Recent News

Donald Trump has 14-point lead in New Hampshire: poll

Billionaire businessman and GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump has a 14-point lead over his nearest Republican rival, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, in a new poll on the early state of New Hampshire.

Mr. Trump was at 29 percent in the survey from the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling, with Mr. Rubio at 15 percent.

Every­one already knows the struggle for con­trol of the White House will be the biggest do­mest­ic story of 2016. The cam­paign has already gen­er­ated re­cord tele­vi­sion rat­ings and vol­can­ic erup­tions of vit­ri­ol. By Novem­ber, it is likely to be­come the most ex­pens­ive polit­ic­al race ever. Already, it is un­like any cam­paign Amer­ic­ans have seen be­fore.

Jeb Bush and his allies have now spent $49 million in advertisements, including $23 million in New Hampshire and another $10 million in Iowa, according to data from NBC News partner SMG Delta.

That overall total amount from Team Bush - almost all of it coming from Bush’ Right to Rise Super PAC - represents more than a third of the $139 million spent on ads in the 2016 race. (At this point in the 2012 race, $35 million had been spent on ads.)

Less than four weeks before Iowans kick off the 2016 presidential contest with their Feb. 1 caucuses, the early road to the White House appears to be shaping up as a slippery and uncharted one for the Republican Party.

GOP consultant for a day

The value of free advice is measured by what you pay for it, and Republicans don’t usually ask me for mine.

Nonetheless, the GOP’s presidential race is one of the most fascinating political brawls in years. It’s about to hit full stride, and I can’t resist kibitzing. I know the leading candidates will take my guidance for what it’s worth.

Ad Campaigns Set to Ramp Up

With only four weeks until the Iowa caucuses, the ad wars are escalating. Recent reporting gives us an idea of which issues candidates think will resonate the most with their voters, and which candidates they see as their main rivals – or at least the ones they think need to be taken down a notch. Several candidates lagging in the polls are using this strategy, hoping to break through in either Iowa or New Hampshire.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s new ad ... Read More >>

Rand Paul-backing super PAC reserves $500,000 in Iowa ads

Rand Paul barely made the main stage of the last Republican debate and he’s at risk of missing the next one but if Paul’s campaign continues through the Iowa caucuses, he’ll have some support on the TV airwaves from a super PAC.