February 25, 2026
(NEW YORK - Feb. 25, 2026) – Ahead of a fast-approaching pivotal midterm election cycle, MS NOW has named Ali Velshi the network’s chief data reporter. The longtime MS NOW anchor and current host of Velshi will now also serve as the network’s go-to expert for real-time analysis on the latest polling and results on election and big political nights.
This comes after the longtime host’s standout moment manning the Big Board throughout the network’s special election coverage in November of last year, where MS NOW was the #1 network across all of cable, with viewers raving about his analysis.
“I’ve had the privilege of learning from Ali for the last twenty-plus years in various newsrooms. One of his many gifts is his unique ability to take complex data and make it digestible,” said MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler. “Ali will guide our audience through the real-time information that will determine the outcomes of the midterm and presidential elections. I’m thrilled Ali will bring his understanding of public opinion and voters to our election coverage in the years ahead.”
An award-winning journalist known for both his business acumen and immersive on-the-ground domestic and international reporting, Velshi joined the network in 2016 and has since covered multiple U.S. midterm and presidential elections and many of the most impactful news stories around the globe, including extensive reporting from Ukraine and across Central and Eastern Europe during the Russian invasion, the Syrian refugee crisis from Turkey and Jordan, and the Iran Nuclear Deal in Tehran. He brings his deep knowledge of key races throughout his field reporting, notably with his popular “Velshi Across America” segment, which features in-depth conversations with leaders and constituents in battleground states.
“On big political nights, the numbers tell the story of participation, power, and choice. Voters decide elections, and the data lets us watch those decisions take shape in real time,” said Velshi. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to guide viewers through primaries, election nights, and major political moments with context, transparency, and a focus on the facts.”
Velshi routinely contributes to all of MS NOW’s platforms, including hosting the popular “Velshi Banned Book Club” podcast and the weekly YouTube Live series, “It’s Happening with Velshi & Ruhle” alongside Stephanie Ruhle.
Velshi’s appointment comes as MS NOW continues to invest in its programming and build a modern and independent newsgathering operation under VERSANT. MS NOW has added hundreds of journalists to its newsroom and hired more than three dozen Pulitzer, Emmy, Murrow, and Peabody Award-winning reporters to its ranks over the last year. The organization has seen double-digit audience growth since the rebrand to MS NOW across all day parts and is averaging 1.4 million viewers in primetime and reaches more than 14 million Americans every week.
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