# Charlie Cook

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charlie_Cook
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charlie_Cook.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Cook
> Source revision: 1323960256
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American political analyst (born 1953)

For other people named Charlie Cook, see [Charlie Cook (disambiguation)](/source/Charlie_Cook_(disambiguation)).

Charlie Cook Cook in 2010 Born Charles Edward Cook Jr. (1953-11-20) November 20, 1953 (age 72) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. Education Georgetown University (BA) Occupation Political analyst Known for The Cook Political Report, Cook Partisan Voting Index Spouse Lucy Cook ​ (m. 1982)​

**Charles Edward Cook Jr.** (born November 20, 1953) is an American [political analyst](/source/Political_analyst). Specializing in election forecasts and political trends, Cook writes election forecasts and rankings in the publication he founded, *[The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter](/source/The_Cook_Political_Report_with_Amy_Walter)*, and in other media. Since the [1984 US presidential election](/source/1984_United_States_presidential_election), Cook has provided election night commentary for various television networks. In 1997, Cook started producing the [Cook Partisan Voting Index](/source/Cook_Partisan_Voting_Index). A political analyst for the *[National Journal](/source/National_Journal)* and [NBC](/source/National_Broadcasting_Company), Cook writes two columns for *National Journal*. In 2013, he was a resident fellow at the [Harvard Institute of Politics](/source/Harvard_Institute_of_Politics).

## Early life and education

Cook is the son of Mary Hudgens Cook and Charles Cook Sr. ([Magnolia, Arkansas](/source/Magnolia%2C_Arkansas) 1916–2012). His father was a highly decorated officer in the [United States Army Air Force](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Force) during World War II, and an electrical engineering graduate from the [University of Arkansas](/source/University_of_Arkansas).[1] He has two sisters, Carole and Margaret, and a brother, Robert.[1] Cook graduated in 1972 from [Captain Shreve High School](/source/Captain_Shreve_High_School) in Shreveport and attended [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University) in [Washington, DC](/source/Washington%2C_DC).[2]

## Career

In 1984, Cook founded the newsletter *The Cook Political Report*,[2] which publishes analyses of the [primaries](/source/Partisan_primary) and [general elections](/source/General_election) for federal political offices and state governorships. The *Report's* predictions are accorded high credibility among journalists and politicians.[3] Since the [1984 US presidential election](/source/1984_United_States_presidential_election), Cook has provided election night commentary for various television networks.[4]

In 1994 he became a political analyst for [NBC](/source/National_Broadcasting_Company), and he has also provided political analysis for the *[National Journal](/source/National_Journal)*. Cook writes two columns for the latter: "The Cook Report" for the main publication and "Off to the Races" for the online National Journal Congress Daily.[5][6]

In 1997, Cook started producing the [Cook Partisan Voting Index](/source/Cook_Partisan_Voting_Index), a scoring metric of partisan lean in Congressional districts and states, which is still published biannually today and is frequently referenced in political commentary.

In 2006, Cook was inducted into the [Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame](/source/Louisiana_Political_Museum_and_Hall_of_Fame) in [Winnfield](/source/Winnfield%2C_Louisiana).[7] In 2010, he won the Carey McWilliams award from the [American Political Science Association](/source/American_Political_Science_Association).[8] The award is given annually to honor a major journalistic contribution to our understanding of politics and carries a prize of $750.[8]

In 2013, he served as a Resident Fellow at the [Harvard Institute of Politics](/source/Harvard_Institute_of_Politics).[9]

Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Cook criticized poll aggregates and models such as [RealClearPolitics](/source/RealClearPolitics) and [FiveThirtyEight](/source/FiveThirtyEight), saying that there are "limitations" to aggregation. His critique was cited in *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*.[10][11]

In 2021, [Amy Walter](/source/Amy_Walter) took over Cook's roles as editor and publisher of the since-renamed *Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.* He will continue to write columns and analysis for the newsletter as well as for the *National Journal*.[12]

## Personal life

Cook and his wife Lucy live in [Chevy Chase, Maryland](/source/Chevy_Chase%2C_Maryland).[1]

## See also

- [List of speakers at The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.](/source/List_of_speakers_at_The_Economic_Club_of_Washington%2C_D.C.)

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cooksrobit_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cooksrobit_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-cooksrobit_1-2) ["Obituary of Charles Cook, Sr"](http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=charles-cook&pid=158119082). [Shreveport Times](/source/The_Times_(Shreveport)), June 20, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CNN_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CNN_2-1) ["CHARLES COOK, JR"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160120124957/http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/bios/frames/cnn/cook.html). *[CNN](/source/CNN)*. 1996. Archived from [the original](http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/bios/frames/cnn/cook.html) on January 20, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Milbank_3-0)** Milbank, Dana (October 25, 2006). ["When It Comes to Politics, Charlie Cook Has the Prophecy Market Cornered"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102401248.html). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. Retrieved August 31, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Charlie Cook | C-SPAN.org"](https://www.c-span.org/person/charlie-cook/984/). *www.c-span.org*. Retrieved October 9, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["The Almanac Of American Politics"](https://www.thealmanacofamericanpolitics.com/index.aspx). *www.thealmanacofamericanpolitics.com*. Retrieved October 9, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Charlie Cook"](https://nationalpress.org/speaker/charlie-cook/). *National Press Foundation*. Retrieved October 9, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090703054258/http://cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html). cityofwinnfield.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html) on July 3, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cmcw_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cmcw_8-1) ["Carey McWilliams Award Winners"](http://www.apsanet.org/media/Carey%20McWilliams%20Award.pdf) (PDF). *apsanet.org*. [American Political Science Association](/source/American_Political_Science_Association). October 4, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Charlie Cook"](http://www.iop.harvard.edu/charlie-cook). *[Harvard Institute of Politics](/source/Harvard_Institute_of_Politics)*. Spring 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["The Polling Is Imperfect, but It's Bad News for Trump"](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/national/national-politics/polling-imperfect-its-bad-news-trump). *Cook Political Report*. August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Peters, Jeremy W. (November 17, 2020). ["A Popular Political Site Made a Sharp Right Turn. What Steered It?"](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/us/politics/real-clear-politics.html). *The New York Times*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Charles E. Cook, Jr"](https://cookpolitical.com/about/staff/charles-e-cook-jr). *The Cook Political Report*. The Cook Political Report. Retrieved August 3, 2021.

## External links

- Cook, Charlie. ["The Cook Report"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130708234646/http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/the-cook-report). *[National Journal](/source/National_Journal)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/the-cook-report) on July 8, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013. (Weekly Column)

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?984) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

v t e Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame 1990s 1993 Hale Boggs William C. C. Claiborne Jimmie Davis Pap Dean Edwin Edwards Dudley LeBlanc Earl Long Huey Long Russell B. Long 1994 A. Leonard Allen Lindy Boggs Victor Bussie Allen J. Ellender Gillis William Long 1995 Camille Gravel Sam Hanna Sr. deLesseps Story Morrison Zachary Taylor Edward Douglass White 1996 Louis Berry James Carville Mary Evelyn Parker Leander Perez Gus Weill 1997 Oscar K. Allen Murphy J. Foster J. Bennett Johnston Melinda Schwegmann David C. Treen 1998 Speedy Long John H. Overton Joe Waggonner T. Harry Williams 1999 Cat Doucet Jimmy Fitzmorris Douglas Fowler Iris Kelso Ed Renwick 2000s 2000 Jefferson Caffery William J. Jefferson Jeannette Knoll Jimmy D. Long Buddy Roemer 2001 Wiley W. Hilburn Robert F. Kennon Harry Lee Harold McSween Wade O. Martin Jr. Victor H. Schiro 2002 Jesse Bankston Kenny Bowen Harley Bozeman Nathan Burl Cain Bill Dodd Francis Grevemberg John Hainkel Henson Moore Joe Sampite Lillian Walker 2003 John Alario John Breaux Jay Chevalier Harry Connick Sr. Mike Foster Carolyn Huntoon Raymond Laborde Bob Livingston Richard Stalder Billy Tauzin 2004 Billy Boles Charles W. DeWitt Jr. Dudley A. Guglielmo Moon Landrieu Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton Jr. Doris Lindsey Holland Rhodes Virginia Shehee Jack Wardlaw 2005 Robert W. Bates Carlos Roberto Flores Mary Flake Flores Eddie J. Jordan Jr. Curtis Joubert Barbara Boggs Sigmund Francis C. Thompson 2006 Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Charlie Cook Sylvan Friedman Donald E. Hines W. Fox McKeithen Cecil J. Picard Vic Stelly 2007 Diana E. Bajoie Sally Clausen Charles deGravelles Virginia deGravelles Hunt Downer Theodore "Ted" Jones Mary Landrieu Sean O'Keefe 2008 Richard Baker Bobby Freeman Melvin "Kip" Holden James A. Joseph Donald G. Kelly John LaPlante Bob Odom Ned Randolph Joe R. Salter 2009 Al Ater Foster Campbell Chris John Walter Lee Jessel Ourso Patrick F. Taylor 2010s 2010 Rodney Alexander Randy Ewing Charlton Lyons Samuel B. Nunez Jr. William Nungesser Risley C. Triche 2011 James H. Brown Lucille May Grace Catherine D. Kimball J. Kelly Nix Ralph Perlman Charlie Smith 2012 Fred Baden Felix Edward Hébert E. L. Henry Jerry Huckaby Adras LaBorde Billy Montgomery 2013 Charles C. Barham Leonard J. Chabert Marty J. Chabert Norby Chabert George Dement Leonard R. "Pop" Hataway Angelo Roppolo Raymond Strother 2014 J. Marshall Brown John Bel Edwards John B. Fournet Richard P. "Dick" Guidry John S. Hunt II Rose McConnell Long Robert "Bob" Mann Harvey Peltier Jr. 2015 Peppi Bruneau Buddy Caldwell Juba Diez Noble Ellington John Maginnis Charles A. Marvin Scott family: Albin Provosty, Nauman Scott and Jock Scott 2016 Boysie Bollinger Randy K. Haynie Richard Ieyoub Sam Houston Jones John Mamoulides Braxton Moody III Kaliste Saloom Jr. 2017 Jim Beam Jimmy Dimos T. J. Jemison Maurice Mapes Dave Norris 2018 Avery Alexander Jay Dardenne Quentin Dastugue James Gill Charles D. Lancaster Jr. 2019 Raymond Blanco Marion Edwards Paul Hardy Ron Gomez Richard Zuschlag 2020s 2020 David & Jean Bell Clarence R. Fields Robert Gentry William Earl Hilton Deano Thornton 2021 Robert Adley Jim McCrery Edward (Ed) Steimel Gregory W. Tarver Sr. 2022 Elliott D. Coleman Jim Donelon Walter B. Hatten W. L. “Jack” Howard Verne R. Kennedy Robert W. Kostelka Roy O. Martin IIII Dr. I. C. Turnley, Jr. 2023 Ben Bagert, Jr. John Bagneris Dennis Bagneris Michael Bagneris James Desmond Carvin Louis Charbonnet III Mitch Landrieu Marc Morial Ben W. Nevers Suzanne Haik Terrell Roger F. Villere Jr. 2024 Edmund James “Ed” Anderson Jr. Deacon Dan Borné Judge Burrell Carter Robert J. Carter Joseph A. Delpit John Bel Edwards James R. Engster Louis Joseph Lambert 2025 The Honorable Don Burkett Judge Marion F. Edwards Jimmy Foster “Jim” Harris James Maxwell “Max” Kelley Carolyn Phillips Marsha Shuler Charles S. “Charlie” Weems 2026

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charlie Cook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Cook) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Cook?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.