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Shields to Run NRCC IE Operation

March 19, 5:03 p.m.

The National Republican Congressional Committee will be putting its 2010 independent expenditure program in the hands of veteran Republican strategist Mike Shields, a committee source confirmed.

Sali Won’t Seek Comeback in Idaho

March 19, 2:56 p.m.

Former one-term Rep. Bill Sali (R-Idaho) announced Friday that he will not try to reclaim the seat he lost in 2008 to Rep. Walt Minnick (D).

NRSC Narrowing DSCC’s Cash Advantage

March 19, 2:46 p.m.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $4.64 million in February, about $600,000 more than the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised last month.

Black GOP Candidates Gather, Seek Support

March 19, 10:48 a.m.

The praise for conservative icon Ann Coulter and scorn for “Barack Hussein Obama’s” socialist agenda was plentiful at a Republican candidate forum in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, and it certainly sounded like any standard GOP event. But it sure as heck didn’t look like one.

Balfour Drops Out of Race for Linder's Seat

March 18, 10:54 p.m.

Georgia state Sen. Don Balfour (R), the first candidate to jump into the open-seat race for retiring Rep. John Linder's (R) seat, announced Thursday that he is dropping out of the contest and will retire from the state Legislature at the end of his term.

Smoot Tapped to Run DSCC’s IE Operation

March 18, 1:03 p.m.

Veteran party strategist Brian Smoot will manage the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s independent expenditure arm for the 2010 cycle, officials confirmed Thursday.

Health Debate Plays in Money Chase

March 18, 12 a.m.

With the end of the first quarter just two weeks away and a difficult health care vote looming, the campaigns of some vulnerable House Democrats caught in the middle of the contentious fight aren’t optimistic about what they’ll show in their first fundraising reports of 2010.

Rivalry in Philadelphia

March 18, 12 a.m.

An upstart candidate is giving the early favorite a run for his money in the Democratic primary for a competitive House seat in southeastern Pennsylvania.

New Democrats Take Center Stage

March 17, 12 a.m.

If Blue Dog Democrats represent the type of districts Republicans must win to get closer to the majority in 2010, then New Democrats personify the seats the GOP needs to win to actually regain the majority.

Boehner to Headline Cao Fundraiser Tuesday

March 16, 4:13 p.m.

Louisiana Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao — the lone Republican to vote for the House-passed health care bill in November — is getting a fundraising boost from House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who is hosting an event for him on Capitol Hill on Tuesday evening.

Chamber Polls Show Opposition to Health Bill in 10 Battleground Districts

March 16, 3:02 p.m.

As House Democratic leaders and liberal groups ratchet up the pressure on vulnerable Democrats to support the health care bill this week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is warning 10 of them of risks at the ballot box if they vote “aye.”

RSC Chairman Price to Endorse Rubio

March 16, 1:14 p.m.

Former Florida Speaker Marco Rubio (R) is set to announce that Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (Ga.) is endorsing his Senate campaign.

MoveOn.org Trains Fire on Democrats

March 16, 12 a.m.

With House Democratic leaders ratcheting up their arm-twisting and whipping operations in advance of the high-stakes health care vote, pressure on vulnerable Members is also mounting from one of their own party’s most reliable attack dogs.

Political Spring Training Starts Today in Colorado

March 16, 12 a.m.

The Senate race in Colorado will enter a new and competitive phase today, when first-round precinct caucuses across the state unofficially kick off the campaign and serve as an early barometer of the candidates’ organizational strength and their support among base voters.

Labor Groups Key in Pa. Primary

March 15, 12 a.m.

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter spent most of his political career being tagged as organized labor’s favorite Republican, a superlative that is now paying big dividends in the party-switcher’s Democratic primary against Rep. Joe Sestak.

Brooks Won’t Run for Massa’s Seat

March 12, 12:42 p.m.

Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks announced Friday that she will not run for the seat relinquished earlier this week by former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.).

Ted Turner to Host Specter Fundraiser

March 12, 11:30 a.m.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) will get a boost later this month from media mogul and CNN founder Ted Turner. Specter said in a phone interview that Turner will host a fundraiser for him in Atlanta on March 21 in the late afternoon.

GOP Picks Burns as Nominee in Murtha Special

March 11, 10:03 p.m.

Local Republicans in Pennsylvania’s 12th district on Thursday evening picked businessman Tim Burns to be their nominee in the special election to replace the late Rep. John Murtha (D).

Conservative Group Attacks Reid on Reconciliation in New Ad

March 11, 5:36 p.m.

The American Future Fund, a conservative advocacy group, has placed a new $250,000 television ad buy targeting Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) over Democrats’ procedural maneuvering on the health care bill.

NARAL PAC Announces New Round of Endorsements

March 11, 2:18 p.m.

The political action committee for NARAL Pro-Choice America, the abortion-rights group, announced a new round of endorsements on Thursday, bringing the total number of Congressional candidates it is supporting this cycle to 12.

NRCC Lacks Women in Top-Tier Races

March 11, 12 a.m.

While Senate Republicans boast top-flight female candidates in several marquee races, there appears to be a dearth of GOP women running in some of the most competitive House races across the country.

North Carolina Lacks Competition in GOP’s Southern Push

March 11, 12 a.m.

Although North Carolina was a top battleground in the 2008 presidential race, the swing state appears to be far from the front lines in the battle for the House in 2010.

Fight Returns for Boucher in Virginia’s 9th

March 11, 12 a.m.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) has long epitomized a safely entrenched incumbent.
He is a popular and skilled retail politician who has bucked the conservative trend of his largely rural and economically challenged 9th district by keeping the national Democratic Party at arm’s length.

Ralph Reed Won’t Seek Linder’s Seat

March 10, 11:28 a.m.

Former Christian Coalition architect Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he will not run for the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.).

Hafer Drops Out of Race for Murtha’s Seat

March 10, 10:51 a.m.

Former state Treasurer Barbara Hafer has dropped out of the race in Pennsylvania’s 12th district, clearing the way for Mark Critz, a former aide to the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), to be the Democratic nominee in November.

DCCC Names 13 to ‘Red to Blue’

March 10, 12 a.m.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, facing a tough political environment and the prospect of defending dozens of competitive seats, will announce today the 13 candidates it has selected for the “Red to Blue” program that targets GOP-held districts.

N.H. Activist ‘Granny D’ Dies at 100

March 9, 11:15 p.m.

Political activist Doris “Granny D” Haddock, who at the age of 94 challenged Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) and won 34 percent of the vote in 2004, died Tuesday at her home in Dublin, N.H., the Keene Sentinel reported.

Griffith Moves to Distance Himself From Rangel Donations

March 9, 8:18 p.m.

Party-switching Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.) on Tuesday cut a $7,000 check to a local veterans memorial foundation in an effort to distance himself from campaign donations he received from scandal-tinged Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.).

Ralph Reed Expected to Pass on Georgia House Race

March 9, 6 p.m.

Former Christian Coalition architect Ralph Reed, who is known to be considering a possible bid in Georgia’s open 7th district, announced Tuesday that he’d make his future plans known on Wednesday. But multiple Georgia GOP insiders said Tuesday afternoon that they believe the former lieutenant governor candidate will simply be announcing that he will pass on the Congressional contest.

Melancon Camp Files Ethics Complaint Against Vitter Campaign

March 9, 3:25 p.m.

The contentious Senate race between Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) and Sen. David Vitter (R) spilled into the Senate on Tuesday, when a Melancon aide filed an ethics complaint over the Republican Senator’s fundraising materials.

Poll Shows Rubio Ahead by 32 Points in Florida

March 9, 11:31 a.m.

With conservative voters abandoning his campaign, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist now finds himself trailing former state Speaker Marco Rubio in the Republican Senate primary by 32 points, according to a new survey by Public Policy Polling.

Insurgents Give Term Limits New Life

March 9, 12 a.m.

In what is shaping up to be a turbulent election year, with voters disgusted with Congress and disenchanted with both major political parties, could term limits re-emerge as a salient issue this year?

Massa Headache Creates Upstate N.Y. Free-for-All

March 9, 12 a.m.

Rep. Eric Massa’s (D-N.Y.) decision to resign Monday has upended the race in the 29th district and put both parties on edge, with uncertainty swirling about both the candidate field and the timing of the contest to replace him.

When the Staff Tweets, Who’s Talking?

March 9, 12 a.m.

Among the many innovations that social media tools have brought to the world of campaign politics are new ways to conduct opposition research.

GOP Mail Firm’s Net Rate Raises Concerns

March 9, 12 a.m.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Bill Russell’s campaign burn rate has raised concerns about the viability of his candidacy — and questions about the direct-mail firm he employs — according to local Republicans who could pick him as their nominee to run for the late Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) seat this week.

Pennsylvania Democrats Confirm Critz as Nominee in Murtha Special

March 8, 6:12 p.m.

Mark Critz (D) was selected Monday as his party’s nominee for the May 18 special election to succeed his former boss, the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.).

DOJ: Voting Firms Can’t Merge

March 8, 5:49 p.m.

The nation’s two primary electronic voting machine manufacturers cannot merge their operations, the Justice Department announced on Monday.

Cornyn Makes Clear NRSC Won’t Play in Florida Primary

March 8, 1:10 p.m.

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) on Monday all but expressed his regret for getting behind Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) last May in the Sunshine State’s open-seat Senate race.

DCCC Names ‘Red to Blue’ Co-Chairmen

March 8, 11:15 a.m.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has tapped four Members to lead its efforts to win Republican-held districts in the 2010 election cycle, which is expected to be a tough one for the party.

Ex-Murtha Aide Gets Democratic Nod for Special Election

March 6, 12:30 p.m.

Local Democratic officials Saturday picked Mark Critz, a former top aide to the late Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), as their preference to be their nominee for the special election to replace Murtha on May 18.

Grayson, Paul Ad Spending Heating Up in Kentucky

March 6, 9:33 a.m.

The TV air war in Kentucky’s hotly contested Senate race is starting to get expensive, at least on the Republican side.

New Sen. Brown Sends Out Fundraising SOS

March 6, 9:28 a.m.

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) calls himself the “No.1 target” in a new fundraising e-mail pitch to supporters.

Democrats Start to Make Moves for Delahunt’s Seat

March 5, 5:42 p.m.

The Democratic field to succeed retiring Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) began shaking out within hours of his making his retirement official on Friday.

Massa to Resign on Monday

March 5, 3:54 p.m.

Freshman Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) announced on Friday that he will resign from the House effective 5 p.m. on Monday.

With Filing Approaching, Spratt Accelerates Campaign Preparations

March 5, 1:55 p.m.

Another Democratic retirement Thursday night has ratcheted up speculation over who may be the next to call it quits. But despite plenty of speculation on the GOP side, Rep. John Spratt’s (D-S.C.) office said Friday that the 14-term Congressman isn’t going anywhere.

Contenders Emerge for Delahunt’s Seat

March 5, 1:36 p.m.

Democrats and Republicans along Massachusetts’ South Shore are girding for a rare competitive primary and general election in the wake of Rep. Bill Delahunt’s (D) decision not to seek an eighth term in November.

Critz Raises $100,000 in Bid to Succeed Murtha

March 5, 1:31 p.m.

Mark Critz, a top aide to the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), announced this week that he has raised more than $100,000 in his special election bid to succeed his boss.

Griffith Inspires Bipartisan Protest

March 5, 11:20 a.m.

Party-switching Rep. Parker Griffith (R) is bringing a bit of bipartisanship to northern Alabama next week. On Monday, a group of Democratic and Republican protesters, which includes tea party activists and college Democrats, will rally against Griffith’s fundraiser featuring House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Delahunt Won’t Run for Re-Election

March 4, 8:50 p.m.

Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) will announce Friday that he won’t run for re-election in November, becoming the 16th House Democrat to announce plans to leave at the end of this Congress.

Democratic Redistricting Group Asks FEC if Members Can Raise Soft Money

March 4, 3:59 p.m.

A Democratic group that will figure prominently into the post-2010 redistricting fight is asking the Federal Election Commission whether it can use Members to help raise soft money for their efforts, according to a new document released Thursday by the agency.