Senate News & Analysis
Tuesday’s results were an uncomfortable reminder to strategists in both parties that this is a strange election cycle. While the surprises were on the Republican side, they confirm a level of dissatisfaction, at least on the political right, with politics as usual and established politicians.
Certainly many current…
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher (D) remains unreasonably optimistic about his prospects in the Senate race given his financial disadvantages, his standing in the polls, his campaign staff turnover and the national political environment. While Republican Rob Portman’s record certainly gives plenty for Democrats to shoot at, Fisher’s problems seem…
“The White House is hoping that Michelle can do for Barack what Laura did for George and the GOP four years ago,” wrote Washington Post political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson recently, in an August 11, 2010 article that reported on efforts to get the First Lady heavily involved in this…
Wisconsin’s Russ Feingold (D) is one of the Senate’s long-standing mavericks, but after 18 years, Republicans think the brand is wearing thin.
Feingold’s vulnerability is evidence of a dramatically shifting landscape. At the beginning of the cycle, the Democratic senator wasn’t close to being mentioned as vulnerable. But…
Last in a series of profiles of committee independent expenditure directors.
Democratic operative Brian Smoot has been in tough spots before, but preserving the Democratic majority in the Senate this fall tops the list.
As director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s independent expenditure effort, Smoot will…
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…
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…
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, Rand Paul…
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…
Republican Sharron Angle is trying to raise money by asking people to send a Pink Slip to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. It's not going to win any awards for creativity, but with amount of money she's raising, it's tough to criticize.