Note to Subscribers
tl;dr — Capitol Press pivots to blogging.
Dear Readers,
August recess is the prefect time to reflect on Capitol Press, my rudderless newsletter on Congress that’s grown to 1,256 subscribers since March. The vast majority of you are Beltway insiders, specifically government workers, lobbyists, and press.
Though hundreds of you open and share every update from this Substack, literally no one replies to feedback requests or comment on our posts. On paper our engagement is zilch, even though our content is arriving in the chatter in the actual Capitol complex.
Unfortunately, Capitol Press has earned just $2,940 in revenue over the last six months, never anywhere near enough to sustain a single full-time news worker, the three who launched this Substack in January. Hector and Arturo are amicably parted, leaving just me, the lone, broke ass producer of this underdog newsletter on Congress.
That said, I’m not ready to give up on this audience, which has grown even during our weeks of newsletter silence. Only instead of scoop-y, reported exclusives, Capitol Press now pivots to a blog format, effective immediately.
Expect shorter posts, more curated content, and the occasional typo— the reality of running solo without an editor. The goal? A reliable, insightful Congress newsletter that's worth your time, shareable, and eventually, worth your investment.
The new format starts tomorrow.
Cheers,
Pablo Manríquez
Editor, Capitol Press