Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen are two of the nation’s most influential journalists. For years, they worked together building the nationally renowned digital media company POLITICO, transforming it from a newcomer on Captiol Hill to the website and accompanying newsletter that all of Washington considered a “must-read.” Now, they are co-founders of disruptive media company Axios, delivering quick, punchy news and insights on politics, business, media, and technology to a smart and highly-engaged audience. The company has already proved a disruptive force in the digital media space, specializing in high-quality news and analysis easily shared across social platforms by the country’s influential readers.

Dr. Larry Sabato is an election analyst, the author of 24 books, a professor, and the founder and head of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, where his ‘Crystal Ball’ electoral analysis expertly navigates the shifting sands of politics. A former Rhodes Scholar and Danforth Fellow, Sabato has received every major teaching award at UVA and has appeared on myriad news channels. Named the most accurate prognosticator by FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC, and Pew’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, Sabato addresses politics, the constitution, PACs, and election forecasting.

Michael A. Smerconish is the nationally-syndicated SiriusXM Radio talk show host of The Michael Smerconish Program, the host of CNN’s Smerconish on Saturday mornings, a newspaper columnist, and a New York Times best-selling author. He has often been recognized for his radio work. Talkers magazine has consistently named him one of America’s most important talk show hosts. Using the perfect blend of analysis and humor, he delivers an engaging, thought-provoking, and balanced dialogue on today's political arena and the long-term implications of the polarization in politics.