An AP/NORC poll published late in December found that health care ranked number one on the list of the public’s priorities for government. It’s a well done and well reported poll, and as the head of a health policy and journalism organization, I suppose I should be happy that health […] Read more »
For New Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, a Lesser Form of Incumbency
On Tuesday, now-former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) officially resigned from the U.S. Senate following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women. As we discussed in our last newsletter for 2017, Franken’s resignation means that Minnesota will hold a special election for Senate this coming November, which will take place at the […] Read more »
House Seats You Think Can’t Flip but Might
Responses to the “generic ballot” poll question suggest a partisan electoral wave is building. But the fight for control of the House isn’t a single national election. It will be fought district by district, and national Democrats face challenges on the ground even with the generic ballot favoring them. … […] Read more »
The one question likely to decide 2018 elections
As the 2018 election year begins, one question above all is likely to shape its outcome: Will Americans vote to constrain President Donald Trump by electing a Democrat-led Congress that will challenge and resist him, or to empower the Republicans who are increasingly working in harness with him? Voters have […] Read more »
Democrats think 2018 will be a good year, but are they realistic about their own problems?
Thanks mostly to President Trump, Democrats believe they are poised for good things in 2018: the possibility of taking control of the House and gains elsewhere in the midterm elections. But planning victory laps would be premature. Whatever their prospects for the fall campaigns, the Democrats are still in need […] Read more »
The 7 most important polling trends of 2017
2017 is almost in the books — and so are another 12 months of public opinion polling. The calendar year that President Donald Trump spent settling into the White House has been marked by consistently low ratings from a majority of the American public. But this year also has seen […] Read more »