Cash-Poor Bunning Won't Run in 2010

Kentucky senator's freeze on employment measure draws bipartisan ire

(NEWSER) - Senate Republicans are breaking ranks as Jim Bunning continues to stall a $10 billion employment and health measure, with Susan Collins of Maine taking to the floor of the chamber this morning to express her "hope that we can act together for the American people." She urged Bunning to drop his objection to the measure; the lame duck replied, "I object." More»

(NEWSER) - After 11 months licking his wounds, John McCain is getting back out there, appearing on TV more often and acting little like the man who gave a gracious, conciliatory concession speech last November. He's finding support within the GOP, where his combative approach hasn't always resonated, because his target is often the White House. "A lot of people, including me, thought he might be the Republican building bridges to the Obama administration," says an adviser. "But he's been more like the guy blowing up the bridges." More»

Despite its divisive nature, Republicans still fighting for Ryan's plan

(NEWSER) - Despite the five Senate Republicans who voted against Paul Ryan’s Medicare overhaul yesterday, the GOP remains wedded to the divisive, and increasingly unpopular , plan. Rather than back off, Republicans are responding by increasing attacks on the Democrats’ position, the Wall Street Journal reports. "We need to make it a choice between a do-nothing approach that will ultimately destroy Medicare, and life-saving reforms," says Rep. Tom Cole. Though the Democrats’ upset win in New York implies that the issue could have a big impact on future elections, Rep. Cliff Stearns insists it’s simply "a wake-up call on how you frame it. It obviously wasn't framed right.” More»

California's GOP nominees for US Senate, governor share contentious history

(NEWSER) - Gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman and US Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina are the first women to fill those roles for the California Republican party, which means they're often treated as a unit despite their numerous differences and contentious history. "It's like—OK, we've got two gals running now, they must have been putting their makeup on in the bathrooms together," a B-school professor tells the LA Times , which proceeds to help prove her point. "Would we assume the same if one were a man or both were men?" More»

Sharron Angle's response to Harry Reid has party on edge

(NEWSER) - Sharron Angle is headed to Washington to try to convince Republicans that she can indeed defeat Harry Reid, and won’t be painted as a right-wing extremist. Republicans are worried that Angle hasn’t responded aggressively enough to Reid’s attacks, they tell Politico . Reid took aim the moment Angle won the primary, but she has spoken exclusively with national conservative media outlets, eschewing local reporters, which looks like a sign of weakness to Republican leaders. More»