days before the 2026 midterms that matters. Because on November 3, Virginians will head to the polls and vote in every congressional district.
Political pundits, writers, and the chattering class always claim that each election is more important than the last. But in the age of Trump, authoritarianism, unrestricted war, corruption on a scale once thought impossible, masked agents of the state snatching people off our streets, AI jailbreaks, data centers ruining communities, surveillance, and a crippling affordability crisis, those warnings no longer feel like hyperbole.
The candidates have to respond. The outcomes of the midterms are real. The future feels as fragile and tenuous as it ever has.
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Black Iris Social Club, 321 West Broad Street ,Richmond, Virginia, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherRVA Magazine
