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Hamos Hits the Airwaves in Race for Kirk’s Seat

Nov. 6, 5:14 p.m.

Illinois state Rep. Julie Hamos (D) is the first candidate to hit the TV airwaves in the open-seat contest for Rep. Mark Kirk’s (R) seat.

Former Specter Foe to Back Sestak

Nov. 6, 3:54 p.m.

A one-time Democratic challenger to Sen. Arlen Specter (D) has endorsed Rep. Joe Sestak’s (D) 2010 bid to unseat the five-term Pennsylvania Senator.

Flake Endorses Moran in Kansas Senate Race

Nov. 6, 3:33 p.m.

Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) is the latest Republican Member to pick a side in the Kansas Senate primary battle between GOP Reps. Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt.

With Shurtleff Out, Bennett May Escape Serious Primary Challenge

Nov. 6, 11:36 a.m.

A day after he shocked Utah political watchers by dropping his primary bid against Sen. Bob Bennett (R), state Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said in an interview late Thursday afternoon that he believes he still has a role to play in the effort to oust the three-term Senator next year.

Top GOP Senate Leaders Back Fiorina

Nov. 5, 6:15 p.m.

Eight influential Republican Senators jumped on board former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina’s (R) California Senate campaign Thursday, a day after she officially launched her bid to take on Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) in 2010.

Potential Grayson Challenger Says No Thanks

Nov. 5, 1:12 p.m.

Scratch off another potential Republican challenger to outspoken Rep. Alan Grayson (D) in Florida’s 8th district.

Club for Growth Set to Air Anti-Crist Ads in Florida

Nov. 5, 12:36 p.m.

The powerful anti-tax group the Club for Growth said Thursday that it is set to air a new television commercial in Florida that hits Gov. Charlie Crist (R) for endorsing the stimulus bill — one day after the governor denied in a CNN interview that he ever backed the $787 billion spending legislation.

Missed Votes Become Campaign Fodder

Nov. 5, 12 a.m.

The possibility of a Saturday vote on the health care bill in the House isn’t especially enticing to anyone who has to shuffle their weekend plans. But it presents a particular inconvenience for those Members already in the thick of their 2010 campaign schedules.

Commonwealth Clues: What 2009 Means

Nov. 5, 12 a.m.

Emboldened by the results of Tuesday’s gubernatorial race in Virginia, Republican officials are expressing renewed confidence about unseating one or more Democratic House incumbents in the Commonwealth in the 2010 midterm elections.

New York Remains GOP Trouble Spot

Nov. 5, 12 a.m.

Upstate New York has been a killing field for the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2009.

Giannoulias to Dine at Vice President’s House

Nov. 4, 6:02 p.m.

It may not be the president’s basketball court, but Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) is scheduled to be at Vice President Joseph Biden’s home this evening.

Fiorina Enters California Senate Race

Nov. 4, 12:38 p.m.

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (R) declared her intentions to run for Senate in California in a Wednesday morning opinion piece in the Orange County Register.

Garamendi Cruises in Race to Succeed Tauscher

Nov. 4, 1:18 a.m.

While most eyes were focused on Tuesday’s big-ticket elections on the East Coast, a House race in California quietly went about its business with Lt. Gov. John Garamendi (D) winning the 10th district special election.

Sessions: Open Candidate Selection Process in N.Y.

Nov. 4, 1:05 a.m.

On the heels of the GOP’s second special election loss in New York this year, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) said Wednesday morning that Empire State Republicans need to adopt a more open candidate selection process.

Owens Holds Off Hoffman to Win in New York

Nov. 4, 12:33 a.m.

Attorney Bill Owens (D) held off Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in Tuesday’s special election to succeed former Rep. John McHugh (R) — a topsy turvy race dominated by national political disputes in a normally quiet corner of upstate New York.

GOP Sweeps New Jersey, Virginia

Nov. 3, 10:54 p.m.

Republicans pulled off a sweep of Tuesday’s closely watched gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, with Bob McDonnell winning by a landslide in the Old Dominion and Chris Christie comfortably topping a three-way race in the Garden State.

McDonnell Wins Easily in Virginia

Nov. 3, 8:48 p.m.

Republican Bob McDonnell was decisively elected Virginia’s next governor on Tuesday, giving his party a major boost in a state where Democrats had made major gains in recent elections.

Coakley Launches Her First TV Ad in Massachusetts

Nov. 3, 6:17 p.m.

The air wars are intensifying among the leading Democrats in the Massachusetts Senate special election, with state Attorney General Martha Coakley launching her first television ad of the campaign on Tuesday.

Grayson ‘Money Bomb’ Raises $500,000

Nov. 3, 3:04 p.m.

Outspoken freshman Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) raised more than $500,000 for his re-election effort during a one-day online “money bomb” event held Monday, one year before the 2010 elections.

Ivey May Challenge Edwards

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

A second prominent Democrat in the Washington, D.C., suburbs is considering launching a primary bid against Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.).

Elections Head to Photo Finish

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

As Election Day dawns, Republicans appear headed to a solid victory in Virginia’s race for governor, while the raucous special House election in upstate New York and the New Jersey gubernatorial contest are too close to predict with any certainty.

GOP Hopes Special Election Is Special Circumstance

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

Is there another Doug Hoffman waiting in the wings? Hoffman, the Conservative Party nominee in an upstate New York race that will be decided today, effectively forced the Republican nominee out of the race this weekend. But while Hoffman’s situation might be unique to a special election in the Empire State, similar ideological divides are likely to be showcased in Republican primaries across the country next year.

Parties Turn to Ground Game in New York

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

In a race that has received a disproportionate amount of national attention in the last week, the two remaining candidates running for former Rep. John McHugh’s (R-N.Y.) upstate House seat spent the past 48 hours engaged in an all-out ground war before voters head to the polls Tuesday.

Candidate Filing Deadline Passes in Illinois

Nov. 2, 7:46 p.m.

Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) has filed paperwork to run for both Cook County Board president and for re-election in 2010, as the candidate filing deadline passed Monday at the Illinois Board of Elections.

With Scozzafava Out, Hoffman Leads in N.Y. Special

Nov. 2, 11:47 a.m.

Accountant Doug Hoffman, the upstart Conservative Party candidate now backed by national Republicans, has taken the lead over Democrat Bill Owens in Tuesday’s special election in upstate New York, according to two new polls conducted over the weekend.

Sessions May Face Scrutiny

Nov. 2, 12 a.m.

Ten months after House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) ousted Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.) as the party’s top campaign strategist, House Republicans continue to be plagued by funding woes and ugly intraparty skirmishes that have hurt their ability to win elections over the past several years.

House GOP Leaders Throw In With Hoffman

Oct. 31, 2:18 p.m.

Top House Republican leaders urged voters in New York’s 23rd district to support Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, just hours after the GOP’s official candidate dropped out of the race.

Scozzafava Ends Campaign in N.Y. Special Election

Oct. 31, 11:35 a.m.

Republican Dede Scozzafava on Saturday abruptly suspended her campaign to win Tuesday’s special election in New York’s 23rd district, as the latest poll in the race confirmed that her support had collapsed and that she had slipped to third in the closely watched three-way race.

New Poll Confirms Owens, Hoffman in Dead Heat

Oct. 31, 10:12 a.m.

After nabbing a long list of endorsements from Republican lawmakers and candidates this week, third-party candidate Doug Hoffman now looks to be the pick of Republicans in the special election in upstate New York as well. Hoffman, who is running on the state Conservative Party line, has the support of half of Republican voters in the 23rd district special election and is locked in a tight race with attorney Bill Owens (D), according to a Siena College poll released Saturday, likely the final independent poll before the Tuesday election.

Biden to Campaign for Owens in N.Y.

Oct. 30, 5:46 p.m.

Vice President Joseph Biden will campaign Monday with Democrat Bill Owens, who is seeking to win the closely watched special election to replace former Rep. John McHugh (R) in upstate New York. Biden will join Owens at a morning rally in Watertown, in an effort to energize Democrats to turn out and vote in Tuesday’s election.

Reid Focuses on Energy in Third Campaign TV Ad

Oct. 30, 4:04 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is up with the third television ad of his re-election campaign, still more than a year out from when voters go to the polls in 2010.

GOP House Candidates Rush to Back Hoffman in New York Special

Oct. 30, 12:27 p.m.

Conservative candidates running for Congress next year are weighing in on the special election in New York’s 23rd district by publicizing their support for Doug Hoffman, a conservative accountant who is running ahead of moderate state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R) and about even with attorney Bill Owens (D).

Hatch, Once Skeptical of Toomey, Will Host Fundraiser for Him

Oct. 29, 4:06 p.m.

A top Republican Senator who once dismissed former Rep. Pat Toomey’s (R) chances of winning the Pennsylvania Senate race will host a fundraiser for him in late November.

11 More GOP Members Back Hoffman as New Poll Shows Scozzafava Sinking

Oct. 29, 2:52 p.m.

A new poll from Daily Kos and Research 2000 confirms what election watchers have been saying for the past week — the House special election in upstate New York is coming down to a race between Democrat Bill Owens and third-party candidate Doug Hoffman.

Second Illinois Senate Candidate Confers With Axelrod at White House

Oct. 29, 2:21 p.m.

Former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman (D) met with top White House adviser David Axelrod on Thursday afternoon to discuss his 2010 Senate bid, according to Hoffman’s campaign manager.

Van Hollen: ‘Extreme Voices’ Prevailing in GOP’s Internal Struggle

Oct. 29, 10:53 a.m.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) reveled Thursday in the Republican infighting in next week’s special election in New York’s 23rd district.

Some House Recruits Have Yet to Measure Up to Hype

Oct. 29, 12 a.m.

During the election off-year, the House campaign committees spend much of their time recruiting and then promoting their top candidates — like college football teams touting their class of high school prospects before they hit the field. But a year out from Election Day, Democrats and Republicans have highly touted recruits who have either flamed out or are far from living up to the early hype.

GOP Tries New Approach in Race Against Boccieri

Oct. 29, 12 a.m.

After a devastating loss last year in Ohio’s 16th district, Republican officials in Washington, D.C., and Ohio are promoting a different kind of candidate as they try to unseat freshman Rep. John Boccieri (D) in a historically GOP-leaning area in and around Canton.

EMILY’s List Backs Kuster in New Hampshire Open Seat

Oct. 28, 3:03 p.m.

EMILY’s List announced Wednesday that it has endorsed attorney Ann McLane Kuster (D) in the open-seat race in New Hampshire’s 2nd district.

GOP Defections Mount in N.Y. Special

Oct. 28, 12 a.m.

The floodgates have officially opened on the Republican leaders who are trying to hold together Member support, or at least minimize outright opposition, for the party’s nominee, Dede Scozzafava, in next week’s special House election in upstate New York.

Inhofe Backs Tiahrt Over Moran in Kansas

Oct. 27, 6:18 p.m.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) waded into the competitive GOP Senate primary in Kansas on Tuesday, picking Rep. Todd Tiahrt over fellow Rep. Jerry Moran in the open-seat race to succeed Sen. Sam Brownback (R).

Congressional Support Building for Hoffman in New York Special

Oct. 27, 3:50 p.m.

Former National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.), Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) endorsed Doug Hoffman’s third-party campaign in the New York special election Wednesday, a slap in the face to GOP House leaders and the current top brass at the NRCC, all of whom are backing Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava in the race.

GOP Candidates Hit TV Airwaves Early in Connecticut Senate Race

Oct. 27, 1:23 p.m.

Yet another Republican in the Connecticut Senate race launched a new television ad Tuesday — 10 months before the primary — further underscoring how competitive and expensive the contest has already become.

Few Fireworks in First Massachusetts Senate Democratic Debate

Oct. 27, 7:12 a.m.

With little to distinguish them ideologically, the first official debate among the Democratic candidates in Massachusetts’ Senate special election boiled down to a discussion between the merits of voting for an insider with a long political résumé or an outsider unfettered by special interests.

NRCC Bullish on Its Top Recruits

Oct. 27, 12 a.m.

The National Republican Congressional Committee will announce today that nine challenger and open-seat candidates have impressed the committee enough with their early efforts to be bumped up to the next rung of the recently retooled “Young Guns” campaign program.

Members Taking Sides Early

Oct. 27, 12 a.m.

Months before the first ballots are cast in the 2010 election cycle, Members of Congress aren’t hesitating to donate to candidates who are in competitive primary races.

Danny Davis Files to Run for Cook County Board

Oct. 26, 4:03 p.m.

Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) filed his petitions to run for Cook County Board president Monday morning, but his office said he will also file to run for re-election to his Congressional seat at a later date.

Christie Vilsack Won’t Challenge Grassley

Oct. 26, 1:55 p.m.

Former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack (D) will not challenge Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) next year, the Des Moines Register is reporting.

Ex-Nebraska Sen. Kerrey Draws Down Once-Hefty Campaign Account

Oct. 23, 5:07 p.m.

Nearly a decade after leaving Congress, former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) is close to emptying a still-active campaign committee account that was in the seven figures even after he was no longer running for office.

Conlin Eyes 2010 Race Against Grassley

Oct. 23, 1:16 p.m.

Attorney Roxanne Conlin (D) is saying that she is “more likely than not” going to challenge Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in 2010.