St. Louis University
Professor of Political Science at St. Louis University and president of the Warren Poll, which conducts polling for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, among others; author of In Defense of Public Opinion Polling and editor of Encyclopedia of US Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior; former pollster for Richard Gephardt
The Southern Primaries and the GOP Rick Santorum won both Alabama and Mississippi yesterday. Newt Gingrich took second place in states even he said he needed. Santorum is claiming he's now the real, conservative alternative to Mitt Romney , who came in third. If Romney can't capture the Southern conservative base of the party, why is he still the likely GOP nominee?
The 'Solid South' Isn't So Solid After All Mitt Romney is lucky there were two other candidates in Mississippi and Alabama, even though he lost to them both. One alone would have swamped him. But, including Hawaii and American Samoa, he got more delegates yesterday than either Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum , who won both primaries and is claiming to be the real, conservative alternative to Romney. Even though Romney's a loser with the conservative base of his party, he's still the favorite to win the GOP nomination. Does that mean the South doesn't matter? Will Santorum's double win push Gingrich out of the running? Does Romney still have a chance to prevail before the convention in Tampa?
Chaos Continues on Capitol Hill The lame-duck session of Congress is hard to keep track of. Today's sure thing is old news by tomorrow, and nobody knows how long it's going to go on. The tax bill and the omnibus spending package were dealt with last night, but what about " Don't Ask, Don't Tell ," the DREAM Act and the START Treaty ? Is Barack Obama "triangulating" with Democrats and Republicans, just like Bill Clinton? Is he abandoning principles or finally getting real? What are the prospects for next year when Republicans will take over the House? Will it be time to get down to business or the start of the next campaign?
Election Preview around the Country The Gallup Poll says the Republicans' 15-point lead among likely voters nationwide is "unprecedented." But the GOP lead among registered voters is only four points, so the big question across the country is how many of those likely voters will turn out and where. We hear reports on important races in regions across the country.
Prop 8 and Prop C: States Rights and Political Consequences Two years ago, 52% of California voters banned same-sex marriage , a ruling upheld by the State Supreme Court. But yesterday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional . It could be a political landmark, too, if some voters see it as another federal intrusion like the overturning of Arizona’s immigration law and the requirements of healthcare reform .
Same-sex Marriage, Healthcare Reform and Immigration A federal judge has overturned California's ban on same sex marriage, passed by 52% of the state's voters two years ago. Supporters have already appealed. The case will be in the courts for years and could be overturned, but it's still a landmark ruling, since homosexuality was illegal in some states just 10 years ago. It could be a political landmark, too, if some voters see it as another federal intrusion like the overturning of Arizona's immigration law and the requirements of healthcare reform . We look at the legal implications of yesterday's decision and the politics.
National Issues and Local Elections Absentee ballots already are being cast, but most voting won't happen until Tuesday. With less than a week before the mid-term elections, the war in Iraq means big trouble for Republicans, according to nationwide polls. But control of the next Congress will depend on local voting for Senate seats in 33 states and for House seats in 435 different districts. Many races are so close that control of the Congress and Senate could depend on some last-minute development nobody's thought of before. Despite dwindling support nationwide, can President Bush still make a difference? Are the candidates addressing the issues their constituents want to hear about most? What are prospective voters seeing on TV? We take a look at some cliff-hangers around the country to see how local issues and circumstances might impact the outcome.
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.