House & Senate Races http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=139545299&ft=1&f=139545299 Explore NPR's latest coverage of the 2012 congressional contests. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:28:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif House & Senate Races http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=139545299&ft=1&f=139545299 Not Your Father's (Or Mother's) Congress Despite what has been called a status quo election, the 113th Congress will bring with it generational changes and some history, including the first all-female delegation for a state, and the fewest number of military veterans since World War II. Here are some of the noteworthy newcomers. Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:28:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/12/31/167989125/not-your-fathers-or-mothers-congress?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/12/31/167989125/not-your-fathers-or-mothers-congress?ft=1&f=139545299 Despite what has been called a status quo election, the 113th Congress will bring with it generational changes and some history, including the first all-female delegation for a state, and the fewest number of military veterans since World War II. Here are some of the noteworthy newcomers.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> How To Oust A Congressman, SuperPAC-Style Think superPACs were a waste of wealthy donors' money this election season? Consider how New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's superPAC was able to help engineer an upset in one congressional race outside Los Angeles. Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:38:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/23/165761797/how-to-oust-a-congressman-superpac-style?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/23/165761797/how-to-oust-a-congressman-superpac-style?ft=1&f=139545299 Think superPACs were a waste of wealthy donors' money this election season? Consider how New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's superPAC was able to help engineer an upset in one congressional race outside Los Angeles.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Democrats Poised To Pick Up Seats In Final House Tally Two weeks after Election Day, it appears the partisan makeup of the new House of Representatives will be 234 Republicans and 201 Democrats, although the outcome is not yet official in two states. That would be a gain of eight seats for the minority Democrats. Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:36:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/20/165592193/democrats-poised-to-pick-up-seats-in-final-house-tally?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/20/165592193/democrats-poised-to-pick-up-seats-in-final-house-tally?ft=1&f=139545299 Two weeks after Election Day, it appears the partisan makeup of the new House of Representatives will be 234 Republicans and 201 Democrats, although the outcome is not yet official in two states. That would be a gain of eight seats for the minority Democrats.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Allen West, Controversial Tea Party Firebrand, Concedes In Florida House Race The race between West, who joined the House during the 2010 conservative sweep, and Democrat Patrick Murphy will go down as one of the most expensive and bitter in history. Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:03:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/11/20/165568154/allen-west-controversial-tea-party-firebrand-concedes-in-florida-house-race?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/11/20/165568154/allen-west-controversial-tea-party-firebrand-concedes-in-florida-house-race?ft=1&f=139545299 The race between West, who joined the House during the 2010 conservative sweep, and Democrat Patrick Murphy will go down as one of the most expensive and bitter in history.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Florida Judge Denies Call For Recount, But Allen West Continues Quest And 10 days after the election, three other too-close-to-call House races also remain undecided — in North Carolina, Arizona and Louisiana Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:59:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/16/165303257/florida-judge-denies-recount-request-but-allen-west-continues-quest?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/16/165303257/florida-judge-denies-recount-request-but-allen-west-continues-quest?ft=1&f=139545299 And 10 days after the election, three other too-close-to-call House races also remain undecided — in North Carolina, Arizona and Louisiana

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Geography, Not Gerrymandering, May Explain GOP's Hold On House Some analysts are saying that Republicans appear to have the long-range advantage over Democrats when it comes to winning enough seats to control the House, not so much because of redistricting but because of the clustering of Democratic voters in fewer congressional districts. Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:44:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/15/165230606/geography-not-gerrymandering-may-hold-key-to-gops-hold-on-house?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/15/165230606/geography-not-gerrymandering-may-hold-key-to-gops-hold-on-house?ft=1&f=139545299 Some analysts are saying that Republicans appear to have the long-range advantage over Democrats when it comes to winning enough seats to control the House, not so much because of redistricting but because of the clustering of Democratic voters in fewer congressional districts.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Meet The New GOP, Same As The Old GOP? There has been no dearth of post-election Republican self-flagellation. But the party is still sorting out solutions, wrangling over whether its problems lie in its positions on issues ranging from immigration to women's reproductive health, or simply in its sales job with the voting public. Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:52:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165163103/meet-the-new-gop-same-as-the-old-gop?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165163103/meet-the-new-gop-same-as-the-old-gop?ft=1&f=139545299 There has been no dearth of post-election Republican self-flagellation. But the party is still sorting out solutions, wrangling over whether its problems lie in its positions on issues ranging from immigration to women's reproductive health, or simply in its sales job with the voting public.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Maine Independent Angus King To Caucus With Senate Democrats Sen.-elect Angus King of Maine, who cruised to victory last week running as an independent, said Wednesday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats, giving them in effect a 55-45 seat advantage next year. Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:28:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165149633/maine-independent-angus-king-to-caucus-with-senate-democrats?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165149633/maine-independent-angus-king-to-caucus-with-senate-democrats?ft=1&f=139545299 Sen.-elect Angus King of Maine, who cruised to victory last week running as an independent, said Wednesday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats, giving them in effect a 55-45 seat advantage next year.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Who Gets The Blame For The Romney Loss? The Tea Party Has A Theory. The Tea Party and other conservatives argue that Mitt Romney lost the election because he was "too moderate." And they are calling for a complete overhaul of the Republican Party. But the evolving demographics may have played a bigger role. Mon, 12 Nov 2012 06:30:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2012/11/12/164756302/who-gets-the-blame-for-the-romney-loss-the-tea-party-has-a-theory?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2012/11/12/164756302/who-gets-the-blame-for-the-romney-loss-the-tea-party-has-a-theory?ft=1&f=139545299 The Tea Party and other conservatives argue that Mitt Romney lost the election because he was "too moderate." And they are calling for a complete overhaul of the Republican Party. But the evolving demographics may have played a bigger role.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Senate Win In Wis. A 'Turning Point' For Gay Rights Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin is the first openly gay candidate to be elected to the U.S. Senate. But advocates say the fact her sexual orientation wasn't part of the campaign is the real signal of change. Sun, 11 Nov 2012 05:43:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/11/164888535/senate-win-in-wis-a-turning-point-for-gay-rights?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/11/164888535/senate-win-in-wis-a-turning-point-for-gay-rights?ft=1&f=139545299 Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin is the first openly gay candidate to be elected to the U.S. Senate. But advocates say the fact her sexual orientation wasn't part of the campaign is the real signal of change.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> What An All-Female Delegation Says About N.H. For the first time in U.S. history, the congressional representation of a state will be made up entirely of women. It's a first that follows a pattern in New Hampshire, where Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan says voters share the "ability to make decisions regardless of gender." Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/10/164842066/what-an-all-female-delegation-says-about-n-h?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/10/164842066/what-an-all-female-delegation-says-about-n-h?ft=1&f=139545299 For the first time in U.S. history, the congressional representation of a state will be made up entirely of women. It's a first that follows a pattern in New Hampshire, where Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan says voters share the "ability to make decisions regardless of gender."

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Why Election Day Was Sort Of Like Mother's Day When the 113th Congress convenes in January, New Hampshire will have the first-in-the-nation all-female congressional delegation (as well as a female governor). And each of these women started her political career while raising young kids. That got NPR intern Elizabeth Brown thinking about her childhood in the Granite State. Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:43:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/10/164801644/why-election-day-was-sort-of-like-mothers-day?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/10/164801644/why-election-day-was-sort-of-like-mothers-day?ft=1&f=139545299 When the 113th Congress convenes in January, New Hampshire will have the first-in-the-nation all-female congressional delegation (as well as a female governor). And each of these women started her political career while raising young kids. That got NPR intern Elizabeth Brown thinking about her childhood in the Granite State.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Senate Democrats Add To Majority: Caucus Now 54 Plus One Senate Democrats did better than just keep their slim majority. Wednesday brought news that they expanded it by managing to retain control of two of their most threatened seats, in Montana and North Dakota. Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164620085/senate-democrats-add-to-majority-caucus-now-54-plus-one?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164620085/senate-democrats-add-to-majority-caucus-now-54-plus-one?ft=1&f=139545299 Senate Democrats did better than just keep their slim majority. Wednesday brought news that they expanded it by managing to retain control of two of their most threatened seats, in Montana and North Dakota.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Controversial Members Of Congress Come And Go Members of the House known for notorious or offensive comments have lost their seats in Tuesday's elections. On the other hand, some are coming back. Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:49:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164616929/controversial-members-of-congress-come-and-go?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164616929/controversial-members-of-congress-come-and-go?ft=1&f=139545299 Members of the House known for notorious or offensive comments have lost their seats in Tuesday's elections. On the other hand, some are coming back.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Outside Groups Spend Big On Elections, But Don't Have Much To Show For It This presidential election attracted $1.5 billion in outside spending — TV ads, robocalls and other political activity by groups created to take advantage of the new rules of campaign finance law. But on the day after the voting, their track record is open to question. Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:21:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164621525/outside-groups-spend-big-on-elections-but-dont-have-much-to-show-for-it?ft=1&f=139545299 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164621525/outside-groups-spend-big-on-elections-but-dont-have-much-to-show-for-it?ft=1&f=139545299 This presidential election attracted $1.5 billion in outside spending — TV ads, robocalls and other political activity by groups created to take advantage of the new rules of campaign finance law. But on the day after the voting, their track record is open to question.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]>