President News & Analysis

Cory Gardner for Veep? Don’t Laugh

by Stuart Rothenberg November 6, 2015 · 9:17 AM EST

Though I took notice of Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner’s endorsement of Sen. Marco Rubio for president, I didn’t immediately think about Gardner as a possible running mate for Rubio — until a CQ Roll Call colleague dropped that pearl of wisdom in my lap.

But there are plenty of…

Fiorina Has No Clear Lane to GOP Nomination

by Stuart Rothenberg November 4, 2015 · 9:16 AM EST

Carly Fiorina is popular among Republicans, both nationally and in Iowa. And yet, when those same Republicans are asked to name their preferred candidate for president, they generally don’t select her. Why?

Is it simply, as some have suggested, that Republicans don’t want to vote for a woman, or…

Cruz and Jindal Wait Impatiently for Their Chances

by Stuart Rothenberg October 29, 2015 · 9:01 AM EDT

Bobby Jindal and Ted Cruz continue to plug away in Iowa, far back from the front-runners. But both are well aware that if Ben Carson turns out to be little more than Herman Cain, a political outsider who briefly sat atop the 2012 field, each of them could have…

Why the Next Month Is Critical for Bush

by Stuart Rothenberg October 28, 2015 · 10:10 AM EDT

It’s still more than three months before the Iowa caucuses, but the next four weeks are crucial for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who started with the kinds of political assets that led many to regard him as the front-runner in the GOP race.

More than 10 months after…

What the Heck Happened to Rand Paul?

by Stuart Rothenberg October 21, 2015 · 9:15 AM EDT

I never expected Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul would win his party’s nomination for president, but I did expect he would be a factor in the race. So far, he hasn’t been one. (See my February column on his foreign policy challenges here.)

While Paul’s father never was…

Presidential Battleground Spotlight: Colorado

by Nathan L. Gonzales October 16, 2015 · 2:58 PM EDT

Democratic presidential nominees have carried Colorado just three times in the last 35 years, and it’s been nearly 20 years since a race was decided by less than 4 points. But the Centennial State appears to be firmly planted among the swing states, albeit the smallest one.

Before Barack…

Why Republicans Need to Nominate Ted Cruz

by Stuart Rothenberg October 15, 2015 · 11:07 AM EDT

It is increasingly apparent the GOP needs to nominate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for president next year.

The party’s difficulty in finding a broadly acceptable candidate for speaker, combined with the success of anti-establishment candidates in the presidential race, should make it clear to all that the fissure in…

Why I Keep Forgetting About John Kasich

by Stuart Rothenberg October 9, 2015 · 10:47 AM EDT

The Republican contest for president probably will boil down to a fight between a pragmatic conservative, such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush or Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and either an uncompromising conservative, such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, or an outsider, like Ben Carson.

Most of the GOP…

Early Iowa Presidential Polls a Better Predictor Than National Ones

by Stuart Rothenberg October 8, 2015 · 11:18 AM EDT

Last month, national polls by CNN/ORC, Fox News and NBC News/Wall Street Journal got plenty of attention, and they certainly helped readers and viewers understand what is going on in the Republican and Democratic presidential contests.

But if history is any guide, early national polls are far less valuable…

Draft Biden Organizer Dismissed Over Past Legal Problems

by Nathan L. Gonzales October 7, 2015 · 10:54 AM EDT

Draft Biden PAC is gaining steam and staff in its unaffiliated effort to encourage Vice President Joe Biden to get into the presidential race, but it recently dismissed one of the group’s initial organizers after his past legal problems came to light.

Former congressional aide and campaign consultant Carlos…