Clik here to view.
West Virginia 2014 US Senate Race to Feature Rare Matchup
Only 12 U.S. Senate elections have involved two major party female nominees in U.S. history and just two of these without a female incumbent West Virginia Democrats breathed a sigh of relief late last...
View ArticleClik here to view.
West Virginia, Utah Eye All-GOP US House Delegations in 2014
It has been more than 90 years since the last time Republicans had a monopoly on every U.S. House seat in the Mountain State There are currently 11 multi-member, single-party U.S. House delegations in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Will the Number of Female US Senators Drop After 2014?
The number of women in the chamber has remained stable or increased in every cycle since the late 1970s With Republican U.S. Representative Shelley Moore Capito and Democratic Secretary of State...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Media Analysis: Iowa US Senate Race Is 2014’s True Toss-up
A study of 2014 U.S. Senate race ratings finds the odds of a pick-up in Iowa’s race between Bruce Braley and Joni Ernst are closer to 50-50 than any other contest in the country In late June, Smart...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Is There a Presidential Drag On Gubernatorial Elections?
Only five of the 20 presidents to serve since 1900 have seen their party win a majority of gubernatorial elections during their administrations, and only one since JFK One of the reasons attributed to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Rock Bottom: Democrats Hit Multiple Low Water Marks in US Senate Elections
Ten of the 34 states with U.S. Senate races in 2014 found the Democratic Party endure one of its three worst performances in the direct election era Losing at least seven U.S. Senate seats in 2014 –...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Year in Smart Politics
A look back at some of the reports that made headlines from Smart Politics in 2014 The last 12 months have provided an exciting electoral cycle, complete with many historical firsts, rarities, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Which 16 States Have Never Been on Michelle Obama’s SOTU Guest List?
More than 135 guests have appeared with the First Lady since the president’s first SOTU speech in 2010, but none from 16 states When the State of the Union guest list for Michelle Obama was announced...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Going Home? Joe Manchin Eyes Rare Electoral Feat in 2016
In 2016, West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin may become just the sixth former governor in the last 100 years who then won a U.S. Senate seat only to return to his gubernatorial post Democrats endured...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Will Governor Tomblin Become Congressman Tomblin After 2016?
Only one West Virginia governor in history has subsequently served in the U.S. House West Virginia Democrats are encouraging outgoing Governor Earl Ray Tomblin to run for Congress – a downgrade in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sanders Still Cruises in 2nd Most Competitive West Virginia Democratic...
Sanders’ 15-point victory was the closest Democratic race in the Mountain State since before the Great Depression Bernie Sanders was all but assured a victory heading into Primary Day in West Virginia,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Martin O’Malley: Southern Outlier?
Kentucky became the sixth state where O’Malley has eclipsed one percent of the primary vote – all located in the South Martin O’Malley withdrew from the race for the Democratic nomination after the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
1.6 Million GOP Primary Voters Cast Ballots for Ex-Candidates
Kasich, Cruz, and Carson received the most votes as former White House hopefuls; 10 GOPers won more votes as ex-candidates than when they were still in the race Republican voters set party records...
View ArticleClik here to view.
History Suggests Rubio Should Win Reelection Despite Failed Presidential...
Since 1972, all seven sitting U.S. Senators who ran for reelection in the cycle of their failed presidential bid won another term – each by double digits With suspense gradually building over the last...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Democrats Seek to Extend, Tie Record Gubernatorial Winning Streaks in 2016
After the 2016 cycle, the party could reach record winning streaks for governor in five states across three regions of the country The gubernatorial elections held in a dozen states this cycle may be...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bayh and Feingold Could Become 1st Pair of Ex-US Senators to Return to...
It has been 30 cycles since the last time multiple former Senators returned to their old job in the same cycle When Indiana Republican Dan Coats was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 he became the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Democrats Could Notch Best Gubernatorial Election Cycle in Party History
If a handful of toss-up races all end up in the Democratic column, the party will have its strongest showing in races for governor since its formation nearly 190 years ago Speculation about the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Clinton Hits New Low for Democrats in West Virginia
Meanwhile, Trump breaks a statewide 152-year old state record set by Abraham Lincoln in 1864 for the best ever showing in the state The support for Democratic presidential nominees in West Virginia has...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Democrats Enduring Nightmarish Presidential Election Slide in 4 States
For the first time in party history, Democrats have lost multiple states by increasingly larger margins in five consecutive presidential elections It is hardly a secret that Democrats have struggled...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dean Heller: Ripe for the Picking?
Heller is the only Republican among the 15 U.S. Senators who serve states in which their party holds a minority of U.S. House seats; a dozen (including Heller) are up for reelection in 2018 One of the...
View Article