Campaign 2018: Schwartz under fire for belittling Laxalt’s military career

Nevada Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Schwartz is under fire after he reportedly belittled an opponent's military experience. Nevada Treasurer Dan Schwartz speaks to media after announcing his campaign for Governor on at the Republican Men's Club monthly Luncheon at Cili Restaurant at Bali Hai Golf Course in Las Vegas, Tuesday, Sept.

Trump-backed senator gets GOP primary foe in Mississippi

State Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, hugs his sons, Cambridge, 11, right and Chamberlain, 6, prior to announcing his candidacy to the U.S. Senate, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 in Ellisville, Miss. McDaniel will challenge current Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker.

The Latest: Democrat pleased with Trump support on gun laws

One of the Senate's leading gun control proponents says he is pleased that President Donald Trump expressed support for expanded background checks and other measures during a bipartisan meeting at the White House. But Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut says he is "worried that this was the beginning and the end of the president's advocacy on this issue."

The Latest: GOP winner of Arizona primary eyes April contest

Republican candidate and former Arizona state Sen. Debbie Lesko celebrates with her husband, Joe, after voting results show her victory in a special primary election for the Congressional District 8 seat during a campaign party at Lesko's home, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. A special primary election was being held to replace Arizona Republican Rep. Trent Franks who resigned amid accusations of sexual misconduct.

Alaska lawmaker cites Holocaust deaths to oppose gun control

An Alaska Republican and most senior member of the U.S. House argued against gun control by wondering how many Jewish people "were put in the ovens" because they were not armed. U.S. Rep. Don Young, who has a history of off-the-cuff remarks that can draw criticism, made the comments at a meeting last week in the state capital of Juneau when responding to a question about what the federal government and cities can do to stop school shootings.

The Latest: Democrat enters US Senate race in Mississippi

State Rep. David Baria of Bay St. Louis announced his intentions Wednesday, a day before candidates' qualifying deadline and the same day a Republican state lawmaker held an event to launch his own campaign for the Senate seat. Mississippi has not had a Democrat in the U.S. Senate since January 1989.

Giffords focuses on high-profile Republicans in midterms

Gabby Giffords' political organization is focusing on six high-profile members of Congress this fall - House Speaker Paul Ryan, among them - in a 2018 midterm strategy that will use high school students to challenge Republican lawmakers it blames for blocking efforts to curb gun violence. The group known as Giffords, named for the former Democratic congresswoman from Arizona who survived a shooting in 2011, says it plans to spend at least $10 million to influence the November elections.

Protesters Descend On ICE San Francisco Headquarters After Immigration Raids

Hundreds of activists gathered on Wednesday outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building here to protest the arrests of more than 150 undocumented immigrants in recent days. Local activist groups organized the "emergency rally" to respond to the mass arrests in Northern California, just two weeks after more than 200 people were arrested in similar raids in the Los Angeles area.

American Airlines opposed to Chicago airport expansion plan

American Airlines said Wednesday that it's opposed to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's $8.5 billion O'Hare International Airport expansion plan because of what American called a "secret provision" that was inserted at the last minute to award more gates to United Airlines, which is based in the Windy City. "The United gate deal would undermine competition, allowing the largest airline at O'Hare to expand its size advantage for years into the future," American Airlines said in a statement.

Growing signs that Aaron Schock prosecution on shaky ground Source: AP

Growing sympathy for defense arguments, seeming confusion within the team of federal prosecutors and a disgruntled judge are among the signs that key portions of the corruption case against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock may be at risk of unraveling. The question on which the outcome of the Illinois Republican's case may rest - and one an appeals court is currently mulling over - is whether prosecutors based their charges on ambiguous House rules in violation of separation-of-powers clauses in the U.S. Constitution.

Giffords targets high-profile Republicans in 2018 strategy

Gabby Giffords' political organization is targeting six high-profile members of Congress this fall - House Speaker Paul Ryan, among them - in a 2018 midterm strategy that will use high school students to challenge Republican lawmakers it blames for blocking efforts to curb gun violence. The group known as Giffords, named for the former Democratic congresswoman from Arizona who survived a shooting in 2011, says it plans to spend at least $10 million to influence the November elections.

Challenge announced against Mississippi’s Sen. Roger Wicker Source: AP

A tea party-backed state lawmaker who came close to unseating one of Mississippi's U.S. senators during a bitter 2014 race announced Wednesday that he will challenge the state's other U.S. Republican senator, Roger Wicker. Republican Chris McDaniel had hinted at the decision for days and made the announcement at an afternoon rally in his hometown of Ellisville.

Challenge announced against Mississippi’s Sen. Roger Wicker

State Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, hugs his sons, Cambridge, 11, right and Chamberlain, 6, prior to announcing his candidacy to the U.S. Senate, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 in Ellisville, Miss. McDaniel will challenge current Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker.

Trump flays Sessions for ‘disgraceful’ decision, sparking new clash

U.S. President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on Wednesday against his attorney general, calling Jeff Sessions' decision to have the Justice Department inspector general - and not prosecutors - investigate alleged surveillance abuse "disgraceful." U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks with Senate staffer Sharon Soderstrom before a memorial ceremony for evangelist Billy Graham in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. February 28, 2018.

Key lawmaker gives up on privatizing air traffic control

The top proponent in Congress for privatizing the nation's air traffic control system says the idea won't fly this year. That's a setback for airlines, many of which lobbied to take the air-traffic system away from the Federal Aviation Administration and put it in the hands of a private, non-profit company run by aviation interests, including airlines.

Top Democrats warn Ryan Zinke to not cut offshore oil and gas drilling royalty payments

Top House and Senate Democrats warned Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke on Tuesday night to not cut the royalty rate oil and gas companies pay for offshore drilling in federal waters. The Interior Department's Royalty Policy Committee on Wednesday is holding a meeting in Houston to evaluate a proposal to lower the royalty rate companies pay on offshore drilling from 18.75 percent to 12.5 percent to promote more U.S. energy production in federal waters.

Still the front-runner, Dianne Feinstein moves on from California Democratic Party’s snub

Days after the California Democratic Party decided not to endorse Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the senior senator from the Golden State seems barely to have noticed the insult. It's hard to take offense when you've won statewide five times, and maintain a double-digit lead in the polls for a sixth.

Senate Democrats push for support to reinstate net neutrality

U.S. Senate Democrats launched efforts on Tuesday to win a vote to reinstate Obama-era rules guaranteeing an open internet, suggesting it would be a major issue in the 2018 mid-term elections. Democrats remain one Republican senator shy of winning a majority in the Senate to reverse the Federal Communications Commission's order to undo the 2015 open internet rules.