Senate News & Analysis

In GOP Civil War, No Easy Answers

by Stuart Rothenberg February 21, 2013 · 9:29 AM EST

Republicans continue to argue about whether the party needs to take steps to prevent the next Christine O’Donnell, Sharron Angle, Todd Akin and Ken Buck, as well as how it might do so.

Those inept and seriously flawed candidates lost races that other Republicans would have won easily.

Markey: From 22 Percent to Anointed Senator

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 20, 2013 · 10:00 AM EST

The path to the U.S. Senate doesn’t get much easier than the one Rep. Edward J. Markey is on.

But that smooth path could signal significant potholes ahead.

The Massachusetts Democrat was first elected to Congress more than 30 years ago by winning a multi-candidate primary with…

Johanns Retirement Sets up Another Open Senate Seat in Nebraska

February 18, 2013 · 2:19 PM EST

First-term Republican Sen. Mike Johanns’ surprise retirement sets up Nebraska’s second open seat Senate race in as many cycles. Republicans successfully took over Sen. Ben Nelson’s (D) seat in 2012 and will try to keep Johann’s seat next year.

Last year, Republicans had a competitive contest for the…

New Jersey Senate: Lautenberg Out, Still Safe D For Now

February 14, 2013 · 4:25 PM EST

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D) announced his retirement on Thursday, setting off a potential scramble for his open seat in New Jersey. But the most important action is likely to be on the Democratic side.

One prominent Democrat who has made no secret of his ambition is Newark Mayor…

Can Democrats Save Rockefeller’s Seat?

by Stuart Rothenberg February 13, 2013 · 10:40 AM EST

Oh what a difference one word can make. Take away the “West” from “West Virginia,” and you have a once-red state that surely is now purple, a state carried twice by Barack Obama. But add back the “West” and you have the Mountain State, which has been headed down…

Iowa Senate: Candidates of the Corn

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 8, 2013 · 2:00 PM EST

The 2014 election cycle is just a few weeks old, but one contest jumps out as a potential bellwether of the cycle: the race for Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin’s open seat.

With a competitive general election in a traditionally swing state, Iowa could be a great state to…

Georgia Senate: Devil Goes Down To Details

by Jessica Taylor February 8, 2013 · 1:59 PM EST

Open season came early in Georgia, and there are plenty of takers lining up for their turn.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ announcement two weeks ago that he wouldn’t seek a third term spared him a possibly painful primary campaign, but his exit guarantees that the process to replace him…

West Virginia Senate: Open Question

by Nathan L. Gonzales February 8, 2013 · 1:58 PM EST

Open Senate seats in West Virginia only come around every quarter of a century, so it’s not unreasonable to expect a flood of candidates. But almost a month after Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D) announced his retirement, only one candidate is in the race: Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R).

Youth Vote Could Seal GOP’s Minority Status

by Stuart Rothenberg February 8, 2013 · 9:22 AM EST

We may well be at a political tipping point that could mark a dramatic change in American politics.

After decades of Democratic Party dominance that began with the formation of the New Deal coalition, Ronald Reagan ushered in an era of relative party parity. But a deep fracture…

Obama Looms Large Over Democrats’ 2014 Fight to Retain the Senate

by Stuart Rothenberg February 6, 2013 · 3:25 PM EST

The odds are against Senate Democrats this cycle. But, of course, they were against the party two years ago at this time, and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Executive Director Guy Cecil didn’t merely beat the odds — he slaughtered them.

This time, Democrats face better prospects of holding…