Seth McLaughlin

Louisiana tea partyer could split GOP vote, force Senate runoff

A conservative split in Louisiana's Senate race has produced a three-way contest that could send it into an election runoff, raising questions about whether the tea party insurgency will cost Republicans a winnable seat. Published October 20, 2014

Michelle Nunn bucks trend as Republicans hone in on Senate majority

New polling shows Democrat Michelle Nunn has seized a lead in Georgia's Senate race, putting a dent in what had been a strong couple of weeks for Republicans who have seen races from North Carolina to Colorado begin to trend in their direction as voters hone in on election day. Published October 15, 2014

Senate Democrat campaign ads off the air in Kentucky

The campaign arm for Senate Democrats is not running any ads right now in Kentucky, according to Roll Call. Published October 14, 2014

Immigration reform a bipartisan litmus test for Democrats

Immigration reform has stalled on Capitol Hill, but it lives on in campaigns across the country this year where Democrats are citing it as a key litmus test of Republicans' bipartisan credentials. Published October 13, 2014

Pat Roberts gets tea party backing in Kansas

Saying GOP control of the Senate is more important than any single candidate, a national tea party group threw its support Monday behind Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas — the man the Tea Party Express had tried to unseat in this summer's Republican primary. Published October 13, 2014

Republican 2016 hopefuls eager to serve as surrogates on campaign trail

It had been years since Rep. Walter B. Jones invited a major national Republican figure to visit his North Carolina district to campaign with him, but he broke that drought last month by welcoming Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. Published October 12, 2014

GOP 2016 hopefuls weigh court’s gay marriage punt

Some potential 2016 GOP presidential candidates said Monday's Supreme Court decision to let same-sex marriage stand in dozens of states settles the issue — but religious conservatives vowed to continue to fight, saying opposing gay marriage remains a litmus test for White House hopefuls. Published October 7, 2014

Labor union target Scott Walker opens lead in Wisconsin governor’s race

Gov. Scott Walker is casting himself as a turnaround artist, seeking re-election with a pitch to voters that he revamped the state's spending and business climate in just four years. Published October 2, 2014

Chris Christie, Michelle Obama hit the trail in Wisconsin governor’s race

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie played the role of political attack dog here Monday for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, saying the Democrat seeking to unseat Mr. Walker in November is guilty of plagiarism. Published September 29, 2014

Koch brothers ties used to attack Republican in Iowa Senate race

Perhaps nowhere in the country is Democrats' orchestrated attack on the Koch brothers more developed than in Iowa, where Senate nominee Rep. Bruce L. Braley and his allies have gone to tremendous lengths to make them an issue for his Republican opponent, Joni Ernst. Published September 28, 2014

Joni Ernst, Bruce Braley spar over immigration in first debate

In the first debate showdown in the pivotal Iowa U.S. Senate race, Rep. Bruce Braley and state Sen. Joni Ernst butted heads over the thorny issue of immigration — and the definition of "amnesty." Published September 28, 2014

Kentucky Senate candidates differ on marijuana

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his rival, Allison Lundergan Grimes, in the U.S. Senate race are at odds over pot. Published September 26, 2014

Latino group to Ark. Sen. Mark Pryor: We don’t have your back

A national Latino group is circulating an online petition that calls on Latino voters to oppose Sen. Mark Pryor in his hotly contested Senate race in Arkansas, saying he opposed the idea of President Obama taking executive action on immigration reform. Published September 26, 2014

Chris Christie to campaign with Scott Walker in Wisconsin

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to visit Wisconsin next week to campaign with Gov. Scott Walker — one of his likely rivals for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Published September 26, 2014

Democrats’ use of farm bill as election ammo may have no impact

Alison Lundergan Grimes, Democrats' candidate in Kentucky's Senate race, is trying to dent Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over the farm bill — but she's running into problems since the Republican leader helped end a two-year standoff and pass the bill earlier this year. Published September 25, 2014

Out-of-state donations flood Maine governor’s race: report

Out-of-state donors have poured nearly $1.5 million into Maine's gubernatorial race — more than quadrupling the amount of money received by the three top gubernatorial candidates in 2010, said a report from Maine Citizens for Clean Elections. Published September 25, 2014

Projection: Georgia could decide control of Senate — next year

There is a good chance that control of the Senate will hinge on the high-profile contest in Georgia that may not be settled until after the new Congress is sworn in next year. Published September 25, 2014

Rand Paul to campaign with Thom Tillis in N.C.

Sen. Rand Paul, a likely 2016 presidential contender, plans to travel to North Carolina next week to rally support for state House Speaker Thom Tillis, who is trailing Democrat Sen. Kay Hagan in the state's high-profile Senate race. Published September 24, 2014

Scott Brown: Obama, N.H. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen ‘devoid’ of foreign policy ideas

New Hampshire Senate candidate Scott Brown is scheduled to deliver an address Wednesday in which he plans to call for the United States to reclaim its leadership role in international affairs and will accuse President Obama and his allies of pursuing a foreign policy that is "devoid of ideas." Published September 24, 2014

RGA ad warns ‘Georgia can’t afford’ Democrat Jason Carter

The Republican Governors Association went up this week with a new television ad that casts Jason Carter as a big spending liberal and tries to undercut the Democrat's repeated pledge to boost funding for schools. Published September 24, 2014