Archive: 2008 Campaign
Cole Still in Charge at NRCC; GOP Agenda Emerging
The dust is still clearing after House Republicans' humiliating loss in a Mississippi special election, but for now it appears that Tom Cole (Okla.) is still standing and that the GOP caucus-members are already moving to try to remedy their broader message and agenda problems. Cole, chairman of the National...
By Ben Pershing | May 15, 2008; 03:15 PM ET | Comments (0)
Pelosi Slams Bush for Israel Speech
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lashed out at President Bush this morning and his speech to the Israeli Knesset, particularly for comments on "appeasement" that some have interpreted as a veiled swipe at Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). "You know we have a protocol ... that we don't criticize the president...
By Ben Pershing | May 15, 2008; 11:55 AM ET | Comments (6)
Tom Cole Watch, Day 1
UPDATE 2 PM EST: At the Republican Conference meeting this morning, NRCC Chairman Tom Cole reportedly accepted blame for the party's loss last night in the Mississippi special election. But in a conference call with reporters a short while ago, Cole seemed to indicate that the blame lay elsewhere. Asked...
By Ben Pershing | May 14, 2008; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (29)
What Does It Mean?: Miss. Special Election
This is the first installment of a new occasional, collaborative feature between Capitol Briefing and The Fix. When interesting political news happens, we'll exchange a series of e-mails offering (we hope) trenchant analysis of "what it means" along with some informed, witty banter. Please let us know, via the comments...
By Ben Pershing | May 13, 2008; 11:32 PM ET | Comments (16)
Democrats Complete Special Election Trifecta
Democrats have completed a trifecta of special election victories in GOP-held House seats, narrowly winning a hard-fought contest in Mississippi's 1st district Tuesday and raising the specter of an expanded playing field in November. The Associated has called the contest for Democrats, and with 80 percent of the votes recorded,...
By Ben Pershing | May 13, 2008; 10:29 PM ET | Comments (43)
Pelosi and Her 'San Francisco Values'
Labels are the mother's milk of electoral politics, and while GOP congressional campaigns are already thinking of politically negative ways to refer to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), they can always fall back on the old standby in labeling Nancy Pelosi: "San Francisco liberal." The first-ever female Speaker has been a...
By Ben Pershing | May 13, 2008; 03:37 PM ET | Comments (8)
Barr Has Been Spending Freely
Former GOP Rep. Bob Barr (Ga.) announced his candidacy for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination today, saying that Americans deserved a choice beyond what the Democratic and Republican candidates can offer. But if Barr really is disillusioned with the two major parties, he hasn't shown it with his wallet. Barr,...
By Ben Pershing | May 12, 2008; 05:00 PM ET | Comments (62)
Player of the Week: Vito Fossella
The scandal-plagued members of the 110th Congress have been something of a motley crew. They've come from north, south, east and west, the House and Senate, red states and blue. They've -- allegedly, of course -- inserted shady earmarks into bills, shaken down land developers, engaged in "very serious sin"...
By Ben Pershing | May 9, 2008; 04:06 PM ET | Comments (9)
Burning Cash in Mississippi
Another high-profile special election looms next Tuesday in Mississippi's 1st congressional district, on the heels of last Saturday's contest in Louisiana. The Mississippi matchup, a runoff between Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers (D) and Southaven Mayor Greg Davis (R), has by a wide margin already drawn more cash from...
By Ben Pershing | May 9, 2008; 12:43 PM ET | Comments (1)
Player of the Week: Don Cazayoux
Don Cazayoux isn't in Congress yet. But the Louisiana state House member is trying his best to get here, running as the Democratic nominee in the May 3 contest to succeed resigned Rep. Richard Baker (R) in the Bayou State's 6th district. The race between Cazayoux and ex-state Rep. Woody...
By Ben Pershing | April 25, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (5)
A Reid-Pelosi-Dean Endorsement?
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) reiterated today a point he has made before: That the Democratic presidential nomination will be decided well before the party's August convention. "Sometime in June or no later than the 1st of July. I still believe that's the case," Reid told reporters. But Reid...
By Ben Pershing | April 24, 2008; 02:15 PM ET | Comments (56)
Another Victim in GOP Embezzlement Scandal
Add retiring Rep. James Walsh (N.Y.) to the list of Republican lawmakers who now believe they were ripped off by Christopher Ward, the former treasurer of multiple GOP campaigns who is under federal investigation for allegedly embezzling funds from the National Republican Congressional Committee. On April 14, Walsh's political action...
By Ben Pershing | April 23, 2008; 02:24 PM ET | Comments (2)
Hoyer: Electability Key to Democratic Choice
"Electability." That has been the fundamental premise of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign for months now, as she makes the case that, even if Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) leads in delegates or the popular vote, she should be the Democratic nominee because she has the best chance in...
By Ben Pershing | April 23, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (56)
Miss. House Special Heads to Runoff
The race to fill Mississippi's vacant 1st District House seat is headed to a May 13 runoff after Democrats tonight came within inches of stealing a heavily Republican seat. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, according to AP, Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers (D) led Southaven Mayor Greg Davis...
By Ben Pershing | April 23, 2008; 12:51 AM ET | Email a Comment
Downballot Races Could Affect Make Up of Congress
It's pretty quiet here in the Capitol today, as most of the political world is focused on Pennsylvania's Democratic presidential primary. But there are a handful of important congressional primaries happening today in the Keystone State, as well as another potential bellwether special election 1,000 miles to the south and...
By Ben Pershing | April 22, 2008; 01:25 PM ET | Comments (3)
Obama Doesn't Need Colleagues' Cash
Is Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) even trying to raise money from his fellow members of Congress? That question arises after a look at Obama's latest fundraising report -- the one that showed he raised nearly $43 million in March alone. And how much of that cash haul came from the...
By Ben Pershing | April 21, 2008; 05:55 PM ET | Comments (5)
Former Obama Foe Aids Clinton
Most Illinois Democrats have fallen in line behind their home-state presidential contender, Sen. Barack Obama. But there's at least one prominent Democrat from the Land of Lincoln who appears to prefer Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton -- Blair Hull. Connoisseurs of scandal will recall that Hull, a wealthy Chicago financier, ran...
By Ben Pershing | April 21, 2008; 02:10 PM ET | Comments (21)
NRCC Still Lagging in Cash Race
Traditionally in Washington, bad news gets dumped on a Friday afternoon. The National Republican Congressional Committee just filed its latest fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission, though the news is more "mixed" than "bad." The NRCC raised $7.1 million in March and $15.4 million in the quarter, and had...
By Ben Pershing | April 18, 2008; 05:17 PM ET | Comments (1)
Player of the Week: Don Young
In his 35 years as Alaska's sole House member, Don Young (R) has never been shy about talking back to his critics -- and he's had quite a few. When he was asked in 2005 about calls to redirect money for Alaska bridge projects to Hurricane Katrina victims, Young said,...
By Ben Pershing | April 18, 2008; 02:40 PM ET | Comments (2)
Specter: Mukasey Is 'Still Wearing His Robe'
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today accused the Bush administration of being overly obstinate on a range of controversial issues, expressing particular frustration at Attorney General Michael Mukasey's unwillingness to compromise. "Mukasey is non-negotiable," Specter said at a meeting with the Washington Post editorial board. "Mukasey is still wearing his robe."...
By Ben Pershing | April 17, 2008; 06:40 PM ET | Comments (35)
Citizen McCain Measure on the Move
The Senate Judiciary Committee announced today that it will take up a resolution next Thursday expressing the sense of the Senate that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is "a natural-born citizen." The issue has surfaced because McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, where his father was stationed in the...
By Ben Pershing | April 17, 2008; 05:30 PM ET | Comments (4)
A Dubious Milestone for Rep. Young
Embattled Alaska Rep. Don Young (R) has now spent more than $1.1 million on legal fees since the start of 2007, after shelling out $253,000 to four different sets of lawyers in the first quarter of this year, according to his latest filing with the Federal Election Commission. Young is...
By Ben Pershing | April 16, 2008; 12:21 PM ET | Comments (1)
McCain Has Plan to Help House Republicans
Two senior aides to Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign met this afternoon with the House Republican Whip team, telling the assembled members that McCain is committed to helping the party win House seats in November. Today's meeting in the Capitol basement -- which was attended by more than 20...
By Ben Pershing | April 15, 2008; 06:19 PM ET | Comments (9)
'Bitter' Fight Goes Downballot
The controversy surrounding Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) "bitter" comments seems to have been explored from nearly every angle in the presidential campaign. But now GOP strategists are hoping to milk a bit more mileage out of the story by tying Obama's words to Democratic House and Senate candidates. The National...
By Ben Pershing | April 15, 2008; 05:30 PM ET | Comments (7)
Abramoff Story Lives On
Just when it seemed that Washington had moved on to more recent scandals like the D.C. Madam trial or the indictment of Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), an old chestnut -- the Jack Abramoff scandal -- has come back to life. The tale of the disgraced lobbyist and his congressional partners...
By Ben Pershing | April 14, 2008; 04:06 PM ET | Comments (8)
Citizen McCain, Cont'd
A few Senators really, really believe that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) can serve as president (not "should" serve, necessarily, but "can"). Back in late February, a New York Times story revisited the question of whether McCain, who was born in the Panama Canal Zone (where his father was serving in...
By Ben Pershing | April 11, 2008; 10:58 AM ET | Comments (17)
Meet the House's Newest Member
Former state Sen. Jackie Speier (D) won a special election Tuesday to replace the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D) in California's 12th district, easily avoiding a runoff by racking up nearly 78 percent of the vote against four other contenders. Speier, who will likely win a full term in November...
By Ben Pershing | April 9, 2008; 05:13 PM ET | Comments (3)
No Comeback for Rep. Sekula GIbbs
Former Senate aide Pete Olson defeated ex-Rep. Shelley Sekula Gibbs in Texas' 22nd district GOP primary runoff yesterday, giving Republicans their nominee against Rep. Nick Lampson (D) and, sadly, depriving Hill reporters of the chance to cover Sekula Gibbs again. You may remember (more likely you don't) that Sekula Gibbs...
By Ben Pershing | April 9, 2008; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
It's 3 a.m. and We're Tired of These Ads
In the beginning, there was this ad by Hillary Rodham Clinton: It's 3 a.m., and Barack Obama is naïve and inexperienced (does he even know how the White House phones work??). Then there was Obama's response : It's 3 a.m., and Clinton shouldn't answer the phone because she backed the...
By Ben Pershing | April 4, 2008; 03:31 PM ET | Comments (25)
Boehner Looks Ahead Through Rose-Colored Glasses
At a luncheon with reporters today organized by the Christian Science Monitor, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) declined to echo the electoral pessimism voiced of late by many of his GOP colleagues. "I think this is going to be a far better Republican year than most people in this...
By Ben Pershing | April 3, 2008; 04:57 PM ET | Comments (9)
Immigration Bills Show (Some) Signs of Life
The issue that was left for dead on Capitol Hill last year -- comprehensive immigration reform -- is showing some signs of life. Members of both parties are still all over the map on the immigration issue, and passing a major package in an election year remains a tall order....
By Ben Pershing | April 3, 2008; 12:21 PM ET | Comments (117)
Hoyer's (Sort-of) Superdelegate Solution
As Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) continued to walk a fine line on the role superdelegates should play in deciding the Democratic presidential race, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) unveiled his own idea today for how the contest might be resolved. Hoyer's suggested way out of the current mess sounds...
By Ben Pershing | April 1, 2008; 03:55 PM ET | Comments (18)
Dem. Hopefuls Call For Complete Withdrawal From Iraq
More than 40 Democratic House and Senate candidates have endorsed a document stating that "there is no military solution in Iraq" and calling for an end to the war and the removal of all U.S. troops from the country, though not according to any specific timeline. The strategy document, titled...
By Ben Pershing | March 27, 2008; 04:10 PM ET | Comments (20)
Rep. Wynn to Resign
Maryland Rep. Al Wynn (D) plans to announce as early as today that he will resign from the House to take a job at the D.C.-based law firm Dickstein Shapiro, according to sources. Wynn's move, which was first reported on rollcall.com, comes less than two months after he was defeated...
By Ben Pershing | March 27, 2008; 01:54 PM ET | Comments (4)
John Edwards: Democratic Pitchman
If you visit the Web site of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee this week, you'll be greeted by the large smiling face of a man who is neither a senator nor a candidate for office -- John Edwards. Of course, Edwards is a former senator from North Carolina and, more...
By Ben Pershing | March 24, 2008; 05:09 PM ET | Comments (74)
Can McCain Save Sen. Sununu?
Ever since Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination, embattled GOP campaign strategists have been holding out hope that his presence at the top of the ticket will help put the party over the top in House and Senate races. And while competitive contests dot the electoral...
By Ben Pershing | March 21, 2008; 03:08 PM ET | Comments (18)
The Rise and Fall of Tom Reynolds
New York Rep. Tom Reynolds announced today that he is not running for reelection in November, capping off a congressional career whose arc neatly mirrors that of the GOP majority he helped lose. Elected near the apex of Republican power in 1998, Reynolds rose quickly on the strength of his...
By Ben Pershing | March 20, 2008; 12:30 PM ET | Comments (26)
2008 Ground Zero: New Mexico
The current focus of the presidential race is on Pennsylvania, but if Capitol Briefing could pick just one state to cover up and down the ballot until November, it would be New Mexico. Why the Land of Enchantment? Start with a high-profile Senate race, three open-seat House contests, a presidential...
By Ben Pershing | March 19, 2008; 01:53 PM ET | Comments (14)
Supreme Court Upholds Washington's 'Open' Primary
While many eyes in D.C. today were on the Supreme Court debate of the the District's gun ban, the high court also made some interesting election news, upholding the constitutionality of Washington state's unusual "open" primary system. The court voted 7 to 2 to allow Washington to go forward with...
By Ben Pershing | March 18, 2008; 03:55 PM ET | Comments (3)
Final Week Yields Plenty of Campaign Fodder
After two months of moving fitfully on the legislative agenda, Congress spent last week speeding through high-profile bills that will serve as ammunition for heated campaign fights from now through November. In the days before breaking for the current two-week recess, the House passed a controversial ethics reform bill and...
By Ben Pershing | March 17, 2008; 01:16 PM ET | Comments (4)
Rep.Young of Alaska Gets Tough Primary Challenge
Embattled Alaska Rep. Don Young's road to re-election just got significantly more difficult, as Lt. Gov Sean Parnell told attendees of the state's Republican convention today that he would challenge the incumbent in the GOP primary. Young had already drawn one challenger in the Aug. 26 primary, state Rep. Gabrielle...
By Ben Pershing | March 14, 2008; 03:37 PM ET | Comments (4)
Cramer Move Gives GOP a Ray of Hope
Alabama Democratic Rep. Bud Cramer announced Thursday that he would not run for re-election in November, giving House Republicans a ray of hope on a day of otherwise bad news. Currently in his 9th term in the House, Cramer represents a seat that leans strongly to the GOP. The Hunstville-based...
By Ben Pershing | March 14, 2008; 11:23 AM ET | Comments (3)
NRCC Scandal: How Did It Happen?
Greg Walden had a problem. The Oregon Republican lawmaker was serving as the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee's audit committee, and he had been badgering the NRCC's treasurer, Christopher Ward, to set up a meeting with the committee's accounting firm. "I sought for several years to meet with...
By Ben Pershing | March 14, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (22)
NRCC Suspects 'Several Hundred Thousand Dollars' Stolen
National Republican Congressional Committee officials acknowledged publicly today that they have found discrepancies in their books of more than a million dollars and evidence that the NRCC's former treasurer, Christopher Ward, made "several hundred thousand dollars" worth of unauthorized wire transfers out of the committee that appear to have ended...
By Ben Pershing | March 13, 2008; 04:00 PM ET | Comments (40)
On the Hill, Stunned Silence on Spitzer
New York's congressional delegation is usually on the talkative side, but lawmakers from the Empire State appear to have been stunned into silence by the bombshell news that their governor, Eliot Spitzer (D), has been linked to a prostitution ring. At least a dozen New York members either didn't return...
By Ben Pershing | March 10, 2008; 06:48 PM ET | Comments (26)
A Proxy War in Illinois
This Saturday, voters in Illinois' 14th district will go to the polls to choose a replacement for a political institution, former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Hastert won't be on the ballot, nor will Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) or Barack Obama (D-Ill.). But all three men have something riding on the...
By Ben Pershing | March 6, 2008; 04:30 PM ET | Comments (2)
Pelosi and Superdelegates, Cont'd
Following up on the previous item, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also addressed the issue of the role superdelegates should play in deciding the heated Democratic primary fight this morning. Pelosi's latest comments are somewhat similar to those that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) made today, but different -- at...
By Ben Pershing | March 5, 2008; 05:44 PM ET | Comments (39)
Hoyer, Pelosi Split on Superdelegates
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) split today from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other House Democratic leaders on the role superdelegates should play in deciding the party's presidential nomination. Made up of elected officials and other party bigwigs, superdelegates have come under particular scrutiny this year as it has...
By Ben Pershing | March 5, 2008; 01:35 PM ET | Comments (20)
Clinton, Obama Agree: McCain Can Be President
Though they appear likely to fight on for several more weeks on the campaign trail, the Democratic presidential candidates are now united on at least one point: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) should be able to serve in the White House. Last week, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduced a bill to...
By Ben Pershing | March 5, 2008; 11:21 AM ET | Comments (6)
Kucinich Holds on to Seat; Other Incumbents Win
UPDATE: Rep. Dennis Kucinich has won his Democratic primary, beating opponent Joe Cimperman 50 percent to 35 percent with all precincts reporting. He will now face ex-state Rep. Jim Trakas (R) in November and is highly favored to be re-elected to his 7th term in the House. ************* ORIGINAL POST...
By Ben Pershing | March 5, 2008; 09:15 AM ET | Comments (3)
Kucinich, Sekula Gibbs Headline Primary Slates
Is Dennis menaced? That's the most pressing question in today's Congressional primary balloting in Ohio. Having dropped out of the presidential race, Rep. Dennis Kucinich has been working overtime to ensure he wins the Democratic primary in the Cleveland-based 10th district. In Sunday's post, Capitol Briefing emeritus Paul Kane took...
By Ben Pershing | March 4, 2008; 02:10 PM ET | Email a Comment
Money Pours Into Special Election Races
The House Republican and Democratic campaign committees are in the midst of the political spring training season, pouring money into a pair of special election races as they try out strategies and themes for use in the championship matchup Nov. 4. In Indiana's 7th district, Andre Carson (D) is running...
By Ben Pershing | March 3, 2008; 11:20 AM ET | Comments (2)
George Miller's (Un)official Web Site
It's no secret that Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) is backing Barack Obama's campaign for president. The veteran chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee and a top lieutenant of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Miller endorsed the Illinois Democrat last month and worked (unsuccessfully) to try to help him win California...
By Ben Pershing | February 29, 2008; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (1)
Romney for Congress?
Don't count the Romney family out of November's elections just yet. Mitt Romney's (R) presidential campaign may have fizzled out earlier this month, but now one of his five sons, 32-year-old Josh Romney, is mulling whether to challenge Utah Rep. Jim Matheson (D) this fall, according to a report in...
By Ben Pershing | February 26, 2008; 02:14 PM ET | Comments (4)
Renzi Move a Mixed Blessing for GOP
Indicted Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) yesterday announced his decision about his future in the House: He's staying -- for now, anyway. And while Republican leaders may not be outwardly pleased with that choice, it could actually help them as much as it hurts. Renzi was charged last week by a...
By Ben Pershing | February 26, 2008; 08:29 AM ET | Comments (26)
Shadegg Reverses Course, Will Run for Reelection
Just 10 days after announcing he would not run for reelection in the fall, Arizona Rep. John Shadegg (R) reversed course today and said he would be on the November ballot after all. "I expected my decision would elicit little reaction here in Arizona, and less in Washington," Shadegg said...
By Ben Pershing | February 21, 2008; 07:17 PM ET | Comments (1)
McKinney Looking for Another Comeback
While Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) battle it out for the Democratic presidential nomination, another (former) Democratic lawmaker is working toward her own party's nod for the November ballot. Ex-Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney is running for the Green Party's nomination for president. She won the Statehood...
By Ben Pershing | February 21, 2008; 01:50 PM ET | Comments (7)
Will McCain Quit the Senate?
On May 15, 1996, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole announced he was resigning from the chamber in order to focus on a presidential campaign that seemed to be slipping away from him. "My time to leave this office has come," he said, "and I will seek the presidency with nothing...
By Ben Pershing | February 19, 2008; 01:48 PM ET | Comments (71)
House Leaders Endorse McCain
Whatever Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) told the House GOP Conference at their meeting this morning, it must have been good, because House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) came out after the gathering and endorsed the Arizonan for president, as did House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo) and Conference Chairman Adam...
By washingtonpost.com Editors | February 13, 2008; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (4)
Web Activism Defeats Gilchrest and Wynn
Two Maryland Congressmen with more than three decades of combined House experience lost their jobs Tuesday, unable to beat back fierce primary challenges driven by strong ideological coalitions. In the 1st District, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest was defeated in the GOP contest by state Sen. Andy Harris. With 96 percent of...
By Ben Pershing | February 13, 2008; 08:52 AM ET | Comments (6)
Dean's Brother Pushing to Unseat Rep. Wynn
The Democratic National Committee and its chairman, Howard Dean, aren't getting involved in today's party primary in Maryland's 4th District, where Rep. Al Wynn (Md.) is trying to hold on against challenger Donna Edwards. The DNC does not make a habit of trying to unseat Democratic incumbents. But it's not...
By Ben Pershing | February 12, 2008; 03:12 PM ET | Email a Comment
Few Colleagues Giving to Wynn, Gilchrest
UPDATE, 12:15 p.m. ET: All the numbers in the original post below were valid though Jan. 23, the last day covered by pre-primary reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. But in the last days before an election, candidates have to file what are known as 48-hour reports, disclosing the...
By Ben Pershing | February 12, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Rep. Shadegg to Retire
Add yet another name to the GOP retirement list. Arizona Rep. John Shadegg (R) is on the verge of announcing that he will not run for re-election, according to Republican sources. Shadegg is in his 7th term in the House and is the former chairman of the conservative Republican Study...
By Ben Pershing | February 11, 2008; 05:53 PM ET | Comments (8)
Hill Conservatives (Slowly) Moving to McCain
Stepping up his outreach to the party establishment, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will address the House Republican Conference Wednesday morning at the group's regular meeting at the Capitol Hill Club. But the more interesting gathering will take place a few hours later in the nearby Rayburn Building, at the weekly...
By Ben Pershing | February 11, 2008; 02:43 PM ET | Comments (58)
McCain to Cornyn: &$%# You Very Much!
Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R) announced today that he is endorsing Sen. John McCain (R) for president, giving the Arizonan a boost in advance of the Lone Star State's March 4 primary. His move came just hours after Mitt Romney dropped out of the contest. "With many of my colleagues,...
By Ben Pershing | February 7, 2008; 04:42 PM ET | Comments (30)
A Rare Democratic Retirement in the House
Oregon Rep. Darlene Hooley (D) announced today that she will not be running for reelection to a 7th term in November. Hooley is only the third House Democrat to announce retirement plans this cycle. Twenty-one Republicans are retiring, while three more Republicans and three Democrats are running for other office....
By Ben Pershing | February 7, 2008; 04:35 PM ET | Comments (5)
Romney Meets Reid, Quits Race
In the hours since Mitt Romney dropped out of the presidential race, there have been plenty of theories for why he made the decision, mostly centered on delegate math and money. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has his own explanation. "He met me in Salt Lake last Saturday,"...
By Ben Pershing | February 7, 2008; 04:29 PM ET | Comments (7)
Candidates Sneak Back to Work in the Senate
With a crucial procedural vote on the economic stimulus package happening in the Senate this evening, the Capitol has been atwitter at the news that the chamber's three mostly absent presidential candidates -- Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) -- might actually, you know, show...
By Ben Pershing | February 6, 2008; 06:46 PM ET | Comments (16)
Norton Excited D.C. Will Be 'In the Game'
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) isn't quite sure what Feb. 12 should be called, but she knows she's excited about it. "As far as I'm concerned, it's another 'Super Tuesday,'" she told Capitol Briefing, looking forward to next week's spotlight on the District, Maryland and Virginia presidential primaries. The...
By Ben Pershing | February 6, 2008; 04:04 PM ET | Comments (1)
Downballot Races (Nearly) Set in Illinois
Illinois voters didn't just decide to award their state's delegates to Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) Tuesday. They also went to the polls to pick nominees in several key congressional races. The most closely watched contest was in the 14th district, the seat west of Chicago made...
By Ben Pershing | February 6, 2008; 02:04 PM ET | Email a Comment
Lieberman's 'Independent' Expenditures
Here's a quick Super Tuesday quiz: Which senator has contributed money to both John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)? John McCain speaks with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) during a Feb. 3 campaign appearance at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. (Getty Images) Okay, maybe that question isn't too...
By Ben Pershing | February 5, 2008; 03:52 PM ET | Comments (13)
Clinton Still Finds Time to Legislate
Going into today's huge slate of primaries and caucuses, three senators remain in the thick of the presidential race. But since this session of Congress started last month, only one - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) - has found the time to do any actual legislating. While neither Sen. Barack...
By Ben Pershing | February 5, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (26)
House Democrats Feel Wind at Their Backs
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Their approval ratings may still be in the tank, but House Democrats are feeling pretty good about themselves right now, at least when it comes to their ability to hold and possibly expand their majority come November. Briefing reporters here at the caucus's annual retreat, Democratic Congressional...
By Ben Pershing | January 31, 2008; 05:12 PM ET | Comments (3)
Economy Takes Center Stage at Democratic Retreat
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - While important work on the economic stimulus package is going on in the Senate, House Democrats have decamped here, 150 miles south of the Capitol, to begin crafting a legislative agenda and a majority-protecting message for this election year. Just as in the Senate, the focus here...
By Ben Pershing | January 31, 2008; 10:56 AM ET | Email a Comment
Tom Davis and the 'Dying Breed' of Moderates
Last September, when centrist Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.) announced his plans to retire, Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) was asked why so many of his fellow moderate Republicans seemed to be heading for the exits. "I think some of them are just tired," Davis told Roll Call, adding that the coming...
By Ben Pershing | January 30, 2008; 01:20 PM ET | Comments (5)
Obama-Kennedy Move Will Reverberate in the Senate
The endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) presidential bid by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is the talk of the campaign trail today. But Kennedy's political blessing of Obama over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) will also have intriguing implications in the Senate in the short term -- as the chamber...
By Ben Pershing | January 28, 2008; 11:53 AM ET | Comments (9)
Republicans Look Ahead to November
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Before their big banquet dinner and showing of "Bee Movie" last night here at the Greenbrier resort, House Republicans got a pair of briefings on the electoral landscape and how they can shape their message now to make gains in November. According to sources who...
By Ben Pershing | January 25, 2008; 11:25 AM ET | Email a Comment
Events Move Forward as GOP 'Retreats'
LEWISBURG, W.Va. -- Greetings from snowy Lewisburg, one town over from where House Republicans are gathering at the Greenbrier resort for their annual retreat. While members (and reporters) were traveling here today, two important things happened back in D.C. that will affect the retreat agenda -- a stimulus deal and...
By Ben Pershing | January 24, 2008; 04:51 PM ET | Comments (1)
Getaway Day for the GOP
Today is a travel day for Capitol Briefing as he journeys to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., to cover the House GOP's annual retreat at the lovely Greenbrier resort. The event will run from today through Saturday. These gatherings allow members to relax a bit -- many bring their families along...
By Ben Pershing | January 24, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (3)
On the Hill, a Presidential Campaign Preview
In advance of what is expected to be the legacy-burnishing exercise of President Bush's final State of the Union address next Monday, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) today offered a preview of the Democrats' counter-message. The gist of that message, illustrated by a chart full of pretty colors,...
By Ben Pershing | January 23, 2008; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (6)
Clyburn Says Focus on Race Issues 'A Shame'
South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn (D) got back yesterday from an official trip to Asia, and he was not happy with what greeted him on his arrival -- a Democratic presidential contest that has become nastily focused on race issues. Rep. Clyburn is a member of the House Democrats' leadership...
By Ben Pershing | January 15, 2008; 02:35 PM ET | Comments (8)
In Michigan, a Lonely Hunter
The first thing to know about Rep. Duncan Hunter's (R-Calif.) presidential campaign is that he travels light. "I don't have any consultants, thank God," he says, "so we don't have any large payroll we have to carry." Rep. Duncan Hunter at a GOP debate last June. (AP) With no busload...
By Ben Pershing | January 12, 2008; 11:56 AM ET | Comments (3)
Are Congressional Endorsements 'Overrated'?
Sen. Judd Gregg gambled by endorsing former Gov. Mitt Romney in Tuesday's New Hampshire Republican primary, and he lost. Romney finished second to the surging Sen. John McCain. Two other New Hampshire lawmakers, Democratic freshman Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes, rode the wrong horse by backing Sen. Barack Obama...
By Ben Pershing | January 9, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (2)
Weaver Always Spent Big on McCain's Behalf
It should come as no surprise to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) that his top political adviser was a spendthrift -- in the first half of 2001 he rang up $18,000 in hotel bills. The adviser, John Weaver, resigned Tuesday along with campaign manager Terry Nelson from the McCain presidential campaign,...
By Paul Kane | July 10, 2007; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (8)
Prez Hopefuls Come Home for Immigration Debate
It was all-hands-on-deck in the Senate Tuesday as the chamber cleared a key parliamentary threshold in order to resume debate on the immigration reform legislation crafted by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. For only the second day in June every able bodied senator cast a vote, with all six would-be...
By Paul Kane | June 27, 2007; 09:49 AM ET | Comments (10)
A Regional Primary System?
Following last week's launch of the Fast Track Campaign special, Capitol Briefing caught up with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) at the end of last week to get a better sense of his plan to introduce legislation that would re-craft the presidential primary season. Alexander, a two-time candidate for the GOP...
By Paul Kane | June 19, 2007; 02:18 PM ET | Comments (7)
All Aboard the Climate Change Express
For the latest sign of the political resonance of the global warming issue, check out the list of cosponsors that Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) have lined up for their bill to combat greenhouse gasses. All four Senate Democrats seeking the 2008 presidential nomination are signed on...
By Paul Kane | May 8, 2007; 07:15 PM ET | Comments (23)
Thune Endorses McCain
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) has signed on to back Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, providing another significant conservative endorsement for a candidate once estranged from the right wing of his party. As Capitol Briefing's colleague, The Fix, has noted on many occasions, the Arizona Republican has actively courted conservatives ahead...
By Paul Kane | February 18, 2007; 05:30 AM ET | Comments (5)
