Inside Elections

2012 House Ratings (August 10, 2012)

August 10, 2012 · 12:55 AM EDT

Aurora(s) and the Fight for the House

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 9, 2012 · 9:37 AM EDT

Aurora, Colo., is a household name because of the recent tragic movie theater shootings. But come November, the city and some of the other Auroras around the country will help decide which party controls the House of Representatives next year.

There are actually close to two dozen Auroras of…

Democrats Rejoice, But Tough Race Ahead for McCaskill

by Jessica Taylor August 8, 2012 · 10:13 AM EDT

Claire McCaskill (D) remains the Senate’s most endangered incumbent, but the Missouri Democrat’s prospects appear to have improved slightly on Tuesday after learning she’ll face Rep. Todd Akin (R) in the fall.

Akin’s come-from-behind win seemed unlikely only months ago, though Republicans never…

Fireworks, But No Surprises in Michigan, Missouri and Washington House Primaries

by Jessica Taylor August 8, 2012 · 10:11 AM EDT

Two more House incumbents lost on Tuesday, but it wasn’t a surprise since they faced fellow Members in primaries in Missouri and Michigan, and one of them had to lose.

In Michigan, Rep. Gary Peters prevailed over freshman Rep. Hansen Clarke in the Democratic primary in the 14th District, and is…

On a Run of Strong Congressional Candidates

by Stuart Rothenberg August 7, 2012 · 10:53 AM EDT

I’m not sure whether it’s the summer heat, a side effect of the aging process or simply dumb luck, but I’ve met a string of unusually good Congressional candidates recently.

Not all of them will win — in part because some of them are running against each other — but they are all worth…

Polls or Fundamentals in N.Y. 1st District Race?

by Stuart Rothenberg August 3, 2012 · 10:55 AM EDT

I have been watching New York’s 1st district since I came to Washington, D.C., in 1980.

The suburban district on the east end of Long Island has often had competitive races and has flipped from one party to the other a number of times during the past 30 years.

I saw incumbent Bill Carney (R)…

Tennessee Primaries: Not So Rocky Incumbents

by Jessica Taylor August 2, 2012 · 11:11 PM EDT

It wasn’t rocky in Rocky Top for incumbents on Thursday evening, as three members easily brushed aside challenges in Tennessee’s primaries.

Freshman Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R), who won an open seat primary in 2010 by just 1,415 votes, had seen his grasp on his Chattanooga-based 3rd District put…

Texas Primaries: Cruz’in to Victory

by Jessica Taylor August 1, 2012 · 11:27 AM EDT

Former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz won an upset victory over Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the Texas GOP Senate runoff Tuesday, signaling a major shift not only in the Lone Star State but for the makeup of the incoming Senate as well.

Though he began as a near-political unknown, Cruz…

Georgia Primaries: Stay Tuned for Round Two

by Jessica Taylor August 1, 2012 · 11:18 AM EDT

The Peach State provided only minimal clarity on Tuesday, with no candidate reaching the 50 percent threshold to win outright in the two most closely-watched House races.

In the 12th District contest, state Rep. Lee Anderson (34 percent) and wealthy construction company owner Rick Allen (26…

Cruz Versus Dewhurst: More Than a Primary

by Stuart Rothenberg July 31, 2012 · 12:21 PM EDT

Today’s Texas Republican Senate runoff between Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz is more than a mere primary. The winner, after all, is certain to win the seat of retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) in November.

But even more, the result will say something…