Elections

All Elections

No Ben Affleck? That's OK, Massachusetts Senate race still poised to be big.

If John Kerry's seat needs to be filled next year, it will be the fourth time Massachusetts voters have chosen Senate candidates in a six-year period. Actor-director Ben Affleck said Monday he won't run.
Electing a president: Five insights from Obama campaign manager Jim Messina

Conventional wisdom held that Team Obama would not be able to generate the turnout numbers in 2012 that it had in 2008. What campaign manager Jim Messina did to reelect the president.
Karl Rove on why Romney lost: Obama was 'suppressing the vote'

GOP strategist Karl Rove used provocative words to describe one reason he believes Obama won. By 'suppressing the vote,' Rove appeared to mean that negative ads about MItt Romney tamped down enthusiasm for the GOP nominee.
George P. Bush files to run for office in Texas

George P. Bush files the paperwork to campaign for a state office in Texas. George P. Bush is the nephew of former President George W. Bush, and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The campaign files don't disclose what office Bush might seek.
On Election Night, score a victory for traditional media

While people used social media to share Election Night comments, a surge in news site traffic and robust TV viewership showed so-called legacy media are still the preeminent sources for news.
How Obama won in a weak economy: Voters didn't blame him

The economy was the big issue in the election, and Mitt Romney saw its poor condition as a point of vulnerability for Obama. But in exit polls, only 38 percent of voters blamed the president.
Ballot measures: What message did America send on Election Day? (+video)

American voters rejected ballot measures at a higher rate than usual – suggesting voter fatigue – but two big liberal social issues - legalizing marijuana and same-sex marriage - made historic headway.
Youth vote decides presidential election – again. Is this the new normal?

The youth vote proved decisive in Tuesday's presidential election, just as it did in 2008. But this year, it was a far greater surprise.
Would tea party accept a Bill Clinton-brokered deal with Obama?

Chastened by Obama’s win, Republicans are taking a hard look at the impact of the tea party wing on the party brand. The real story may be whether that makes the GOP more amenable to a deal.
Why Florida's count matters, even though it won't affect the outcome

The reason Florida is so closely watched – and so frequently embroiled in election disputes – is that the state has a big, diverse population that marks a fault line in American politics.
Election 2012 results: Women to reach landmark – 20 percent of senators

The female newcomers to the Senate include four Democrats and one Republican. While the economy was a top voter issue, other issues important to women such as abortion also factored in.
Surprise at Obama’s victory illustrates growing partisan divide in US media

Conservatives' shock that Mitt Romney did not win big is further evidence, analysts say, that the public is consuming media that reinforce personal views rather than give actual information about the world.
As 'fiscal cliff' looms, stock markets shudder at economic 'uncertainty'

Tuesday's election has stirred stock markets' concerns about the economy, with the Dow Jones falling 2 percent Wednesday. The reason: Washington appears poised for gridlock – again.
Election 2012: 12 reasons Obama won and Romney lost

President Obama went into his reelection fight facing significant head winds – most important, high unemployment and slow economic growth. But for a multitude of reasons, including Obama’s positives and Republican challenger Mitt Romney’s negatives, Obama succeeded. Here’s our list.
Congress: Will fiscal cliff, election results lead partisans to stand down?

Post-election, the GOP-led House still sees its mandate as tax-hike prevention. Obama and the Democrats still want to raise taxes for the wealthy. But if they don't work together, the looming 'fiscal cliff' – which no one wants to see – may doom them all.
Virginia Senate: how Tim Kaine survived a record barrage of attack ads

No candidate for the US Senate has ever had more money spent against him than Virginia's Tim Kaine. But he triumphed because he was seen as the more bipartisan choice, experts say.
Election results 2012: Does Obama's historic victory give him a mandate? (+video)

An outcome that maintains the status quo in Washington guarantees Obama some important advantages. But the 2012 election results also foretell more gridlock, and the president, by not offering a path out of debt and deficit, lacks a clear mandate for action.
Election 2012: why status quo result could mean more Washington gridlock

Serious business awaits the nation's lawmakers, the 'fiscal cliff' foremost. But the results of Election 2012 could give Washington's main players cause to dig in their heels.
Legalized marijuana (Amendment 64), same-sex marriage make gains (+video)

Some 176 ballot measures in 38 states included historic wins for gay marriage and legalized marijuana (Amendment 64 in Colorado), as well as votes in four red states to rein in 'Obamacare.'
Claire McCaskill: 'most endangered Democrat' wins Missouri Senate race (+video)

Rep. Todd Akin's comments on rape played big at the polls among both women and men voters, helping Senator McCaskill win by nearly 15 percentage points a race she had been expected to lose.