Stephen Dinan

Democrats lose centuries of seniority in House

Neither rookies nor seasoned veterans were spared in Tuesday's House Democratic bloodbath, which saw Republicans defeat three major committee chairmen and at least seven lawmakers who claimed 20 years' seniority or more in Congress. Published November 3, 2010

‘Humbled’ Boehner pledges drive to curb spending

The man likely to lead House Republicans when they take control of Congress next year said Wednesday that his party is "humbled" by winning the 60-plus seats that have delivered the chamber to the GOP, and said the House's first order of business under Republican control will be to reduce spending. Published November 3, 2010

‘Tea party’ helps Rubio break Beltway

If the "tea party" is the story of 2010, then Marco Rubio's rise from anti-establishment challenger to senator-elect is the story of the insurgent movement itself. Published November 2, 2010

Independents desert Democrats

Independent voters who powered President Obama to victory in 2008 have deserted his party this year, all but guaranteeing that Republicans will win control of the House in Tuesday's elections, though analysts said self-inflicted wounds likely will keep the GOP from winning the Senate. Published November 1, 2010

Diverse district pits 2 minorities

In any other race, it could have been doomsday. But when Rep. Loretta Sanchez told Univision in September that Vietnamese voters in her California congressional district were trying to steal her seat from Hispanics, it had only a moderate effect among the district's large Vietnamese population. Published November 1, 2010

Rhetoric heats up in homestretch

President Obama desperately sought to reignite the coalition that pushed him to power in 2008, while Sarah Palin blamed "corrupt bastards" for trying to hinder Senate candidate Joe Miller of Alaska, and in North Carolina, a federal judge ordered steps to prevent voting-machine problems. Published October 31, 2010

Study digs up $1B in federal benefits to dead

The federal government has paid out more than $1 billion in checks to dead people over a decade, according to a new report by the top Republican on the Senate's investigative panel. Published October 31, 2010

Reid promises vote on aliens

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over the weekend promised to force the Senate to vote on an immigration bill, the Dream Act, in a lame-duck session of Congress this month. Published October 31, 2010

Reid vows immigration vote in lame-duck Congress

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this weekend promised to force the Senate to vote on an immigration bill, the Dream Act, in a lame-duck session of Congress next month. Published October 31, 2010

$1 billion paid to dead people, senator reports

The federal government has paid out more than $1 billion in checks to dead people over a decade, according to a new report by the top Republican on the Senate's investigative panel. Published October 29, 2010

Poll: Anti-Latino bias not up, fear of it is

Hispanic-Americans increasingly see illegal immigration as a problem for their own community, according to a new report that found a significant number of Latinos who say it's causing them to suffer discrimination. Published October 28, 2010

Christie kicks off austerity fights in U.S.

In the first of what could be a nationwide spate of austerity-prompted spending cuts, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday canceled an over-budget $9-billion-plus commuter train tunnel between his state and Manhattan — shrugging off the Obama administration's efforts to save it. Published October 27, 2010

Irish bookie pays off bets on Republicans

Saying there's no way Democrats can keep control of the House, Ireland's largest bookie on Wednesday said it has already paid off all bettors who wagered the GOP would capture the chamber. Published October 27, 2010

Bookie says GOP can’t lose House, pays bets early

Saying there's no way Democrats can keep control of the House, Ireland's largest bookie on Wednesday said it has already paid off all bettors who wagered the GOP would capture the chamber. Published October 27, 2010

Odds on GOP winning House, not Senate

It's official: A week before the midterm elections, odds are that Republicans will win control of the House but Democrats will keep control of the Senate, according to the overseas bookmakers taking bets on this sort of thing. Published October 24, 2010

Cantor targets funding for NPR

A top House Republican says the party will ask Americans whether to cut off funding for NPR after the radio network fired commentator Juan Williams this week for his comments about Muslims. Published October 24, 2010

GOP puts NPR on chopping block

A top House Republican said Friday the party will ask Americans whether to cut off funding for NPR after the radio network fired commentator Juan Williams this week for his comments about Muslims. Published October 22, 2010

‘Hurt U.S. Congress’ a sign of political times

The campaign signs plastered across Virginia's 5th Congressional District have become a minor cult phenomenon: "Hurt U.S. Congress," they say. Published October 21, 2010

Hispanics defy ad to shun elections

A new ad urging Hispanic voters to reject both parties by sitting out this year's elections has enraged Hispanic groups, drawn condemnation from the Univision television network and spawned the question of how Hispanics who are upset over the lack of action on immigration should register a protest vote this year. Published October 19, 2010

Territories snared in wage debate

Just three years after a Democrat-led Congress imposed the federal minimum wage on two U.S. territories in the Pacific, lawmakers last month halted the program in its tracks, acknowledging the move had sapped thousands of jobs from American Samoa and the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Published October 18, 2010