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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

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stumps in Florida. He has dramatically boosted his campaigning in Iowa with just a month to go before caucuses there. (Associated Press)

Romney uses new ad, adrenaline to woo Iowa

After spending most of the presidential primary tamping down expectations in Iowa, Mitt Romney is cranking up his campaign efforts in the Hawkeye State, including running his first TV ad almost exactly a month before Republican voters hold their first-in-the-nation caucuses. Published December 1, 2011

** FILE ** Former first lady Laura Bush introduces her husband, former President George W. Bush, at the "topping out" ceremony of his library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. (Associated Press)

For Republican candidates, mum’s the word on Bush

George W. Bush left office less than three years ago, but for the Republicans seeking to fill his shoes as the next president, the mere mention of his name has been all but absent. Published November 30, 2011

Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio (AP Photo)

Arizona’s Sheriff Arpaio endorses Perry

One of the nation's leading immigration hard-liners threw his support behind three-term Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday, saying Mr. Perry has done more to combat illegal immigration and secure the border than any other candidate in the Republican presidential field. Published November 29, 2011

Ginger White goes public near Dunwoody, Ga., on Monday. In an explosive allegation, Ms. White said she and Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain had a 13-year extramarital affair that lasted nearly until the former businessman announced his candidacy for the White House several months ago. (Associated Press)

Cain denies new claim of 13-year-long affair

An Atlanta businesswoman said Monday that she had a 13-year extramarital affair with Herman Cain — an accusation he went on television to deny, but that is likely to continue as a storyline that has dented the presidential hopes of the onetime Republican front-runner. Published November 28, 2011

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney waves after speaking at the Defending the American Dream Summit in Washington on Nov. 4, 2011. (Associated Press)

Dems’ ads riff on ‘flip-flopping’ Romney

The Democratic National Committee is out with new ads playing up Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's reputation as a flip-flopper, criticizing his evolving positions on issues ranging from abortion and climate change to health care and gun rights. Published November 28, 2011

Newt Gingrich

Gingrich snags N.H. newspaper’s nod

The surging Newt Gingrich presidential campaign scored a key win over Republican primary rival Mitt Romney on Sunday when New Hampshire's largest newspaper, the Union Leader, endorsed the former House speaker over the former Massachusetts governor. Published November 27, 2011

Sen. Mike Lee (right) of Utah confers with fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky during a recent meeting of the Tea Party Debt Commission. The two lawmakers were elected in 2010 with help from the tea party. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/The Washington Times)

Year later, tea party’s profile low but focused

A year ago, the tea party was the focus of Washington, praised by Republicans for the punching power it displayed in the 2010 election fight and derided by Democrats as an unhealthy influence on the ascendant GOP. Published November 27, 2011

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum greets Gary Gahan, 66, of Merrimack, N.H., at a recent campaign stop in Rochester, N.H. The former senator from Pennsylvania hopes to do well in the Granite State's Jan. 10 first-in-the-nation primary. (Associated Press)

Santorum eyes brass ring on anti-Romney ‘carousel’

Rick Santorum is on the verge of becoming the Republican presidential front-runner. At least, that's the case if there's another round of the recurring story line of the 2012 GOP primary race — one candidate after another taking a short-lived spin as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. Published November 24, 2011

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, with Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, speaks Wednesday to workers at Nationwide Insurance Co. in Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. Romney is using a tough stance against illegal immigration to separate himself from his rivals for the nomination. (Associated Press)

Immigration a tough GOP sticking point

Twice this year, Mitt Romney has turned to illegal immigration to try to blunt the rise of opponents in the Republican presidential field, including most recently on Tuesday, when he accused Newt Gingrich of supporting "amnesty." Published November 23, 2011

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks Nov. 22, 2011, at a Republican presidential debate in Washington. (Associated Press)

Republican hopefuls diverge on immigration, Iran policies

Surging in Republican presidential primary polls, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich used Tuesday night's national security debate in Washington to argue for a potential strike on Iran, a broader Patriot Act and the granting of legal status to many illegals in the U.S. as a way to regain control of the immigration system. Published November 22, 2011

President Barack Obama makes a statement at the White House after the congressional debt supercommittee failed to reach an agreement on debt reduction on Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Romney ads ‘welcome’ Obama to New Hampshire

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is giving President Obama a "welcome" ahead of his trip to New Hampshire on Tuesday, arguing in full-page newspaper ads and a new television commercial that Mr. Obama's policies have failed to create jobs and spur investment. Published November 22, 2011

NEW NEWT?: Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's campaign says the former speaker of the House is willing to admit when he is wrong, but some Republicans remain skeptical of positions he has taken in the past. (Associated Press)

Gingrich’s 2012 platform at odds with planks from past

On issues such as Social Security, taxes and environmental regulation, the Newt Gingrich of the 1980s and 1990s is proving to be a problem for the 2012 presidential hopeful, who promises to fundamentally transform Washington. Published November 15, 2011

Perry calls for a part-time Congress, term-limited judges

Blasting the congressional "creatures of Washington" for being overpaid and detached from the struggles of the people outside the Beltway, Texas Gov. and GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry vowed Tuesday to eliminate federal agencies, set term limits for federal judges and push for a part-time Congress where both members' pay and office budgets are sliced in half. Published November 15, 2011

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich greets wife Callista after a candidates' debate Saturday in Spartanburg, S.C. “I believe if we can win South Carolina, we will win the nomination,” the former House speaker says of the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary. (Associated Press)

Gingrich ties fortunes to South Carolina

Speaking to supporters at the grand opening of his state office here, GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich said this weekend that his electoral fate hinges on the same Palmetto State voters who have correctly picked the eventual Republican nominee in every race since 1980. Published November 13, 2011

Romney, Gingrich would wage war on Iran

Two of the top Republican presidential candidates said Saturday they'd go to war against Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, following a new report that suggests the leaders of the Middle Eastern nation continue to pursue such weapons. Published November 12, 2011

** FILE ** Republican presidential candidate former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during a Republican Presidential Debate at Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Mich., Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Santorum raises possibility of Iran strikes

Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum said Friday that the United States and Israel should be planning air strikes against Iran to prevent it from producing a nuclear weapon. Published November 11, 2011

Texas Gov. Rick Perry reads the "Top Ten" list on David Letterman's Thursday show. He was a late addition to the show after stumbling in Wednesday's GOP debate. (CBS via Associated Press)

Perry spends day trying to undo ‘Oops’ moment

With one word — "Oops" — Texas Gov. Rick Perry summed up his cringe-worthy Wednesday night debate performance and instantly turned the GOP presidential conversation away from Herman Cain. Published November 10, 2011

In GOP debate, Cain rebuffs charges

Herman Cain took the opportunity during Wednesday night's GOP presidential debate to brush off the allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior, saying the American people don't care about character assassinations, "they care about leadership and getting this economy growing," Published November 9, 2011

REBUTTAL: "I have never acted inappropriately with anyone — period," Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain tells the news media Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., responding to a string of accusations from women that he sexually harassed them. (Associated Press)

Cain denies charges, will keep campaigning

Herman Cain defiantly denied all the charges against him, vowed to remain in the Republican presidential race and hinted that Democrats may be behind the sexual harassment story that has dogged him for 10 days. Published November 8, 2011