Consultant: Dems need luck to win 8th Congressional District

Political consultants say Democrats running for a Phoenix-area congressional seat vacated by Republican Trent Franks' resignation amid allegations of sexual harassment face an uphill climb due to the GOP's strong registration edge and their own party's likely focus on other Arizona races. The Arizona Capitol Times reports Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, an emergency room physician, and Brianna Westbrook, a transgender woman working in the automotive industry, are in the running to replace Franks in the 8th Congressional District special election.

Do You Still Think Al Franken Is Leaving the Senate? Well

How many people were predicting that Minnesota Senator Al Franken was bluffing, when he gave his angry speech, announcing his departure from the Senate? Following his announcement, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton appointed his Lt. Governor Tina Smith to take Franken's place, but many saw Franken's announcement as a ploy.

Year in Review: Gottheimer Is Building a Wall – of Money

Rep. Josh Gottheimer has raised over $2.2 million ahead of next year's congressional midterm elections, the most of any House candidate running in New Jersey in 2018, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Gottheimer, a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, was first elected to represent his North Jersey district in 2016, unseating Republican incumbent Scott Garrett in the process.

Russia, health care, hurricanes and harassment: A look back at 2017 in politics

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2017. Political news emerged from Washington, D.C. and beyond in 2017 at a seemingly breakneck pace.

After rocky first month, Trump ends first year with strong finish

If President Donald Trump's first month in office was notable for its mixture of chaos and dysfunction, the last month of 2017 showed a constant combatant who had reason to believe that his refusal to back down paid off with passage of a sweeping tax overhaul. Senator Dean Heller reacts as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans to discuss healthcare at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 19, 2017.

Is criminal justice reform really “poised to take off in 2018”?

The question in the title of this post is prompted by this lengthy Washington Examiner article headlined "Criminal justice reform poised to take off in 2018." Here are excerpts: Criminal justice reform came back with such renewed energy this year after sputtering out in Congress in 2016 that meaningful bipartisan legislation is poised for success in 2018.

Pence’s Colorado neighbors welcome him with a ‘Make America Gay Again’ banner

Vice President Mike Pence, who's spending the holidays in Aspen, Colo., with his family, got a not so-subtle message of scorn from a neighbor in the liberal ski resort town earlier this week. "Make America Gay Again," reads a rainbow banner wrapped around a stone pillar by the entrance to the Pence's vacation pad.

RightNOW Women PAC Releases

RightNOW Women PAC is proud to support and endorse the following candidates for the 2018 election cycle: Marsha Blackburn , Beth Lindstrom , Carla Nelson , Jenifer Sarver , and Leah Vukmir . I am so grateful to have the support of RightNOW Women PAC, a group that will make a big difference in my race against Senator Elizabeth Warren, " says Beth Lindstrom , Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts.

Is the U.S. Military Ready for a War with North Korea?The National Interest

Earlier this month, Senator Lindsey Graham said that if the United States goes to war against North Korea , it would be, "an all-out war against the regime; there is no surgical strike option." It would be bloody, he conceded, "but don't ever lose sight of how this war endsa we win it."

Senators’ Russia trip scuttled because of ‘black list’

The Russian Embassy says it refused entry to Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, of New Hampshire, because she's on a "black list" created in response to U.S. sanctions. Shaheen and Republican Sens. Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, and John Barrasso, of Wyoming, planned to travel to Russia in January, but the trip is now canceled.