Charlie Cook

Although the president has gained ground on his challenger, the economy will prevent him from running away with the race.… More »

Democrats are unlikely to take the House and Republicans will struggle to capture the Senate. Will that mean more gridlock, or new pragmatism?… More »

Republicans appear incapable of nominating someone who can win the votes of independents in November.… More »

Republicans had counted on running against a weakened president, but improving unemployment numbers could lift him to re-election instead.… More »

The candidate has raised less money than his competition, has few endorsers, and will provide plenty of material for democratic attack ads. So why is he surging in the polls?… More »

If President Obama is going to win another term in 2012, the economy will have to improve significantly. Forecasters don't think it will happen.… More »

How a 1964 TV commercial supporting Lyndon Johnson played to nuclear fears and set the standard for political attacks… More »

President Obama is in danger, but the momentum isn't overwhelming. Next year, all politics will finally be local once again.… More »

With the former governor firmly planted near the top of the race, the two challengers are jockeying for position as his foremost alternative… More »

By turning away from independents and appealing to his base, the president is following the same playbook laid out by Karl Rove… More »

Republican presidential candidates seem to have forgotten moderates will vote in 2012. Is the party too conservative to compete?… More »

Congress's popularity is sinking, and lawmakers should worry about deflated enthusiasm and the wrath of voters fed up with bad news… More »

Dysfunction in Washington has driven public anger to the highest level since Watergate--and it may stay there for the next several elections… More »

Republicans have fixated on the conservative base, and it could hurt them in 2012… More »

Average citizens will pay the price for political dithering in Washington -- as usual… More »

The 2012 elections could be the first in 20 years in which voters dump big numbers of both Republicans and Democrats… More »

If Rick Perry enters the presidential race, look for him and Michele Bachmann to duke it out… More »

A creative thinker with a sweet life, the former speaker just wasn't ready for the repetitive grind of a White House bid… More »

Democrats will pay the political price for not taking more aggressive steps to confront unemployment and slow growth… More »

After two years of resurgence, the GOP's momentum is gone. We're now in a jump-ball scenario, as neither party has a discernible edge… More »