Archive

For Obama and Capitol Hill, the Future Starts Today

by Stuart Rothenberg July 9, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The next six months will be a crucial time for the White House and for both political parties.

While the nation’s economic problems have not been resolved, there is now a general sense among many, certainly in the public at large, that things have stabilized.

No, we aren’t entering a period…

2010 Senate Ratings

July 8, 2009 · 2:54 PM EDT

Here are our latest Senate ratings, reflecting Attorney General Lisa Madigan's (D) decision not to run for the U.S. Senate in Illinois and Cong. Mark Kirk's (R) decision to run.

#- Moved benefiting Democrats
*- Moved benefiting Republicans



Lean Takeover (1 R, 0 D)

2010 House Ratings

July 8, 2009 · 2:51 PM EDT

Here are our latest House ratings, reflecting Cong. Mark Kirk's (R) decision to run for the U.S. Senate.

#- Moved benefiting Democrats
* - Moved benefiting Republicans



Pure Toss-Up (1 R, 0 D)

  • NY 23 (Open; McHugh, R)
Toss-Up/Tilt Republican (0 R, 0 D)

Big States Set to Host Hottest Contests Next Year

by Nathan L. Gonzales July 6, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

It is impossible to predict what the national political environment will be next year, but a handful of battleground states are guaranteed to be a hotbed of activity.

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, California and New York have the most overlap in terms of competitive elections on the state and…

N.C. Controversy Reveals Perils of Reporting on Polls

by Stuart Rothenberg July 2, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

One of the growing problems with political reporting is the explosion of polls and the tendency — particularly among local TV reporters and editors, cable TV hosts and bloggers — to report all of them as if they are equally reliable and newsworthy, and to draw dramatic conclusions from small…

New Print Edition: Maryland 1 & Kansas Senate

July 1, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The June 26, 2009 print edition of the Rothenberg Political Report is on its way to subscribers.

The print edition of the Report comes out every two weeks. Subscribers get in-depth analysis of the most competitive races in the country, as well as quarterly House and Senate ratings, and coverage of…

Georgia Governor: Roy Barnes Hopes for a Successful Second Act

by Stuart Rothenberg June 29, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The last time I saw Roy Barnes was the day before Election Day in 2002. The Democrat was hobnobbing with CNN executives, reporters and producers in a hip Atlanta condo.

I’m not certain that Barnes, who was then governor of Georgia, knew that he was less than 24 hours from suffering a stunning…

Kansas Senate: Degrees of Difference

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 26, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

Who said President Obama doesn’t have the interests of Republicans at heart? When the president chose Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) to be his secretary of Health and Human Services, he took the Democrats’ best potential Senate candidate with him.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R) is abiding by his…

Maryland 1: Shoring Up the Base

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 26, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

Abraham Lincoln was right: A house divided against itself cannot stand – at least not in Maryland’s 1st District.

Last cycle, Republicans suffered through a bitter primary that left incumbent Cong. Wayne Gilchrest in its wake. Gilchrest subsequently endorsed Queen Anne’s State’s Attorney Frank…

Florida Senate: Just What Is Marco Rubio Up to?

by Stuart Rothenberg June 25, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT

The GOP field in the 2010 Florida Senate race was supposed to clear quickly when Gov. Charlie Crist (R) announced his bid. But someone forget to tell former state Speaker Marco Rubio (R).

Most observers believe that Rubio, who jumped into the race before the governor, has little chance of…