House News & Analysis

Jerry Springer Reflects on His Former Boss’s Victory

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 22, 2011 · 9:40 AM EDT

To talk-show host Jerry Springer, Rep. Bob Turner's victory hits a little too close to home.

Turner is best known as the Republican who won a New York City Congressional special election last week. But he's also the former cable television executive who brought to life Springer's infamous…

Should Obama Run Against Congress?

by Stuart Rothenberg September 21, 2011 · 12:10 PM EDT

Congress’ job approval stinks. Everyone agrees about that.

It really doesn’t matter whether Congress’ job approval is 12 percent (last week’s CBS News/New York Times poll), 13 percent (August’s NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey) or 15 percent (recent Gallup and CNN polling).

Running against Congress seems like…

Democrats Jump the Shark in New York Special

by Stuart Rothenberg September 13, 2011 · 3:25 PM EDT

Acting as if the loss of a special election in New York’s 9th district would be catastrophic, national Democrats are pouring everything they can into winning today’s special election.

I understand their reasoning, of course. I’m simply not sure I agree completely.

State Assemblyman David Weprin (D)…

Republicans Solidify Ohio with New Map

by Stuart Rothenberg September 13, 2011 · 12:47 PM EDT

Instead of trying to increase their numbers in the state’s Congressional delegation, Oho Republicans have agreed to a plan that could take at least three and potentially four competitive U.S. House seats off the table, possibly solidifying their control of the delegation for the next decade. 

The key…

Political Unity Peaked After Attacks

by Stuart Rothenberg September 10, 2011 · 12:00 PM EDT

Our normal political discourse in this country has changed much in the past three decades, becoming coarser and angrier. In Congress, the two parties are increasingly at odds, unable to find common ground on many crucial issues and apparently willing to question each other’s fundamental decency.

Yet almost…

Missouri 2: The Lines They Are A-Changin’

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 9, 2011 · 2:59 PM EDT

Even though Missouri lost a seat during reapportionment, GOP Cong. Todd Akin’s 2nd District wasn’t expected to be all that competitive. But once Akin announced he would challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) instead of seeking reelection, this expected yawner of a race turned into one to watch.

Akin’s…

New York 9: Special Madness

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 9, 2011 · 2:58 PM EDT

Republicans are within striking distance of taking over a seat in New York City, or at least that’s the way Democrats are acting. With just days to go before voters go to the polls in New York’s 9th District, Democrats are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in television…

Two Former Democratic Aides Raise a Ruckus

by Nathan L. Gonzales September 8, 2011 · 10:08 AM EDT

Nathan Daschle and Ray Glendening are two of the last people you would expect to be politically homeless.

With prominent fathers, Democratic politics is literally in their blood and, more recently, the duo worked at the Democratic Governors Association. But Daschle and Glendening no longer feel the same…

Is Spending Creating a Consensus on Defense?

by Stuart Rothenberg September 7, 2011 · 11:02 AM EDT

It’s 11 weeks until the deadline for the supercommittee to reduce federal budget deficits by at least $1.5 trillion over 10 years or else trigger across-the-board spending cuts, including big cuts in defense.

As Americans shift their focus away from terrorism and toward the nation’s economic future, it’s…

California Redistricting Shakes Landscape

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 26, 2011 · 3:30 PM EDT

Even though California is the largest state in country, political handicappers essentially ignored the Golden State in the fight for the House over the past decade. 

Ten years ago, the congressional map was drawn so effectively to protect incumbents that few seats were competitive and even fewer switched…