President News & Analysis

Predicting the Future and Other Delusions

by Stuart Rothenberg January 8, 2016 · 9:34 AM EST

Barry Ritholtz, a financial planner and asset manager, writes a regular column in The Washington Post’s business section. I read him religiously, and his last column of 2015, on financial prognosticators, offered important observations for anyone interested in politics, sports or Wall Street.

I include all three subjects…

Ted Cruz Might Not Need Trump Supporters

by Nathan L. Gonzales January 7, 2016 · 10:49 AM EST

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is poised to absorb Donald Trump’s supporters when the billionaire exits the race for the GOP presidential nomination, according to one of the campaign’s most common narratives. But how many Trump supporters are open to supporting another candidate?

The quickest analysis of the Republican race…

Will ‘Electability’ Sink Trump?

by Stuart Rothenberg January 5, 2016 · 9:30 AM EST

Most national polls show Republican frontrunner Donald Trump trailing likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and faring worse than other GOP hopefuls against her.

That raises an obvious question: Could doubts about Trump’s strength in a general election derail his bid for the Republican nomination, or would GOP caucus…

Presidential Battleground Spotlight: New Hampshire

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 18, 2015 · 2:58 PM EST

All of the focus in New Hampshire is on the Feb. 9 presidential primaries, but the Granite State is poised to be a battleground up and down the ballot in the general election as well. 

With just four electoral votes, it’s the smallest swing state prize, even behind potentially…

And the GOP Nominee Will Be…

by Stuart Rothenberg December 18, 2015 · 11:33 AM EST

RealClearPolitics political analyst Sean Trende is one of the clear-eyed, analytic observers of American politics, and I usually find myself nodding in agreement when I read his invariably thoughtful stuff.

That didn’t happen when I was reading his Dec. 10 piece, “Laying Odds on…

Stu in Review: Dumb Stuff I Wrote This Year

by Stuart Rothenberg December 17, 2015 · 11:52 AM EST

When you write dozens of columns each year, as I have been doing for a long time (some people think far too long), you look back at some of them with embarrassment.

Sure, there are plenty of columns of which I remain proud and that look thoughtful, even prescient…

GOP’s Brand In More Trouble Than Its Candidates

by Stuart Rothenberg December 15, 2015 · 10:03 AM EST

“Political brands are important,” I wrote more than a year and a half ago in a lede that was much less interesting than the entire column. Now, though, I am wondering whether political party brands are so different from soap brands or over-the-counter medicine brands, which loyal consumers…

Republicans Need More Than More Hispanic Voters to Win White House

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 14, 2015 · 12:50 PM EST

Republicans’ decline with Hispanic voters over the past two presidential races is undeniable and improvement with the growing demographic is an imperative to improve the party’s White House prospects. But a new interactive tool helps demonstrate that the GOP’s Electoral College challenge goes well beyond the party’s problem with…

An Independent Candidacy Would Make Trump the Biggest Loser

by Nathan L. Gonzales December 11, 2015 · 8:45 AM EST

An independent presidential run by Donald Trump would sink Republican chances of winning the White House, but Trump would be the biggest loser. And if there is one thing Trump can’t afford or stomach, it’s losing.

During the wealthy businessman’s latest dustup with the GOP establishment over his proposed…

Rothenberg’s End of the Year Awards

by Stuart Rothenberg December 9, 2015 · 11:11 AM EST

It has been almost 20 years since I started writing a best/worst end of the year column. Since I’m committed to doing them until I finally get one right, here goes this year’s attempt.

Weirdest Political Development of 2015

The nominees: