Archive

South Carolina 1st District Poll: It’s All About Context

by Stuart Rothenberg April 4, 2013 · 4:46 PM EDT

The campaign of Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the Democratic nominee for the special election in South Carolina’s 1st District, released a poll Monday. As with all polls, context matters, so be careful before jumping to conclusions either way.

Conducted for the campaign by Lake Research Partners,…

South Carolina 1 Special: Referendum on Sanford or Colbert Busch?

by Jessica Taylor April 2, 2013 · 9:39 PM EDT

Mark Sanford cleared another hurdle Tuesday on his way to political redemption, winning the GOP runoff against former Charleston City councilor Curtis Bostic.

However, the disgraced former South Carolina governor’s greatest test is yet to come against Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch on May 7.…

What State Political Trends Portend for the 2014 Midterms

by Stuart Rothenberg April 1, 2013 · 10:21 AM EDT

There probably isn’t a better demonstration of the nation’s partisan political polarization than the makeup of the Senate. Only 17 states have split delegations, while 33 states have either two Republicans or two Democrats (or two senators who caucus with the same party, in the case of…

Not All State Offices Are Political Launching Pads

by Stuart Rothenberg April 1, 2013 · 9:25 AM EDT

My colleague Nathan Gonzales has written a terrific piece on Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, the young Democrat mentioned as a potential challenger to veteran GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell. He explains her election as Kentucky secretary of state and her family’s connection to the…

In Kentucky, All Eyes on Grimes to Face McConnell

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 1, 2013 · 9:24 AM EDT

Actress Ashley Judd is out, but that doesn’t mean Democrats are giving up on the Kentucky Senate race.

Many Democrats quickly looked to Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes to take on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014.

On the surface, the 34 year-old attorney is a statewide…

The Fat Lady Sings on Gun Control, 2013 Edition

by Stuart Rothenberg March 28, 2013 · 3:23 PM EDT

Whether you are a staunch supporter of the National Rifle Association or an enthusiastic backer of the effort by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein for stronger gun control laws, it now should be clear who is winning — indeed, who has won — the latest…

About That Terrible GOP Brand …

by Stuart Rothenberg March 27, 2013 · 11:50 AM EDT

I certainly agree with pollster Andrew Kohut’s overall assessment of the Republican Party’s image and positioning problems in his March 24 Washington Post piece. I, too, have written about the GOP’s problems.

But in the piece, Kohut compares the GOP’s current position to the Democrats’ “in the…

South Dakota Senate Seat Remains a Pure Toss-Up…For Now

March 26, 2013 · 11:38 AM EDT

Not every retirement is a game-changer. Democrats were going to have a difficult time defending the South Dakota Senate seat with or without Sen. Tim Johnson (D). But now that the senator has made his decision not to seek re-election, the playing field to replace him can start to solidify.

For…