2012 Elections»

2012 Elections

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Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) is running for Senate, and some commentators believe she could become the first openly gay politician to score a seat in that legislative chamber.

See our full coverage on 2012 Elections

opinion briefs on this topic

2012 Elections : The List
New Hampshire voters cast ballots Tuesday in the first primary of the 2012 election season: An increasing number of Americans are identifying themselves as independents, according to a new survey.

Why Americans are fleeing the GOP and Democrats

Posted on January 10, 2012, at 3:29 PM

More people than ever are identifying themselves as independents. What's driving them away from the major parties?

15 Comments
2012 Elections : The Bullpen
Paul Brandus

Paul Brandus: A forecast for divided government in 2013

Posted on January 5, 2012, at 9:55 AM

Predictions on how the 2012 election will shake out — dealing victories and blows to Democrats and the GOP alike

6 Comments
2012 Elections : Fact Sheet
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy may well be the swing vote in early 2012 on a controversial case that could tilt the balance of power in Texas, and in the U.S. House.

How the Supreme Court is messing with Texas... and the 2012 race

Posted on December 12, 2011, at 1:30 PM

The high court throws a wrench into Texas politics — and the justices' decision could well determine which party controls the 113th Congress

2012 Elections : In-depth briefing
Even comedian Stephen Colbert has a super PAC, allowing him to to raise unlimited amounts of campaign cash for the 2012 election.

Super PACs: All the speech money can buy

Posted on December 9, 2011, at 10:07 AM

The new, supercharged political action committees are raising unlimited funds to sway the 2012 elections. How will that affect democracy?

10 Comments
2012 Elections : The Bullpen
Paul Brandus

Paul Brandus: Be thankful for messy politics and noisy protesters

Posted on November 23, 2011, at 11:10 AM

Many Americans are fed up with our gridlocked politics and sputtering economy. But there's still plenty to be grateful for

2012 Elections : Controversy
Massachusetts Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren (D) says she provided the intellectual foundation for Occupy Wall Street, and critics say that might hurt her in 2012.

Elizabeth Warren takes credit for Occupy Wall Street: Smart move?

Posted on October 26, 2011, at 10:04 AM

Vying to defeat Sen. Scott Brown, the liberal hero says she's not just an OWS supporter, but one of its intellectual founders. Republicans pounce

14 Comments
2012 Elections : Burning Question
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) may have just offended female voters in the Bay State and jeopardized his re-election bid by suggesting that Democratic opponent Elizabeth Warren would look unappealing naked.

Will Scott Brown pay for insinuating that Elizabeth Warren is ugly?

Posted on October 7, 2011, at 11:06 AM

The Republican senator gets himself into hot water by thanking "God" that his Democratic opponent never posed nude — the way he did

19 Comments
2012 Elections : Instant Guide
South Carolina residents vote in the 2008 Republican presidential primary: New rules in South Carolina and several other states may prevent millions of Americans from voting in 2012, according to a liberal think tank.

The GOP's new voting laws: Disenfranchising 5 million Americans?

Posted on October 4, 2011, at 10:42 AM

A liberal think tank warns that a Republican anti-voter-fraud campaign is really a disguised effort to freeze out Democratic voters in 2012

32 Comments
2012 Elections : In-depth briefing
Seven states have passed laws this year requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polls, and Democrats allege that it's part of a campaign to suppress the votes of students and minorities.

Controversy: Requiring an ID to vote

Posted on September 23, 2011, at 11:39 AM

Are tougher state election laws an attempt to stop voter fraud, or a stealth campaign to disenfranchise Democrats?

34 Comments
2012 Elections : Opinion Brief
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) is running for Senate, and some commentators believe she could become the first openly gay politician to score a seat in that legislative chamber.

Can Tammy Baldwin become America's first openly gay senator?

Posted on September 7, 2011, at 4:02 PM

The first out-of-the-closet lesbian elected to Congress is now running for one of Wisconsin's Senate seats

11 Comments
2012 Elections : Opinion Brief
Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke during an anti-immigration rally in 2000: The "white nationalist" is reportedly considering a run for the White House.

Will there really be a 'white supremacist stampede' in 2012?

Posted on July 6, 2011, at 10:32 AM

A troubling number of recession-weary, "white-nationalist" candidates are prepping runs for office next year, says Eve Conant at The Daily Beast  

10 Comments
2012 Elections : The Bullpen
Robert Shrum

Robert Shrum: What's the real GOP agenda for the economy?

Posted on May 26, 2011, at 4:03 PM

Maybe the Republican plans for Medicare and the debt ceiling are reckless attempts to derail the recovery before 2012

31 Comments
2012 Elections : Forecast
Rep. Paul Ryan's unpopular Medicare-slashing budget helped send one Democratic underdog to Congress this week, and some say more Democrats may be able to ride the Medicare issue to victory.

Can Democrats ride Medicare to victory in 2012?

Posted on May 26, 2011, at 12:04 PM

Democrats are beaming — and scheming — after their hammering of Paul Ryan's Medicare plan helped tip a special election in their favor

2012 Elections : Opinion Brief
Bad news for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio): 46 percent of Americans say they would vote Democratic if there was an election for Congress today, while just 41 percent would pick the GOP, according to a new poll.

Could the GOP lose the House next year?

Posted on April 13, 2011, at 10:38 AM

A new poll suggests voters are souring on the new Republican majority in the House. Does this signal a Democratic surge in 2012?

18 Comments
2012 Elections : Opinion Brief
Democrat Tim Kaine, who's never lost a bid for public office, will try to hold a Virginia Senate seat for the Left in 2012.

Democrat Tim Kaine's Senate bid: Can he keep Virginia blue?

Posted on April 6, 2011, at 12:48 PM

The former governor leaves his post as Democratic National Committee chairman to launch a Senate bid in a swing state Obama needs to hold in 2012

2012 Elections : Opinion Brief
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) owes $287,272 in taxes on her private jet, fueling the GOP opposition that is eager to pick off her Democratic seat next year.

Could Claire McCaskill's $287,000 tax problem cost Dems the Senate?

Posted on March 23, 2011, at 10:34 AM

Republicans pounce after the Missouri senator admits she failed to pay nearly $300,000 in taxes on a private jet. Will this cripple Democrats in a crucial 2012 Senate race?

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