President News & Analysis

Context for Facebook Chatter About Presidential Candidates

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 21, 2015 · 9:48 AM EDT

Millions of people have talked about the presidential contenders on Facebook as they officially launch campaigns. But despite some gaudy numbers, context and limits of the data cast doubt on the impact Facebook conversations will have on the race.

In the 24 hours surrounding Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s Monday…

The What Ifs of the 2016 GOP Presidential Race

by Stuart Rothenberg April 20, 2015 · 9:28 AM EDT

If Jeb Bush doesn’t win any of the first four GOP contests — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — does that eliminate him from the Republican race? Or does he have the staying power to survive those losses?

If Texas Sen. Ted Cruz finishes first in the…

The Young and the Restless of 2016

by Stuart Rothenberg April 16, 2015 · 12:36 PM EDT

Once upon a time, presidential candidates were expected to have more than passing experience in government, as well as the maturity and wisdom that sometimes come with age. But that has changed, apparently.

Barack Obama was in the United States Senate for only two years before he began his…

Jeb Bush Can’t Be Nominated. Or Can He?

by Stuart Rothenberg April 2, 2015 · 11:20 AM EDT

There are plenty of reasons to believe Jeb Bush, the former two-term governor of Florida, son of a former president and brother of another former president, cannot win the 2016 Republican nomination.

The problem for those of us who report on and analyze elections dispassionately is there are also…

It’s Early: Why Pundits Shouldn’t Overreact

by Stuart Rothenberg March 26, 2015 · 3:43 PM EDT

The reviews are in after the first game of spring training: Hillary Rodham Clinton struck out. Or at best, she hit a slow roller to second base and was thrown out by a mile.

She’s toast. It’s over for her. She has handled the email controversy like an amateur.…

The Fearsome Foursome: Bush, Paul, Walker, Rubio

by Stuart Rothenberg March 18, 2015 · 9:48 AM EDT

A veritable bevy of Republican presidential hopefuls have already hired staff, wooed deep-pocketed contributors and made speeches in Iowa and New Hampshire, proving what we already know: The 2016 nomination preseason is well underway.

Fundraising, organization, the size of the field and the calendar all will play a significant…

What the ‘Big Ten’ Tells Republicans They Need in 2016

by Stuart Rothenberg March 11, 2015 · 9:56 AM EDT

We won’t know the 2016 Republican presidential nominee for more than a year, but we already know the 10 states — the electoral “Big Ten” — that will select the next occupant of the White House.

Because of that, we can evaluate the GOP’s general election prospects over the…

Familiar Faces in Presidential Battleground States

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 6, 2015 · 2:00 PM EST

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hasn’t officially announced her campaign and we’re still many months away from knowing who Republicans will pick to be their nominee, but the presidential battleground is already coming into focus. The next commander in chief is likely to be decided by voters in…

Rand Paul, Hillary Clinton Face Foreign Policy Challenges in 2016

by Stuart Rothenberg March 2, 2015 · 8:45 AM EST

While the economy is a decisive topic in many presidential elections, national security looks increasingly likely to become a top issue in next year’s contest. And if that happens, it could dramatically affect both the direction of the race for the Republican nomination and the party’s prospects in November.

Remembrance of Shutdowns Past

by Stuart Rothenberg February 27, 2015 · 9:00 AM EST

Republicans scored big gains in the 2010 and 2014 elections because both of those midterms were about President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. Democrats had successful elections in 2006, 2008 and 2012 primarily because they made those elections about the GOP and George W. Bush, John McCain and…