Sen. John Ensign’s (R) retirement announcement isn’t that surprising and doesn’t change our initial bottom line in Nevada since we didn’t expect him to make it out of a primary if he sought reelection.
With Cong. Dean Heller (R) as a likely candidate, Republicans are well-positioned to hold…
Vulnerable Democrats beware: The bipartisan well is about dry.
Last cycle, Democrats saw their percentage of the Republican vote drop dramatically, and that could spell trouble for incumbents relying on that vote to survive in 2012. Sen. Ben Nelson is at the top of the list.
The…
At 86 years old, Sen. Daniel Akaka’s (D) retirement isn’t terribly surprising and his timing might be perfect for his party.
Democrats will defend Akaka’s open seat in 2012 while sharing a ballot with Hawaii’s native son, President Barack Obama. In 2008, Obama defeated John McCain 72%-27%. Even…
Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s retirement puts Democrats firmly on the defensive as the 2012 cycle is just beginning.
Democrats haven’t had to worry about his New Mexico Senate seat in almost two decades, but his exit creates an open seat headache for his party and an opportunity for Republicans.
…From presidential elections to football jerseys, Nebraska is scarlet red. But for the last 35 years, Democrats have controlled one U.S. Senate seat. Sen. Ben Nelson is hoping to keep the streak alive.
Nelson is no stranger to close elections, and in all but one instance he’s come…
Sen. Richard Lugar (R) is an icon in Indiana, but he could lose reelection next year.
And if he loses, it will be fellow Republicans who deny him a seventh term.
Lugar is a highly-respected moderate conservative with a reputation of being willing to work across the…
Note: This column appeared in Roll Call before Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl announced his retirement.
Spring training hasn’t even started for the 2011 baseball season, but it’s already clear that control of the Senate is up for grabs this election cycle.
Almost before the cycle even began,…
Two Senate retirements this week pull two seats into more competitive categories.
In Virginia, Sen. Jim Webb’s retirement is a significant problem for Democrats. Webb would have been difficult to paint as a Washington insider, but now that he’s not seeking a second term, his open seat becomes…
With Cong. Denny Rehberg set to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, Republicans got their best possible candidate to take on first-term Sen. Jon Tester (D). Rehberg has been elected statewide in Montana’s at-large congressional district for a decade and early public polling shows him running even or…
Democrats lost six Senate seats last year -- and it could have been worse if tea party-backed candidates had not won contested Republican primaries in Delaware, Colorado and Nevada. The Senate race landscape starts off even more challenging for the DSCC this cycle, since Democrats now hold 23 of…
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