Where are the Women GOP House Candidates? (CQPolitics.com)
CQPolitics.com - While Senate Republicans boast top-flight female candidates in several marquee races, there appears to be a dearth of GOP women running in some of the most competitive House races across the country.

US senator to unveil new financial overhaul plan (AFP)

AFP - A key US senator said Thursday he would unveil new legislation come Monday to rewrite US financial rules and prevent a repeat of the global economic meltdown of 2008.

Obama pushes trade initiative as jobs helper (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama sought Thursday to put some detail behind his lofty drive to double U.S. exports over the next five years, calling the effort imperative to putting people back to work. But doubts remain about how many net jobs his trade agenda will create — and how he will get it done.

Toyota troubles put spotlight on US safety agency (AP)

AP - Toyota's massive recalls are prompting Congress to reconsider whether the nation's auto safety agency has lived up to its mission of protecting motorists.

Dodd goes on without GOP support (Politico)
Politico - But he says talks with Sen. Bob Corker continue.

UN wildlife watchdog considers ban on bluefin tuna (AP)

AP - A U.N. body best known for protecting tigers and elephants will focus on the world's overfished oceans beginning this week with proposals to regulate the shark trade and ban the export of a tuna species prized by sushi lovers.

CBC: Obama not listening (Politico)
Politico - Tensions are rising as the caucus tries to stem the high unemployment rate among African-Americans.

Wis. high court sides with dealer in Volvo dispute (AP)
AP - The Wisconsin Supreme Court has sided with a truck dealership in a dispute with a major manufacturer of semitrailers.

Dodd to offer his own financial regulation bill (AP)

AP - WASHINGTON AP) — Unable to muster bipartisan agreement on key banking provisions, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd said Thursday he will offer his own version of a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations without Republican support.

Democrats, White House close in on health bill (AP)

AP - House Democratic leaders on Thursday worked to rally their rank-and-file members around last-minute agreements on insurance taxes and prescription drug coverage that could move President Barack Obama's overhaul of the nation's health care system a step closer to reality.

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Rob Miller against Stupak
Democratic congressional hopeful Rob Miller, running in a conservative South Carolina district against Rep. Joe Wilson, told a questioner that he would not have voted for the Stupak amendment to health care reform. "I think it's redundant ... there's no reason for it," said Miller, who was named to the DCCC's "Red to Blue" list of non-incumbent candidates Wednesday. "I thought it was unnecessary ... So I would have voted against it."

Senor's sounding serious
The New York Times reports that as former Bush administration official Dan Senor continues to mull a Senate campaign, he's held a spate of recent meetings with Republican officials, concluding that he's "seriously considering" a challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Quinn and Brady battle over budget
Illinois Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican challenger, Bill Brady, traded shots over this year's state budget Wednesday. As he proposed a budget that includes tax increases, spending cuts and loans, Quinn took a swing at unnamed critics who want to implement across-the-board spending cuts, calling them "heartless and naive." Brady, who supports such cuts, called Quinn's budget a "catastrophe" and said: "I really don't want to be governor and be saddled with the albatross he's created in this fiscal mess." 

Poll: Snyder jumps to second
A new poll from Denno-Noor Research shows businessman Rick Snyder has moved up to second place in the GOP gubernatorial primary. After running a wave of ads that bill him as "one tough nerd," Snyder takes 18 percent of the vote in the poll, trailing Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who takes 28 percent, and edging ahead of state Attorney General Mike Cox, who takes 12 percent. Snyder is the only candidate to run ads, so far.

Kuhl declines to run for former House seat
Former GOP Rep. John “Randy” Kuhl said he would back Corning Mayor Tom Reed in a special election to succeed former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.).

Critz asks for release of ethics transcripts
Pennsylvania Democratic special election nominee Mark Critz asked the Office of Congressional Ethics to release transcripts from his interview in connection with an investigation of Rep. John Murtha's earmarks. Critz served as a top Murtha aide, and his possible links to the congressman's ethics problems were a prime target for Barbara Hafer in her nomination fight with Critz.

Pataki, King back Lazio
Even as New York Republican leaders met this week with Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy about a possible party-switching run for governor, former Rep. Rick Lazio, who's been in the race for months, picked up endorsements from former GOP Gov. George Pataki and Long Island Rep. Peter King.

Walker up with first ad
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is up with his first adtoday, set to air statewide outside of Milwaukee. In his spot, the Republican gubernatorial hopeful says he gave back $370,000 of his salary over the eight years he's spent in office, because "the government spends too much, and that included my salary."

Issa raises questions about Sestak
He says the White House may have crossed the line if the Pennsylvania Democrat's claim is true.

LCV goes after Blunt
Carnahan wasn't the only Missourian taking hits Wednesday, as the League of Conservation Voters announced it's adding Rep. Roy Blunt, the GOP's presumptive Senate nominee, to its "Dirty Dozen" list of candidates to target for defeat this year.

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Democrats Cancel All Hearings in Anticipation of Health Care Negotiations

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ordered committee chairmen to postpone their hearings Thursday so lawmakers can meet to chart a course for one last sales job on President Obama's signature health care overhaul.

Hearing Delayed for Obama Judicial Nominee Who Supported Serial Killer

The Senate Judiciary Committee has postponed the hearing for a controversial Court of Appeals nominee after the panel received a letter from a home-state prosecutor blasting him as a judicial loose cannon and Republicans raised concerns about his alleged bias in favor of sex offenders. 

House Leader: Ethics Panel Ends Massa Probe

Even as the investigation ends, former Rep. Eric Massa's alleged harassment of his staff members -- with possible sexual overtones -- could spell continuing trouble for Democrats.

Senate Passes Bill to Send More Benefits to Recipients Jobless For More Than 6 Months

Individuals out of work for more than six weeks could soon get additional government aid after the Senate passed legislation Wednesday.

Parties Announce Top Targets in 2010 House Races

Two Democratic and Republican campaign groups released their lists Wednesday of the top House seats and incumbents targeted in the November midterm elections. 

Immigration Reform Effort Re-Emerges With New Senate Bill

Three years after efforts by Congress to reform the immigration system went down in flames, the issue is slowly re-emerging onto the national stage as two senators from the opposite sides of the political aisle work on crafting another bill.

Kennedy Lashes Out on Afghan War, Media Coverage

Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who is not seeking a new term, decried the war in Afghanistan and the media coverage of the debate in a remarkable display of anger Wednesday on the House floor.

GMAC Bailout Could Cost Taxpayers $6.3B

New watchdog report says the Treasury Department sank billions into auto finance giant GMAC without an exit strategy or proof the company was viable - a decision that could cost taxpayers $6.3 billion.

Weekly Jobless Claims Drop 6,000 to 462,000

The Labor Department said initial jobless claims fell by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 462,000. That's close to Wall Street analysts' estimates of 460,000 and the second straight drop.

Biden: U.S. Has 'No Better Friend' Than Israel

Vice president appears to be trying to calm a diplomatic row that erupted during his visit over Israeli settlement plans for disputed east Jerusalem. 

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Both parties in House start war over pork
Pork-barrel spending may be on its last legs in the House as Republicans and Democrats join in a bidding war to outdo each other over fighting abusive earmark spending. House Democrats, who control the chamber, said Wednesday they'll impose a ban on earmarks where the government sends money to for-profit corporations, while House Republicans are slated to vote Thursday on whether to impose a complete one-year moratorium on themselves - and increase pressure on Democrats to follow suit. House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, told his colleagues in a closed-door meeting Wednesday that the moratorium vote will test ...

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Sebelius warns insurance execs of demise
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned insurance executives Wednesday that failing to support President Obama's comprehensive plan to reform U.S. health care likely will result in their demise. "We are in a situation where the market is unsustainable," Mrs. Sebelius said at the American Health Insurance Plans national policy conference in Washington. "You can choose to continue your opposition to reform. If you do and reform goes down in defeat, we know what will happen." She said more Americans and businesses no longer will be able to afford or offer insurance if rates continue to increase. "The much-better ...

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Some Democrats shun Obama event in St. Louis
The Show Me State temporarily became the No-Show State on Wednesday as some prominent Missouri Democrats decided they'd rather be somewhere else when President Obama came to push his massive health care overhaul plan. Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond, was "already locked in" to meetings in Washington, D.C., on Wall Street financial reforms, said her spokesman, Linden Zakula, who downplayed her absence for Mr. Obama's visit to St. Charles, just outside St. Louis. "Yes, she could have been there, but she feels ...

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GOP backs 'don't ask' advocate
It was no mere broken lunch date to Family Research Council President Tony Perkins: His invitation to speak at a faith event on Andrews Air Force Base was abruptly rescinded last month because he does not agree that openly practicing gays should be allowed in the military. Mr. Perkins claimed afterward he had effectively been "blacklisted" because of his opposition to dropping the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and now some prominent congressional Republicans have come to his defense. House Minority Whip Eric Cantor and Rep. Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican, said they worried that a "new litmus test" was ...

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Bipartisan blowout blocks Afghanistan withdrawal
In an overwhelming show of bipartisan support for President Obama's surge in Afghanistan, the House on Wednesday soundly defeated a resolution setting a timetable for withdrawal. The vote, which marked the first time the House has had a full debate on Afghanistan since Mr. Obama announced his surge last year, unleashed years of pent-up frustration from liberal Democrats and a few conservative Republicans angry over the direction the nine-year-old conflict has taken. But the 356-65 vote against withdrawal was a dominant endorsement to give Mr. Obama the time he's asked for to stabilize the troubled nation. "Have we forgotten? Have ...

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McDonnell counters Va. atty. gen.'s words on gays
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has directed state agencies not to discriminate against gay people, essentially overriding the state attorney general's advice to colleges. McDonnell's directive Wednesday came amid a public uproar over Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli's letter last week telling public colleges they lack the authority to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Cuccinelli told colleges to rescind or change any anti-discrimination policies that include protection for gay people. The Republican attorney general's letter was denounced by gay-rights groups and Democrats. In the letter, Cuccinelli said colleges can't include gays in their anti-discrimination policies without General ...

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Political Scene
GEORGIA Ex-Christian Coalition head won't seek office ATLANTA | Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Mr. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He ...

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House KOs call for speedy Afghanistan withdrawal
In an overwhelming show of bipartisan support for President Obama's troop surge in Afghanistan, the House on Wednesday soundly defeated a resolution setting a timetable for withdrawal. The vote, which marked the first time the House has had a full debate on Afghanistan since Mr. Obama announced his surge last year, unleashed years of pent-up frustration from liberal Democrats and a few conservative Republicans angry over the direction the 9-year-old conflict has taken. But the 356-65 vote against withdrawal was a dominant endorsement to give Mr. Obama the time he's asked for to stabilize the troubled nation. "Have we forgotten? ...

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Some Democrats pass on Obama rally
The Show Me State temporarily became the No-Show State on Wednesday as some prominent Missouri Democrats decided they'd rather be somewhere else when President Obama came to push his massive health care overhaul plan. Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond, was "already locked in" to meetings in Washington, D.C., on Wall Street financial reforms, said her spokesman, Linden Zakula, who downplayed her absence for Mr. Obama's visit to St. Charles, just outside St. Louis. "Yes, she could have been there, but she feels ...

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Rove: We mishandled Katrina recovery
The Bush administration mishandled the rescue effort after Hurricane Katrina, said Karl Rove, the top adviser to former President George W. Bush. Mr. Rove, 59, said the administration should have used a 1807 law that gives the federal government authority to take control of an insurgent U.S. state. "It was a mistake," Mr. Rove said Thursday in discussing his recent memoir on The Washington Times' "America's Morning News" radio show. "We should have used the legal authority to declare the state an insurgent, taken the political heat of pushing out the state's governor and overruling the African-American mayor of New ...

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