Senate News & Analysis

There’s No Good Time for the GOP on Immigration

by Stuart Rothenberg February 27, 2014 · 1:15 PM EST

GOP leaders on Capitol Hill apparently have already decided to punt rather than push ahead with their own immigration proposal, but that hasn’t stopped the chatter from the sidelines, especially from those who don’t like the leadership’s decision.

Liberal columnist Greg Sargent and conservative icon George…

Gardner Decision Shakes Up Colorado Senate Race

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 26, 2014 · 4:15 PM EST

In a surprise decision, Republican Rep. Cory Gardner has decided to jump into the Colorado Senate race against incumbent Democrat Mark Udall. While there are other Republicans running already, Gardner gives the GOP an upper-tier candidate in a race that has not been considered competitive until now. The

Obamacare Can Be Complicated for Republicans Beyond the Beltway

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 25, 2014 · 10:03 AM EST

For Republicans in D.C., the Affordable Care Act is a black and white issue — you are either for it or against it. And they are all against it. But for many GOP legislators and candidates outside the Beltway, the politics of Obamacare is much more complicated.

In…

How Jamestown Associates Adapted and Prospered

by Stuart Rothenberg February 24, 2014 · 11:29 AM EST

You probably think the recent spat between the National Republican Senatorial Committee (and really the entire GOP establishment) and Jamestown Associates, a GOP consulting firm, is interesting because it reflects the fissure in the Republican Party. But after covering campaigns for decades, I think it’s also a fascinating story…

Please Don’t Call It an Exodus From Congress

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 21, 2014 · 3:48 PM EST

Two more members of Congress decided this would be their final term, but their exits don’t change the battle for the majority in the House. And contrary to an all-too-common media narrative, their departures do not signal an exodus from the House of Representatives.

“Two Democrats Join…

Texas Primaries: House, Not the Senate, is the Place to Watch

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 14, 2014 · 4:29 PM EST

The 2014 election cycle officially gets underway in a few weeks when voters in Texas go to the polls for the primaries.

Because of the recent string of high-profile Republican Senate primaries over the last couple of cycles, Rep. Steve Stockman’s challenge to incumbent Sen. John Cornyn received…

Senate Poll Analysis is More than the “Leading” Candidate

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 14, 2014 · 4:28 PM EST

Analyzing polls is more than just looking at the general election ballot tests, but you wouldn’t know it from much of the media coverage these days. And two recent Senate polls are good examples.

“SCORE EXCLUSIVE-PPP FINDS BEGICH LEADING ALL GOP OPPONENTS,” according to a recent POLITICO email.…

DCCC Is 2013 Fundraising Winner, but DNC Drops the Ball

by Stuart Rothenberg February 13, 2014 · 1:57 PM EST

A look at the end-of-the-year financial reports of the two House campaign committees, two Senate campaign committees and two national party committees makes it pretty clear which ones have something to crow about and which have some explaining to do.

The big winner is the Democratic Congressional Campaign…

How Candidates Share Without Coordinating With Outside Groups

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 11, 2014 · 9:58 AM EST

With each passing election cycle, both parties are figuring out new ways to skirt campaign finance laws.

A couple years ago, I wrote about how the official and independent expenditure wings of the campaign committees share opposition research and message points through less-traveled regions of the Web.…

For Democrats, It’s All About (Years) After November

by Stuart Rothenberg February 5, 2014 · 3:57 PM EST

Politics is often about keeping one eye on today and another eye on tomorrow. That’s especially true for Democrats, who should not be completely disheartened about their party’s prospects.

November certainly looks like a challenging election for supporters of President Barack Obama — given the president’s anemic job…