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January 2026

Democrats' list of priorities for the fall
Winning the House comes first, followed by Senate races in swing states. But the party could be better served by targeting state legislatures than…
 • Charlie Cook
The three kinds of midterm campaigns
Parties are either trying to consolidate control in a friendly state, engaging in a fair fight on neutral ground, or trying to pick off a seat in enemy…
 • Charlie Cook
Why Peltola's entry may not change the Senate math
Like Sherrod Brown in Ohio, Mary Peltola is the Democrats' best possible recruit in Alaska. It may not get them over the hump.
 • Charlie Cook
Don't overestimate Venezuela's impact on the midterms
Yes, the mission was impressive. The aftermath is fraught with challenges. And neither will matter much nine months from now.
 • Charlie Cook

December 2025

What the Democrats' autopsy should have focused on
The seeds of defeat weren't sown in 2024, but rather in 2021, when Biden and his party grossly overread their mandate.
 • Charlie Cook
The separate political realities of red, blue, and purple America
Up and down the ballots, the numbers don't lie. But keep an eye out for New Hampshire to join the purple ranks.
 • Charlie Cook
These numbers from Tennessee reveal Republicans' predicament
It was always unrealistic that Democrat Aftyn Behn could pull off the upset in the Tennessee-07 race. But looking under the hood, the GOP's enthusiasm…
 • Charlie Cook
Election Day 2026 will be an Independents' Day
The new Gallup poll underscores the president's precarious position with swing voters.
 • Charlie Cook

November 2025

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