David Sherfinski

Big donors favored groups aligned with Democrats in 2014

High-end political benefactors sided more with Democratic-aligned groups that have to disclose their fundraising activities than similar Republican-aligned ones during the 2014 midterm cycle.

December 24, 2014

Potential 2016 contenders drop holiday mail in Iowa

In addition to possible fruitcakes and yearly updates from friends and loved ones, some Iowans are also sifting through holiday greetings from at least a handful of potential 2016 GOP presidential contenders this year.

December 24, 2014

Obama approval rating at 20-month high of 48 percent, poll says

President Obama got a bout of good news ahead of the Christmas holiday with a new poll showing his approval rating at 48 percent - his highest rating in CNN/ORC polling since May 2013.

December 24, 2014

Terry McAuliffe pushes for nonpartisan redistricting panel

An ethics commission created by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is calling on the General Assembly to pass a constitutional amendment that would create an independent panel to draw congressional and statehouse district lines, a measure that has consistently died at the hands of the state legislature.

December 23, 2014

Bobby Jindal: Time for pastors to ‘reset the course of American governance’

In a letter being distributed to pastors, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal calls on them to consider public service, as part of his invitation to a gathering scheduled to take place a day before a highly-publicized prayer event Jan. 24 at Louisiana State University.

December 23, 2014

Michael Grimm won’t resign House seat after pleading guilty to felony tax charge

Rep. Michael G. Grimm, New York Republican, said Tuesday he does not plan to resign his seat after pleading guilty to one felony tax charge tied to activities involving a restaurant he co-owned prior to winning election to Congress in 2010.

December 23, 2014

Marco Rubio’s PAC rakes in about $4 million for 2014 elections

The leadership PAC for Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, collected about $3.8 million for the midterm election cycle, beating out almost 300 similar fundraising outfits in Congress,according to the Bradenton Herald.

December 23, 2014

James Bond: CIA spy survival guide revealed

James Bond should step away from the vodka martini, whether it be shaken or stirred.

December 23, 2014

Sony overreacted by pulling ‘The Interview,’ most Americans think: poll

More than six in 10 Americans think Sony overreacted when it pulled "The Interview" form theaters in the wake of a cyberattack at the hands of North Korea and terror threats, but almost three-quarters say North Korea is a serious threat to the U.S.

December 23, 2014

Doug Elmendorf out as Congressional Budget Office director

Doug Elmendorf, who heads the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Congress's non-partisan scorekeeper, is on his way out, according to reports.

December 23, 2014

64 percent of Americans favor establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba: poll

A majority of Americans support establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba and ending the trade embargo and travel restrictions to the country, a new ABC-Washington Post poll said.

December 23, 2014

Brad Sherman, David Vitter want screening of ‘The Interview’ at U.S. Capitol, White House

U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, California Democrat, wrote a letter to the CEO of Sony Pictures Monday extending an offer to screen "The Interview" — which was pulled from release amid a cyberattack at the hands of North Korea and terror threats — in the U.S. Capitol.

December 23, 2014

Dutch Ruppersberger: World needs to know not to attack U.S.

The ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee said the United States must respond to North Korea's recent hacking of Sony Pictures over the movie "The Interview" to let the world know such moves won't be tolerated.

December 22, 2014

Guy Cecil, top contender to manage Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign, bows out

Guy Cecil, said to be a leading contender to manage a would-be 2016 presidential campaign for former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, has dropped out of the running.

December 22, 2014

Elizabeth Warren inches up, but Hillary Clinton still has commanding 2016 lead among Democrats: poll

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton leads in a new poll on the 2016 Democratic presidential contest with 61 percent of the vote, though her level of support is slightly down from half a year ago.

December 22, 2014

Rick Perry to attend ‘Iowa Freedom Summit’ next month

Texas Gov. Rick Perry will join a who's who of national conservative figures next month at the inaugural "Iowa Freedom Summit" hosted by GOP Rep. Steve King and Citizens United, the Des Moines Register reported.

December 22, 2014

Rand Paul fires back at Marco Rubio: Seems like ‘isolationist’ who wants to ‘perhaps build a moat’

Employing a label his critics have often tried to foist upon him, Sen. Rand Paul hit back at criticism from Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, over his stance on Cuba this week, saying it's Mr. Rubio who seems to be acting like an isolationist on the issue.

December 19, 2014

GOP Senate ads: More than a third focused on Obamacare: report

Though some analysts said Obamacare had faded somewhat as a campaign issue in this year's midterms, data show that health care was the focus of more than a third of Republican-sponsored U.S. Senate general election broadcast spots this year.

December 19, 2014

Rick Perry brushes up resume: ‘Willing to travel’ to ‘Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina’ for job

Outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry told graduates of Texas A&M Thursday evening that he's going to be in the same situation as them in the next 30 days: competing for a job.

December 19, 2014

Obama on Jeb Bush: Anybody can run for president — ‘even the son and brother of former presidents’

As former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced this week that he is actively exploring a bid for president in 2016, President Obama said one great thing about democracy is that anyone can make a run for the White House — even the son and brother of former presidents.

December 19, 2014