Archive

All GOP Primaries Are Not Created Equal

by Nathan L. Gonzales January 6, 2014 · 10:48 AM EST

Reporters can be lazy. I know this is a shock for many of you, but I think some of the media coverage of Republican Senate primaries has been somewhat shallow.

The short story is that not all primaries are created equal.

Senators vary in vulnerability, challengers vary in credibility and…

Republicans and Democrats Exchange Gifts this Holiday Season

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 27, 2013 · 3:01 PM EST

The two parties aren’t exactly on the best of terms these days, but that didn’t stop Republicans and Democrats from exchanging gifts over the past year — even if they didn’t intend to.

Instead of fruitcake, each party gave the other a sparkling set of potentially potent political opportunities.…

What the Latest Iowa Poll Reveals About 2016 (Hint: Not Much)

by Stuart Rothenberg December 23, 2013 · 9:00 AM EST

A new Des Moines Register poll of Iowans’ attitudes toward potential 2016 presidential hopefuls has already received plenty of attention. That’s not surprising, I suppose, given the unquenchable thirst from some about anything to do with the next presidential race.

The survey’s results give us…

How the Calendar Could Influence GOP Senate Primaries

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 20, 2013 · 9:37 AM EST

Stories about Republican primaries are all the rage, and we’re still nearly three months from the first actual election. But in all of the analysis of vulnerable senators, voting scorecards and outside groups, it’s important to remember the calendar and how primary results could affect subsequent…

The Democratic Escape Plan: How to Hold a Vulnerable Senate Seat

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 19, 2013 · 2:47 PM EST

Most handicappers have believed for months that Republicans have a good chance to pick up a Montana Senate seat next year. But once again, Democrats have a plan that just may help them hold that seat. It’s a plan that worked in the past, but will it work once again?

According to multiple media…

A Whole New Ballgame in the Senate

by Stuart Rothenberg December 18, 2013 · 9:00 PM EST

The fight for the Senate turned around completely from mid-October to early December. While the government shutdown looked like a significant nail in the GOP’s coffin, the re-opening of the government allowed Americans to turn their attention to the launch of Obamacare.

The failure of that…

2014 Senate Overview (December 18, 2013) Alabama - Kansas

December 18, 2013 · 8:59 PM EST

ALABAMA -- Jeff Sessions (R), elected 1996 (52%), 2002 (59%) and 2008 (63%). April 4 filing deadline, June 3 primary, July 15 runoff.
The last Democratic Senate nominee to win over 40 percent of the vote in Alabama was Roger Bedford in 1996 (45.5 percent). Sessions’ Sept. 30 FEC report showed…

2014 Senate Overview (December 18, 2013) Kentucky - New Mexico

December 18, 2013 · 8:58 PM EST

KENTUCKY -- Mitch McConnell (R), elected 1984 (50%), 1990 (52%), 1996 (55%), 2002 (65%), 2008 (53%). January 28 filing deadline, May 20 primary.
Senate Minority Leader McConnell clearly has a fight on his hands if he is to win a sixth term. His role in ending the government shutdown/debt ceiling…

2014 Senate Overview (December 18, 2013) North Carolina - Wyoming

December 18, 2013 · 8:57 PM EST

NORTH CAROLINA -- Kay Hagan (D), elected 2008 (53%). February 28 filing deadline, May 6 primary, July 15 runoff.
Given the GOP’s recent victories in the state, Hagan had to expect a serious challenge. In 2012, Mitt Romney carried the state Republican Pat McCrory won the governorship. In…