Category: Politics
Initial Rating: Oklahoma Senate Race
Madison Horn v. James Lankford Safe Republican In many other states, an incumbent senator being adjacent to a major (if undercovered) sexual abuse scandal and testifying that you believe 13 year-olds can consent to sex would at least inject some ...
Initial Rating: North Carolina Senate Race
There’s something tedious about covering politics in the Tar Heel State. As with Florida, it always feels close – but never quite manages to flip.
Initial Rating: South Dakota Senate Race
Brian Bengs v. John Thune Safe Republican Like its neighbor to the north, South Dakota was once a red state that frequently sent Democrats to the Senate, counting 1972 presidential nominee George McGovern and one time Senate Majority Leader Tom ...
Initial Rating: Florida Senate Race
After years of Florida letting Democrats down, is there really any hope for them in the Sunshine State?
Initial Rating: Vermont Senate Race
Gerald Malloy v. Peter Welch Safe Democrat This November, there will be an open Senate election in a state that is over 90% white, over 60% rural, and has only elected one Democratic senator in its 231 year history. It’s ...
Initial Rating: Connecticut Senate Race
Leora Levy v. Richard Blumenthal Safe Democrat When Richard Blumenthal, now a two-term Democratic incumbent, first won his seat, it was 2010, and Republicans were obliterating Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Up against businesswoman Linda McMahon (the wife ...
Initial Rating: Pennsylvania Senate Race
One of the highest profile races this cycle is the Keystone State's epic showdown between Democratic Lieutanant Governor John Fetterman and TV doctor and New Jerseyan Mehmet Oz.
Initial Rating: Oregon Senate Race
Jo Rae Perkins v. Ron Wyden Safe Democrat Oregon holds a lot of potential for Republicans. It’s a large western state with lots of white voters and most of the state (geographically speaking) is deep red. But, as Colorado and ...
Initial Rating: Hawaii Senate Race
Bob McDermott v. Brian Schatz Safe Democrat If you spend way too much time on Twitter, you’ve probably come across Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz, perhaps the most active Democratic lawmaker on the platform. He’s also among the most aggressive “climate ...
Initial Rating: Missouri Senate Race
When this seat was last contested in 2016, a handful of forecasters considered it a toss up or lean Republican at most.
Initial Rating: Kentucky Senate Race
Charles Booker v. Rand Paul Safe Republican In 2020, nobody’s profile was raised more by losing a primary than the progressive, Bernie Sanders- and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-endorsed Kentucky state Representative Charles Booker, who lost his state’s Democratic Senate primary by less ...
Initial Rating: Utah Senate Race
The Senate race in Utah is one of the most undercovered and most interesting this cycle. It’s got a little something for almost everyone.
Initial Rating: Indiana Senate Race
Thomas McDermott Jr. v. Todd Young Safe Republican Look at a map of Indiana’s congressional districts and you’ll probably be surprised to see a little patch of blue, far away from Indianapolis, in the far Northwest corner of the state. ...
Initial Rating: Iowa Senate Race
We were perhaps too generous to Iowa in our 2020 forecasts, rating both its Senate race and presidential race as toss-ups due to an array of competitive polls and an assumption that it would revert to the mean.
Initial Rating: Kansas Senate Race
Mark Holland v. Jerry Moran Safe Republican As incumbent Republican Senator Jerry Moran vies for his third term, many readers may wonder whether the landslide defeat of the anti-abortion amendment on Kansas’ early-August primary ballot is a sign of Republican ...
Initial Rating: Idaho Senate Race
David Roth v. Mike Crapo Safe Republican Among the least interesting Senate races this cycle is the one in Idaho. (What an intriguing lead that inspires you to continue reading, right?) Incumbent Republican Senator Mike Crapo is seeking his fifth ...
Politics Express: Bills, Bills, Bills / Search of Mar-a-Lago
Politics Editor Lars Emerson and The Postrider‘s Editor-in-Chief Michael Lovito discuss and analyze the FBI search of Donald Trump’s de facto headquarters at Mar-a-Lago; including why this is — contrary to prevailing wisdom, evidently — not going to help his political ...
Initial Rating: Nevada Senate Race
For a year we’ve said this would be the most competitive this cycle, and then gone farther to argue that the Nevada Senate race is actually the most important race in the entire 2022 election. That hasn’t changed.
Initial Rating: Washington Senate Race
Tiffany Smiley v. Patty Murray Safe Democrat Patty Murray has been in the Senate a long time – not quite as long as the Chuck Grassley and Patrick Leahy types; but pretty close – and at only 72 this October ...
Initial Rating: Ohio Senate Race
Is there cautious optimism in the Buckeye State for Democrats? Or is Trump and Peter Thiel-aligned J.D. Vance, the author of Hillbilly Elegy, set to continue the state's pivot to the right?
Initial Rating: Maryland Senate Race
Incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen’s quest for a second term could have been more interesting.
Politics Express: How We Put Together Our Senate Ratings
How does The Postrider put together its Senate ratings? Following the release of our 2022 ratings, Politics Editor Lars Emerson and Editor-in-Chief Michael Lovito are here to discuss how they research states, how they assign a rating, what they feel ...