House News & Analysis

The Economy Is Crumbling So Let’s Talk Abortion and Rape

by Stuart Rothenberg October 31, 2012 · 9:34 AM EDT

The unemployment rate is still 7.8 percent, and the gross domestic product is growing at a sluggish 2 percent. Young people graduating college can’t find jobs and are living in their parents’ houses. Economies in Europe and Asia are weakening, suggesting additional problems in the year ahead for the…

In California, Democrats tout one Hispanic candidate and ignore another

by Nathan L. Gonzales October 30, 2012 · 1:12 PM EDT

Jose and John Hernandez are both Democrats running for Congress in competitive districts in California with growing Latino populations, but the Democratic Party has embraced one of them and ignored the other.

National Democratic strategists are in love with Jose Hernandez and count the retired NASA astronaut as…

The Fight for the House Looks Over

October 26, 2012 · 1:58 PM EDT

In looking at the fight for the House race-by-race, the only thing that we can say is that the fight is over. Republicans will keep their majority in the House in the next Congress, and their margin could well be similar to the one that they now have.

House Ratings Changes: Mixed Optimism for Both Parties

October 19, 2012 · 2:47 PM EDT

With less than three weeks until Election Day, our outlook for the House of Representatives remains little changed. We are making a dozen ratings changes this week -- seven toward Republicans and five toward Democrats as we take four races off our list of competitive contests.

The House…

Looking for House Upsets? Take a Look at These

by Stuart Rothenberg October 19, 2012 · 10:11 AM EDT

I usually draw a blank when people ask me to offer a possible upset or two. After all, I’d rather not be surprised on election night, though there are almost always a couple of unexpected outcomes.

But I’ve been looking at some numbers recently and have been struck…

List of House Goners Not What We Expected

by Stuart Rothenberg October 17, 2012 · 9:06 AM EDT

It is three weeks before Election Day and a handful of incumbents are already seeing the writing on the wall. They won’t be coming back to Congress. It’s time to look for other gainful employment or merely enjoy the quiet pleasures of forced retirement.

North Carolina Democratic Rep.…

Massachusetts Democrat John Tierney Moved to Lean Republican

by Stuart Rothenberg October 13, 2012 · 10:31 PM EDT

Veteran Democratic Rep. John Tierney (D) is up with a good TV spot addressing his family’s legal problems, but it looks like too little, too late. Tierney has cancelled his final weeks of TV, and polls show him trailing challenger Richard Tisei (R), who we have regarded for months…

House Democrats Need a Game-Changer (House Overview, October 12, 2012)

October 12, 2012 · 12:58 PM EDT

Ten days ago, Republican strategists seemed confident about their party’s ability to hold the House but started showing some signs of nervousness about their ability to withstand a disaster at the top of the ticket. But now, Mitt Romney’s resurgence has them feeling more comfortable -- even giddy --…

Can a Race Be Tight and Yet Not Competitive?

by Stuart Rothenberg October 10, 2012 · 10:01 AM EDT

Each cycle, my goal as a handicapper is to identify Congressional races where the result will mean a partisan takeover, not merely where the outcome will be close.

To some, this may seem like an odd distinction. After all, if an election is close — within a few…

House Majority Remains Out of Democrats’ Grasp (House Overview, October 5, 2012)

October 5, 2012 · 12:58 PM EDT

With a month to go before the election, we are changing our ratings for a handful of House races but see no reason to alter our overall assessment that Republicans are likely to retain their majority in November.

The two parties are looking at some very…