Republican chairman has ‘confidence’ in Vern Buchanan, despite ethics investigations

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Unemployment benefits tied to tax cut debate, will likely lapse before deadline

Democrats in Washington are catching on to the idea that they can’t capitulate to an extension of Bush-era tax rates for the rich without at least demanding something in return, and an extension of federal unemployment benefits, set to expire at the end of the month, is increasingly looking like More…

Tea Party largely frozen out of GOP transition team

The plot lines in the battle for control of the soul of the Republican Party just got thicker today with the announcement by transition chair Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) of the members of his transition team. Not only did Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) not make the cut while her competitor More…

Pete Sessions, Looking Extra Safe

Republicans are having a good time today looking over the wreckage of what Democrats once hoped could be serious re-election challenges for Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee. A Tea Party candidate’s primary campaign against Sessions crashed and burned, drawing less than 17 percent More…

Conservatives Not Ready to Embrace Party-Switcher

On Tuesday morning, Politico broke the news that Rep. Parker Griffith (Ala.) was switching from the Democratic Party to the GOP. For Les Phillip — a Tea Party activist who’d been waging a Republican campaign for Griffith’s seat since August — it was “manna from heaven.”

“This is why More…

The Hoffman Effect Hits Pete Sessions

As former Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) could tell you, a challenge in your own district is a heck of a thing to deal with while you’re running the NRCC.

GOP Sets Sights on House Power Brokers for 2010

Eight years after leaving the Missouri House of Representatives, Vicky Hartzler found herself praying for America. Her congressman, Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, had supported most of President Barack Obama’s agenda, including cap-and-trade legislation. Hartzler and her husband, who sell farm equipment, asked More…

‘Pelosi Puppets’

John Gizzi of Human Events gets an interview with Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) in which the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee “gleefully” takes on the conservatives who’ve bucked the GOP in NY-23.

If you are not interested in winning and making John Boehner speaker of the

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A Blimp, a Republican and the Epitome of Hypocrisy

Politico’s John Bresnahan has a great piece of reporting today about the hypocrisy of Republican leaders calling for the end of earmarks, not to mention the naked conflicts of interest created by the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street.

The highlights: It appears that (1) a More…

Holder’s Nomination Heads to Full Senate

It been nearly sixty days since he was first nominated, but the Senate Judiciary Committee has finally voted 17-2 today to send Eric Holder’s nomination for attorney general to the full Senate for confirmation. A Senate vote is expected this week.

The positive outcome of the vote was expected after More…