History of RealClearPolitics in Timeline

RealClearPolitics (RCP) is a U.S. website founded in 2000 by John McIntyre and Tom Bevan. It aggregates political news, opinion pieces, and polling data from various sources, alongside original content. Known for its conservative perspective, RCP gains significant traffic during election cycles due to its polling data aggregation.

1991: Co-founders Graduated From Princeton

In 1991, both co-founders of RealClearPolitics graduated from Princeton University.

2000: RealClearPolitics Founded

In 2000, RealClearPolitics (RCP) was founded by John McIntyre and Tom Bevan as a conservative political news website and polling data aggregator.

2000: RealClearPolitics Website Launch

In 2000, RealClearPolitics launched its website, founded by John McIntyre and Tom Bevan, with the intent to aggregate quality political information online. The site has since grown from a two-man operation to a staff of over 70.

2001: Founders Discuss Mainstream Media Biases

In 2001, RealClearPolitics' founders openly discussed their criticism of mainstream media biases in early interviews and articles.

2004: Commentary Section Described as Right-Leaning

In 2004, a Time article described RealClearPolitics' commentary section as "right-leaning."

2004: RCP Polling Average Praised as Best Metric

In 2004, both major presidential campaigns stated that the RealClearPolitics polling average was the best metric of the race.

November 2007: Launch of RealClearMarkets and RealClearSports

In November 2007, RealClearPolitics launched RealClearMarkets and RealClearSports.

2007: Forbes Media Acquires Stake in RealClearPolitics

In 2007, Forbes Media LLC bought a 51% equity interest in RealClearPolitics.

August 2008: Launch of RealClearWorld

In August 2008, RealClearPolitics launched RealClearWorld, its international news and politics site.

2008: RealClearPolitics Emerges as Significant Platform

During the 2008 elections, RealClearPolitics emerged as a significant platform by curating political stories, op-eds, news analyses, and editorials to provide a balanced view.

2008: Allegations of Rigging Averages

In 2008, Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight accused RealClearPolitics of rigging its averages to favor Republicans, but later receded from this claim.

2009: Site Described as Run by Conservatives

By 2009, some academic texts described RealClearPolitics as being run by conservatives while providing a range of opinion pieces.

October 2010: Launch of RealClearScience and RealClearReligion

In October 2010, RealClearPolitics launched RealClearScience and RealClearReligion.

2012: Polling Average Compared to Dow Jones

In 2012, Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed, likened RealClearPolitics' polling average to the Dow Jones of campaign coverage.

2012: Launch of RealClearHistory

In 2012, RealClearPolitics launched RealClearHistory.

2012: Recognition of Balanced Story Selection and Reliable Polling

In 2012, The Chicago Sun-Times acknowledged RealClearPolitics' balanced selection of stories, and BuzzFeed’s top editor praised its polling average as highly reliable.

2013: Launch of RealClearDefense

In 2013, RealClearPolitics launched RealClearDefense to cover military, intelligence, and veterans' issues.

May 19, 2015: RealClearInvestors and Crest Media Buy Out Forbes' Stake

On May 19, 2015, RealClearInvestors and Crest Media announced that they had bought out Forbes's stake in RealClearPolitics for an undisclosed amount.

2016: RealClearInvestigations Launched

In 2016, RealClearPolitics launched RealClearInvestigations, backed by conservative foundations.

2016: 2016 Presidential Election Projection and Outcome

In 2016, RealClearPolitics projected Hillary Clinton to win the U.S. presidential election, but Donald Trump won due to outperforming his polling in key states, despite Clinton winning the popular vote.

2016: RealClearPolitics National Polling Average for Election Day

In 2016, the final RealClearPolitics national polling average before Election Day showed Hillary Clinton ahead by about 3 points (Clinton 46.8%, Trump 43.6%).

2016: Mention of 2016 Election Results for Context

Reference to the 2016 election where key battleground states flipped to Trump which RealClearPolitics projected Joe Biden to recapture in 2020.

2016: Bevan's Prediction for Super Tuesday

Right before Super Tuesday in 2016, Tom Bevan predicted a "Trump tsunami," forecasting a Trump victory in every state holding a primary that day except for Texas.

2017: Layoffs and Pro-Trump Turn Allegations

In 2017, The New York Times alleged that RealClearPolitics showed a pro-Trump turn after many of its "straight-news" reporting journalists were laid off.

2018: RealClear Opinion Research Launched

In 2018, RealClear Media launched RealClear Opinion Research, a public opinion polling group that conducted polls on various topics such as school choice, Supreme Court confirmations, and civic education.

2019: Publication of Whistleblower's Supposed Name

In 2019, RealClearPolitics published an article containing the supposed name of a U.S. intelligence officer who blew the whistle on the Trump–Ukraine scandal, sparking controversy.

November 2020: Allegations of Pro-Trump Turn and Donations

In November 2020, The New York Times published an article alleging RealClearPolitics had a pro-Trump turn since 2017, with increased donations from conservative entities. Executive editor Carl Cannon disputed these allegations.

2020: Concerns About Polling Averages and Accuracy

In 2020, The New York Times raised concerns about RealClearPolitics' polling averages being influenced by polls skewing towards Trump. Carl Cannon defended RCP's accuracy by comparing its error margin to that of The New York Times.

2020: 2020 Election Projection and Results

In the 2020 election, RealClearPolitics projected Joe Biden winning with 319 electoral votes, closely aligning with the actual results where Biden won 306 electoral votes. Biden also won the popular vote by more than 7 million votes.

2024: Polling Accuracy During 2024 U.S. Presidential Election

During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, RealClearPolitics' polling averages proved more accurate than some prominent media outlets, with an error margin of 1.8 points, compared to 2.7 points for The New York Times.