While the horse race aspects of 2016 election Presidential election are mostly meaningless, the election is still important because it can impact the significant decisions powerful politicians are currently making. As long as a politician is seriously thinking about a run in 2016 it changes the leverage groups have over him/her. A perfect example is [...]

A large coalition of very large donors, businesses and activists are pushing for New York to adopt a system of publicly financed elections. From New York Times: An unusual and well-heeled coalition, trying to tap public anger over the flood of money into politics, is pushing to enact a public financing system for elections in [...]

It is an ill wind that does not blow some good. Or so Democrats might be thinking. Since Rep. Weiner is leaving there will not be a brutal fight when New York State looses two House seats.

A little over a month after the midterm election, the final undecided House race if finally over. In New York’s 1st district, Republican challenger Randy Altschuler finally conceded to incumbent Democrat Tim Bishop.  From Suffolk Times: Republican challenger Randy Altschuler conceded Wednesday morning in his bid to unseat Congressman Tim Bishop. The announcement comes with [...]

Democratic Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is totally crushing his Republican opponent, Carl Palidino, in the New York gubernatorial race according to the latest New York Times poll. Cuomo is leading by whopping 35 points. New York Times (10/10-15) Andrew Cuomo (D) 59 Carl Paladino (R) 24 Someone else/Neither 2 Won’t Vote 4 DK/NA 12 The [...]

The Senate race in Nevada remains incredibly tight according to the latest survey from CNN/Time Opinion Research. The poll also found that Harry Reid is being badly hurt by disintrest from Democratic-leaning voters adversely affecting projected turnout this year in Nevada. CNN/Time Opinion Research (PDF) (10/1-5) Likely Voters Harry Reid (D) 40 Sharron Angle (R) [...]

This is bad news for Democratic Rep. Bill Owens. Conservative Party nominee and Republican primary loser Doug Hoffman has dropped out of the race for NY-23. From Politico: Doug Hoffman has dropped out of the race to represent New York’s 23rd Congressional District. Hoffman’s name will still appear on the ballot on the Conservative line; [...]

Appointed Democratic Senator Kristen Gillibrand has an 11-point lead over Joseph DioGuardi in New York’s Special election for US Senate, according to the latest Marist Poll (PDF) of likely voters: Marist (PDF) (9/19-22) Kristen Gillibrand 52 Joseph DioGuardi 41 Unsure 7 An 11-point lead and polling over 50 percent is good news for Gillibrand. Despite [...]

Earlier this month, Rick Lazio lost New York’s Republican gubernatorial primary in a surprise upset to Carl Paladino. Lazio, however, had already received the nomination of the Conservative Party, and so would have remained on the ballot–likely drawing more votes away from Paladino than from the Democratic nominee, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. But [...]

It looks like freshman Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY-23) caught another lucky break, and once again has a path to victory opened up by vote splitting on the right. GOP primary loser Doug Hoffman says he will still campaign in earnest on the Conservative Party ballot line. In New York State, candidates can be nominated by [...]