CHICAGO -- Most countries take special elections to fill vacant seats in their national legislative chambers far more seriously than does the United States. In Britain, in particular, off-the-clock “by-elections” are recognized as testing grounds not just for candidates and parties but for issues. They are thoroughly covered by the media and often treated as mini-referendums that can send powerful signals regarding hot-button policy debates. American media outlets and pundits are less inclined toward that sort of analysis. But a crucial Democratic primary to fill a vacant ... Read More