Naureen Khan

Naureen Khan

Staff Reporter

Naureen Khan is a staff reporter for National Journal, where she covers politics and policy.  Originally hailing from Plano, Texas, she graduated with honors from Duke University in 2010, earning a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in political science. Khan served in various leadership capacities for The Chronicle, the campus daily, covering everything from the 2008 elections in North Carolina to the effects of the recession on the university. She has also previously worked as a general assignment reporter for the Raleigh News & Observer and the Austin American-Statesman. 

Naureen Khan's Latest Posts

Insiders: Rocky, Johnson Retirements Viewed As Most Damaging

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Poll: Which Senate Seats Are Likeliest to Flip?

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Insiders say those of Democrats Tim Johnson and Jay Rockefeller are the most vulnerable. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Poll: Is It Politically Advantageous for Obama to Cut Medicare and Social Security?

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Insiders from both parties say it is, though more Democrats are skeptical.  Read More »

Dem Insiders See Pryor As Most Vulnerable

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Poll: Which Senate Incumbents Are Most Vulnerable?

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Democratic Insiders say it's Mark Pryor or Kay Hagan, while Republicans point to Hagan by a wide margin. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Poll: Even Democrats Say the NRA Is Beating the White House on the Gun Debate

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Insiders from both parties see Obama struggling on the issue. Read More »

Insiders Agree Dems Will Nominate Clinton in 2016

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Insiders Agree Democrats Will Nominate Clinton in 2016

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Repulicans are torn between Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Republican Insiders Doubt a Grand Bargain Will Be Reached

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But then again, so do Democrats. Plus: Neither party expects to gain much much politically from the upcoming budget process. Read More »

Insiders Weigh in On Hispanics and the GOP

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National Journal 's Political Insiders panel lacks confidence Congress and the president will reverse the sequestration spending cuts that took effect on March 1, this week's Insiders Poll shows. Meanwhile, Republicans believe th...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Will a Bargain Be Struck to Reverse the Sequestration Cuts?

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In Washington, all financial skirmishes lead to the same place. Read More »

Berger Mulling N.C. Senate Race

By Jordain Carney and
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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Which Party Really Owns the Sequester?

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Neither party's Insiders think they’ll face strong pressure to undo it. And Democrats are more bullish than Republicans on the tea party's role as political asset. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Republicans Say They Have Almost Even Odds of Taking Control of the Senate

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How likely are the Democrats to take over the House in 2014? Political Insiders weigh in. Read More »

Drink It Up: Rubio's Response Earns a 'B' From GOP Insiders

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There's been a low bar for the opposition response to the State of the Union in recent years. By that standard, Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla., got a passing grade from both Democratic and Republican strategists in the latest National ...

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The First Political Battleground Over Gun Control Is Between Democrats

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As President Obama made his pitch for gun-control legislation Friday in his hometown of Chicago, the death toll in the Windy City continued its ceaseless climb. Chicago had the ignominious distinction of surpassing 500 homicides in ...

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Insiders Grade Obama on State of the Union

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National Journal 's Political Insiders of different parties had drastically different views of President Obama 's State of the Union address. Asked to grade his performance, nearly all of the Democratic Insiders put him in the ...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

GOP Insiders Give Obama's State of the Union a Solid C

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Democratic Insiders give Sen. Marco Rubio's response Tuesday night the same grade. Read More »

Dem Insiders Think Sequester Will Hurt GOP

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Political Insiders are split over which party would be hurt if the automatic budget cuts that President Obama and Congress agreed to, go into effect. If the sequester is allowed to go into effect, will it hurt ...

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Insiders Rate Jobs, Immigration, Deficit As Top Priorities

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Despite the storied paralysis in Washington, Democratic and Republican Insiders came to a rare moment of consensus this week on what priorities should top their parties' agendas this year. What two issues should ...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Topping Insiders' Priority Lists: Immigration, Jobs, and Deficit Reduction

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Plus: Political Insiders speculate on which party will be blamed if the sequester takes effect. Read More »

Insiders Diagnose the GOP's Woes

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There was no shortage of opinions among National Journal 's Political Insiders about what was ailing the Republican Party after losses in last year's elections, although Insiders of different stripes tended to have different takes....

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Insiders Optimistic About Immigration Reform

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Cautious optimism: That's the best way to describe how both Democratic and Republican Political Insiders feel about the chances of comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship, passing Congress this year. ...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Insiders: Immigration Reform Likely to Pass Congress

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They’re divided over what the Republican Party needs to do to improve its standing.  Read More »

Will Republicans Move to the Middle on Gay Rights?

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Public opinion is moving away from social conservatives, but the issue is deeply polarizing. Read More »

GOP Insiders Daring Dems Over Climate Change

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Don't hold your breath for bipartisan consensus on climate change just yet -- at least not if National Journal 's Political Insiders have something to say about it. Asked whether it had become a winning issue for Democrats, near...

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Insiders Diverge on Obama's Second-Term Style

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No surprises here: National Journal 's Democratic and Republican Political Insiders had sharply diverging views of President Obama 's newly unveiled my-way-or-the-highway style. While 9 out of ten Democratic Insiders said the c...

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Insiders See Dems With Edge in Gun-Law Debate

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By a slim margin, National Journal's political insiders gave the edge to Democrats on the highly-charged issue of gun control. Slightly fewer than two-thirds of the Democratic Insiders believed their party had the most to gain fr...

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Insiders: Dems Have Upper Hand in Debt Ceiling Negotiation

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National Journal ’s political insiders came to a rare point of consensus on which party had the upper hand in the upcoming talks over the debt ceiling: Democrats. A full 83 percent of Democratic Insiders gave the edge to their...

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Insiders Split on Hagel Nomination

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A majority of Democrats think President Obama's selection of Chuck Hagel to run the Department of Defense was -- politically speaking -- the right choice, according to the latest National Journal Political Insiders Poll, but confi...

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GOP Insiders: Avoid Same-Sex Marriage Issue

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National Journal 's Political Insiders moved closer to embracing gay marriage, in the wake of historic ballot initiatives that legalized same-sex marriage in some states November and the first endorsement from a sitting president.&...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Political Insiders: Republicans Divided on How to Address Gay Marriage

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Plus, Democrats aren't sold that Chuck Hagel is President Obama's best choice for Defense secretary. Read More »
POLITICS

Why Is Pennsylvania's Governor Suing the NCAA?

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Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett's effort to appeal sanctions imposed against Penn State's football team comes with big political risks. Read More »
BUDGET

What Happens If We Go Over the Fiscal Cliff?

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National Journal has a refresher course on exactly what going over the cliff would mean over the next year and in the long term. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Democratic Insiders Happy With Their Party's Fiscal-Cliff Performance

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Their GOP counterparts are less positive about their own party. Plus: Taxes will likely top both parties' legislative agendas in 2013. Read More »
BUDGET

Liberal Groups Dig In Against Benefit Cuts

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Even as the Obama administration and lawmakers signal optimism about reaching a grand bargain to avert the fiscal cliff before the New Year, President Obama’s liberal allies were battening down the hatches on their position: No cu...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Insiders Weigh In on No-Tax Pledge, Fiscal Cliff

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Democrats see more harm in pledge than Republicans do; Insiders of both stripes support a compromise to avoid the cliff. Read More »

Insiders Split on No-Tax Pledge

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GOP Faces Steep Climb With Young Voters

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Just like the rebellious adolescents they were not long ago, they proved everybody wrong. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

GOP Insiders: Rubio for President in 2016?

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Republican Political Insiders tout the senator from Florida as the strongest potential nominee in 2016. Democrats say Republicans would be smart to nominate Jeb Bush.  Read More »
ELECTION 2012: COMING ATTRACTIONS

Forget About Election Fatigue—Campaign 2016 Starts Now

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Republicans are without an heir apparent for 2016. That is a disoriented position for a party that has traditionally anointed a previous primary challenger, the next-in-line candidate, to become its standard-bearer four years later.  Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Whoever Wins, North Carolina and Virginia Battlegrounds Here to Stay

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It was like a little sweet tea at the end of the meal for Democrats when, four years ago, the Obama campaign defied decades of electoral tradition to bring North Carolina and Virginia into their fold. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama, Romney Court Young Voters in High-Stakes 'Dating Game'

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Things in abundance on the campus of James Madison University: hooded sweatshirts, Greek letters, stress about midterms. Noticeably absent: a whole lot of buzz or anticipation about the presidential election. Read More »

Insiders Divided on Sandy's Political Impact

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal Insiders were divided on the political impact of Hurricane Sandy, which ripped through the East Coast earlier this week, upending the traditional final push for both presidential campaigns. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama's Drone Program Escapes Liberal Scrutiny in Campaign

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Liberals had plenty to say about the moral and legal implications of torture, wiretapping and other tools that George W. Bush employed to fight the war on terror. But President Obama’s equally controversial escalation of drone str...

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Texas Senate

Cuban-American Ted Cruz’s successful bid to succeed retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison—which came after he easily dispatched a primary opponent who had the strong backing of Texas’s Republican establishment—was seen as an af...

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Texas, 14th House District

In the race to succeed retiring libertarian icon Ron Paul, air-conditioning contractor and state lawmaker Randy Weber emerged atop a crowded field of GOP rivals in the 14th District and ultimately defeated a veteran Democrat by play...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Insiders: Who Will Win on Tuesday?

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NJ ’s Political Insiders predict whether Obama or Romney will win on Election Day. And they assess the political impact of Sandy on the presidential contest. Read More »
POLITICS

Christie Dominates Post-Sandy Limelight Via TV, Twitter, and Obama

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Gov. Chris Christie often trains the full fury of his snark on President Obama, but Hurricane Sandy has turned the two men into temporary bipartisan buddies. They made quite the unlikely pair on Wednesday afternoon, boarding Marine ...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Hurricane Sandy Upends the Presidential Campaign

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They don’t call it an October surprise for nothing. Read More »

Insiders: Democrats More Confident in Ground Game

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
In assessing the all-important "ground game" in the presidential race, National Journal 's Political Insiders were split. But Democrats were by far more confident of their own party's mastery of the nuts and bolts of field organiz...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Has Romney Erased the Gender Gap?

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Either women will boost President Obama to victory in November or they’re turning away from him in droves. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Demography as Destiny

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Which demographic groups do Insiders see as key to the presidential race? And how do the Insiders assess their party’s ground game? Read More »
CONVERSATION NATION

Poll: Obama's Tough New Approach Is OK With Women

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Is President Obama’s newly aggressive tack against Republican nominee Mitt Romney turning off voters, particularly women? Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Walmart Moms Give Obama the Edge in Debate

By Naureen Khan
President Obama scored a decisive win with the swing voters known as the Walmart moms participating in a focus group during Monday night’s presidential debate on foreign policy. Still, many were hesitant to give either candidate t...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Third Presidential Debate: Last Best Chance to Show Vision, Likability, Command

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Mitt Romney won the first 2012 presidential debate decisively, while President Obama rebounded two weeks later with a narrow victory. That leaves Monday’s third and final faceoff — one ostensibly set to focus on foreign policy ...

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Insiders Poll: Divide Over Best Debate Moderater

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
Lehrer, the former news anchor of PBS Newshour who came out of retirement to moderate his 12th presidential debate, was panned in many circles for his passive approach and got zero love from the Democratic Insiders, but was overwhel...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Partisans Split Over Favorite Debate Moderators

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Which of the three—Jim Lehrer, Martha Raddatz, or Candy Crowley—has done the best job? Republican and Democratic Insiders give very different answers. Read More »
CONVERSATION NATION

Conversation Nation: Romney's Positive Talk Catches Up to Obama's

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In another sign of the presidential race tightening in its final weeks, Mitt Romney finally has caught up to President Obama in terms of the positive conversations that Americans are having about him. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Millennial Poll: Obama Is So Yesterday

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If there was any doubt that the tidal wave of enthusiasm among young voters that fueled President Obama’s 2008 run has long since receded, a new poll on the millennial generation’s political leanings in the upcoming election cem...

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ELECTION 2012

'Walmart Moms' Focus Group Feels Better About Both Obama, Romney After Debate

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The good news for President Obama after his second encounter with challenger Mitt Romney on the debate stage: It wasn’t a complete rout like the last time around, at least in the eyes of so-called “Walmart moms,” a valuable sw...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

What the Candidates Need to Do in Debate No. 2

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One night in Denver two weeks ago proved that the presidential debates can matter. With President Obama now on the defensive and Republican Mitt Romney seeking to cement his gains, here are the stakes for Tuesday night’s matchup a...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Ohio on the Minds of Political Insiders

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Who will win Ohio—Mitt Romney or President Obama? Plus: Should pollsters weight the results of their surveys by party affiliation? Insiders weigh in. Read More »

Insiders Split on Romney's Ohio Prospects

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
In the latest National Journal Political Insiders Poll, Insiders were sharply split on partisan lines when asked about the likelihood of Mitt Romney winning Ohio, with Republicans predictably giving the GOP nominee better odds ...

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ELECTION ANALYSIS

Biden-Ryan Undercard Debate Carries Extra Punch This Year

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Vice presidential debates rarely matter as much as their presidential counterparts, but Thursday’s showdown between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan could prove an exception.  Read More »
CONVERSATION NATION

Romney Chatter Grows More Positive After Debate

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Mitt Romney’s resurgence and President Obama’s slump in the week following their first debate are reflected in the latest Conversation Nation poll, conducted by National Journal and the Keller Fay Group. But Romney still h...

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ELECTION ANALYSIS

New Jobless Rate Shatters Four-Year Talking Point for Romney, GOP

By and Sarah Huisenga
Among the dismal economic statistics that Mitt Romney has had at his disposal during his presidential run, one was particularly powerful: unemployment above 8 percent for all but the first 11 days of President Obama’s term. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Insiders Assess Akin, Romney Gaffes

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Political Insiders weigh in on damage done by Romney’s “47 percent” comment and on whether national GOP organizations should still help pay for Akin's campaign. Read More »
Q&A

Artur Davis: Different Party, Different Tune on Voter ID

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The former representative from Alabama was mostly silent on voter-ID laws as a Democrat. Now that he’s a Republican, he’s vocal in his defense of them.  Read More »

Insiders: 47 Percent Comment Damaging

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
in the latest National Journal Political Insiders Poll, Insiders of both parties mostly agreed that Mitt Romney 's "47 percent" comment had damaged his candidacy, although they differed on just how damaging it was. Read More »

Nearly Half of GOP Insiders: Don't Abandon Akin

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
Despite nearly universal condemnation for Missouri GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin , nearly half of GOP Insiders and over a third of Democratic Insiders said that the National Republican Senatorial Committee and other outside group...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Walmart Moms: Romney Won Debate, But Many Still Undecided

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's strong debate performance may have helped him make inroads with a group of critical swing voters.  Read More »

Debate Stakes: Empathy, Likability, and Winning Over Voters

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Mitt Romney has billed himself as the turnaround guy, and the first presidential debate presents a major opportunity for him to prove it by reviving his White House bid. The 90-minute forum at the University of Denver is a prime-tim...

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POLITICS

Judge Blocks Pennsylvania Voter ID Law

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A Pennsylvania judge has blocked the state’s controversial voter-ID law from going into effect for this election, though the ruling does not preclude the law from being implemented by election day,  the Associated Press reports . Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Judge Blocks Pennsylvania Voter ID Law

By
A Pennsylvania judge has blocked the state’s controversial voter ID law from going into effect this Election Day, the Associated Press reports . Read More »

Political Insiders: Don't Bet on Dems Winning House

By Alex Roarty, Naureen Khan and Brian McGill
Will Democrats retake the House? Don't bet on it, according to the latest National Journal Political Insiders Poll. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Insiders: Democrats Bullish on Senate Majority

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Neither party's Insiders expect Democrats to win the House, but Democrats are increasingly bullish about keeping their majority in the Senate.  Read More »

GOP Insiders: Senate A No-Go

By Alex Roarty, Naureen Khan and Brian McGill
Republicans no longer think they're going to retake the Senate, according to the latest National Journal Political Insiders Poll, a stunning drop in optimism for a party that began 2012 confident it would regain control of the chamber. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Ryan: Romney Will Hit Obama Hard in Debates

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Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan expresses confidence in Mitt Romney’s debating skills at an event in Colorado. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Despite Early Voting, Still Time to Campaign Like You Mean It

By
Tick, tick, tick, tick. The final six weeks of presidential campaigning before Election Day will be filled with frenetic activity. But if 40 percent of voters cast their ballots early, will it all be for naught? The experts say no. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

GOP Insiders Dump on Romney Campaign

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Both Republicans and Democratic Political Insiders agree that the Obama campaign is superior. Plus, GOP Insiders now say Obama has better than even odds of winning reelection. Read More »

Insiders Say Obama Campaign Team More Effective

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
This one's no contest: when it comes to the question of which candidate has a better campaign team, President Obama wins by a long shot. Read More »
Q&A

Rep. John Lewis, Still Fighting

By
The Georgia Democrat and civil-rights icon reflects on the upcoming election and the strict new voter-ID measures being challenged across the country. Read More »

Insiders: Obama More Likely to Win

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
Expectations that Mitt Romney will be able to defeat President Obama in November have slid down significantly over the last four months, according to National Journal 's latest Insider's poll. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Welcome to the neighborhood, Mitt Romney

By
Mitt Romney doesn’t have much affection, per the infamous video of him speaking at a closed-door fundraiser, for: a) people who support President Obama; b) people who don’t pay federal income taxes; c) people who rely on gover...

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VOTING RIGHTS

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Punts on Voter ID Decision

By
The legal fate of Pennsylvania’s controversial voter ID law remains unclear after the state Supreme Court's ruling on Tuesday sending the case back to a lower court. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney: All of Obama's Supporters Want Government Handouts

By
At a closed-door fundraiser earlier this year, Mitt Romney dismissed all of President Obama’s supporters as people who are dependent on government, pay no income tax, and believe they are victims. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Pew Poll: Public Favors Obama Over Romney on Mideast Response

By
Americans who have been following the attacks on U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East and the killing of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens view President Obama’s handling of the situation more favorably than rival Mitt Rom...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney's Foreign-Policy Offensive Takes Center Stage at Values Voter Summit

By
Mitt Romney may have finally hit on an issue that fires up social conservatives on his behalf. The buzz this year at the annual Values Voter Summit was as much about foreign affairs as it was about gay marriage and abortion. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Bill Clinton Hits the Trail for Obama

By
Folllowing up on his well-received keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, former President Clinton on Tuesday hit the campaign trail for President Obama in this pivotal swing state, giving another expansive address th...

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CONVENTIONS 2012

Biden to Go on Attack in Convention Address

By
Vice President Joe Biden served as witness to the accomplishments of President Obama and did not back off his role as attack dog for the Obama-Biden reelection campaign in his speech at the Democratic National Convention Thursday...

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CONVENTIONS 2012

Granholm: With Romney, 'Cars Get the Elevator, Workers Get the Shaft'

By
Former Michigan governor-turned-Current TV host Jennifer Granholm brought the knives and plenty of energy to her speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night. Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

Obama Nominated for Reelection as President

By
Delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte gave Obama the 2,778 votes he needed to become the party’s nominee — a foregone conclusion since he made it clear he would run again nearly two years ago. Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

Sandra Fluke Paints Dystopia for Women Under Romney-Ryan

By
Women’s rights activist Sandra Fluke kicked off the Democratic National Convention’s prime-time coverage Wednesday night, about an hour after she was originally slated to speak. Read More »

Booker Rocked, But Not On Prime-Time Television

By
A few delegates were teary-eyed and most were on their feet when Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker delivered a stirring address to the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday in support of President Obama and the party platform. Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

First Lady Makes Case For 2nd Term

By
Michelle Obama told the Democratic National Convention that her husband is "the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward." Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

'God' Not Mentioned in Democratic Platform

By
The absence of one word from the Democratic Party platform could raise some conservative hackles. Read More »

Tight Budgets Mean Scaled-Back Parties

By
With the Democratic convention about to get under way, many organizations are on what one caterer calls a “Bud Lite” budget. “You know, I thought it was going to be busier ... that there would be big events every night,” sai...

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CONVENTIONS 2012

Jeb Bush: My Brother 'Kept Us Safe'

By
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush touched a third rail at the Republican National Convention in his speech on Thursday night—he paid tribute to his brother, George W. Bush. Read More »

Jane Romney: My Brother Won’t Ban Abortion

By
Mitt Romney’s eldest sister, who has backed prominent Democrats for office and is in Tampa showing support for her brother, had some reassuring words on Wednesday for women concerned about the Republican Party’s hard line on abortion. Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

Ron Paul Honored as Small-Government Crusader, Minus Pesky Specifics

By
The notably brief tribute to the libertarian icon focused almost entirely on his push for smaller government. Not mentioned: Paul’s controversial positions and many clashes with the Republican Party over the last two decade, ri...

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Jane Romney: My Brother Won't Ban Abortion

By
Mitt Romney’s eldest sister, who has backed prominent Democrats for office, is in Tampa this week offering support for her brother and reassurance to women concerned about the Republican Party’s hard line on abortion. Read More »

Protest Scene Sputters at Republican Convention

By
When they were planning for the Republican National Convention, Tampa city officials, with an abundance of caution, set aside seven acres of land for demonstrations inside a fenced-off area within sight and sound of the arena. Read More »

GOP Hopes Martinez Can Be Latina Trailblazer

By
The tale of how Gov. Susana Martinez came to join the Republican Party has become the stuff of New Mexico political lore. Read More »

Role-Playing in Tampa

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, will reprise his role of President Obama in debate practice with soon-to-be Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Read More »

Missed Messaging Time at Tampa Convention Doesn’t Worry GOP

By , and Jim Tankersley
Tropical Storm Isaac barely spritzed and tousled the Republican National Convention on its way past Tampa, and even as it bears toward New Orleans, GOP delegates are confident that the storm won’t affect their key mission here: se...

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CONVENTIONS 2012

Shifting Storm Path Poses New Challenges for GOP

By , and Jim Tankersley
Tropical Storm Isaac is veering away from a direct hit on Tampa Bay and toward a potentially large political problem for Mitt Romney and the Republican National Convention delegates poised to nominate him for president. Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

Ron Paul: A ‘Clean Boat in a Sea of Garbage’

By
Telltale signs could be seen from the parking lot of the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome—a military Humvee adorned with a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, “Truth is Treason in the Empire of Lies” written on the back wi...

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CONVENTIONS 2012

Tight Security in Tampa

By
After a year of trying to anticipate every potential hiccup and possible nightmare scenario, the moment of reckoning is upon those tasked with pulling off a safe and secure Republican National Convention—as a possible hurricane dr...

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CONVENTIONS 2012

At the Arena, No Guns, Baseballs, or Bananas Allowed

By
Planning on bringing a baseball, “whole fruit,” or a camcorder into the Republican National Convention? Don’t count on getting it through security unscathed. Read More »
CONVENTIONS 2012

Romney’s Communications Team Is Just as Buttoned-Up as He Is

By
No surprise here: The communications team for Mitt Romney is as disciplined and tightly wound as its buttoned-up, methodical boss. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Report From Ex-House GOP Leader Says Stimulus Helped Florida

By
A report commissioned by a prominent Florida Republican isn’t taking the usual GOP line on the Obama administration’s stimulus package. Read More »
GOP CONVENTION GUIDE: UP-AND-COMERS

Rising Stars of the GOP

By
Six emerging Republican leaders—Ted Cruz, Susana Martinez, Scott Walker, Kristi Noem, Chris Christie, and Marco Rubio—are poised to leave their mark on a GOP struggling to both broaden its base and keep Reagan's small-gover...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Negative Talk About Obama Spikes in Conversation Nation Poll

By
Heading into the Democratic and Republican conventions, a new Conversation Nation  poll suggests people are feeling markedly less enamored of their commander in chief. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Biden Resumes Tough Anti-Romney Rhetoric

By Naureen Khan
MINNEAPOLIS -- In his first public appearance since causing an uproar on the campaign trail last week, Vice President Joe Biden didn’t mention the word "chains" -- but he also didn't let up on the tough talk during a Tuesday swing...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Biden to Campaign in Tampa Area During GOP Convention

By
Vice President Joe Biden will lead the Democratic counterweight to the Republican National Convention by campaigning in the Tampa area next week, the Obama campaign said on Tuesday. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

'Walmart Moms' Still Forming Opinions About Ryan

By
For the niche demographic group known as the “Walmart moms,” GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is still an unknown quantity. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

New Obama Ad: Romney Oversaw 'Fictitious' Tax Losses for Marriott

By
As Mitt Romney sticks to his position that he won’t be releasing any more than two years of tax returns, the Obama campaign is out with a television ad that opens up a new line of tax attacks. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Poll: Romney Rising on the Radar, Obama Drawing More Negative Talk

By
There’s relatively good news for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in National Journal ’s latest  Conversation Nation  poll. He’s registering on the radar of more of those surveyed, and more ...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Convention Austerity: Partying Like It's 2012

By
In an era of crunched budgets and with Republicans in particular broadcasting a message of economic gloom, party planning and the all-important schmoozing it facilitates have gotten trickier for the droves of Washington organization...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama Campaign Opens Can of Worms with Ohio Early Voting Lawsuit

By
When the Obama campaign filed suit to restore three days of early voting in Ohio the weekend before the election, it was supposed to be about increasing access for the thousands of Ohioans expected to take advantage of those fina...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Republicans on Romney's Trip: Any Damage Won't Be Fatal

By
Mitt Romney’s misadventures abroad are no doubt less important to many voters than the state of their pocketbooks or even how many medals American swimmer Michael Phelps ends up collecting at the Games. The bad news for Romney is ...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama, Romney Teams Vie for Early Voting Edge

By
Political junkies and undecided voters may have Nov. 6 circled on their calendars in red ink, but in reality, the 2012 election is not 99 days away. Early voting will start as soon as September in some states. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Poll Finds Little Concern With Romney's Religion

By
Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith will be of little concern to voters when they go to the polls this November, according to a Pew Research Center poll released on Thursday . Read More »

Romney Won't Publicly Discuss Foreign Policy in London

By
Mitt Romney sought to strike a statesmanlike pose in front of 10 Downing Street on Thursday, declining to discuss his foreign-policy views while on foreign soil. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Scores Perfect 10 in Gaffe Olympics

By and
Mitt Romney spent Thursday trying to recover from a comment earlier this week that suggested that London was not ready for its Olympics. But it wasn't proving to be an easy fix. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Joe Biden to Firefighters: Romney Doesn't 'Get' You

By
Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday gave an audience of firefighters his view of GOP rival Mitt Romney: “I don’t think he just gets you.” Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Talk About Candidates Tapers Off After Colorado Massacre

By
As the presidential campaigns and candidates paused in the wake of a national tragedy, so too did Americans. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney's Tea Party Test: Who Will Speak at His Convention?

By
If the tea party was putting on the Republican National Convention next month in Tampa, the lineup might look like this: former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Rep. Michele Bachmann  of Minnesota, Rep. Allen Wes...

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POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Grading Romney

By , and
Political Insiders grade Mitt Romney’s campaign and weigh in on the effectiveness of the attacks on Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital.  Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Digs in, Refuses to Release More Tax Returns

By
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Tuesday that he would not provide more fodder for his opponents by releasing additional tax returns, as pressure on him to do so mounted from both Democrats and members of his ow...

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HEALTH CARE

GOP Governors Won’t Pay Political Price for Rejecting Medicaid Expansion

By
Now that they have a choice, thanks to the Supreme Court, many governors are saying no or delaying a decision when it comes to expanding Medicaid in their states. And while there is broad public support for Medicaid, chances are the...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Conservatives to Governors: Don't Implement 'Obamacare'

By
Twenty-five leading conservatives are urging the nation’s governors to reject the Affordable Care Act by refusing to implement its two cornerstones.  Read More »
GOVERNORS

Governors From Both Parties Agree: They're Fed Up With Washington

By
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. —To Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, the partisan rancor in Washington is reminiscent of an elementary school classroom. Read More »

Republican Governors to Romney: Release Tax Returns, Offer More Specifics

By
WILLIAMSBURG, Va.—The nation’s governors have a host of their own problems to worry about—that pesky Medicaid expansion for example—but that doesn’t mean they’re not keeping a close eye on 2012’s biggest ticket: the pr...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Scott Walker Urges Romney to Run as a Fiscal Reformer

By
WILLIAMSBURG, Va.—Battle-tested Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker offered some advice Saturday to Mitt Romney: Forget all that Bain stuff , and campaign as a reform-minded fiscal crusader. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

McDonnell Blasts Obama Campaign on Bain

By
Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell on Friday accused President Obama’s reelection team of waging a “campaign of division and misrepresentation” in advance of the Obama’s visit to the state. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Unions Divert Democratic Convention Money to Rally for Worker Rights

By
Look no further than the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to measure the price that Democrats are paying for the decision to hold their convention in union-hostile territory. Read More »
POLITICS

Foes of Voter ID Laws Find Ways to Mute Their Impact

By
As most legislative work around the country came to a standstill with the July 4th holiday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder made headlines last week when he broke with the Repubican Party to veto a law that would have tightened Michigan...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama, Romney, 'Obamacare' and the Facts

By
The Romney and Obama campaigns have gone into spin overdrive since the Supreme Court decision upholding the Affordable Care Act. So what holds up to the facts and what doesn’t? Read More »

Insiders Divided Along Party Lines on Impact of Immigration Debate

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal 's political Insiders were divided on whether recent developments on immigration would push Latino turnout in the November elections to its highest level ever. In 2008, record turnout among Hispanics helped propel ...

Read More »
POLLS

Political Insiders Poll: Immigration Reaction

By , and
The National Journal magazine's popular feature on a close examination of issues via polls includes two questions, exploring people's opinions about immigration. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

The Hispanic Vote; Fast and Furious

By , and
Political Insiders weigh in on the outlook for Latino turnout in November and whether Operation Fast and Furious has hurt Obama.  Read More »
POLITICS

Will Immigration Decision Fuel Latino Turnout?

By Naureen Khan
The Supreme Court may have given President Obama a double victory when it handed down its ruling regarding Arizona’s controversial immigration law. Read More »
ANALYSIS

Will Immigration Decision Fuel Latino Turnout?

By
The Supreme Court may have given President Obama a double victory when it handed down its ruling regarding Arizona’s controversial immigration law. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama, Democrats Attack Romney on Outsourcing

By
President Obama and Democrats on Friday opened a new and potentially damaging line of attack on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, claiming that he invested in firms specializing in outsourcing American jobs overseas dur...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

It's the Economies, Stupid

By
As the presidential contest heats up in battleground states that will ultimately decide the November election, President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney are discovering that the great debate over the economy is turning into a debat...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Campaign Press Call Gives Twitter Grist to Democrats

By
The perils of holding a campaign conference call in the Twitter age were on vivid display on Wednesday when bad reviews of a Mitt Romney campaign call starting flooding Twitter in real time. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

How Far Can Labor Take Democrats in a Big-Money Era?

By
The Citizens United decision and unsympathetic politicians are testing union relevance. Read More »

Impassioned Biden Reassures Public Workers

By
Vice President Joe Biden delivered a rousing defense of public workers and the labor movement at the annual convention of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Obama’s Gaffe; Perceptions of the Economy

By , and
Insiders assess the damage from Obama’s remark that the "private sector is doing fine," and they predict when voters' views on the economy will solidify before Election Day. Read More »

Insiders Split Over Effect of Obama's 'Doing Fine' Gaffe

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
President Obama prompted winces among supporters and glee from detractors when he said during a press conference -- to discuss a mediocre jobs report of all things -- that "The private sector is doing fine." Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Battleground Counties: 'People Get Along Across the Divide'

By
David Dent is an associate professor of journalism at New York University who is showcasing the 272 counties in the United States that were carried by George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and by President Obama in 2008, on a website cal...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Jobs, Money, Scott Walker: Is It Time for Democrats to Panic?

By
Democrats are having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad June. But if it’s time to start panicking, most of them haven’t gotten the memo. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Axelrod Stands by Bain Attacks

By
The Obama campaign forged ahead with a new line of attack—taking aim at Mitt Romney’s record as Massachusetts governor—while insisting that their much-derided assault on his time at Bain Capital was warranted. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Races for Statehouse Control Are Crucial and Tight

By
If you wanted a ringside seat for some high-flying political drama last month, Denver would have been hard to beat. The statehouse pyrotechnics over civil unions for gay couples—a late-night standoff, a filibuster, and a tense cou...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney: Jobs Report a 'Harsh Indictment' of Obama

By
Departing from his planned schedule, Mitt Romney used Friday morning’s dismal jobs report to deliver a sharp rebuke of the Obama administration’s handling of the economy. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Romney and Hispanics; Obama and Iran

By Alex Roarty, and
How will Mitt Romney fare among Hispanics in the fall? And how big a threat is Iran to President Obama’s reelection? Read More »

Insiders Offer Mixed Take on Impact of Iran on Obama's Reelection Prospects

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal 's political Insiders varied on how detrimental the Iranian threat would be to President Obama 's re-election prospects. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama Adviser Axelrod Shouted Down in Boston by Romney Supporters

By
The Obama campaign tried to highlight issues with Mitt Romney’s record as Massachusetts governor at a press conference on Thursday on the State House steps in Boston, but the chaotic event seemed more like dueling rallies.   Read More »
NEXT AMERICA

Democratic Strategist: Demographics Work Against Romney in Some Battlegrounds

By Naureen Khan
Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, CEO of the Mellman Group, shares his thoughts about the state of play in this year's battleground states. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

GOP Strategist: We Will Make Obama Play Defense in Battleground States

By
Republican pollster Glen Bolger, a partner and cofounder of Public Opinion Strategies, has worked on numerous gubernatorial and congressional campaigns, including Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s race in 2009, and for five successful...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Democratic Strategist: Demographics Work Against Romney in Some Battlegrounds

By
Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, CEO of the Mellman Group, boasts a roster of high profile clients including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Rep.  Steny Hoyer, D-Md. He has worked on the campaigns of 18 senators...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Election Battlegrounds: Was 2008 a Blip, or the Leading Edge of Change?

By
When Barack Obama sailed past the requisite 270 electoral votes to a decisive win in the 2008 presidential election, many hailed the emergence of a new electoral map—one marked by the blurring of the sharp red and blue lines that ...

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INTERACTIVE

Battlegrounds 2012

By and
​ Read More »

Insiders Split Along Party Lines Over Bain Attacks

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
While half of all Republican Insiders said the attacks were "not effective," a little over half of Democratic Insiders rated them "highly effective." About 4 in 10 Insiders of each party said the tactics were "somewhat effective." ...

Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Was the Bain Card the Right One to Play?

By , and
How potent an issue is Romney's record at Bain Capital? And how will the politics of entitlement programs play out in November?  Read More »
NEXT AMERICA

NJ Insiders Split on Gay Marriage Impact

By and
National Journal political insiders, true to form, were split on the impact President Obama 's gay marriage announcement would have on Democrats on Election Day. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Will Obama's Support of Gay Marriage Help Democrats?

By , and
Plus, which traditionally blue states does Mitt Romney have the best chances of winning? Political Insiders weigh in. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

By
If there’s been one axiom governing Republican ad man Fred Davis’s career, it’s that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. In an era when losing a news cycle can mean losing an election, by Davis’s calculation, controver...

Read More »

NJ Insiders Split on Gay Marriage Impact

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal political insiders, true to form, were split on the impact President Obama 's gay marriage announcement would have on Democrats on Election Day. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Courts Christian Conservatives at Liberty U

By
Lynchburg, VA — In the wake of his tough primary battle, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Saturday came to fortify his fragile bond with the evangelical community at Liberty University, a bulwark of Christian conse...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Pokes Obama Over Losing Votes to West Virginia Felon

By
It was embarrassing enough for President Obama to lose four in 10 votes to a convicted felon in the West Virginia Democratic primary. Now his opponent is pouring salt on the wound. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Conservative Activist Attacks Senior Romney Aide on Twitter

By Naureen Khan
In what could be a final illustration of the treacherous terrain navigated by openly gay ex-Romney spokesperson Richard Grenell during his short tenure, conservative Iowa radio host Steve Deace took to Twitter to decry another Romne...

Read More »

Insiders Convinced Outside Money Will Help GOP in 2012

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal Political Insiders overwhelmingly agreed that Republicans stand to gain from outside money in this election cycle. What's more, Democrats were even more certain of the GOP's dominance in the outside money game th...

Read More »

Insiders Agree Obama Successfully Capitalized on bin Laden Killing

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal Political Insiders from both parties agreed for the most part that the Obama campaign was able to successfully capitalize on the killing of Osama bin Laden--with a few caveats. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Bin Laden's Death as Campaign Device?

By , and
How effectively has Obama’s reelection campaign capitalized on the killing of Osama bin Laden? And which party will benefit most from outside-money groups? Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

GOP Rolls Out New Anti-Obama Theme: 'Hype and Blame'

By
The Republican National Committee, in conjunction with Mitt Romney's campaign, on Thursday unveiled a new slogan ahead of President Obama’s official campaign kick-off in Ohio and Virginia this weekend: "Hype and Blame 2012." Read More »
THE NEXT AMERICA

Romney Aides: We'll Reach Young Voters Through Substance, Not Gimmicks

By
Will we ever see presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney follow in President Obama's footsteps and slow jam the news? Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Aides: We'll Reach Young Voters Through Substance, Not Gimmicks

By Naureen Khan
Will we ever see presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney follow in President Obama's footsteps and slow jam the news? Read More »
PEOPLE

A Washington Observer for Nine Decades

By
Mary Zurhorst Gray, 93, has had a remarkably rich professional life in and around Washington, as an advertising copy writer, a journalist, an author, an editor, a speechwriter for the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administra...

Read More »
THE NEXT AMERICA

Insiders: Immigration Issue Should Help Dems in November

By and
National Journal's political Insiders generally agreed across the aisle that the issue of immigration stands to help Democrats and hurt Republicans--at least on the margins--in the November elections.  Read More »

Insiders Split Along Party On Obama's Reelection Odds

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal 's political Insiders were unsurprisingly split by party on gauging the president's odds for re-election. Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Obama’s Chances; Immigration as an Issue

By , and
Will Obama win reelection? And how is the immigration issue affecting the prospects of Republicans and Democrats? Political Insiders weigh in.  Read More »
INSIDERS POLL

Insiders: Immigration Issue Should Help Dems in November

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
National Journal 's political Insiders generally agreed across the aisle that the issue of immigration stands to help Democrats and hurt Republicans--at least on the margins--in the November elections. Read More »
THE NEXT AMERICA

Could Immigration Law Turn Arizona Blue?

By
If Arizona turns blue this election cycle against the long odds, Democrats just might have the state’s controversial immigration law to thank for it. Read More »
ELECTION ANALYSIS

Could Immigration Law Turn Arizona Blue?

By
If Arizona turns blue this election cycle against the long odds, Democrats may just have the state’s controversial immigration law to thank for it. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Iowa and Caucuses After 2012: Will They Survive?

By
When the bigwigs of the Iowa Republican Party gather for their annual Lincoln Dinner early next month, they’ll be hobnobbing with Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is making the detour to Des Moines in the middle of hi...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Hilary Rosen Apologizes to Ann Romney in CNN Interview

By
The Democratic strategist apologizes on air 24 hours after saying that  Ann Romney, wife of presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, “has actually never worked a day in her life.” Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Mitt Romney, Survivor

By , and
How much, if at all, has the primary process hurt Romney? And which state will be the most pivotal in the presidential election? Read More »
INSIDERS POLL

Insiders Split Along Party Lines Over Primary's Toll on Romney

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
Read More »
POLITICAL INSIDERS POLL

Romney’s Veep; Obama's Foreign Policy

By , and
Who would be the best running mate for Romney? And how will Obama's foreign-policy record affect his reelection chances? Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney: 'We Won ‘Em All!'

By
GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney aimed his primary night speech Tuesday at President Obama, as has become customary, as he made a clean sweep of three contests in Wisconsin, Maryland and D.C. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum: "It's Halftime"

By
GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum brushed aside a trio of losses that significantly diminish any chance he has of securing the Republican nomination, vowing to press forward with his candidacy Tuesday night.  Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Easy Delegate Pickings for Romney in Maryland and D.C.

By and
Mitt Romney may have to fight for Wisconsin on Tuesday, but contests the same day in Maryland and Washington D.C. promise to be blissfully uneventful for the perpetually embattled Republican frontrunner. Read More »

Insiders Agree: If Court Strikes Down Health Care Law, GOP Scores Political Win

By Naureen Khan, Alex Roarty and Peter Bell
National Journal 's Political Insiders - Republicans and Democrats alike - almost universally agree that if the Supreme Court strikes down President Obama 's health care law, the decision constitutes a political win for the GOP. Read More »
HEALTH CARE

Justices Signal Distaste for Cutting Up Health Reform Law

By and
Supreme Court justices suggested on Wednesday morning that they are in no mood to do intricate surgery on the 2010 health reform law, even if the individual mandate is struck down, with liberal justices saying Congress should come b...

Read More »
HEALTH CARE

Supreme Court Crowds Jostle, Shout on Second Day of Health Care Case

By and Dan Friedman
Tea Party Patriots jostled with supporters of the Obama administration’s health care reforms in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The crowds swelled until they spilled over onto the Capitol grounds on the second day of oral a...

Read More »
HEALTH CARE

Supreme Court Winds Up 'Boring Day' of Health Care Case

By and
Inside the Supreme Court, it was all quiet and order as 400 spectators pressed in tight to hear the first 90 minutes of oral arguments on Monday morning in the challenge to the 2010 health care law. In the front row were Attorney Ge...

Read More »
HEALTH CARE

Brass Band, Tea Party Provide Sound Track to Supreme Court Health Case

By
A brass band, tea party advocates, and a band of determined line-sitters set the stage as the Supreme Court began its first day of oral arguments on the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Read More »
HEALTH CARE

Groups Defend, Deride Health Care Law on Its Birthday

By
Protests, videos, and news conferences greeted the second anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Friday. No interest group, think tank, or prominent lawmaker wanted to be left out as supporters and opponents j...

Read More »
HEALTH CARE

Health Care Law Circus Comes to Town

By
The second anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act falls on Friday, just ahead of next week’s scheduled oral arguments before the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the law. To mark both occasions, ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Republicans Want Romney to Close the Deal

By and Beth Reinhard
Hoisting his newest trophies — a landslide win in Illinois and an endorsement from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — Mitt Romney came to suburban Baltimore on Wednesday for a victory lap aimed at bringing the marathon Republican pr...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

The Gingrich Fade: Light Schedule, Indebted Campaign, Last Place in Illinois

By Sarah Huisenga
Calls for Gingrich to end his campaign are bound to increase after his last-place showing in Illinois, where he was able to muster only 8 percent of the vote. He made his usual pledge on the Hannity show to stay in the race, bu...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum's Mystery Kitchen Cabinet: Who Advises Him Besides Himself?

By
Meet Rick Santorum’s most influential policy adviser: Rick Santorum. Read More »

Insiders Split Over Impact of Economy on Obama's Re-election Prospects

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
About two thirds of Democrats surveyed in this week's National Journal Insiders Poll believed on balance, the economy -- which has shown slow signs of growth in the last few months -- would be very positive or somewhat positive fo...

Read More »

Insiders: Re-emergence of Social Issues Will Hurt Republicans' Electoral Prospects

By Naureen Khan and Peter Bell
Political insiders from both parties mostly agreed that for the first time in recent memory, the emergence of social issues in this year's presidential election won't be a positive development for the GOP. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

What a Cub Political Reporter Learned From Her Elders: Not Much

By
There’s nothing that veteran journalists like better than to share their insights about the political process with those less-versed. This is what I learned shortly before hitting the trail back in September, keen to cover my firs...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Ann Romney's Dual Roles: Character Witness and Political Messenger

By
If Republican voters were half as passionate about Mitt Romney as he seems to be about his wife of 40 years, he’d be feeling a lot more love. Romney set his heart on 16-year-old Ann Davies when he first spied her at a friend’s b...

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CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Wins Kansas

By
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum won the Kansas caucuses on Saturday, easily defeating his rivals. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Wins Alaska

By
The Associated Press projected that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the Alaska caucuses on Tuesday, denying Texas Rep. Ron Paul an outright win among the 10 states competing on Super Tuesday. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Wins North Dakota

By
CNN projected Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum won North Dakota’s caucuses on Tuesday, his third victory on a night that showed his staying power in a nomination race that Mitt Romney had hoped to start shutting ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Wins Idaho

By
Fox News projects Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the Idaho caucuses on Tuesday night, buoyed by the state’s sizable Mormon population. The victory capped wins earlier for the former Massachusetts governor in ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Wins Tennessee

By
Networks projected Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum won the Tennessee primary on Tuesday night, preserving his status as the chief alternative to Mitt Romney as the race moves forward.  Santorum, a favorite of...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Wins Oklahoma

By
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum notched his first Super Tuesday victory in Oklahoma, Fox News projected. It was an important symbolic victory over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for Santorum, whose campaign...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich Wins Georgia

By
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich won the Georgia primary on Tuesday night, meeting the standard he set for himself to continue seeking the nomination, networks projected. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

On Eve of Super Tuesday, Santorum Blasts Romney on Health Care

By
Rick Santorum on Monday attacked his chief rival Mitt Romney regarding recent reports that he suggested the Massachusetts health care law could be used as a model for the nation. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

The Santorums: Their Evolution as Culture Warriors

By
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum began his career in Congress as a middle-of-the-road Republican, but his marriage and family life have propelled him increasingly to the right.   Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Can Santorum Broaden His Base?

By
Rick Santorum may be tempted to take a victory lap  after limiting Mitt Romney to a narrow win in his own home state of Michigan in Tuesday's presidential primary — but the former Pennsylvania senator should keep it short. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Super PAC Lifelines Keep Weakened Candidates in the Game

By and
Newt Gingrich has all the marks of a dead candidate walking: He hasn’t won a contest since South Carolina nearly six weeks ago and he never seriously competed in either Michigan or Arizona, where he finished at the back of the pac...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Can She-PAC Help Republicans Solve Their Woman Problem?

By
She-PAC is a new group that aims to pour millions of dollars into the campaigns of conservative women running for state and federal office, and to mobilize the women’s vote in the fall. And it could not come at a better time ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Fact Checking the 20th GOP Debate

By and
National Journal  fact-checks the four GOP presidential hopefuls in the 20th debate held in Mesa, Ariz. Editor Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

FACT CHECK: Gingrich Claim on Obama Infanticide Vote A Stretch

By
In answering a CNN debate question about birth control, Newt Gingrich, in typical fashion, lashed out at the media for giving President Obama a free pass during his 2008 bid. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

FACT CHECK: Gingrich's $2.50-Per-Gallon Gas Claim Iffy

By
Presidential contender Newt Gingrich opened the CNN debate by making the bold promise that he could bring the price of gasoline to $2.50 a gallon. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich Rides the Cain Train in Georgia

By
SUWANEE, Ga. -- Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich got a lift on Saturday from another Georgian in his home state -- former rival Herman Cain. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich to Rivals: You’re Chicken

By
The Republican presidential candidate slams Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum for declining debate. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

How Would Rick Santorum's Culture War Play in the Fall?

By
Presidential candidate Rick Santorum has never shied away from the label of culture warrior. His 2005 book, It Takes a Family , a 436-page treatise on his views on conservative social policy, provides some clues to the positions th...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Hawaii Scores Primo Hotel at Democratic Convention, But Not for the Reason You Think

By
Does Hawaii’s luck have anything to do with the fact that it’s a Democratic stronghold and the birthplace of the president? Does South Dakota’s less than prized position have anything to do with the fact that it’s gone red f...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Heavy Lift for Obama in North Carolina

By
If President Obama is hoping to pull off a repeat performance of his surprise 2008 win in North Carolina, he’ll have to supply the star-power all on his own. Well-known Democrats have taken themselves out of running for the govern...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

GOP Candidates Fail to Close the Deal at CPAC

By Beth Reinhard
With the Republican primary at a crossroads, three presidential candidates came to the nation’s largest gathering of conservative activists Friday to try to beat the rap keeping them from the nomination. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney to CPAC: Judge Me by My Biography

By
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney had a simple message for the most skeptical conservative activists gathered at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday: I’m one of you. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Donor in the Spotlight

By
Who was on hand to cheerfully introduce Rick Santorum before his address to the Conference Political Action Conference on Friday? Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Failed Candidates and Faded Icons Reflect Tea Party Decline

By
Resignation seems to be the overriding mood among tea party activists around the country, and there’s mounting evidence that the movement's influence is on the wane. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

The Nevada Caucuses: The Wild West, Tempered by Recession

By
Republican presidential candidates are spending the week in Nevada, where the weather is warm and the politics can scorch. We look at a few of the ways that the dynamics in the Silver State, where Republicans will caucus on Saturday...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Rick Santorum Says Daughter Bella Expected to Leave Hospital on Wednesday

By
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said Tuesday that his 3-year-old daughter Bella had experienced “a wonderful, miraculous recovery” from illness and would most likely leave the hospital on Wednesday. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

A Gingrich Administration Could Be Expensive

By and Julia Edwards
Newt Gingrich has branded himself a visionary politician since his days in Congress and prides himself on his grand—some would say even grandiose—ideas for transforming the nation. That propensity to think big extends to all par...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Debate Fact Check: Israel, Health, Romney Money, Colombia Trade

By , and Kelsey Snell
Romney Distorts Obama Position on Israel Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

FACT CHECK: Santorum Half Right on Obamacare and Romneycare

By Naureen Khan
Rick Santorum aggressively went after Mitt Romney on Thursday night for the health care plan he enacted in Massachusetts that Santorum said was too similar to “Obamacare,” as it is derisively known among conservatives, for Romne...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

FACT CHECK: Some Romney Housing Investments Were Not in Blind Trust

By
In Thursday night's CNN debate, Newt Gingrich accused Mitt Romney of making investments that fueled the housing crisis. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Republican Rhetoric on the Poor: Blame Obama

By
To hear some GOP presidential hopefuls tell it, the person most responsible for keeping low-income Americans poor and on government assistance is President Obama. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney's Greece Comparison Doesn't Add Up

By
Mitt Romney apocalyptically proclaimed in Monday night's debate, “We’re headed toward a Greece-like collapse. This economy has failed.” Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich Wrong on Community Banks

By
Newt Gingrich, in his customary criticism of the financial regulation bill, Dodd-Frank, incorrectly asserted that the legislation is destroying community banks. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Paul's Low Profile in South Carolina: It's Strategic

By
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- As his primary rivals in South Carolina claw at each other for first place and look toward Florida, Rep. Ron Paul said he's content with his vastly different strategy. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum: I’d Discourage Abortion if Daughter Was Raped

By and
GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum discussed his marriage and family, his politics and his rivals’ personal failings during a wide-ranging hour-long interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan on Friday night, at one point saying th...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

James Dobson Endorses Santorum

By
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Rick Santorum didn’t win presidential dropout Rick Perry’s endorsement on Thursday, but he received one from another influential conservative — Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

GOP Candidates Affirm Opposition to Abortion at Forum

By
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Planned Parenthood, the courts, and Mitt Romney all came under attack on Wednesday from four GOP presidential contenders who spoke at a forum organized by Personhood USA, a national anti-abortion group. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich, Perry Defend Bain Comments at Business Forum

By
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Under questioning from a group of business leaders here, presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry on Tuesday stood by their criticism of Bain Capital and Republican front-runner Mitt Romney’s steward...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Accuses Romney of ‘Dirty, Dishonest Politics’

By
The former senator from Pennsylvania decries a negative ad that a super PAC backing Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney ran against him, while also releasing a negative ad against Romney on the same day.  Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Admits He Pays 15 Percent 'Buffett' Tax Rate

By Sarah B. Boxer
The wealthy Republican front-runner acknowledges that he pays about 15 percent in taxes, a lower rate than many middle-income taxpayers. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Karen Santorum: Gay Activists Have 'Vilified' My Husband

By
The mother of a gay son draws an emotional response from a political spouse who usually doesn't expound at length on the campaign trail. Read More »

Santorum on Super PAC Ads: 'Just Yuck'

By
FLORENCE, S.C.—GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum jumped into the debate on the super PAC ads flooding South Carolina airwaves this week, calling inaccurate attacks against him “just yuck.” Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Sharpens Populist, Electability Messages

By
The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania tells South Carolina voters his background as the grandson of a coal miner makes him a better candidate than front-runner Mitt Romney in swing states that decide the election. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum: Iowa ‘Not Yet Decided’

By
The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania says there’s still a chance he could be declared the winner of the GOP caucuses in Iowa, knocking out former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Attacks Former Pal Gingrich

By
The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania increasingly is treating Gingrich as his main obstacle to becoming the conservative alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney in the contest for the GOP presidential nomination. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum's Iowa Surge Deflates in New Hampshire

By John Aloysius Farrell
Santorum had hoped to exploit his near-win in Iowa Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum: No Regrets About Competing in New Hampshire

By
MERRIMACK, N.H.--Even after enduring verbal lashings from prospective voters, hosting about a dozen contentious town halls and failing to make a serious play for first place, Rick Santorum says he has no regrets about his decision t...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Responds to McCain on Earmarks

By
DUBLIN, N.H. —  GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum hit back on Friday against Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on the issue of earmarks. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Jesus, Gays, and Health Care: New Hampshire Voters Hammer Santorum

By
The Christian values candidate in the Republican field is getting his baptism by fire in New Hampshire. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Offers to Be the 'Jesus Candidate'

By and Walt Cronkite
WINDHAM, N.H. – Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is campaigning with all guns firing on his "values" message in New Hampshire despite that state's more moderate Republican electorate, even comparing himself on Thurs...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Raises Polygamy in Defending Stand Against Gay Marriage

By and
Santorum debates marriage laws with gay-rights supporters on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum: Abolish Courts That Are Too Powerful

By
Taking a page from rival Newt Gingrich, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Thursday leveled tough criticism at the judiciary, saying judges have become too powerful and that as president he would do away with some courts. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

NAACP Slams Santorum for Remarks About Blacks

By Naureen Khan
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is quickly becoming familiar with the front-runner scrutiny machine: A day after this break-out performance in Iowa’s Republican caucuses, he came under fire from the country’s lea...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum's Meteoric Rise: How Long Will It Last?

By
Santorum pulls even with Mitt Romney in Iowa after months in obscurity. But this could be his high water mark given the demographics of the states ahead. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Candidates Take Part in `Rock the Caucus’

By
Caucus day in Iowa kicked off with an event that brought three of the GOP hopefuls to the gymnasium of Valley High School for “Rock the Caucus,” an event meant to encourage the just-turned or about-to-turn 18 set to participate ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Singles Out Black People as Dependent on Government

By
The question was about foreign influence, but Santorum's answer was about government dependency -- and the one group Santorum mentioned specifically was blacks. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Takes on Romney in Iowa, Apologizes for Past 'Tone'

By
The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania points to front-runner Mitt Romney’s “vulnerabilities” in the Republican primary race and also concedes that his tone sometimes has been too harsh. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Gets `Glitter-Bombed’

By
JOHNSTON, Iowa -- Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was greeted with a fistful of glitter as he arrived at his final campaign event on Friday night. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Draws Media Throng in Iowa

By
AMES, Iowa -- This is what it feels like to be in third place in Iowa just days from the Jan. 3 caucus: When Rick Santorum walked into a Buffalo Wild Wings for a campaign event on Friday, a mob of about 70 reporters, photograph...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Can Rick Santorum Save Retail Politics?

By
Mitt Romney's rise reinforces the idea that time on the ground isn't worth as much as it used to be. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum Discusses Shrinking Federal Court

By
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – One of Iowa’s newest top-tier candidates, Rick Santorum, on Wednesday took on an issue that previous Hawkeye State front-runner Newt Gingrich has often discussed -– reining in so-called “activist” fede...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gay Voters Confronting GOP Candidates on the Trail

By Naureen Khan
Like most teenagers her age, 14-year-old Rebecka Green from Decorah, Iowa, keeps a casual ear on political goings-on but is far more preoccupied with learning how to play the guitar, rehearsing for a production of The Merchant of V...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Newt and Callista Take Their Marriage on the Road

By
The Gingriches are betting that their tight teamwork will show voters they are a devoted couple in a functional modern marriage. Glimpses from their holiday-themed weekend suggest it just might work. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Can the 'Wizard Behind the Curtain' Save Rick Perry?

By
Political strategist Dave Carney is trying to save Texas Gov. Rick Perry's presidential campaign; his biggest obstacle is his candidate. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

As Gingrich and Romney Attack Each Other, Huntsman Piles On

By
The campaign is getting testy: Normally soft-spoken Jon Huntsman slams two of his leading rivals as a "panderer" and a "lobbyist." Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Santorum: Let’s Cut Off Iran’s Oil Supply

By
The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania made his pitch to Jewish Republicans at a candidates’ forum in Washington, D.C.   Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Huntsman: His Foreign Policy Is About Economy

By
At a candidates’ forum for Jewish Republicans, the former Utah governor paid scant attention to Israel policy and stressed his economic plans.   Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney: Obama Hindered Peace Process in Middle East

By
The Republican presidential candidate said at a forum for Jewish Republicans that the president has emboldened Palestinian hard-liners. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Atlanta Woman Alleges 13-Year Affair With Cain

By and Lindsey Boerma
An Atlanta woman delivered what could be another harmful blow to Herman Cain's presidential aspirations when she alleged in a television interview on Monday that the two had an affair, providing more fuel for allegations of sexua...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Paul: Keep Medicare and Offer MSAs

By
The Republican candidate for president invoked his campaign themes in two appearances in D.C. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Paul Brings 'End the Fed' Campaign to D.C.

By
The Republican House member and presidential candidate tells fellow libertarians at Cato to challenge the status quo and special interests. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Perry Denies His Campaign Leaked Sex Harassment Report, Says He'd Fire Anyone Who Did

By
Gov. Rick Perry says his campaign had nothing to do with leaking the sexual-harassment story against Herman Cain, but says he'd fire any staffer who did. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

National Restaurant Association Will Respond To Cain Request Friday

By
The National Restaurant Association confirmed on Thursday it had received a request from the lawyer of one of the women who had accused Herman Cain of sexual harassment in the mid-1990s, and would be making a decision on whether to ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich Making the Right Moves in Primary States

By Naureen Khan
The former House speaker is one of the conservatives in the Republican primary that could benefit from the potential fall of Herman Cain. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Cain Still Explaining Abortion

By
Cain says law might not prevent abortion in a ‘very extreme situation.' Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Lift Muzzle on Accuser? Cain Won’t Say

By
Herman Cain wants to consult lawyers before letting accuser have her say. Read More »
POLITICS

As Cain Stumbles, GOP Strategists Question His Viability

By
Herman Cain’s bumbling response to accusations that he sexually harassed two former female employees has wounded his candidacy, GOP strategists are beginning to say.  Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Cain Blames Faulty Memory for Shifting Accounts

By
In an interview with CNN on Tuesday morning, Cain maintained that he had only a day to recall allegations made in the 1990s. But Cain knew at least a week earlier that Politico was about to publish a story about the charges.  Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Cain Offers Sexual-Harassment Claim Details

By Lindsey Boerma and
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain continued to adamantly deny allegations of sexual harassment in television interviews on Monday night while offering new details on the incidents he said he believes spurred them. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich Calls Arab Spring 'Anti-Christian Spring’

By
The former House speaker and Republican presidential candidate says Christian populations are being depleted in the Middle East by U.S. policy there. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Romney Reverses, Says He Supports Ohio Antilabor Law

By
The former Massachusetts governor says he was confused a day earlier by multiple ballot measures in the Buckeye State. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Herman Cain Draws Packed Crowd to Christian school in Ohio

By
Herman Cain drew 1,500 to the tiny town of Circleville, Ohio on Thursday night. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Cain Embraces 'American Black Conservative' Label in Richmond

By
RICHMOND, Va. -- Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain proudly touted himself as a black conservative on Saturday evening and refused to back down from comments he has repeatedly made about African Americans who vote for D...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Herman Cain Invokes Ronald Reagan, Wins Big Ovations at Values Voters Summit

By
Herman Cain gets a rousing reception at the Values Voters Summit. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Cain Campaign: Selling a Candidate or Selling Books?

By and
With a schedule packed with book signings, some Republicans wonder whether their newest top-tier candidate is running for president or for the bestseller's list. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Ron Paul Says Obama Should Be Impeached For Al-Qaida Killing

By
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul , who has consistently opposed U.S. military engagement overseas, said on Wednesday that the Obama administration’s killing of a U.S.-born radical cleric in Yemen was an impeachable o...

Read More »
ECONOMY

Parallel Lines: In Washington, Universes Apart on Jobs

By
On a sweltering day in late summer, a line forms inside the Washington Convention Center as literally thousands of people look for job leads. Twenty blocks away in the cafeteria line at the  Longworth House Office Building on ...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

In North Carolina, Bachmann Has the Populist Touch, But Charlotte Needs Jobs

By
Her poll numbers nationally may be on a downward slide, but no one can say that Michele Bachmann has lost the personal touch. Working the crowd at Troutman’s BBQ in Concord, N.C., tucked into the rolling hills of the Piedmont, it...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Bachmann Says Obama Policies Led to Arab Spring

By
CONCORD, N.C. -- Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann says President Obama’s Middle East policy is to blame for the popular uprisings against autocratic regimes across the Arab world. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Bachmann Makes Pilgrimage to Liberty University

By
LYNCHBURG, Va. — As the most vocal social conservative in the Republican presidential primary contest, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota on Wednesday made the requisite pilgrimage to Liberty University, where she described her ...

Read More »
PEOPLE

A Voice for Furloughed Workers

By
Here we go again. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Courting Evangelical Voters, Perry Recounts Personal Struggle and Spiritual Journey

By
Stepping up efforts to consolidate his support among evangelical Christian conservatives, Texas Gov. Rick Perry took his campaign to the heart of the Bible Belt at Liberty University, where he strayed from his conventional stump spe...

Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Perry, Romney Spar in GOP Debate at Reagan Library

By Lindsey Boerma and
Eight presidential candidates met Wednesday night for the fourth debate of the 2012 campaign. Here's a blow-by-blow of who said what about whom. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Herman Cain Charges Democrats With Trying to Intimidate Tea Party

By
Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain on Saturday batted back what he said were attempts to discredit the tea party movement. Read More »
CONGRESS

Kicking It During Recess? Not So Much, Say Freshman Lawmakers

By and Christopher Snow Hopkins
Maybe it’s a sign of just how bad the times are that an overwhelming majority of freshman lawmakers are spending most of the August recess back in their districts, trying to allay anxiety and explaining their decidedly short re...

Read More »

Hundreds Seek Employment Through D.C. Jobs Fair

By and Chet Susslin
Even in Washington, D.C., which has one of the lower unemployment rates in the nation, there are people who are looking for jobs. Many, many people. Read More »
CONGRESS

FAA Workers Greet News of Deal With Cautious Optimism

By
Furloughed Federal Aviation Administration employees breathed a collective sigh of relief as the Senate passed a deal Friday morning to end the partial shutdown that had 4,000 workers at home and without paychecks for the last two weeks. Read More »
CONGRESS

Congress Goes on Vacation; Furloughed FAA Workers Go to Unemployment

By
Fred Rasche begrudgingly applied for unemployment benefits for the first time in his life this week. An employee of the Federal Aviation Administration for the last 27 years, he is one of 4,000 workers who've been furloughed becaus...

Read More »
DEBT TALKS

White House Rounds Up State and Local Support for Debt Plan

By and Julia Edwards
The Obama administration continues to try to keep the heat on Congress by making its voice heard from the sidelines. The White House posted on its blog this afternoon a sampling of state and local officials' pleas for a debt com...

Read More »
PEOPLE

The Vicious Cycle of Distrust

By
If the current debt-ceiling debacle—with no end in sight—has you hankering for a kinder, saner, better Washington, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. Read More »
ANALYSIS

Bachmann's Migraines Not the Only Headache for Her Campaign

By
The suggestion that Rep. Michele Bachmann isn't tough enough to manage both the presidency and a common ailment doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Read More »
PEOPLE

One Man's Story: Will It Sway Senate to Repeal DOMA?

By
Ron Wallen met Tom Carrollo through a mutual acquaintance in 1953, when Ron was just 19 and Tom was 23. Read More »
PEOPLE

Carrying on Betty Ford’s Legacy

By
It was in early 1978 when Nancy Brinker learned that her beloved older sister, Susan, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Read More »
PEOPLE

Robert Groves: Counter in Chief

By
The Census Bureau director is getting kudos for his handling of the 2010 head count. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Roemer on 2012: What, Me Hurry?

By
Remember Buddy Roemer? He's still running for president. Read More »
BEYOND THE BELTWAY

The Trickle-Down Budget Crunch

By
“Live free or die” is the state motto of New Hampshire proudly emblazoned on license plates and the credo by which its citizens live. Read More »
PEOPLE

A Grim Anniversary Marked With Hope

By
In the summer of 1986, Larry Bryant was an athlete just finishing his freshman year at Norfolk State University in Virginia. As part of the service work that came along with his scholarship, Bryant routinely donated blood through ...

Read More »
PEOPLE

Mindy Finn: Think Digitally

By
Republican operative Mindy Finn preaches online activism. Read More »
PEOPLE

Mark Putnam: The Producer

By
Democrat Mark Putnam has become one of the most talked-about names in political advertising. Read More »
EARTH WEEK

EDF's Krupp Has Made the Greens Grow

By
Fred Krupp has built a reputation for pulling off seemingly impossible victories for green causes during his more than 26 years presiding over the Environmental Defense Fund.  Read More »
PEOPLE

A ‘Huge Personality’ Lost on the Hill

By
Perhaps in the most fitting testament to his life and spirit, there was more laughter than tears at the memorial service celebrating the life of Christopher Crowe . The 29-year-old legislative assistant for Rep. Eddie Bernice John...

Read More »
PEOPLE

Galvanizing Women Candidates

By
There were 77 women in the House and 17 in the Senate in the 111th Congress, plus a handful of female governors in the 50 states, helping the United States rank  72nd in the world in gender parity for elected officials. Read More »

Craiglist Founder Craig Newmark Joins Center for Public Integrity

By
Craig Newmark, the Internet entrepreneur behind Craigslist, is the newest member of the board of directors for the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit news organization specializing in investigative journalism. Read More »
POLITICS

Dodd Tapped as New Head of MPAA

By
The Motion Picture Association of America has tapped recently retired Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., to serve as its new chairman and CEO. Read More »
TRAGEDY IN ARIZONA

Roll's Death Sends Shockwaves Through Judiciary

By
Federal judge was well-aware of the perils of public life. In 2009, he faced death threats after ruling that a lawsuit in which a group of Mexican immigrants accused an Arizona rancher of civil-rights abuses be allowed to proceed. Read More »
PEOPLE

Tackling Tribal Affairs

By
Casey Sixkiller is the first to admit that his surname attracts its fair share of raised eyebrows.             “We’ve heard various stories [about its origin],” Sixkiller ...

Read More »
PEOPLE

Stepping Back in Time

By
If you happened to be lurking around the halls of Capitol Hill this week to witness the start of the 112th Congress, you may have recognized an old face among all the eager new ones. Read More »
PEOPLE

A Very Ladylike Office

By
At first glance, the team that’s been assembled to beef up Hewlett-Packard’s global government affairs office in recent months may not be what one would expect for the lobbying arm of the world’s largest technology company. Read More »
PEOPLE

After the West Wing

By
Catching up with Dee Dee Myers. Read More »
COVER STORY

The New Power Players

By , Major Garrett, Meghan McCarthy, Dan Friedman, Billy House, Mike Magner, , , , , , Megan Scully, Chris Strohm, Susan Davis, Aamer Madhani, , Ben Terris and Matthew DoBias
They’re members of Congress, Hill aides, policy wonks, and lobbyists. They’re the same people they were before November 2, but the election makes them more important. Read More »
PEOPLE

People

By Naureen Khan and Christopher Snow Hopkins
GOING TO JOSEPH. After more than a decade in public service, it was time for Chani Wiggins to jump ship. Wiggins, most recently assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, has been named a p...

Read More »
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