Rove: ‘The myth of the stay-at-home Republicans’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

There’s a hypothesis circulating among Republicans that Mitt Romney lost in 2012 because a large number of previously reliable conservatives who turned out in past elections stayed home. Here’s the problem: It’s not accurate.

Earlier this year Karl Rove makes the case that Republican losses are not due to Republicans who don’t show up but rather to those in the middle who choose not to vote in the GOP camp (see The myth of the stay-at-home Republicans):

Sununu wonders if Trump presence may turn GOP debates into ‘reality show’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Karl Rove’s not the only one who’s skeptical about whether Donald Trump is really running for president (see Election 2016: Is Donald Trump running for president? Karl Rove is skeptical).

I’ve been wondering since Trump’s appearance as the keynote speaker at the Chesterfield County Republican Committee earlier this year if he is making a reality show out of his presidential run (see Is it a reality show? Donald Trump enters 2016 presidential fray). Even after his over-the-top glam-filled official announcement at Trump Tower in New York City, he still has not filed papers with the FEC declaring his candidacy.

This week former Bush #41 chief of staff John Sununu made a reference to Trump turning the GOP debates into a reality show. The former New Hampshire governor, who was on King’s show to talk about his book, “The Quiet Man: The Indispensable Presidency of George H.W. Bush” and to discuss the 2016 presidential election, showed a bit of skepticism himself toward Trump being part of the field of candidates.

October surprise for Mark Warner? Game changer for Virginia?

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Fallout from the former Democratic State Senator Phil Puckett case in the Virginia General Assembly seems to have now hit U.S. Senator Mark Warner (see Warner discussed job for Puckett’s daughter by Laura Vozzella in the Washington Post).

October surprise? Game changer for Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat that was thought to be safely in Democratic control?

In a race that has seen the polls tighten in Republican challenger Ed Gillespie’s favor — once polling down almost 30 points and now has closed the gap to 10 — these final three weeks are very important. This one seems even more so because, while Gillespie already had momentum moving in his favor before the latest news broke, revelations on Friday that Warner may have been a part of the Democratic push-back at Puckett have been both surprising and revealing.

Karl Rove: Dems fundraising, Republicans need to, too

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The president’s job approval numbers are lousy, no Democrat in a competitive Senate race polls regularly above 50%, GOP enthusiasm is high, and independents are trending Republican. The midterm environment is terrible for Democrats—yet each passing day provides evidence as to why a GOP Senate majority is still in doubt.