Senate News & Analysis

Montana Senate: Brawl in Big Sky Country

by Jacob Rubashkin March 20, 2020 · 2:30 PM EDT

Less than two weeks ago, the Montana Senate race was nearly as big of a national…

Candidate Conversation - Sarah Riggs Amico (D)

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 20, 2020 · 2:27 PM EDT

Georgia Senate — Rating: Likely Republican

Interview Date: Oct. 16, 2019

Date of Birth: June 21, 1979; St. Louis, Missouri

Education: Washington & Lee Univ. (2001); Harvard (MBA, 2003)

Elected Office: None; 2018 candidate for lieutenant governor.

Current Outlook: Amico is locked in a competitive Democratic primary with 6th District…

Coronavirus and the Elections: 7 Key Questions

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 17, 2020 · 8:45 AM EDT

Unfortunately, it sounds like we’re just at the beginning of what could be a multi-week or multi-month coronavirus crisis, so handicapping the pandemic’s impact on the elections is premature. But there are at least a handful of questions that will lead us to understanding the fallout, once the situation and…

Rating Change: Montana Senate Shifts Toward Democrats

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 9, 2020 · 9:40 AM EDT

It’s only been 16 months since Democrats won a Senate race in Montana, and less than six years since Big Sky Country sent two Democratic senators to Capitol Hill. Democrats are looking to recreate the magic again in November, now that they have Gov. Steve Bullock, their top recruit, in…

Georgia Senate: How to Blow a Lead

by Jacob Rubashkin March 6, 2020 · 2:30 PM EST

While Republicans revel in the messiness of the Democratic presidential primary, the GOP has an intra-party fight of its own in Georgia, with control of the Senate potentially on the line. 

In August, GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson announced his resignation due to Parkinson’s disease, triggering a special election to fill…

Key Senate Races Start to Take Shape

by Jacob Rubashkin March 6, 2020 · 2:29 PM EST

The fight for the Senate got a little clearer with primaries in three Super Tuesday states. But the biggest news this week might have been in Montana, where Democrats are hoping for a last-minute boost before Monday’s filing deadline.

Alabama
Once again, the Republican primary for an Alabama…

Super Tuesday Senate Primary Update (March 3, 2020)

by Jacob Rubashkin March 4, 2020 · 12:04 AM EST

The fight for the Senate got a little clearer Tuesday night with primaries in three states. 

Alabama
Once again, the Republican primary for an Alabama Senate seat is going to a runoff, and the president has a complicated relationship with one of the two finalists. 

Jeff Sessions, who previously…

Maine Senate: Is Susan Collins Already Behind?

by Stuart Rothenberg February 21, 2020 · 2:26 PM EST

A February 10-13 SocialSphere survey for Colby College (my alma mater) about the Maine Senate race certainly generated plenty of buzz on Tuesday. My own reaction was less than enthusiastic.

I tweeted that “The ballot test is not consistent with other (unreleased) numbers, and it conveys a misimpression of where…

RIP, Election Night

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 21, 2020 · 9:40 AM EST

It’s time to retire the term “election night.”

The semi-annual national tradition of staying up a few hours past bedtime to know who will control our government is over. From close races to voting by mail to human error, it’s becoming clear that counting votes no longer fits neatly into…

Candidate Conversation - Cal Cunningham (D)

January 24, 2020 · 2:25 PM EST

North Carolina Senate - Rating: Toss-up

Interview Date: Dec. 6, 2019

Date of Birth: Aug. 6, 1973; Winston-Salem, N.C.

Education: Univ. of North Carolina Chapel Hill (1999); Vanderbilt Univ. (attended), American Univ. (attended); London School of Economics (attended). 

Elected Office: State Senate (former); 2010 Senate candidate*

Current Outlook: Cunningham is…