Archive

Jerry Springer Reflects on His Former Boss’s Victory

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 22, 2011 · 9:40 AM EDT

To talk-show host Jerry Springer, Rep. Bob Turner's victory hits a little too close to home.

Turner is best known as the Republican who won a New York City Congressional special election last week. But he's also the former cable television executive who brought to life Springer's infamous talk…

Should Obama Run Against Congress?

by Stuart Rothenberg September 21, 2011 · 12:10 PM EDT

Congress’ job approval stinks. Everyone agrees about that.

It really doesn’t matter whether Congress’ job approval is 12 percent (last week’s CBS News/New York Times poll), 13 percent (August’s NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey) or 15 percent (recent Gallup and CNN polling).

Running against…

Will GOP Choose John Kerry or Howard Dean?

by Stuart Rothenberg September 16, 2011 · 8:59 AM EDT

The stages at upcoming Republican presidential debates will remain crowded, at least for a while, but it has already become clear that the GOP race is a contest between Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Supporters of other hopefuls will complain that this…

Democrats Jump the Shark in New York Special

by Stuart Rothenberg September 13, 2011 · 3:25 PM EDT

Acting as if the loss of a special election in New York’s 9th district would be catastrophic, national Democrats are pouring everything they can into winning today’s special election.

I understand their reasoning, of course. I’m simply not sure I agree completely.

State Assemblyman David…

Republicans Solidify Ohio with New Map

by Stuart Rothenberg September 13, 2011 · 12:47 PM EDT

Instead of trying to increase their numbers in the state’s Congressional delegation, Oho Republicans have agreed to a plan that could take at least three and potentially four competitive U.S. House seats off the table, possibly solidifying their control of the delegation for the next decade. 

Can Small RNC Rule Change Affect GOP Race?

by Stuart Rothenberg September 12, 2011 · 12:00 PM EDT

The devil, people say, is in the details, and there is no better example of that than a relatively small change in the rules of the Republican Party, which could end up having a big effect on the GOP’s presidential nominating process and even on the general election.

Unlike Democrats,…

Political Unity Peaked After Attacks

by Stuart Rothenberg September 10, 2011 · 12:00 PM EDT

Our normal political discourse in this country has changed much in the past three decades, becoming coarser and angrier. In Congress, the two parties are increasingly at odds, unable to find common ground on many crucial issues and apparently willing to question each other’s fundamental decency.

Massachusetts Senate: Not So Fast

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 9, 2011 · 3:00 PM EDT

After Scott Brown got elected to the Senate in Massachusetts in a special election, everyone assumed he would be “toast” in the next general election. Don’t be so sure.

Brown got elected in one of the most high-profile Senate races of all-time, winning the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat in the…

Missouri 2: The Lines They Are A-Changin’

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 9, 2011 · 2:59 PM EDT

Even though Missouri lost a seat during reapportionment, GOP Cong. Todd Akin’s 2nd District wasn’t expected to be all that competitive. But once Akin announced he would challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) instead of seeking reelection, this expected yawner of a race turned into one to watch.