Senate News & Analysis

Pennsylvania Senate: GOP Spending Spree

by Jacob Rubashkin January 21, 2022 · 2:30 PM EST

Five months ago, the Republican primary to succeed retiring Sen. Pat Toomey looked like a relatively straightforward affair. But after the frontrunner dropped out amidst scandal and with the primary fast approaching, the Republican field in Pennsylvania is as unsettled as it ever has been.

The evenly divided Senate means…

2022 Senate Overview: History Favors Republicans

January 7, 2022 · 2:30 PM EST

By Nathan L. Gonzales & Jacob Rubashkin

Democrats have a better chance of maintaining control of the Senate than the House in 2022, but that doesn’t mean the party should feel too confident about their chances. 

With a 50-50 Senate and no easy takeover opportunities, Democrats have no room for…

2022 Senate Overview (January 7, 2022): Alabama - Georgia

by Jacob Rubashkin January 7, 2022 · 2:29 PM EST

Alabama. Open; Richard Shelby (R) not seeking re-election. Jan. 28 filing deadline. May 24 primary, June 21 runoff (if necessary). The GOP field to replace Shelby has evolved over the last few months with Lynda Blanchard, former ambassador to Slovenia in the Trump administration, now running for governor against incumbent…

2022 Senate Overview (January 7, 2022): Hawaii - North Carolina

January 7, 2022 · 2:28 PM EST

Hawaii. Brian Schatz (D) appointed 2012, elected 2014 (70%), 2016 (74%). June 7 filing deadline. Aug. 13 primary. No Democrats or Republicans have filed to run against Schatz. There’s still five months for a challenger to emerge but none that would complicate Schatz’s quest for another term. The senator had…

2022 Senate Overview (January 7, 2022): North Dakota - Wisconsin

January 7, 2022 · 2:27 PM EST

North Dakota. John Hoeven (R) elected 2010 (76%), 2016 (78%). April 11 filing deadline. June 14 primary. Hoeven had $2.7 million in the bank on Sept. 30. Trump won the state by 33 points in 2020. Solid Republican.

Ohio. Open; Rob Portman (R) not seeking re-election. Feb. 2 filing deadline.…

Wisconsin Senate: Decisions, Decisions

by Jacob Rubashkin December 16, 2021 · 2:30 PM EST

Of all of the Republican senators running for re-election in 2022, perhaps none inspire more enmity from Democrats than Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

The laundry list of complaints runs long, back to 2010 when Johnson dethroned liberal lion Russ Feingold, derailing the Democrat’s presidential ambitions and heralding a rightward turn…

The Problem with our Politics is not Partisanship

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 8, 2021 · 9:02 AM EST

Our political system is broken. Partisanship, however, is not to blame. It’s the personalization. 

In the current political environment, it’s not enough to disagree with a political foe about policy. You have to discredit, demonize and destroy that person as a human being. 

Arizona Republican Paul Gosar’s anime on Twitter…

Georgia Senate: Between the Parties

by Jacob Rubashkin December 3, 2021 · 2:30 PM EST

Republicans need a net gain of just one seat to take back control of the U.S. Senate and, on paper, Georgia appears the likeliest candidate to deliver the majority back to the GOP.

All of Republicans’ pickup opportunities are in states Joe Biden carried in 2020, but Georgia was the…

Report Shorts (December 3, 2021): Georgia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania

by Jacob Rubashkin December 3, 2021 · 2:27 PM EST

Georgia Governor
Former state House minority leader/2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams made her long-anticipated 2022 gubernatorial bid official on Dec. 1, putting her on the path for an epic rematch of the 2018 race that pitted her against now-Gov. Brian Kemp in a race decided by 1 point,…

2022 Senate: A Range of Outcomes After Virginia and New Jersey

by Bradley Wascher November 23, 2021 · 4:06 PM EST

Recent elections in Virginia and New Jersey provide additional clarity on the position of the national environment heading into the 2022 Senate elections, and although there are still a range of outcomes for how the midterms might play out, Republicans currently appear to have an advantage.

Virginia and New Jersey’s…