McConnell now open to Supreme Court nomination in election year

The Senate's majority leader, insisting his chamber won't be irreparably damaged by the bitter fight over new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, is signaling he's willing to take up another high court nomination in the 2020 presidential election season should another vacancy arise. Heading into pivotal midterm elections, McConnell tried to distinguish between President Donald Trump's nomination of Kavanaugh this year and his own decision not to have the GOP-run Senate consider President Barack Obama's high court nominee, Merrick Garland, in 2016.

‘I Know This Is Shocking,’ Says Sanders, But Trump ‘Lying About Medicare for All’

In reaction to President Donald Trump's op-ed on Wednesday-titled, " Democrats 'Medicare for All' plan will demolish promises to seniors "-Sen. Bernie Sanders responded in a sensible and honest way by calling the president a liar. "No, Mr. President.

“Any ‘Her’ Will Do”: Due Process for Boys Like Kavanaugh, But…

President Donald Trump encouraged rally-goers in Iowa on Tuesday in a chant of "Lock Her Up," appearing to refer to Sen. Dianne Feinstein . Two days after apologizing to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh "on behalf of our nation" for subjecting him to one Senate hearing and a brief FBI probe into several sexual assault allegations against him before allowing him to be confirmed to his lifetime appointment, President Donald Trump clearly dropped the pretense of defending "due process" as he laughed along as audience members chanted "Lock her up!" after he criticized Sen. Dianne Feinstein in Iowa on Tuesday night.

Trump and McConnell are a political odd couple who share one important goal

The ultimately successful, if extremely messy, Senate confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is the unlikely and intriguing outcome of two disparate men invisibly working together, though they could hardly be more different - President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell was born in Alabama, raised in Kentucky and thanks to the demanding therapy of his mother, overcame the crippling physical restrictions of childhood polio so well he became a formidable baseball player.

‘Lock her up!’ Trump crowd chants a ” but this time it’s for DiFi

Chants of "Lock her up!" rang once again throughout an Iowa arena as President Donald Trump rallied supporters Tuesday night. But this time, the staple of Trump's 2016 campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton had a new target: California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Ban on new mining claims in Yellowstone extended 20 years

The ban on new mining claims near Yellowstone National Park was extended for another 20 years by U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke who signed the ban in a ceremony in the park's Paradise Valley on Oct. 8. A temporary ban on new claims in the area was put in place in 2016 under former president Barack Obama. Zinke's order extends that ban on new claims for gold, silver and other minerals on 121 km2 of public lands in the Paradise Valley and Gardiner Basin.

U.N.’s Nikki Haley to leave in latest Trump shake-up

In the latest shake-up for President Donald Trump's turbulent administration, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley abruptly announced Tuesday that she is resigning at the end of the year, raising fresh questions about the Trump team and about the outspoken diplomat's own political ambitions. The news blindsided some key U.S. allies and many congressional Republicans involved in foreign policy matters.

Poll: Democrats have edge in House racesLikely voters who live in 69…

Likely voters who live in 69 battleground House districts across the country narrowly prefer Democratic candidates, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School survey, a potentially worrying sign for Republicans given that the overwhelming percentage of these districts are currently in GOP hands.

History suggests, but doesn’t dictate, a midterm power shift

Orange County voters will fill seats for mayor, council and school board on Nov. 6. If history shows anything about midterm elections, it's that the sitting president's political party often - but not always - has a tough night. In 35 out of 38 midterm elections held since the end of the Civil War the president's party has lost seats in the House, according to the Cook Political Report.

Kavanaugh is confirmed: Senate Oks Supreme Court nominee

The bitterly polarized U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed Brett Kavanaugh on Saturday to join the Supreme Court, delivering an election-season triumph to President Donald Trump that could swing the court rightward for a generation after a battle that rubbed raw the country's cultural, gender and political divides. The near party-line vote was 50-48, capping a fight that seized the national conversation after claims emerged that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted women three decades ago - which he emphatically denied.

Trump mocks Taylor Swift for opposing Republican in Senate race

Donald Trump fired back Monday at Taylor Swift for weighing in on Tennessee's hotly contested U.S. Senate race, saying the country-pop crossover star 'doesn't know anything' about the Republican she attacked on Sunday. The suddenly sassy president didn't know about Swift's unprecedented dip into politics, but he told DailyMail.com outside the White House that he found her music a bit less listenable because she's opposing Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican who he's endorsed.

Kavanaugh vote reshapes Maine senator’s political future

Interest in the Maine Republican senator's 2020 re-election has exploded in the days since she cast the deciding vote to confirm President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick - a vote that helped transform the balance of power on the nation's high court for a generation and suddenly complicates Collins' path to a fifth term.

‘Made up, fabricated’: Trump says allegations against Kavanaugh were a ‘hoax’

US President Donald Trump has apologised to Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his family for the "terrible suffering" they have endured during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing, after earlier calling sexual assault allegations against his pick a "hoax". Speaking at the start of a ceremonial swearing-in at the White House, Mr Trump slammed Democrats and opponents of Justice Kavanaugh's nomination for a campaign of personal destruction.

Trump apologizes ‘on behalf of the nation’ to Kavanaugh during swearing-in

President Donald Trump apologized to incoming Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Monday evening "for the terrible pain and suffering" that he and his family endured during his confirmation process, going so far as to claim that Kavanaugh was "proven innocent" of the sexual assault allegations made against him. Add Supreme Court as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Supreme Court news, video, and analysis from ABC News.

The Latest: Trump says allegations against Kavanaugh ‘hoax’ Source: AP

New Justice Brett Kavanaugh says the Supreme Court "is not a partisan or political institution," and is promising to "always be a team player on a team of nine." The Senate vote approving Kavanaugh's nomination followed a bitter partisan fight that became a firestorm after sexual misconduct allegations emerged.

After flap, Trump says he has no plans to fire Rosenstein

President Donald Trump said Monday he has no plans to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, delivering a reprieve for the Justice Department official whose future has been the source of intense speculation for two weeks. Trump told reporters at the White House that he had "a very good relationship" with Rosenstein and was eager to speak with him aboard Air Force One on a flight to Florida for the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference.