Morning Consult’s Most-Read Stories of 2019

When it came to the most popular stories Morning Consult published in 2019, most roads led to 2020.

Our Washington vertical was dominated this year by polling stories on the Democratic primary race and the specter of impeachment hanging over Donald Trump’s presidency. In the tech world, pieces on social media’s unyielding influence in politics were especially resonant, while political coverage via traditional media companies -- especially cable news networks -- were the most clicked-on pieces from our brands beat.

Policy coverage was no different. The “Medicare For All” question that has played out during every Democratic primary debate was a hot topic of conversation among readers of our health care coverage. In finance, economic inequality was the main throughline shaping stories on proposed wealth taxes and how young Americans are making financial decisions. And in energy, the role of nuclear in meeting carbon-free emissions goals was of particular interest to our readership.

Entertainment, meanwhile, chronicled everything from the latest twists and turns in the streaming wars to bloody predictions about the end of “Game of Thrones,” while our sports vertical out-kicked the coverage on a major soccer story and attempted to settle the age-old debate on whether or not axe throwing is a sport.

Here’s a look at the top five most-read stories on each of Morning Consult’s eight verticals:

Washington

1) Joe Biden Is the Front-Runner — Over Democrats, and Donald Trump

2) America’s Most and Least Popular Senators

3) Trump’s Popularity Hits Record Low as Support for Impeachment Wanes

4) Biden’s Edge Over Trump Wanes, Polling Shows

5) Detroit Debates Deliver Meager Returns for Biden’s Challengers

Brands

1) Fox News’ Upper Hand Next Year: The Country’s Eyeballs, Down to Districts

2) Media Companies Dominate Most Divisive Brands List, and It Keeps Getting Worse

3) Google Is Testing the Waters for CBD Ads With Trial Program, CBD Retailer Says

4) How Feminine Is Your Latte?

5) 2019 is nearly over. Here’s what news broke through in Morning Consult polls.

Energy

1) Advanced Reactor Developer Oklo Receives Site Use Permit From Energy Department

2) Nuclear Advocates Receive DOE Funding for Exploratory Study on Puerto Rico

3) Oklo Fabricates Fuel Prototypes at Idaho National Laboratory

4) Ocasio-Cortez: Green New Deal ‘Leaves the Door Open’ on Nuclear

5) Path Shifts for Advanced Nuclear Legislation in the House

Entertainment

1) 49% of Young Viewers Would Cancel Netflix if It Loses ‘Office,’ ‘Friends,’ Disney, Marvel

2) As Late-Night Hosts Get Political, Audiences Get Divided

3) ‘Good Morning America’ Is No. 1 Morning Show Among Adults

4) Rotten Tomatoes Scores Continue to Freshen. What Does This Mean for Movies?

5) Here’s Who ‘Game of Thrones’ Fans Think Is Most Likely to Die in the Final Season

Finance

1) Millennials and Their Money: The Kids Are All Right

2) The Toll of Student Debt Goes Beyond Failing to Build Wealth

3) Manufacturing Workers Are Increasingly Pessimistic About the Economy

4) Warren’s Proposed Tax on Wealthy Draws More Support Than Ocasio-Cortez’s

5) Trump Predicts Stock Market Crash in 2020 if He Loses, but History Says Otherwise

Health

1) Majority Backs ‘Medicare for All’ Replacing Private Plans, if Preferred Providers Stay

2) As Vaping-Related Lung Illnesses Worsen, Public Holds E-Cigarettes Like Juul Culpable

3) In the Emergency Room, Patients’ Unmet Social Needs and Health Needs Converge

4) How the ‘Medicare for All’ Messaging Battle Can Be Won, or Lost

5) OPM Said to Work With Insurers to Prevent Lapse of Federal Dental, Vision Coverage

Sports

1) UEFA Targeting New York Area for 2024 Champions League Final, Sources Say

2) Transgender Female Athletes Face Hurdles to Acceptance With the Public

3) ESPN’s ‘The Ocho’ Is Back, but Is Axe Throwing a Sport? We Asked.

4) ESPN, AAC Renegotiating Media Rights Deal as UConn Heads to Big East

5) Peyton Manning Tops List of Most-Loved Sports Media Personalities

Tech

1) When It Comes to Trump’s Twitter Use, Here’s Where People Draw the Lines

2) Shared Scooter Rentals in Cities Are Fueling the Market for Personal E-Scooters

3) Nearly Half of Voters Support FTC’s New Task Force to Examine Tech Monopolies

4) On Policing Content, Social Media Companies Face a Trust Gap With Users

5) 3 in 5 GOP Voters Believe There’s Social Media Bias Against Conservatives