Archive

Mixed News in Tuesday’s Results

by Stuart Rothenberg August 25, 2010 · 3:46 PM EDT

Tuesday’s results were an uncomfortable reminder to strategists in both parties that this is a strange election cycle. While the surprises were on the Republican side, they confirm a level of dissatisfaction, at least on the political right, with politics as usual and established politicians.

Ohio Senate Race Moved to Toss-Up/Tilt Republican

August 24, 2010 · 10:34 AM EDT

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher (D) remains unreasonably optimistic about his prospects in the Senate race given his financial disadvantages, his standing in the polls, his campaign staff turnover and the national political environment. While Republican Rob Portman’s record certainly gives plenty for…

House Ratings Changes in GA8, IL11, TX17, TX23, WA3

August 23, 2010 · 3:28 PM EDT

Georgia 8. Republicans had a hard time finding a credible challenger to Democratic Cong. Jim Marshall. But now that state Rep. Austin Scott is in the race, this district becomes dramatically more interesting. Marshall has proven his skill since he was first elected in 2002, but he faces a…

Are Voters Really Moving Beyond Race?

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 23, 2010 · 10:59 AM EDT

From Barack Obama’s election as president to a white Congressman fending off African-American challengers in a majority-black district, have Americans moved beyond race as a determining factor in their vote choice?

A couple of weeks ago, Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, the white, Jewish…

Is Michelle Obama Democrats’ Secret Weapon?

by Stuart Rothenberg August 17, 2010 · 9:00 AM EDT

“The White House is hoping that Michelle can do for Barack what Laura did for George and the GOP four years ago,” wrote Washington Post political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson recently, in an August 11, 2010 article that reported on efforts to get the First Lady heavily involved in this year’s…

New Iowa Caucuses GOP Poll: Both Accurate and Meaningless

by Stuart Rothenberg August 16, 2010 · 3:17 PM EDT

Can a poll be both correct and totally, utterly meaningless? Absolutely, and the new TheIowaRepublican.com/Concordia Group LLC survey conducted by Voter Consumer Research is a great example.

GOP pollster Jan van Lohuizen’s firm is one of those survey research firms that is widely trusted by…

Ohio 16: Suicide Squeeze

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 13, 2010 · 4:01 PM EDT

Two years ago, John Boccieri was a Democratic superstar, a top recruit, a fresh-faced state legislator with a military record who, by this time last cycle, was on his way to taking over an open seat that had been in Republican hands for three decades. Today, he’s in grave danger of losing…

Wisconsin Senate: Declaration of Independence

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 13, 2010 · 4:00 PM EDT

Wisconsin’s Russ Feingold (D) is one of the Senate’s long-standing mavericks, but after 18 years, Republicans think the brand is wearing thin.

Feingold’s vulnerability is evidence of a dramatically shifting landscape. At the beginning of the cycle, the Democratic senator wasn’t close to being…