All DC Decoder
Election 2014: Do all the close Senate races mean Democrats have a shot?Republicans are still favored to win control of the Senate. But it's not a purely anti-Democratic cycle. Plenty of Republicans are struggling – a few in Senate races, and lots of governors.
Senate elections 101: Louisiana is a referendum on Mary Landrieu.Louisiana incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu says she can deliver on the state's top three priorities. If voters believe her, she might just survive.- Kentucky Senate race: Grimes brings in Clinton, McConnell releases the houndsWith only days left before midterm elections, Alison Lundergan Grimes and Sen. Mitch McConnell are hauling out their most powerful weapons. For Ms. Grimes, that’s Hillary Rodham Clinton. For Senator McConnell, it’s bloodhounds.
Wisconsin governor's race: Can Obama's visit tip the outcome?Gov. Scott Walker's race is tightening, as President Obama makes a rare appearance with a Democratic candidate in the 2014 campaign cycle. But it's not clear whether his presence will help or hurt challenger Mary Burke.
What does Christie's tough talk on Ebola say about him as a presidential candidate?Governor Christie’s tough-guy persona has generally served him well in a crisis, but some say his 'quarantine dance' shows he's not ready for prime-time.
Who wins Senate in Election 2014? 3 reasons it could be mystery for weeks. Here are three reasons why the final shape of Senate might not be known for weeks after Election Day:
Ebola quarantines show deeply conflicting impulses facing politiciansNew Jersey released nurse Kaci Hickox from an Ebola quarantine Monday and New York State eased up on its quarantine rules for 'high-risk' personnel. Such quarantines are an attempt to address public fear, but they might be counterproductive, experts say.
Quarantine or not? Key Ebola question pits Obama vs. governorsNew York, New Jersey, and Illinois have ordered the quarantine of anyone returning to the US who has been in contact with Ebola patients in West Africa. Medical experts warn this could discourage health care workers from going there to help.
Same-sex marriage gets another big boost from the Obama administrationUS Attorney General Eric Holder announced Saturday that the Obama administration is adding six more states to the list of those where federal benefits would be granted to same-sex married couples, bringing the total such states to 32.
Election 2014: Rise of independents scrambles the mathKansas, South Dakota, Alaska, and Maine all feature major independent candidates in statewide races, wreaking havoc with the usual political order. American voters are also moving away from the two main parties.
What is 'conservative realism,' and can it push Rand Paul to White House?Sen. Rand Paul, a presumed Republican candidate for president in 2016, spoke of 'conservative realism' in a speech this week. It is one prong of his strategy to attract voters beyond the Republican base.
How women voters are scrambling Senate races – in both directionsIn Colorado and New Hampshire, women voters are moving toward the Republican. In Georgia and Iowa, they're moving toward the Democrat.
Do women voters favor women candidates? Not really, Iowa shows.Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Staci Appel are trying to become the first women to be elected to Congress from Iowa. But their different approaches to the milestone point to an underlying truth for women in politics.
Ebola and the politics of fearFrom Johnson's 'Daisy Girl' ad to Reagan's Soviet bear, politicians have been trying to scare voters to the polls for decades. Now, Ebola is handing candidates an arresting talking point.
In Senate races, little talk of Ferguson. Will that hurt black voter turnout?African-Americans are engaged in intense discussions about the race and justice issues raised this summer. But the Senate candidates – many in tight races that could determine control of the chamber – aren’t talking about Ferguson.
Yes, conservatives watch Fox – but it's more nuanced than that, survey findsPolarized media consumption has helped fuel partisanship in politics. But at the same time, a Pew survey finds that Americans – even on the left or right – aren’t isolated in ideological bubbles.
North Carolina on track to have costliest Senate race everThe flood of advertising dollars into North Carolina symbolizes the growing influence of outside groups in political campaigns. Overall spending for the Senate race in the Tar Heel State could surpass $100 million.
Monica Lewinsky joins Twitter: Why that's bad news for Hillary Clinton 2016Monica Lewinsky has re-entered public life, again. Why the former White House intern's return could pose a problem for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Sharp divide in how key voters view US government's Ebola responseRepublican voters in electoral battleground states have far less confidence in US efforts to fight Ebola than do Democrats, a new poll shows.
Eight races where candidates actually want to campaign with ObamaPresident Obama has stuck to private fundraisers so far this campaign season. But on Sunday, he heads to Maryland and Chicago to stump publicly for Democrats, and will campaign for six more.
