Senate News & Analysis

Crist Switcheroo: Likely Less Than Meets the Eye

by Stuart Rothenberg April 30, 2010 · 9:00 AM EDT

Now that multiple reports indicate that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has decided to drop his GOP Senate candidacy and run for the state’s open Senate seat as an Independent, we are in for saturation coverage about what it means for the race, for the Republican Party and for Rep.…

Obama State Directors on Front Lines of 2010

April 29, 2010 · 4:08 PM EDT

The men and women who served as state directors for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign were on the front lines of one of the best-run political operations in recent history.

After Obama’s victory, more than a dozen of them took jobs in the administration. But another group couldn’t…

Could Lieberman Hold the Senate’s Balance of Power After November?

April 26, 2010 · 9:00 AM EDT

As the midterms approach and substantial GOP Senate gains seem inevitable, more attention will fall on Connecticut’s soon-to-be-senior Senator, Joe Lieberman (ID). That’s because Lieberman, one of two Independents in the Senate, could become a major target of Republicans if they net nine seats in the midterms.

If…

Arkansas Senate: One Big (Not So Happy) Family

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 23, 2010 · 3:00 PM EDT

Republicans couldn’t even get a candidate to run for the U.S. Senate against Mark Pryor (D) last cycle, but this year, a half-dozen Republicans are vying for the right to take on Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D), who has a primary of her own from the lieutenant governor.

Oh…

PA Senate Polling: Burn After Reading?

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 9, 2010 · 9:00 AM EDT

With the proliferation of polling this cycle, political junkies, journalists and party strategists are swimming in a sea of numbers. With each new survey that is released, the party that is ahead touts the results while the party that trails disparages and discounts the pollster. Rinse and repeat.

Cuomo Endorses Castle?

April 8, 2010 · 4:00 PM EDT

Doing a little spring cleaning this week, I came across New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s book, Crossroads: The Future of American Politics, written and edited in the wake of Cuomo’s primary loss in the 2002 gubernatorial race.

Since he is the heavy favorite to win…

Florida Senate: Should Charlie Crist Roll the Dice to Save Long-Shot Bid?

by Stuart Rothenberg April 6, 2010 · 9:00 AM EDT

In less than a month, we will know whether Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is absolutely committed to running for the Senate this year as a Republican.

Crist, of course, says the matter is closed — that he is in the GOP race to stay. But some observers won’t…

North Carolina Senate: Rerun or Reelection?

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 26, 2010 · 3:01 PM EDT

Democrats think they’ve seen this movie before and they like the ending. Two years ago, they took aim at an incumbent GOP senator who was struggling to get to 50% in the competitive state of North Carolina. Democrats didn’t have a big name candidate and sorted through a primary,…

Can Polling Memos Change the Narrative About 2010 Races?

March 19, 2010 · 2:01 PM EDT

Here’s a bulletin for you: Anytime a campaign releases a polling memo, it is making an argument, not merely offering survey data for your information. Polling memos aren’t written to make you smarter.

This shouldn’t need to be said, of course, but when I see reporters swallowing spin…

MoveOn.org Pressuring Democrats in Health Care Fight

March 18, 2010 · 12:05 AM EDT

With House Democratic leaders ratcheting up their arm-twisting and whipping operations in advance of the high-stakes health care vote, pressure on vulnerable Members is also mounting from one of their own party’s most reliable attack dogs.

“Our members worked extremely hard to help get a Democratic majority elected,”…