RealClearPolitics (RCP) is an American political news website and polling data aggregator formed in 2000 by former options trader John McIntyre and former advertising agency account executive Tom Bevan. The site features selected political news stories and op-eds from various news publications in addition to commentary from its own contributors. The site is prominent during election seasons for its aggregation of polling data.
In 2008, the site's founders said their goal was to give readers "ideological diversity". According to a 2012 article in the Chicago Sun-Times, competitors and people inside politics have praised the site's balance of stories, although a 2020 article in The New York Times noted that since the end of 2017, RealClearPolitics has had a rightward, pro-Donald Trump turn in its content. According to a 2020 Knight Foundation study, RealClearPolitics is generally read by a moderate audience, leaning slightly toward the right.
Establishment
The website was founded in 2000 by McIntyre, a former trader at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and Bevan, a former advertising agency account executive. McIntyre explained "it really wasn't any more complicated than there should be a place online that pulled together all this quality information." They call what they do "intelligent aggregation". The site has grown in election-season spurts since it first went online. It has expanded from a two-man operation to a full-time staff of more than two dozen employees overseeing the company's mainstay, RealClearPolitics, as well as ten smaller sites.
Both co-founders graduated from Princeton in 1991. When they launched the site, they would both start their day at 4 a.m., looking through articles from more than 50 sources. They post pieces on current events and topics, as well as news about opinion polls. The site reports on political races and projections, and features the average result of all current presidential polls and also offers a best-guess projection of Electoral College votes.
The site's poll average is a "widely referenced source". Major news outlets such as CNN, Fox News, and the New York Times often cite its polling figures.
Political orientation
2000 to 2017
In a 2001 article for Princeton Alumni Weekly, editor Rob MacKay noted that "The articles selected invariably demonstrate McIntyre and Bevan's political bent, about which they are unabashedly forthcoming." McIntyre said, "I'm not really a die-hard Republican because my interests are less on social issues, more on taxing and spending. ... But I definitely don't want the government telling me what to do with my property... Nevertheless, any political junkie—even a liberal—would enjoy our site because the topics we choose are current."
In a 2003 interview with the conservative magazine Human Events, McIntyre described the philosophy behind the website as based on "freedom" and "common-sense values"; Bevan said that the website's owners shared the common conservative belief that the mainstream media was biased "against conservatives, religious conservatives, [and] Christian conservatives".
In a 2004 article for Time, Patrick Stack described the website's commentary section as "right-leaning".
In a 2008 interview with the Chicago Tribune, McIntyre said, "We're trying to pull together the best political stories, op-eds, news analyses, editorials out there. The proliferation of content is enormous. Part of what we're trying to do is distill it in a clear, simple way for people who don't have hours to spend searching the Net." In 2008, the site's founders said their goal was to give readers "ideological diversity".
In 2008, Politico executive editor Jim VandeHei has called the site "an essential stop for anyone interested in politics".
In 2009, RealClearPolitics was described as a weblog "in the conservative pantheon" by Richard Davis.
During the 2008 elections, The Wall Street Journal repeatedly referred to RealClearPolitics as "nonpartisan". The New York Times referred to its polling practice as a "nonpartisan tally".
In 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times noted that "competitors, political operatives and elected officials who regularly consult the site say they appreciate the balance of stories that Bevan, McIntyre and their staff choose." BuzzFeed's top editor called their polling average "the Dow Jones of campaign coverage".
The 2012–2013 edition of academic text Cengage Advantage Books: American Government and Politics Today, Brief Edition describes the site as being run by conservatives, and containing "opinion pieces from multiple media sources".