Craig Will Leave Senate After All: Aide

GOP insider: 'You can’t make this stuff up'

(NEWSER) - Sen. Larry Craig's bathroom toe tap is only the latest in a seemingly endless string of scandal that has Republicans at wit's end, the NY Times reports. Such episodes are fueling voter suspicion of a party already tied to an unpopular president and the Iraq war. "We are approaching a level of ridiculousness," fumes one GOP activist. More»

Conservative critics think Minority Leader should be fighting administration harder

(NEWSER) - Why haven’t we heard more from Mitch McConnell on health care? The Senate Minority Leader has kept relatively quiet on the administration’s reform efforts, a stance that has irked many conservative activists who feel McConnell is ducking his duties as de facto Republican Party leader, writes Stephanie Mencimer for Mother Jones. McConnell “could single-handedly destroy this bill,” says pro-life firebrand Randall Terry. “But so far he has not displayed the backbone." More»

Ky. Republican blasts party for campaign 'to dry up my fundraising'

(NEWSER) - An irate Jim Bunning said last night he won't run for a third term in the US Senate because his fellow Republicans "have done everything in their power to dry up my fundraising" amid pressure to step aside, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. Bunning, 77, has focused his ire on fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell, who issued a conciliatory statement befitting the apparent winner of a long-running feud. More»

(NEWSER) - Disgraced Sen. John Ensign gave Republican colleagues a well-received apology today for “embarrassing the Senate” by having an affair, the Hill reports. One colleague said the apology was “very contrite, very sincere.” Sen. Orrin Hatch pointed out that “everybody has flaws,” and said “all we can do is show love and kindness. He’s so well-thought-of in the caucus.” Support even came from across the aisle. More»

Ga. congressman defends leadership, blasts talking heads

(NEWSER) - Rush Limbaugh is in hot water with an unexpected critic: A Republican congressman who doesn't appreciate the radio blowhard's take on his party's leaders. Limbaugh and President Obama have traded barbs this week, but Limbaugh's dragging Mitch McConnell and John Boehner into the spat was too much for Phil Gingrey of Georgia. "It’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks," he told Politico. More»