You might think the best way to understand Mississippi’s upcoming 1st District special election to fill the late Rep. Alan Nunnelee’s seat is to examine the 2008 special election in the same district. After all, that previous special election to fill the seat left open by Roger Wicker’s appointment to the Senate happened less than […]
This is prime time for candidate recruitment, but aspiring politicos might pause to make sure they know what they’re in for before jumping into a competitive congressional race. In the same vein as the timeless book for new parents, a bipartisan collection of campaign strategists and consultants offered some essential advice before starting along the […]
I never pay too much attention to early polls, since snapshots of a race more than 18 months before Election Day can be misleading. And political parties ought to be careful about crowing too loudly about early polls for fear someone will look too closely into them. A Feb. 10 “rapid response” press release from […]
Special elections matter, but not for the reasons you might think. It’s an annual sport in politics: arguing whether special elections serve as bellwethers. But while special elections often poorly portend results around the country, they can produce potential leaders. They’re also excellent predictors of voter behavior inside that particular district. Even when special elections […]
Just because something has not happened before doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future. Barack Obama and Barry Goldwater proved that point, and Hillary Rodham Clinton could soon be added to the list. Could Ben Carson, as well? There has been plenty of chatter about Carson and his potential presidential run, from sympathetic pieces […]
“It’s going to be awhile,” wrote The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza recently, summarizing Democrats’ chances of obtaining a majority in the House. But Democrats may not need years to dig out from their minority hole … if they are willing to surrender the White House in 2016. Cillizza, a former Roll Call politics reporter, lays […]