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Ratings Changes in WV, FL, NV, & WI Senate races

August 9, 2010 · 2:47 PM EDT

West Virginia (Open; Goodwin, D) -- Add as Democrat Favored

Senator Robert Byrd’s death has created a special election to fill the remaining two years of his term. Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin is likely to win his party’s nomination in the August 28 primary, while businessman/former state GOP…

Jersey Native Looks to Shore up GOP Senate Majority

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 6, 2010 · 12:47 PM EDT

Third in a series of profiles of committee independent expenditure directors.

“If it wasn’t for Mike DuHaime, I wouldn’t be a Senator today,” New Jersey state Sen. Anthony Bucco (R) recalled recently about a campaign that took place almost 13 years ago.

After this year’s elections, more than…

Kentucky Senate: Paul Campaign clear about bio in Report interview

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 5, 2010 · 12:30 PM EDT

If reporters wanted to know whether Kentucky GOP Senate nominee Rand Paul graduated from Baylor University, they probably should have asked his campaign. That’s what I did, and I got the answer, ten months ago.

Wednesday’s story in the Lexington Herald-Leader “Contrary to some media reports,…

Even Veteran Members Will Struggle to Win

by Stuart Rothenberg August 4, 2010 · 8:58 AM EDT

Reps. Chet Edwards (D-Texas), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) and John Spratt (D-S.C.) need to keep in mind the fate of former Reps. Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.).

Kelly, first elected in 1994, had only one tough race (in 1996) before she was upset in 2006. In the two elections…

DCCC Turns to Mook’s Ground Game for Fall

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 2, 2010 · 2:54 PM EDT

Second in a series of profiles of committee independent expenditure directors.

Democratic operative Robby Mook’s entry into politics was a little dirty.

“I remember standing in front of the dump for hours,” Mook recalled. “Everyone takes their trash to the dump in Vermont, so that’s where you…

North Dakota At-Large: It’s Lonely Up Here

by Nathan L. Gonzales July 30, 2010 · 3:30 PM EDT

Republicans aren’t going to sneak up on Earl Pomeroy. The nine-term Democratic congressman from North Dakota has been a target before and he even survived the Republican revolution in 1994. 

Pomeroy is ready for another tough reelection race, this time against long-time state Rep. Rick Berg…

New Hampshire Senate: Stone Cold Competitive

by Nathan L. Gonzales July 30, 2010 · 3:29 PM EDT

The New Hampshire Senate race is a great example as to why early handicapping can be a futile exercise.

At the very beginning of the cycle, Sen. Judd Gregg (R) didn’t look particularly vulnerable. Then he announced his retirement in early 2009, leaving Democrats in prime position to take over…

Huge GOP Gains Weren’t Always Inevitable This Year

by Stuart Rothenberg July 30, 2010 · 10:45 AM EDT

Sometimes, you can almost hear the conventional wisdom and expectations shift, even when they are based on faulty premises.

I’ve heard dozens of times over the past few months that large Democratic losses in the House were inevitable this year because of sweeping Democratic victories in 2006…

Florida Governor: Just Where Exactly Did Rick Scott Come From?

by Stuart Rothenberg July 28, 2010 · 1:27 PM EDT

The story of Florida gubernatorial hopeful Rick Scott (R) surely is one of the weirder stories in what is already an unusual political year.

Scott began his bid for the state’s top office as a political unknown who had run a company, Columbia/HCA, which was accused of defrauding Medicare and…