Political Crumbs

Collin Peterson remarked last month that he is leaning to run for reelection to Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District in 2016. If he does and is victorious, he will creep even closer to the top of the list of the longest-serving…

When the 114th Congress convenes in a few days, Maine will be represented by one home-grown U.S. Representative: Waterville-born Republican Bruce Poliquin. With the departure of Millinocket-born Mike Michaud, who launched a failed gubernatorial bid, the Pine Tree State was…

Congressman Nick Rahall’s failed bid for a 20th term in West Virginia this cycle, combined with a narrow loss by Nick Casey to Alex Mooney in Shelley Moore Capito’s open seat, means that West Virginia Democrats will be shut out…

Larry Pressler may have fallen short in his long-shot, underfunded, and understaffed bid to return to the nation’s upper legislative chamber, but he did end up notching the best showing for a non-major party South Dakota U.S. Senate candidate in…

Iowa Republicans had a banner day on November 4th, picking up both a U.S. Senate seat and one U.S. House seat, but Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ defeat in her third attempt to oust Democrat Dave Loebsack in the 2nd CD means the…

Democrat Debbie Dingell’s commanding victory on Election Day in Michigan’s 12th Congressional District marked the first time in electoral history that a non-widowed female candidate will directly succeed her husband in either legislative chamber. (John Dingell is retiring in January…

The South Dakota State Senate will have three new Republican members in 2015 – each of whom has a parent that will represent the same district in the State House. Representatives Brock Greenfield, David Novstrup, and Jenna Haggar won election…

The North Carolina U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan and Republican Thom Tillis may go down to the wire next Tuesday, but along the way Libertarian nominee Sean Haugh is poised to set a state record for a…

Two-term Idaho Republican Governor Butch Otter only polled at 39 percent in a recent PPP survey of the state’s 2014 race – just four points ahead of Democratic businessman A.J. Balukoff. Otter’s low numbers reflect his own struggles as a…

Two sitting governors currently hold the record for the highest gubernatorial vote ever received in their respective states by a non-incumbent: Republican Matt Mead of Wyoming (65.7 percent in 2010) and outgoing GOPer Dave Heineman of Nebraska (73.4 percent in…