… [Scott] Walker is one of eight Republican governors facing re-election who swept into office in 2010 in states that President Obama won two years earlier, driven by the Tea Party at the height of its influence. … But perhaps the most closely watched races will be in four Northern […] Read more »
Illinois Governor: Bruce Rauner jumps out to early lead
Winnetka venture capitalist Bruce Rauner has jumped out to a big lead in the Republican race for governor after spending millions of dollars on television ads to introduce himself to Illinois voters, a new Tribune/WGN-TV poll found. The survey showed Rauner at 40 percent support, more than his top two […] Read more »
How Christie Could Hurt the GOP in 2016
It’s far too early to say whether the controversies swirling around New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will prevent him from seriously competing for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. But Christie’s cascading difficulties underscore the shortage of good options for voters and donors in the party’s upscale managerial wing. It’s still […] Read more »
Broken at the Bridge, a Basic Law of Politics
Here are two reasons Gov. Chris Christie and his people are hiring top-shelf criminal defense lawyers. The first is that the Christie machine broke a basic law of politics, codified by a corrupt Philadelphia politician and passed along by Richard Aregood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning newsman: “Never do anything crooked or […] Read more »
Christie won’t be hurt
People in politics who should know better — or who may know better but pretend they don’t — act as if events like “Bridgegate” really affect votes. … There are several perfectly good explanations as to why these bad stories aren’t very influential in the end. For one thing, voters […] Read more »
Parties Seize on Abortion Issues in Midterm Race
… Abortion is becoming an unexpectedly animating issue in the 2014 midterm elections. Republicans, through state ballot initiatives and legislation in Congress, are using it to stoke enthusiasm among core supporters. Democrats, mindful of how potent the subject has been in recent campaigns like last year’s governor’s race in Virginia, […] Read more »