House News & Analysis

It’s Uphill All the Way for Social Conservatives

by Stuart Rothenberg July 3, 2013 · 10:17 AM EDT

Although the seemingly unstoppable march of cultural liberalism took pause during the years of Ronald Reagan and even into the 1990s, it is back on track. Liberals will applaud it and conservatives will dread it, but it is silly to deny its strength.

Television and movies reflect our…

Ohio 14: Running Again for the First Time

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 28, 2013 · 2:00 PM EDT

You can’t get appointed to the House of Representatives, but Republican Dave Joyce’s experience is about as close as it gets.

When GOP Rep. Steve LaTourette announced his retirement late in the cycle last year, local Republican officials chose Joyce to replace him on the ballot. Joyce defeated…

Gomez-Sanford Comparison on Obamacare Fails the Smell Test

by Stuart Rothenberg June 28, 2013 · 9:53 AM EDT

You only need to look at the first paragraph of an “opinion” piece on Roll Call’s website to see that it wasn’t worthy of being posted on our website – or anyone’s. I’m not even going to include a link because I don’t want anyone to read it. 

Twitter: Smart Strategy or Electronic Press Release?

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 27, 2013 · 3:37 PM EDT

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tried to turn up the heat on 28 Republican members by unleashing a targeted Twitter attack in their districts. But is Twitter an effective tool or just another way to generate free media attention?

Last week, the DCCC encouraged college students in…

Is the Senate More Volatile Than the House in 2014?

by Stuart Rothenberg June 26, 2013 · 11:16 AM EDT

Next year, voters will go to the polls to elect 435 House members and 35 United States senators, but it seems quite possible that there will be more net change in the Senate than in the House.

If this occurs, it would be worth noting, since it has…

A Good Test of Exactly How Screwed Up Washington Is

by Stuart Rothenberg June 20, 2013 · 11:09 PM EDT

Editor's Note: This column first appeared in Roll Call before Thursday's vote.

Once upon a time, on a very different planet and in a very different country, the farm bill was not among the more controversial things that Congress did.

Yes, previous farm bills have produced knock-down,…

It’s Never Too Early to Fight About Polling Methodology

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 20, 2013 · 9:12 AM EDT

Bickering over polls is a time-honored tradition in campaigns. But the latest exchange of surveys in Utah’s 4th District is not just an example of partisan pollsters getting very different results. It is also a reminder of the importance of polling methodology.

Earlier this month, the National Republican…

Search for Competitive House Open Seats Comes Up Empty

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 18, 2013 · 9:14 AM EDT

Open seats are supposed to be opportunities. Without longtime incumbents on the ballot, these districts should be easier to takeover. But six months into the 2014 cycle, that just isn’t the case on the House side.

So far, there are 10 districts slated to be open seats because…

Latino candidates line up for next year’s Congressional races in Florida

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 17, 2013 · 10:46 AM EDT

The midterm elections are still more than a year away, but Latino candidates in Florida are already jockeying for position in a couple of key congressional races.

In 2012, Democrat Joe Garcia defeated incumbent David Rivera in the 26th District, in large part because the Republican congressman was…

Democrats Struggle for Traction in Early House Landscape

by Stuart Rothenberg June 14, 2013 · 1:00 PM EDT

Democrats’ long-shot slog to add the additional 17 seats that would give them control of the House after the midterms has gotten even tougher over the past couple of months.

Elizabeth Colbert Busch’s underwhelming showing in a South Carolina special election showed how difficult it will be to…