Governor News & Analysis

Why Republican Candidates Will Run From .GOP Address

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 7, 2014 · 10:54 AM EST

A Republican group recently boasted about Republicans becoming “the only political party in history to run a Web ending.”

But it would be surprising if many Republican candidates are anxious to put .GOP behind their name.

The Republican State Leadership Committee led the effort to secure the…

Illinois Primaries: GOP Races Set Stage for November

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 28, 2014 · 2:58 PM EST

Illinois could host a handful of competitive congressional contests this November, but a trio of primaries on March 18 will set the stage for the general election. And while Democrats are focused on taking over governorships in some of the country’s largest states, including Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin,…

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…

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…

Kansas Governor: What’s the Matter with Brownback?

by Nathan L. Gonzales January 31, 2014 · 2:58 PM EST

Is Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback at risk of losing re-election in a state Mitt Romney carried with 60 percent? An automated poll showing the GOP governor behind, a Democratic challenger who raised a million dollars, and a group of moderate Republicans threatening to oppose Brownback have some people calling…

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up — and It’s Only January

by Stuart Rothenberg January 29, 2014 · 10:13 AM EST

Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell the difference between a real news story and something from The Onion.

Earlier reports that entertainer Clay Aiken was considering a run for the Democratic nomination in North Carolina’s 2nd District have been overtaken by new stories about the singer “putting together a…

Is Arkansas Really the Land of Opportunity for Democrats?

by Stuart Rothenberg December 18, 2013 · 3:33 PM EST

When we think of political battlegrounds, states like Ohio and Florida come to mind. But every so often, a small state becomes a partisan political battleground.

This cycle, that’s Arkansas — about as unlikely a state as you might imagine.

While Democrats see Arkansas as a place…

If Linda Lingle Could, Why Can’t Wendy Davis?

by Stuart Rothenberg December 3, 2013 · 9:36 AM EST

As longtime readers of this column know, voters in one-party states sometimes elect the nominee of the “wrong” party as governor. Today’s question is whether state Sen. Wendy Davis, a Democrat, has a fighting chance to win next year’s gubernatorial election in Texas, which remains a rock-solid Republican state.

Why Most Postmortems of Virginia’s Gubernatorial Race Are Wrong

by Stuart Rothenberg November 14, 2013 · 9:56 AM EST

The dust has settled (mostly) from last week’s elections, so I thought it time to present a very different assessment of what happened in Virginia than the snapshot I’ve seen from others.

For example, Democracy Corps and Women’s Voices, Women Vote Action Fund distributed a wholly self-serving…

Victory Is in the Eye of the Beholder in New Jersey, Virginia and Alabama

by Stuart Rothenberg November 8, 2013 · 9:51 AM EST

Tuesday’s election results offer something for everyone.

Democrats can look at Virginia and conclude that Republican “extremism” on social issues like abortion, contraception and guns, combined with the deep divisions that appeared in the Alabama 1st District GOP primary results, continue to offer them opportunities for 2014 and…