Boxer Retirement Provides Overdue Opportunity for Minority Democrats

It’s a stunning fact that a Republican Party that still depends on whites for 90 percent of its votes has more viable minority leaders to consider for its 2016 presidential ticket than do Democrats. Much of that imbalance can reasonably be attributed to California. The announcement by Sen. Barbara Boxer […] Read more »

Losing the Tea Party Baggage

With the demographic composition of the electorate rapidly changing, what is the best way for Republicans in diverse states to campaign? The election in November of Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado provides a template for the party on how to succeed in a battleground state with two ascendant constituencies: well-educated […] Read more »

What’s Behind Obama’s Improving Poll Numbers?

As Barack Obama nears the halfway point of his second term, things appear finally to be looking up for the president after a difficult year. For the first time since September 2013, Gallup’s daily polling on Mr. Obama’s job approval rating shows it above water: 48% of Americans approve of […] Read more »

The decline of the Cuban American hard-liners

President Obama’s announcement Wednesday of steps to reestablish diplomatic relations and liberalize economic ties with Cuba signals the continued decline of a once politically formidable bloc: Cuban American hard-liners. The product of demographic and opinion trends that have been building for over two decades, these policy changes became timely following […] Read more »