Election Insider

October 28 Election Insider


The country's attention is firmly set on November 4, but if the Democrats are serious about getting to 60 seats in the Senate, they may need to maintain their motivation for weeks following Election Day.

October 23 Election Insider


At the beginning of the campaign cycle, few political analysts would have dreamed that the Democrats could take the smallest of majorities and extend it to a 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority in just one term.

October 17 Election Insider


When the Democrats won 30 seats in the House in 2006, many saw that as the absolute high-water mark in terms of seat gains in one election cycle, given today's gerrymandered districts.

October 14 Election Insider


The impressive ground game exhibited by the Obama campaign in the primary has continued right through the general election campaign.

September 22 Election Insider


The battleground states that will decide the 2008 presidential election have been clearly identified, but the key to winning those states is still a matter of conjecture, as different political strategists offer differing ideas.

September 8 Election Insider


As the election rapidly approaches in this closely divided country, there is much discussion about the various Electoral College vote scenarios and the combination of states that Barack Obama or John McCain need to win.

August 12 Election Insider


CBS News features an analysis by Mark Gersh, NCEC Washington Director, and Anthony Salvano of CBS news, showing why Barack Obama has a serious chance to win Colorado in 2008.

July 23 Election Insider


In 2004, national polls in the presidential race showed the volatility of public opinion at the time, as both candidates held slim leads at different times in the campaign.

July 11 Election Insider


Political pundits are making outlandish predictions about Democratic gains in the House in 2008, in some cases predicting a 30+ seat gain.

June 9 Election Insider


Now that Senator Barack Obama has secured the Democratic nomination for president, Democrats can move forward as a party to face an even more daunting task: defeating John McCain.

May 22 Election Insider


Last week's Democratic victory in the special election in Mississippi 's First District was nothing short of spectacular. This victory made Democrats a perfect three for three in special elections in 2008, all of which took place in traditionally strong GOP districts in Illinois , Louisiana , and Mississippi.

May 7 Election Insider


The North Carolina and Indiana primaries may have forced clarity upon the Democratic presidential race last night. With the math of the delegate race becoming increasingly implausible for the Clinton campaign, it is likely that the marathon race is close to a conclusion.

April 24 Election Insider


Political attention continues to be dominated by the seemingly never-ending drama for the Democratic presidential nomination, but while the Clinton and Obama camps slug it out, Democrats supporting either candidate are working tirelessly to solidify the Democratic majority in the Senate.

April 10 Election Insider


The results of the Democratic primary runoff last week suggest that a Democratic victory in the upcoming special election is very possible.

March 25 Election Insider


As this excursion from the frantic primary calendar unfolds, Pennsylvania is the next important primary on the horizon.

March 11 Election Insider


The Democratic Party scored a major victory last week, and unlike most current stories in politics, it had little to do with the presidential primaries.

February 25 Election Insider


So much has changed since Hillary Clinton won in New Hampshire. Barack Obama has turned the tide in his direction, scoring 10 straight victories and making inroads into every segment of the population that had overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire.

February 15 Election Insider


The wealth of presidential primaries and caucuses on Super Tuesday and beyond have failed to produce a clear front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination but have shown a population increasingly tuned in to and motivated by the Democratic contest.

February 4 Election Insider


The most striking feature of the Democratic primary season, at least to date, has been remarkable turnout. State after state -- Iowa , New Hampshire , South Carolina , Nevada , Florida -- has established turnout records.

January 31 Election Insider


Bereft of delegates to the National Convention, a penalty imposed by the Democratic National Committee for noncompliance with the prescribed calendar, Florida nevertheless is worth a look.

January 23 Election Insider


In the week leading up to the New Hampshire primary, poll after poll had Barack Obama well ahead of eventual winner Hillary Clinton. Obviously the polls were wrong, but there were several other factors that led to Clinton 's unexpected victory in New Hampshire , some of which carried over to Nevada .

January 15 Election Insider


The Iowa caucus is one of the most influential events in the presidential nomination process. It is a strong indicator of the mood of the country.

 


For more information on NCEC's Election Insider contact Michael Piel at 202-639-8300.

 

Election Insider

What Can Turn Colorado Blue?

CBS News features an analysis by Mark Gersh, NCEC Washington Director, and Anthony Salvano of CBS news, showing why Barack Obama has a serious chance to win Colorado in 2008. Polls consistently show that Colorado will be one of the key states to watch on election night this year, but the transformation of this state from Republican stronghold to toss-up state has been occurring consistently over the past several election cycles, as several key factors have altered the voting composition of the state. (Read the CBS analysis.) 

NCEC has been forecasting this change in Colorado's electoral importance far before it received the current media attention. An Election Insider written in March of 2007 suggested that Colorado would be a battleground in this year's election.