David Wasserman

David Wasserman

House Editor, Cook Political Report

David Wasserman is House Editor of The Cook Political Report, a non-partisan publication that provides analysis of the Presidential, U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial races for its subscribers. Wasserman is responsible for handicapping and analyzing U.S. House races.

Wasserman served as an off-air analyst for NBC News on Election Night 2008, and has appeared on NBC Nightly News, ABC World News, C-SPAN Washington Journal, CNN, and NPR. His commentary on House races has been cited in numerous print and online publications including Politico, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, The Economist, Pollster.com, RealClearPolitics.com, and FiveThirtyEight.com.


Prior to joining The Cook Political Report in June 2007, Wasserman served for three years as House Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, a widely respected political analysis newsletter and Web site founded by renowned Prof. Larry J. Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. In that role, he led the publication to correctly predict Democrats would score a gain of 29 House seats in November 2006. He also served as an off-air analyst for BBC America's Election Night coverage of the 2006 midterm races.

Wasserman previously served as an intern for the Cook Political Report in the summer of 2005, and has also worked on numerous political campaigns, including competitive races in Iowa, South Dakota, and Virginia. A native of New Jersey, he holds a B.A. in Government with distinction from the University of Virginia and was awarded the 2006 Emmerich-Wright Outstanding Thesis prize for his study of congressional redistricting standards.

David Wasserman's Latest Posts
THE COOK REPORT

The Republican Advantage

The decline of swing districts and the rise of partisanship spells trouble for House Democrats. Read More »
THE COOK REPORT

The GOP Keeps Getting Whiter

While the country has become more racially diverse, Republicans' congressional districts have become less so. Read More »
CAMPAIGN 2012

Why 2012 Will Be a Watershed House Election

David Wasserman, the House editor of the Cook Political Report, offers five reasons why the 2012 election will bring permanent change to Congress even if party control doesn't change. Read More »

Durable Democratic Momentum Is an August Mirage

All year, House Democrats have desperately needed two things to happen to help them pick up the 25 net seats they need to reinstall Rep. Nancy Pelosi as speaker. First, they’ve badly needed a game-changing event to shift the conve...

Read More »

Boutiques for Democrats and Box Stores for Republicans

A pleasant day’s drive around Tampa offers a micro-level view of House Democrats’ dilemma. Read More »
THE COOK REPORT

The Cook Report: Wave Bye-Bye

One might have expected that two years after Republicans picked up 63 House seats—the biggest gain in a midterm election since 1938—Democrats would be on track to win back a boatload of those districts that the GOP didn’t h...

Read More »
CONGRESS

Democrats Distilled to Core of Coalition: Women, Minorities—GRAPHIC

Dominated by white men just 60 years ago, congressional Democrats have gradually distilled to the core of their electoral coalition--women and minorities. The Cook Political Report projects that when a new Congress is sworn into o...

Read More »
CONGRESS

Since 1982, Minority Congressional Districts Have Tripled—GRAPHIC

In 1980, the nonwhite share of the U.S. population was 17 percent, and by 1982 there were 35 majority nonwhite districts. In the 2010 census, the nonwhite share of the nation's population had ballooned to 28 percent, mostly fueled b...

Read More »
REDISTRICTING

Justice OKs GOP Redistricting Map in Virginia

The U.S. Department of Justice issued no objections to Virginia's congressional redistricting plan in a letter released Wednesday, granting the necessary Voting Rights Act "preclearance" and all but ensuring that the state's new Rep...

Read More »
THE COOK REPORT

The Cook Report: All Stirred Up

The House looks headed for a makeover, but one that could be more generational than partisan. Five factors point toward an election that brings a lot of new faces to Washington.  Read More »
REDISTRICTING

Obama v. Perry: Justice Department Challenges Texas Redistricting Map

Is it a coincidence that the Obama administration issued its first redistricting challenge to a congressional map that Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed and that members of the nation's fastest-growing voting bloc consider discriminatory...

Read More »
REDISTRICTING

'Perrymander': Redistricting Map That Rick Perry Signed Has Texas Hispanics Up in Arms

A congressional redistricting plan that Gov. Rick Perry signed earlier this year has triggered lawsuits from Hispanic groups--and concerns among Republicans that it could backfire, putting more House seats in Democratic hands. Read More »
POLITICAL PROFILE

California Youthquake

Ranjit (Ricky) Gill may be this year’s most unconventional Republican candidate for Congress. Read More »
REDISTRICTING

Revised N.C. Map Even Worse For Democrats

While the first draft of North Carolina's redistricting maps were bad news for at least four House Democrats, a revised plan is even more dismal for them, as a proposal from state Republicans now lumps four incumbents into two districts. Read More »

Cook Report Rates Special Election for Weiner Seat: Likely Democratic

Rep. Anthony Weiner 's, D-N.Y., resignation from the 9th Congressional District seat appears certain to trigger the fifth New York special election in three years. So after bungling three straight races in GOP-leaning districts ups...

Read More »
NEED-TO-KNOW VIDEO

Video: Redistricting Forces Incumbents to Face Off in Iowa

Redistricting in Iowa eliminates one member's turf, leaving an incumbent vs. incumbent contest that will be a race to watch. Read More »
NEED-TO-KNOW VIDEO

N2K: Redistricting Forces Incumbents to Face Off in Iowa

Redistricting in Iowa eliminates one member's turf, leaving an incumbent vs. incumbent contest that will be a race to watch. Read More »
NEED-TO-KNOW VIDEO

Video: Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich are Redistricting Odd Couple

Among the many members at risk during redistricting, Republican Ron Paul of Texas and Democrat Dennis Kucinich of Ohio are two characters to watch during the process. Read More »
NEED-TO-KNOW VIDEO

N2K: Paul and Kucinich, Redistricting Odd Couple

Among the many members at risk during redistricting, Republican Ron Paul of Texas and Democrat Dennis Kucinich of Ohio are two characters to watch during the process. Read More »
REDISTRICTING

Top 10 Most Endangered Democrats

Once every decade, certain unfortunate incumbents are sucked into a ritual of panic. Census data is released and district lines are redrawn according to their reported populations -- leaving congressmen who have grown accustomed ...

Read More »
POLITICS

Video: Redistricting Spells Danger for Democrats in 2012

Redistricting will narrow the playing field for Democrats in 2012. David Wasserman explains. Read More »

N2K: Redistricting Spells Danger for Democrats in 2012

Redistricting will narrow the playing field for Democrats in 2012. David Wasserman explains. Read More »
REDISTRICTING

Louisiana Redistricting: A Tea Party Republican Could Lose Out

After nearly running the table on Democrats in Louisiana in the last decade, Republicans have no more Democrats to target. Right now it looks like Republican Rep. Jeff Landry will be the odd man out, writes The Cook Political Repor...

Read More »
THE COOK REPORT

Incumbents, Beware: Redistricting Looms

Redistricting could hurt incumbents.  Read More »
POLITICS

On the Bubble: 10 States Await Tuesday Census Verdict on Congressional Gains, Losses

It's the political version of NCAA Selection Day. On Tuesday, the U.S. Census Bureau will roll out numbers that will determine which states gain seats in the House and which lose. The Cook Political Report 's David Wasserman ranks ...

Read More »
POLITICS

No. 10. Illinois: Democrats Hold the Advantage in the Land of Obama

The Land of Lincoln, which is likely to lose a seat for the third straight reapportionment in 2012, may be the only real weapon at Democrats' disposal this year: Illinois is the only significantly large state where Democrats control...

Read More »
POLITICS

No. 9. North Carolina: GOP State Lawmakers Hold All the Cards

The GOP takeover of the Tar Heel State's legislature this year could mean big problems for some Democratic members of Congress. Read More »
POLITICS

No. 8. Arizona: Fast-Growing Hispanic Population Could Claim Another Seat

If Arizona ends up with two additional seats, one of them will almost certainly be majority Hispanic. Read More »
POLITICS

No. 7. California: Schwarzenegger's Legacy Could Be a Less Democratic Delegation

Perhaps no large-scale partisan districting plan in history has been as successful as the 2002 Democratic plan in the Golden State, which created 33 seats drawn to elect Democrats. Read More »
POLITICS

No. 6 New York: Big Apple Gets Smaller

New York's shrinking congressional delegation could pit two veteran Big Apple Democrats against each other in the next election. Read More »
POLITICS

No. 5. Texas: Republicans in Charge, But Demographics Argue for Hispanic Seats

Republicans control the redistricting process in the Lone Star State, but after their big gains of the last decade it's unlikely they'll hit another political gusher. Read More »
POLITICS

No. 4. Washington: Newly-Elected GOP Rep. Herrera Could Be Big Winner

Washington, which gained a ninth seat in 1990, could well gain a tenth in 2010. A potential big winner may be GOP Rep.-elect Jaime Herrera . Read More »
POLITICS

No. 3. Minnesota: Tea Partier Michele Bachmann A Potential Target

Minnesota's politicians couldn't agree on a redistricting plan ten years ago and if the state loses a seat this time around, it won't get any easier. Read More »
POLITICS

No. 2. Florida: One New Seat Or Two?

Republicans control redistricting in the Sunshine State, but a newly passed ballot measure may limit what they can do to benefit their party. Read More »
POLITICS

No 1. South Carolina: A Potential Battle Between the GOP and the Justice Department?

The Palmetto State, which has not had a seven-member congressional delegation since 1930, is in the pole position to gain back a House seat for the first time in 80 years. Read More »

For Candidates This Cycle, 'Ordinary' Was In

Five House Races To Watch On Election Night

SEE MORE
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