The two candidates in the Virginia governor’s race are talking more about Donald Trump, the former President, than they are about Joe Biden, the White House’s current occupant. That disparity in the dialogue between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin points toward an unusual, even unprecedented, dynamic looming over […] Read more »
All politics isn’t local anymore
I’ve spent plenty of time over the past three decades reminding national political reporters and political junkies that off-year gubernatorial races don’t tell us a hell of a lot about what will happen in the next midterm election or the next presidential contest. State and local races, after all, tend […] Read more »
Why neither party has a sustainable political majority
Let me tell you a little story. Nine years ago, Barack Obama won a second term in office, and there was talk of an emerging Democratic majority in presidential elections. Then came Donald Trump, the least liked major party nominee of all time, who won the 2016 election — albeit […] Read more »
Virginia is for worriers: Governor race poses real risk to Dem agenda
The Democratic Party’s fortunes are increasingly tied to someone who’s never served a day in federal office: Terry McAuliffe. Losing ground in a Virginia gubernatorial campaign once seen as a near-lock for Democrats, McAuliffe has sought to nationalize the race — calling out congressional inaction and President Joe Biden’s waning […] Read more »
Is a Democratic Wipeout Inevitable?
… The lesson of history is that it is extremely difficult for presidents to translate legislative success in their first year into political success in the midterm elections of their second year. Those early achievements can boost presidents in their reelection bids, but in almost all cases they have not […] Read more »
Comparing Biden’s Mandate to FDR’s and LBJ’s
It is baffling how oblivious many Democrats seem to be, not only of the political dangers they face in the midterm elections, but how they continue to exacerbate their problems. Indeed, they seem intent on maximizing their challenges. They seem so confident about the wisdom and righteousness of their cause, […] Read more »