Archive

Congress is Full of Former B-List Candidates

August 9, 2006 · 12:02 AM EDT

According to Republicans, Democrats have a paltry list of B-List House challengers that will render them unable to take over the House. But let’s face it, you don’t always have to be a top tier candidate to get elected to Congress and there are dozens of members in office that prove the point.

In Baseball, and America, Race Is Still a Topic for Discussion

by Stuart Rothenberg August 7, 2006 · 12:02 AM EDT

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.—Three days after President Bush signed a 25-year extension of the Voting Rights Act into law, the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted a class of 17 players, managers and executives from black baseball.

The inductees included Cristóbal Torriente, a center fielder who played…

Connecticut Senate: What Happens After Lieberman Loses?

August 6, 2006 · 12:05 AM EDT

While Connecticut’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary is still a few days away, the writing now appears to be on the wall: Sen. Joe Lieberman is going to fall to challenger Ned Lamont in the Tuesday, August 8th primary.

Both public and, more importantly, private polls show the Senator headed for a…

Pennsylvania 6: Challenger Murphy Leads in New Poll

August 4, 2006 · 9:50 AM EDT

A new poll for Democratic challenger Lois Murphy shows her leading GOP Cong. Jim Gerlach 42%-41%. While this is a statistical dead-heat, the results are significant given the President’s standing in the district and Gerlach’s far weaker position now than he was in his last race.

According to…

Maryland Senate: L’Affaire Steele- Apparently, Honesty Isn’t the Best Policy

by Stuart Rothenberg August 3, 2006 · 12:03 AM EDT

So now we know. The clues, actually, made this case easy to solve. It didn’t take forensics or truth serum or even a lie detector. No, it wasn’t Col. Mustard in the conservatory with the rope or Professor Plum in the hall with the candlestick.

It was Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R). In the…

Washington Senate: Is Mike McGavick the Republican Party’s Mr. Right?

by Stuart Rothenberg July 31, 2006 · 12:02 AM EDT

Chances are, if you are following the midterm elections in general, and the fight for control of the Senate in particular, you’ve heard of Mike McGavick. He’s the former CEO of Safeco, a major insurance company that he turned from a basket case into a profitable business.

I write neither to…

New Print Edition: Minnesota Senate & National Senate Overview

July 28, 2006 · 12:02 AM EDT

The new July 28, 2006 print edition of the Rothenberg Political Report is on its way to subscribers. (Click here for subscription information.)

Minnesota Senate: A Takeover or a Makeover?
By Barry Casselman

The open U.S. Senate seat contest in Minnesota resembles one of those new super rides at an…

Rhode Island Senate: Don’t Be Fooled- The Bull’s-Eye Is Still on Lincoln Chafee

by Stuart Rothenberg July 26, 2006 · 12:02 AM EDT

While most of the nation’s attention is focused on the Democratic Senate primary in Connecticut and the future of Sen. Joe Lieberman (D), the political career of Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee is no less in doubt.

Not everyone accepts this assessment. Some continue to believe that…

Why It’s Too Early to Predict What May Happen in the House

by Stuart Rothenberg July 24, 2006 · 11:03 AM EDT

The Democratic Congressional polls keep rolling in, and almost all of them look very, very good for the party’s House hopefuls.

For example, a Cooper & Secrest survey for Democrat Joe Donnelly showed him leading Republican incumbent Rep. Chris Chocola by 10 points, 48 percent to 38 percent, in…

Getting on the Ballot Should Be the Easy Part for Hopefuls

by Stuart Rothenberg July 20, 2006 · 12:01 AM EDT

I’ve been writing about House and Senate campaigns and elections for more than 25 years, and I don’t think I can recall an election cycle in which so many candidates failed to qualify for the ballot because they did not submit the requisite number of signatures.

Let’s be brutally honest: You…