House News & Analysis
Candidate for New Jersey’s 5th District
Interview Date: Nov. 30, 2017
Date of Birth: April 27, 1956; Teaneck, N.J.
Education: William Paterson Univ. (1980), Fairleigh Dickinson Univ., (MBA, 1981)
Elected Office: Mayor of Bogota (former); 3rd District candidate (2014); U.S. Senate nominee (2013); Gubernatorial candidate (2005, 2009); State Senate nominee…
Candidate for Minnesota’s 2nd
Interview Date: Oct. 11, 2017
Date of Birth: Feb. 14, 1972; West Helena, Ark.
Education: Memphis State Univ. (B.A. 1994)
Elected Office: None; 2016 2nd District nominee
Current Outlook: Craig lost by less than 2 points in 2016 in an open-seat race in a district Democrats…
One year ago, as Donald Trump was preparing to take the oath of office, Democrats were in disarray. Supporters of 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders were pointing fingers at each other, the Democratic National Committee was in disgrace, and Democratic voters were demoralized.
Now, Trump has…
A new day, a new Republican retirement, but a similar story. On Wednesday, GOP Rep. Darrell Issa announced he will not seek re-election to his Southern California district, leaving Republicans to defend another open seat that Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.
But similar to California’s 39th District, where GOP…
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.
In…
Democrats have been targeting California’s 39th District ever since Hillary Clinton carried it over Donald Trump in the last presidential race. But GOP Rep. Ed Royce’s retirement announcement on Monday gives Democrats an opportunity to take over a seat without having to defeat an entrenched incumbent who had $3.5…
ARIZONA. Open; Jeff Flake (R) not seeking re-election. May 30 filing deadline. Aug. 28 primary. In the face of competitive primary and general elections, Flake announced he would not seek a second term. Former state Sen. Kelli Ward, who lost to Sen. John McCain in the 2016 GOP primary, entered…
MARYLAND. Ben Cardin (D) elected 2006 (54%), 2012 (56%). Feb. 27 filing deadline. June 26 primary. In 2016, Clinton defeated Trump 60-34 percent and Democrat Chris Van Hollen defeated Republican Kathy Szeliga 61-36 percent for the state’s other Senate seat. Retired CIA officer Sam Faddis had just $36,000 in the…
PENNSYLVANIA. Bob Casey Jr. (D) elected 2006 (59%), 2012 (54%). March 6 filing deadline. May 15 primary. After Trump’s 49-48 percent win and Sen. Pat Toomey’s re-election in 2016, there was some reason for GOP optimism about defeating Casey next year. But with Republicans struggling to put the first tier…
Candidate for Florida’s 27th District
Interview Date: December 7, 2017
Date of Birth: April 25, 1957; Houston, TX
Education: University of Central Florida (1979)
Elected Office: State House (current)
Current Outlook: GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s retirement created a tremendous open-seat takeover opportunity, making the Democratic primary and nomination a valuable…