Governor News & Analysis

Instead of Waves, Dems Looking to Make a Splash in Big Gubernatorial Races

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 1, 2014 · 3:03 PM EDT

Democrats are looking at a very rough cycle in the House and a potentially disastrous outcome in the Senate, but gubernatorial races might offer some rare bright spots on Election Night.

Unlike the Senate playing field, Democrats have a large number of offensive opportunities in gubernatorial races, including…

2014 Gubernatorial Overview (August 1, 2014) Alabama - Illinois

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 1, 2014 · 3:02 PM EDT

ARIZONA -- Open; Jan Brewer (R), term-limited. August 26 primary.
The crowded Republican race to replace Brewer is coming down to two candidates: State Treasurer Doug Ducey and former GoDaddy.com General Counsel Christine Jones. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Secretary of State Ken Bennett, and four others are also…

2014 Gubernatorial Overview (August 1, 2014) Iowa - New Mexico

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 1, 2014 · 3:01 PM EDT

IOWA -- Terry Branstad (R), elected 2010 (53%); elected 1982 (53%), 1986 (52%), 1990 (61%) and 1994 (57%).
Any Democratic hopes of defeating Gov. Branstad with state Sen. Jack Hatch are quickly fading away. Most of the political oxygen in the state is focused on the open seat…

2014 Gubernatorial Overview (August 1, 2014) New York - Wyoming

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 1, 2014 · 3:00 PM EDT

OHIO -- John Kasich (R), elected 2010 (49%).
Gov. Kasich started the cycle near the top of every Democratic target list and he struggled at the beginning of his term when a statewide initiation repeal his effort to restrict collective bargaining. But Kasich reversed course, backed Medicaid expansion…

Gubernatorial Report Shorts (July 8, 2014)

July 8, 2014 · 3:57 PM EDT

Colorado Governor. Republicans appear to have avoided their worst-case scenario. Some strategists feared that former Rep. Tom Tancredo would win the GOP nomination and his polarizing views on immigration would hurt the party’s chances of defeating Sen. Mark Udall (D) and Rep. Mike Coffman’s (R) chances of winning re-election.

Why Do We Suddenly Care About Races for Lt. Governor?

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 6, 2014 · 9:50 AM EDT

The office of lieutenant governor is so important that five states don’t even have one, yet that hasn’t stopped the national political media from treating some contests for the office as crucial indicators of something.

In the recent primary runoff in Texas, anti-establishment conservative state Sen. Dan Patrick…

Gubernatorial Report Shorts (May 28, 2014) Georgia, Nebraska, Oregon, Pennsylvania

May 28, 2014 · 4:54 PM EDT

Georgia Governor. Gov. Nathan Deal (R) had no problem disposing of two challengers. He won renomination last week with 72 percent in the Republican primary. State Sen. Jason Carter was unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face Deal in general election. Democrats are banking heavily on the Carter…

Michigan: Midwest Melee

by Nathan L. Gonzales May 9, 2014 · 4:00 PM EDT

Michigan has a little bit of everything this cycle- - a competitive gubernatorial race, an open seat race for the U.S. Senate, Republican congressional primaries between insiders and outsiders, crowded Democratic primaries in safe seats and a couple of Republican incumbents who are vulnerable in the general election.

Report Shorts (May 9, 2014) Georgia Governor, Hawaii Governor, North Carolina Senate, and more

by Nathan L. Gonzales May 9, 2014 · 3:58 PM EDT

Florida’s 19th District. Businessman Curt Clawson won the special GOP primary and is the prohibitive favorite in the June special general election. The seat was open after GOP Rep. Trey Radel’s resignation.

Georgia Governor. Gov. Nathan Deal’s mishandling of the state’s winter storm response threw a bit of…

How to Ruin Your Interview With Stu Rothenberg

by Nathan L. Gonzales May 2, 2014 · 10:38 AM EDT

After interviewing more than 1,000 candidates for the House and Senate with my colleague, Stu Rothenberg, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what makes him tick and what just plain ticks him off.

Over the course of the past 25 years, Stu has garnered somewhat of a…