“...a newsletter that both parties regard as authoritative.” — New York Times
Independent & Non-Partisan
Trusted across the political spectrum since 1984, the CPR offers analysis by a deeply sourced team who understands campaigns, polling and the dynamics that impact elections for the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, State Governors, and Presidential races. The analysis is delivered in an ad-free environment to subscribers.
The Original Source
The Race Ratings and Cook Partisan Voter Index (Cook PVI) are the original Cook Political Report measures that countless journalists, campaign officials, candidates, government affairs professionals, and lobbyists rely on to understand an evolving political landscape. In fact, the vernacular of races being understood as likely, lean or solid for one party or another were pioneered in CPR’s race ratings charts.
Accurate & Reliable
A recent review of CPR Race Ratings, surveying 1984 through 2022, revealed an impressive record of accuracy. Lean ratings were correct 95.3% of the time; Likely ratings, 97.4%; and Solid ratings, 99.9%. The Toss Up ratings were nearly evenly split, accurately reflecting their probability to go to either party.
History
After years of working in politics, Charlie Cook founded “The National Political Review” in March of 1984 before renaming it later that year to “The Cook Political Report.” Charlie’s idea was to create a non-partisan newsletter that would analyze American political campaigns from the perspective of someone who actually had worked both in campaigns and as a pollster.
“While the newsletter was my idea, begun when I quit my Capitol Hill job, withdrew the $6,000 from my Senate employees retirement fund and a $10,000 bank loan co-signed by my late father-in-law,” Cook said in 2021, “the real credit for its success should go to the several dozen very talented and dedicated women and men who… built it to what it is today.”
Since its founding, The Cook Political Report has grown from a one-person operation to a full-time staff of eight. The team has included the insights of notable analysts Jennifer Duffy (1988-2019), Chris Cillizza (1998-2005), Elizabeth Wilner (1992-1997; 2013-2016), David Wasserman (2007-present), Jessica Taylor (2019-present), Erin Covey (2024-present) and current Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Amy Walter (1998-2006, 2013-present).
“While the newsletter was my idea, begun when I quit my Capitol Hill job, withdrew the $6,000 from my Senate employees retirement fund and a $10,000 bank loan co-signed by my late father-in-law,” Cook said in 2021, “the real credit for its success should go to the several dozen very talented and dedicated women and men who… built it to what it is today.”
Since its founding, The Cook Political Report has grown from a one-person operation to a full-time staff of eight. The team has included the insights of notable analysts Jennifer Duffy (1988-2019), Chris Cillizza (1998-2005), Elizabeth Wilner (1992-1997; 2013-2016), David Wasserman (2007-present), Jessica Taylor (2019-present), Erin Covey (2024-present) and current Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Amy Walter (1998-2006, 2013-present).
Testimonial
What is The Cook Political Report?
The Cook Political Report is delivered to its individual, group and premium subscribers through www.cookpolitical.com and its weekly digital newsletters (on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings). Subscribers also have access to Cook Political Report analysts through periodic briefings and other special events. The CPR Race Ratings are available as an open source resource for those tracking Electoral College, Senate, House, and Governor elections. An API is also available for academic, personal and commercial use.
CookPolitical.com includes data and analysis of every current Senate and gubernatorial contest plus all 435 congressional districts, alongside the Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠), which measures how each state and district performs at the presidential level compared to the nation as a whole. No other organization specializing in political analysis provides such an extensive update on every single election contest with CPR’s Race Summary pages. The At-A-Glance rundown, updated biweekly, gives subscribers a look at who has filed to run in every federal and gubernatorial race, along with other potential candidates weighing campaigns.
CookPolitical.com includes data and analysis of every current Senate and gubernatorial contest plus all 435 congressional districts, alongside the Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠), which measures how each state and district performs at the presidential level compared to the nation as a whole. No other organization specializing in political analysis provides such an extensive update on every single election contest with CPR’s Race Summary pages. The At-A-Glance rundown, updated biweekly, gives subscribers a look at who has filed to run in every federal and gubernatorial race, along with other potential candidates weighing campaigns.
No one covers politics like we do.
Editor-in-Chief Amy Walter
In August 2021, Amy Walter took the helm as owner, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, now known as The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.
“I could not be more delighted in this transition, or more confident,” Cook said upon the transition, “that this team, under Amy’s leadership, will take the newsletter into its fourth decade with the same high standards of excellence, objectivity and rigor that has made it the industry leader, and upon which elected officials and campaign operatives in both major political parties, journalists and the entire political community have come to rely.”
“I could not be more delighted in this transition, or more confident,” Cook said upon the transition, “that this team, under Amy’s leadership, will take the newsletter into its fourth decade with the same high standards of excellence, objectivity and rigor that has made it the industry leader, and upon which elected officials and campaign operatives in both major political parties, journalists and the entire political community have come to rely.”
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Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.