Archive

GOP Strategists Seek to Alter the Health Care Reform Debate

by Stuart Rothenberg July 16, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

While Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) tries to work with key GOP committee members to fashion a bipartisan health care bill, Republican insiders are chewing over the results of two large mid-June surveys conducted for the Republican National Committee to find out what voters really…

New Print Edition: Colorado 4 & Washington 8

July 14, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The July 10, 2009 print edition of the Rothenberg Political Report is on its way to subscribers.

The print edition of the Report comes out every two weeks. Subscribers get in-depth analysis of the most competitive races in the country, as well as quarterly House and Senate ratings, and coverage of…

Can Democrats Get Re-Elected by Voting Against Obama?

by Stuart Rothenberg July 13, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The extent of Democratic losses in next year’s midterm elections will rest, in part, on the ability of Democrats elected in conservative or Republican districts over the past two cycles to survive aggressive GOP attempts to defeat them.

More than four dozen districts sent a Democrat to Congress…

Colorado 4: Since You’ve Been Gone

by Nathan L. Gonzales July 10, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

After a couple cycles of frustration, Democrats finally ousted Republican Cong. Marilyn Musgrave last year. Now, they have the challenging task of keeping Colorado’s 4th District in their column.

Since her initial election in 2002, Musgrave’s reelection percentages steadily declined as she…

Washington 8: Badge of Honor

by Nathan L. Gonzales July 10, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

Republican Cong. Dave Reichert survived the Democratic wave of 2006. Two years later, he survived as well, and he out-did himself by improving his winning percentage while his party sunk further into the minority. Democrats are hoping that the third time will be the charm.

The competitive…

For Obama and Capitol Hill, the Future Starts Today

by Stuart Rothenberg July 9, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The next six months will be a crucial time for the White House and for both political parties.

While the nation’s economic problems have not been resolved, there is now a general sense among many, certainly in the public at large, that things have stabilized.

No, we aren’t entering a period…

2010 Senate Ratings

July 8, 2009 · 2:54 PM EDT

Here are our latest Senate ratings, reflecting Attorney General Lisa Madigan's (D) decision not to run for the U.S. Senate in Illinois and Cong. Mark Kirk's (R) decision to run.

#- Moved benefiting Democrats
*- Moved benefiting Republicans



Lean Takeover (1 R, 0 D)

2010 House Ratings

July 8, 2009 · 2:51 PM EDT

Here are our latest House ratings, reflecting Cong. Mark Kirk's (R) decision to run for the U.S. Senate.

#- Moved benefiting Democrats
* - Moved benefiting Republicans



Pure Toss-Up (1 R, 0 D)

  • NY 23 (Open; McHugh, R)
Toss-Up/Tilt Republican (0 R, 0 D)

Big States Set to Host Hottest Contests Next Year

by Nathan L. Gonzales July 6, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

It is impossible to predict what the national political environment will be next year, but a handful of battleground states are guaranteed to be a hotbed of activity.

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, California and New York have the most overlap in terms of competitive elections on the state and…

N.C. Controversy Reveals Perils of Reporting on Polls

by Stuart Rothenberg July 2, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

One of the growing problems with political reporting is the explosion of polls and the tendency — particularly among local TV reporters and editors, cable TV hosts and bloggers — to report all of them as if they are equally reliable and newsworthy, and to draw dramatic conclusions from small…