MS NOW hires CBS News elections data chief

MS NOW and Versant has hired Kabir Khanna as director of elections and analytics, adding another CBS News veteran as the network expands its political coverage ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Khanna previously led CBS News’ elections data desk as director of election analytics and technical systems. In his new role, he will work across MS NOW and sister network CNBC, overseeing elections data coverage, voter polling and the review of race projections from network partners.

“Bringing Kabir on board at this pivotal moment, just ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and as we look toward the highly contested 2028 presidential race, underscores our commitment to leading the industry in political coverage,” said Brian Carovillano, MS NOW’s senior vice president of news standards and partnerships, in a memo.

“The MS NOW community deserves fact-based, data-driven stories that not only inform them about which side is winning but also contextualize the current political moment,” Khanna said in a statement. “How does the public approach key issues, and how are voters making decisions at the ballot box? In this era of democratic backsliding and such a fragmented information environment, we have an opportunity to lead the way in providing timely, accurate estimates of what people think and how they’re voting.”

Khanna’s hiring follows MS NOW’s appointment of former “CBS Mornings” executive producer Shawna Thomas as political director earlier this week.

Carovillano told staff Khanna and Thomas will work together to ensure the network’s programs and reporting bureaus have access to high-quality election data and projections.

The move is the latest CBS News departure since Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief in 2025, a period that has included exits by multiple executives, producers and on-air journalists.

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