Senate News & Analysis

Why TV Airtime Reservations Are More Important Than Ever

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 23, 2014 · 11:35 AM EDT

It’s time to pay more attention to television ad reservations; they have become another critical way party strategists communicate without coordinating under campaign finance laws.

Not too many cycles ago, political reporters rightly handled television ad reservations loosely and delicately as strategists from both parties used them to…

Colorado Senate: Mark Udall Still Favored

by Stuart Rothenberg April 22, 2014 · 12:34 PM EDT

Rarely has so much been made of so little.

I ought to know, since I am in the middle of the to-do.

During the past weekend’s edition of CNN’s State of the Union, I happened to suggest that Republican Rep. Cory Gardner might upset incumbent Democratic Sen.…

Sebelius to the Senate? Maybe in the Land of Oz, But Not in Kansas

by Stuart Rothenberg April 18, 2014 · 11:23 AM EDT

When I read the New York Times piece, “Sebelius Said to Weigh Run for Kansas Senate Seat,” I had two very different reactions.

First, I figured that national Democrats had to be encouraged that former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, a once-popular two-term governor of…

How to Handicap a Campaign’s Ground Game in 2014

by Stuart Rothenberg April 17, 2014 · 9:40 AM EDT

This cycle, Democrats are counting heavily on registering new voters and turning out registered voters who otherwise don’t bother to vote during midterm elections. Republicans are also putting more emphasis on voter contact programs.

In an era of micro-targeting and sophisticated get-out-the-vote operations, how can a handicapper know…

Democratic Senate Prospects and the New Black Voter

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 14, 2014 · 12:54 PM EDT

Democrats plan to turn out thousands of African-American voters this fall, in an effort to hold the Senate majority. The challenge is that some of them aren’t yet registered to vote.

Which begs the question, after opportunities to elect and re-elect the first black president, why would an…

Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran, Underdog?

by Stuart Rothenberg April 4, 2014 · 9:00 AM EDT

Forget about Matt Bevin’s challenge to Sen. Mitch McConnell in the Kentucky Republican primary or Milton Wolf’s bid to knock off Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts in that state’s GOP contest. The Senate primary to watch is Mississippi’s.

State Sen. Chris McDaniel has the best chance of any anti-establishment…

Nebraska Senate: Peak Timing

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 28, 2014 · 3:00 PM EDT

The first freshman senator for the 114th Congress will be chosen in less than two months.

In Nebraska, GOP Sen. Mike Johanns is retiring after just one term, leaving behind the fourth open Senate seat in the last 14 years. Because Nebraska is such a Republican state, the…

Democrats’ Growing Problems With Independent Voters on the Senate Map

by Stuart Rothenberg March 26, 2014 · 9:45 AM EDT

While the nation’s (and news media’s) focus on Malaysian Airlines flight 370 gave Democrats a couple of weeks to catch their collective breath, the 2014 election cycle continues to look increasingly dangerous for President Barack Obama and his party.

The most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal (March…

Colorado Senate Race Firmly on Senate Battlefield

by Nathan L. Gonzales March 20, 2014 · 9:58 AM EDT

Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall never had intimidating poll numbers this cycle, but uncertainty about the GOP primary raised questions about the seriousness of the Republican threat to him. But all that changed when Republican Rep. Cory Gardner decided to run for the Senate in Colorado.

His decision…

Road Gets Tougher for Democratic Majority in the Senate

by Stuart Rothenberg March 14, 2014 · 4:00 PM EDT

The landscape that defines the fight for the Senate continues to shift in a way that benefits Republicans, though it isn’t yet clear how fully they can take advantage of the opportunity.

President Barack Obama’s job ratings continue to range from mediocre to troubling, and a GOP recruiting…