Ronald Brownstein

The safety net, the entitlement state, and the true beneficiaries of the "poison" of dependency.… More »

Though he's still the frontrunner, low turnout in three conservative states, along with slipping independent support, are worrying trends for Romney.… More »

Defending his remarks about the poor, he said he wants to "fix" low-income assistance programs, but his proposals would actually cut them way back.… More »

For Gingrich, finding an argument that can restore the populist coalition he assembled in South Carolina will become much more urgent after Florida.… More »

Two new polls suggest he's consolidating his vote -- and underscore the high stakes for Newt Gingrich in Thursday's debate.… More »

Jim Crow and Strom Thurmond are long gone, but race remains central to tax and spending issues -- perhaps an omen for national politics.… More »

His strong support among two big Republican demographics that previously resisted him shows how hard it will be to slow down the presumptive nominee.… More »

The economic downturn exacerbated the deep political and cultural divides in our 50-50 nation. Here's what three years of polling data says about where American stands today.… More »

If the surging frontrunner can win both Iowa and New Hampshire, the rest of the GOP field might as well pack up and go home.… More »

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney's brutal offensives against one another in the last two weeks are sure to reappear in Democratic general-election attack ads.… More »

Pulling the lever, pulling the plug: Voters are ready to "throw the bums out."… More »

Romney is deriding Gingrich for criticizing a plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system -- ironic, since Romney holds the same position… More »

A new report will detail the major demographic and political currents Barack Obama and his GOP opponent will face next year… More »

As the congressional supercommittee is finding out, the road to fiscal stability is long and winding… More »

Who are America's partisans? A new Gallup poll breaks down political demographics as the 2012 election approaches.… More »

Unless the president can get his approval rating up to 50 percent before Election Day, it may not matter if he faces Romney or Perry… More »

Since the 2010 midterm election that swept them into power, Republicans have declined in popularity across the board… More »

GOP politics may have changed since 2008, but the party's voter demographics have remained largely the same… More »

If the Texas governor can't sell the idea more persuasively than Steve Forbes did, he could be in trouble… More »

Eight takeaways from the latest surveys, which show Mitt Romney squaring off against Herman Cain and the tea party… More »