Democrats rode national political waves during the past two cycles. There will likely be another wave this year, but this time the beneficiaries will be Republicans. The 2010 election cycle’s dynamics make difficult races even harder for two appealing House Democratic candidates I interviewed recently, Suzan DelBene and Jon Hulburd. DelBene, 48, is an impressive […]
Over the past 20 years, I have interviewed thousands of candidates, but never one quite like Richard Hanna. I didn’t interview Hanna last cycle, even though he ran a surprisingly strong race against then-freshman Rep. Michael Arcuri (D) in New York’s 24th district, an oddly shaped swath of territory that includes a chunk of central […]
With a nearly 80-seat House majority, 60 seats in the Senate for more than eight months, a GOP brand so damaged that the party looked completely incompetent and a charismatic African-American president taking over from a failed two-term Republican president, you’d have thought that Democrats were set up for a pretty decent two years. But […]
Periodically (it seems more often these days, actually), I come across some really silly political stuff that screams out for attention. Here are four examples. Caveat emptor! Exhibit No. 1: A Feb. 17 survey of 500 likely Wisconsin voters by Rasmussen Reports. Rasmussen is an automated poll that does not include live interviewers, and, as […]
Democrats have plenty of reasons to try to pass health care reform through the Senate using reconciliation to avoid the need for a 60-vote majority. But using the process would constitute a risky roll of the dice for party leaders. Democratic strategists clearly understand the importance of passing some sort of health care reform bill […]
A new Trey Grayson TV spot scheduled to air starting tomorrow, Friday, in the Fort Campbell and Fort Knox areas continues the Kentucky Secretary of State’s targeted campaign against GOP primary opponent Rand Paul. The new ad, which follows an ad in Eastern Kentucky criticizing Paul’s position on coal, targets Paul’s stance on national security. […]
What do voters want — Members of Congress who approach every issue as if it were an ideological litmus test that reflects the ultimate battle of good versus evil, or Members with the experiences and character to bring less rigid perspectives and problem-solving skills to almost any issue? Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth’s primary challenge to […]