Political Crumbs

Niki Tsongas’ announcement that she would not seek a seventh term in the U.S. House means the Massachusetts Democrat will end her career with 11 years, 2 months, and 19 days in the chamber. That is good for third place among the five female U.S. Representatives that have been elected to the House from the…

With West Virginia Governor Jim Justice switching his party affiliation to Republican last week, there is now only one Democratic governor remaining among the 14 states across the country that are completely enveloped by other states (i.e. those states that do not at least partially border an ocean, lake, or a foreign nation) – John…

While perhaps lacking an A-list contender, Iowa Democrats are not short of candidates for governor in 2018 with nine men and women officially in the race or exploring a bid. If the eventual Democratic nominee picks up the seat, he or she will become the fourth member of the party to win a gubernatorial election…

Four states hold gubernatorial elections in 2018 where winners have fallen short of garnering the support of a majority of voters in at least the last two consecutive cycles. Maine has done so in each of the last four cycles with a plurality of voters electing Democrat John Baldacci in 2002 (47.2 percent) and 2006…

Terry Branstad’s resignation today to become U.S. Ambassador to China makes him the fourth of the 41 men and women to serve as governor of Iowa to resign before the end of their term. Each of the previous three governors resigned from their seat after being elected to the U.S. Senate: Republican Samuel Kirkwood in…

Four-term U.S. Representative Mo Brooks added his name to the growing list of Republicans vying for appointed U.S. Senator Luther Strange’s seat in 2017’s special election. Brooks is the sixth GOPer slated to appear on the mid-August primary ballot – one shy of the party record. The high water mark is currently the seven Republicans…

Democrats have fielded at least one bona fide 2018 challenger to Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz with three-term Congressman Beto O’Rourke announcing his campaign this week. The party’s three-decade long statewide office drought is well-documented and the GOP currently has an unblemished record in holding U.S. Senate seats in the Lone Star State dating back…

Only one Republican has officially filed to challenge Wisconsin U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin in 2018 – little-known courier John Schiess of Rice Lake, who once won 9.9 percent of the 1984 GOP primary vote in Oregon against Senator Mark Hatfield. However, a bevy of well-known Republicans are currently waiting in the wings considering bids including…

Ohio’s U.S. House delegation has been a model in consistency: in 2016 all incumbents were reelected in back-to-back cycles for the first time in state history. That streak may be in jeopardy in 2018 with at least three of the state’s U.S. Representatives considering higher elected office. The delegation’s second most tenured member, Republican Pat…

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel announced last week that he will challenge two-term Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown in 2018, setting up the likelihood of a rare rematch in the Buckeye State. Mandel lost to Brown by 6.0 points in 2012 with Barack Obama carrying the state at the top of the ticket. If Mandel wins…