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Seth McLaughlin

Seth McLaughlin, a reporter on the Politics Desk, can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SethMcLaughlin1

Articles by Seth McLaughlin

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, surrounded by volunteers working the phones, makes calls to voters from his presidential campaign headquarters in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

Romney: S.C. loss set up Florida rebound

Mitt Romney said Tuesday that his loss in South Carolina taught him that he couldn't let the attacks from rivals against him go unanswered in Florida, where he has widened his lead in the polls on the back of an around-the-clock negative campaign against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich ahead of Tuesday's pivotal primary vote. Published January 31, 2012

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign rally at Pioneer Park in Dunedin, Fla., on Jan. 30, 2012, the day before the Florida holds its 2012 GOP presidential primary. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

Romney hits Gingrich again over Freddie Mac

Mitt Romney said Monday that the more people learn about rival Newt Gingrich's lucrative work for housing finance giant Freddie Mac, the less likely they will be to support him in the Tuesday's primary — comments that dovetail with new polls that show the former House speaker is losing ground as the vote approaches. Published January 30, 2012

Chuck Norris (Associated Press) **FILE**

In Florida run-up, Chuck Norris battles for Gingrich

Chuck Norris — perhaps best known for his role in "Delta Force" and TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger" — endorsed Newt Gingrich more than a week ago and on Monday the former House speaker's campaign pointed to his words as evidence that the "mainstream media" and "Washington elite" are out of touch with the everyday voters. Published January 30, 2012

Angel Hernandez (left) gets help with interpretation from his friend Rene Lopez as he talks about his part in the invasion of the Bay of Pigs at Los Pinarenos Fruteria, his store on Calle Ocho in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, on Thursday. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

In Florida, Republican hopefuls target Castro

Mitt Romney says if he's elected, he expects Fidel Castro will be "taken off this planet." Newt Gingrich vows he "won't tolerate another four years of a Cuban dictatorship" and Rick Santorum argues the 50-year-embargo shouldn't be lifted until the "Castros are dead." Published January 29, 2012

Republican presidential candidates (Left to Right) former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex) stand for the singing of the National Anthem as they arrive on stage for the Florida Republican Presidential Debate at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., Thursday, January 26, 2012. This is the second and final debate before the Florida Republican primary on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/ The Washington Times)

Romney, Gingrich clash over immigration in Florida debate

Newt Gingrich played the role of political pinata in the debate here Thursday as his Republican rivals whacked away at his stances on immigration, previous support of a federal health care mandate and recent call for a new moon base — all just five days out from the state's all-important presidential primary. Published January 26, 2012

Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista wave Jan. 25, 2012, to the large crowd during a campaign stop in Cocoa, Fla. (Associated Press/Florida Today)

Gingrich opens door for illegal immigrants

Fighting to curry favor with Florida's large pool of Hispanic voters, Newt Gingrich on Wednesday called for a guest-worker program for most illegal immigrants, but his campaign could not say whether those people would be on a path to citizenship — the key question in the immigration debate. Published January 25, 2012

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gestures during a "Meet the Candidates" forum on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Jeffrey M. Boan)

Gingrich mocks Romney over ‘self-deportations’

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that rival Mitt Romney is living in an "Obama-level fantasy" world if he believes that stronger enforcement of the nation's laws will persuade illegal immigrants to leave the nation voluntarily. Published January 25, 2012

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, greets audience members after speaking at the National Gypsum Company in Tampa, Fla., Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Romney: Make Obama’s State of the Union his last

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney urged voters here to make President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday his last and blamed the Democrat for pushing policies that have raised the nation's unemployment rate, worsened the housing crises and pushed the nation deeper into a sea of red ink. Published January 24, 2012

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a GOP presidential hopeful, holds a discussion on housing and foreclosure in Tampa, Fla., on Monday. Mr. Romney slammed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for his work with Freddie Mac and called on him to release records from an ethics investigation. (Associated Press)

Romney releases tax records

Caving to calls from his top GOP rival and Democrats to come clean on his tax history, Mitt Romney released some records Tuesday that showed he's earned $42.5 million over the past two years, while shelling out more than $6 million to the IRS and $7 million in charitable donations. Published January 24, 2012

Republican presidential candidates former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich take part in The Republican Candidates Debate at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla., Monday, January 23, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/ The Washington Times)

Romney accuses Gingrich of ‘influence-peddling’

Mitt Romney delivered stinging attacks against Newt Gingrich's record and overall character in the debate here Monday, as he looked to halt the wave of momentum the former House speaker is riding from his recent victory in the South Carolina primary. Published January 23, 2012

Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, a GOP hopeful, speaks to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Charleston, S.C., on Thursday. "I was the author of the only bill that actually repealed a federal entitlement - welfare reform," Mr. Santorum said earlier this month. (Associated Press)

Gingrich, Santorum dueling for conservative mantle

Newt Gingrich and presidential rival Rick Santorum are slugging it out for the "anybody-but Romney" title ahead of the critical South Carolina primary on Saturday. Published January 19, 2012

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and his wife, Anita, arrive for a news conference in North Charleston, S.C., on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, at which he announced the suspension of his GOP presidential campaign and his endorsement of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Perry pulls out of race, backs Gingrich

Texas Gov. Rick Perry ended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination Thursday morning and endorsed rival Newt Gingrich, further crystallizing the race for the conservative alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney. Published January 19, 2012

** FILE ** Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum greets his audience at a gathering Tuesday on the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, S.C. He is trying to convince voters in the run-up to the state's primary Saturday that he is the best conservative in the race. (Associated Press)

Iowa recount may boost Santorum

This could change the narrative a bit: A recount of the Iowa caucus vote could give the former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum the victory over front-runner Mitt Romney, who eked out an eight-vote win in the initial count. Published January 17, 2012

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney campaigns Jan. 13, 2012, at the University of South Carolina Aiken in Aiken, S.C. (Associated Press)

Top evangelical: Romney ‘not Mormon enough’ for social conservatives

A leading Southern Baptist figure predicted Friday that Christian conservative leaders won't rally around an alternative to Mitt Romney until after next week's South Carolina primary, while warning that the former Massachusetts governor is "not Mormon enough" for most socially conservative voters. Published January 13, 2012

Romney on illegal immigration and the Dream Act

In an interview last weekend, The Washington Times' Seth McLaughlin asked Mitt Romney about the Dream Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrant children and young adults. Published January 11, 2012

** FILE ** Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney waves to supporters at the Romney for President New Hampshire primary night rally at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H., on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. Behind Mr. Romney are his sons Tagg (left) and Craig and his wife, Ann. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Romney wins New Hampshire, Paul second

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the nation's first presidential primary Tuesday night, overcoming charges by his conservative Republican rivals that he is a political moderate and a corporate raider to capture a double-digit victory in New Hampshire. Published January 10, 2012

Rep. Ron Paul campaigns outside a polling station at Webster School in Manchester, N.H., on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Paul backs Romney’s record at Bain Capital

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas came to the defense of Mitt Romney on Tuesday, saying his Republican presidential rivals are selling out basic free-market conservative principles when they criticize the former Massachusetts governor's time at the helm of Bain Capital. Published January 10, 2012

Dixville Notch, N.H., residents (from left) Tanner Tillotson, Peter Johnson and Jacques Couture wait on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, at the Balsams Grand Resort for the stoke of midnight to cast their votes in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Voters in N.H. head to the polls

New Hampshire voters began casting their ballots at schools and churches Tuesday in the nation's first presidential primary as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich kept up his attacks on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner. Published January 10, 2012