Sen. Warren honing campaign pitch as GOP eyes 2018 campaign

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren won't face voters for more than a year, but the broad outlines of the effort to unseat the Massachusetts Democrat, and her re-election pitch to voters, are taking shape. Two Republicans have announced their candidacies, two others are said to be weighing runs, and conservative political groups are chipping away at the candidate.

Illinois Lawmakers Vote to Make ‘Barack Obama Day’ a State Holiday

While former President Barack Obama was celebrating his birthday on Friday, Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner was signing a measure that will make his birthday, Aug. 4, a new state holiday beginning in 2018, The Hill reported. "Barack Obama Day" will be "observed throughout the state as a day set apart to honor the 44th President of the United States of America who began his career serving the People of Illinois in both the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate, and dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Americans and building bridges across communities," the article explained.

Jeff Flake: ‘I wish we as a party had stood up’ to the birther movement

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., thinks more members of the Republican Party should have stood up to President Trump years ago, beginning with his support for the birther movement as not appropriate for conservatives to embrace. "I wish we as a party had stood up, for example, when the birtherism thing was going on," Flake said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Sen. Ron Johnson: Put healthcare reform on back burner and focus on other legislative issues

"I really do think we probably ought to turn our attention to the debt ceiling and funding the government and tax cuts until we can really get all the parties together," Johnson said. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said it is probably time for legislators to focus on areas of work like taxes and the economy while continuing to negotiate on a healthcare bill in the background.

Sessions: US prosecutors will help addiction-ravaged cities –

The Justice Department will dispatch 12 federal prosecutors to cities ravaged by addiction who will focus exclusively on investigating health care fraud and opioid scams that are fueling the nation's drug abuse epidemic, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Wednesday. He unveiled the pilot program during a speech in hard-hit Ohio, where eight people a day die of accidental overdoses.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

A week after an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he'd consider a bipartisan effort to continue payments to insurers to avert a costly rattling of health insurance markets. McConnell told reporters Saturday there is "still a chance" the Senate could revive the measure to repeal and replace "Obamacare," but he acknowledged the window for that is rapidly closing.

Cordray’s conundrum: Quit now and run for Ohio governor, or wait to be fired? Updated at

Even as Richard Cordray declines to say a word publicly on whether he will run for governor of Ohio, a number of Democrats are increasingly convinced that the head of the federal consumer bureau will compete for next year's Democratic nomination. Although Ohio Democratic hopes may be based on wishful thinking instead of direct knowledge, insiders believe that as a former state attorney general, Cordray would quickly become both the favorite to win the Democratic nomination and be a strong candidate against the eventual Republican nominee.

President Trump is tasked with governing, but he keeps harping on these 7 things

President Trump during a speech last month before the Boy Scouts of America in West Virginia. For President Trump , who in recent weeks has used speeches before the Boy Scouts of America and police officers to deliver overtly political remarks at nonpolitical events, continues to be consumed by the same issues.

McConnell Willing to ‘Take a Look’ at Bipartisan Health Care Bill

A week after an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he'd consider a bipartisan effort to continue payments to insurers to avert a costly rattling of health insurance markets. McConnell told reporters Saturday there is "still a chance" the Senate could revive the measure to repeal and replace "Obamacare," but he acknowledged the window for that is rapidly closing.

Volunteers search for invasive species across Wisconsin

The event is hosted by the River Alliance of Wisconsin, to get a closer look at invasive species. 27 News caught up with people learning what to look for at the Token Creek Conservancy in DeForest, before they headed out to identify invasive species on the water.

Trump is reportedly considering hardline nationalist Stephen Miller…

President Donald Trump is considering senior policy adviser Stephen Miller to fill the role of White House communications director, sources told Axios. Miller, known for his hardline nationalism, is a longtime Trump loyalist who most recently made headlines after holding a contentious press conference Wednesday as the Trump administration rolled out its new immigration policy.

With His Back Against The Wall, Trump Again Turns To Grievance Politics

No single issue has been a greater animating force for the Republican base over the past decade than immigration - except maybe the Affordable Care Act . And with the failure of GOP health care efforts in Congress and sliding poll numbers this summer, the Trump White House seems to be making a concerted effort to elevate cultural wedge issues, from immigration and a announcing a ban on transgender people in the military to affirmative action and police conduct.