Seth McLaughlin
Articles by Seth McLaughlin
CPAC 2013: Conservatives brainstorm immigration fix, seek solution that avoids past mistakes
GOP leaders have decided it's time their party surmounts the immigration issue, embraces legalization and moves on, and rank-and-file conservatives are warming to that stance — though they still fear their leaders will sell out conservative principles for political gain. Published March 14, 2013
CPAC 2013: Youth-favorite Rand Paul chastises ‘stale and moss-covered’ GOP
Fresh off his filibuster that captured the hearts of libertarian conservatives, Sen. Rand Paul told attendees Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference that the Republican Party has become "stale" and must return to basic constitutional principles if it wants to ignite a political revolution. Published March 14, 2013
CPAC 2013: Rubio urges conservatives to champion middle class
Sen. Marco Rubio said Thursday that conservatives need to be the "voice" for the middle class, saying that the federal government must adopt pro-business and pro-growth policies that will help create jobs, and get the nation's fiscal house in order. Published March 14, 2013
CPAC 2013: Bush’s legacy lingers over new GOP stars
President George W. Bush's shadow still hangs over the Republican Party four years after he left office, and as conservatives converge on the Washington region this week they will find themselves once again grappling with his legacy — more so now that his younger brother, Jeb, is flirting with a 2016 presidential bid and has been invited to address the annual gathering. Published March 13, 2013
Rand Paul’s filibuster highlights split in GOP ranks; defense hawks not amused
The fight over the Obama administration's use of drones exposed deepening divisions within Republican ranks between the libertarian-leaning and defense-minded wings of the party over national security. Published March 7, 2013
GOP seeks ‘messengers’ to Hispanics; point man lays out work to be done
In the wake of the 2012 election, the Republican Party needs to recruit new messengers in the states to reach out to Hispanic voters, recruit minority candidates and carry the party's message of limited government to "a community that is understandably skeptical," the GOP's point man for bolstering the party at the state level said in an interview Tuesday. Published March 5, 2013
Marco Rubio, Rand Paul differ on Middle East
Sens. Marco Rubio and Rand Paul — in what could be a preview of a 2016 Republican presidential primary showdown — are staking out markedly different positions on U.S. intervention in the world, and particularly on American policy toward the Middle East Published March 3, 2013
Credit agencies shrug off sequesters
While lawmakers in Washington braced for disaster, the nation's big three credit rating agencies yawned at the sequester cuts set to kick in Friday, saying the trims won't hurt the credit-worthiness of the federal government as long as Congress doesn't stop there. Published February 28, 2013
FLASHBACK: CPAC: Chris Christie snubbed for criticizing GOP on Sandy relief
The list of speakers at next month's CPAC, the nation's largest gathering of conservatives, will not include New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — a snub the potential 2016 GOP presidential candidate earned, organizers said, because of his harsh criticism earlier this year of fellow Republicans over Superstorm Sandy spending. Published February 26, 2013
Health law doubts impacting Massachusetts Senate race
The race to fill former Sen. John F. Kerry's seat is shaping up as an unexpected test for President Obama's health care overhaul in Massachusetts — the state that provided the blueprint for the administration's signature achievement. Published February 25, 2013
Tea partyers fight for right-thinking GOP; electability vs. principle at issue
Though years in the brewing, the internal fight over the direction of the Republican Party has exploded onto front pages and political talk shows this month after strategist Karl Rove announced the formation of a new political action committee designed to promote more electable candidates. Published February 24, 2013
Polls show urgency of looming cuts gets a shrug
Polls show that President Obama is winning the advance-blame game in the sequester battle, but the looming cuts to domestic and defense spending are not registering with most people outside the Washington echo chamber. Published February 21, 2013
Israel stop a boost to Marco Rubio’s foreign policy profile
Sen. Marco Rubio met Wednesday with leaders in Israel as part of a swing through the Middle East, as the Florida Republican sought to burnish his foreign policy resume by paying tribute to the nation's top ally in the region. Published February 20, 2013
Report: Romney to address CPAC gathering in March
The Americans Conservative Action Conference announced Wednesday that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, will make his first public appearance since the November election to speak next month at the 40th annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference. Published February 20, 2013
Newt Gingrich knocks Karl Rove’s new super PAC
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that Karl Rove should not play the role of kingmaker in congressional races across the country. Published February 20, 2013
Ex-commission members chase a solution to runaway debt
The leaders of the defunct White House debt commission Tuesday floated a new deficit-reduction plan and warned that President Obama's legacy is riding on his ability to rein in runaway government spending. Published February 19, 2013
Obama’s liberal agenda seen as risky for red state Democrats
House Speaker John A. Boehner's new "Senate first" strategy could put red state Democrats — especially those facing potentially tough re-election battles in 2014 — in a tough spot: Reject the White House's liberal second-term agenda and run afoul of party leaders, or back the president and alienate voters back home. Published February 18, 2013
Budget-busting burgers: Beef, chicken supply could be casualties of Congress, Obama sequester fight
With the automatic cuts looming March 1, the Obama administration is offering more specifics on what lower spending would mean, pointing to everything from fewer agents on the U.S.-Mexico border to cutting funding for special education in school districts around the country. Published February 14, 2013
Crystal Ball: Senate Democrats on high alert in seven 2014 races
Borrowing a grading system based on the "Star Trek" franchise, the University of Virginia's Center for Politics warns on Thursday in its latest breakdown of the 2014 Senate races that Senate Democrats should be on high alert in seven states in which they hold seats. Published February 14, 2013
Rubio, Paul reflect GOP split on defense cuts
The two Republican rebuttals to the State of the Union address Tuesday night reinforced the GOP's commitment to cutting spending — but the dueling responses from Sens. Marco Rubio and Rand Paul also exposed a split in the party over how that philosophy applies to the defense budget. Published February 13, 2013
