Seth McLaughlin

Marijuana use climbed in 2017: Study

A new study from Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) found that twice as many people are smoking pot on a daily basis than a decade ago.

September 14, 2018

Andrew Cuomo-Cynthia Nixon New York governor primary high-stakes for incumbent, even if he wins

The strength of public polling, the appeal of celebrity and the power of incumbency will be on the line Thursday in New York where Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo faces off against a Hollywood actress who has hammered away at the two-term Democratic governor's liberal credentials.

September 12, 2018

Majority of voters oppose impeachment, support House Democrats on generic ballot: Poll

A majority of voters do not support beginning impeachment proceedings against President Trump, according to a new poll released Wednesday that also found that House Democrats have expanded their lead over Republicans in a generic ballot test less than two months out from the midterm elections.

September 12, 2018

Newt Gingrich, Republicans float new Contract with America

Republicans have poll-tested a Contract with America-style agenda to carry into the fall elections as they ponder whether they need to give voters a bolder plan for what they will do if they keep control of Congress.

September 11, 2018

New Hampshire, Rhode Island hold final primaries before midterm election

Voters go to the polls this week for the final congressional primaries of the year, with Democrats having done what they need to build a field of candidates capable of winning enough seats to flip control of the House.

September 10, 2018

Lindsey Graham: Obama criticism of Trump bound to backfire

Sen. Lindsey Graham pushed back Friday against former President Obama's criticism of the Trump administration, saying that if Mr. Obama wants Mr. Trump to win a second term, the Illinois Democrat should keep reminding voters about his time in the White House.

September 7, 2018

Tom Carper defeats Kerri Harris in Delaware Senate primary

Democratic Sen. Tom Carper fended off an outsider challenger Thursday in the Delaware primary, bucking the trend of liberal activists coalescing around minority candidates to oust long-established white men.

September 6, 2018

Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wins further divide Democrats

Liberal activists said Ayanna Pressley's platform helped energize voters, giving her a 17-point margin of victory over Rep. Michael Capuano, the second longtime Democratic lawmaker to fall in a primary this year to a more liberal candidate. It's also vastly different than the platform Democratic leaders are selling.

September 5, 2018

Joe Crowley: Pressley primary win good for Democrats, reflects demographic changes

Rep. Joe Crowley said Wednesday that Ayanna Pressley's victory in Massachusetts is a good thing for the Democrats moving forward and underscores the growing political strength of minorities and women in certain congressional districts.

September 5, 2018

Steve Bannon’s open revolt against GOP establishment sputters

Steve Bannon entered the 2018 election cycle vowing to run primary challengers against nearly every Republican incumbent, looking to shake the party establishment to its core. The establishment, however, appears to have won.

August 29, 2018

Jim Jordan speaker of the House bid excites conservatives, garners tea party and right-wing support

Passing legislation hasn't been Rep. Jim Jordan's strong suit, but that isn't dampening the spirit of conservatives who are rallying behind his bid to become the 55th speaker of the House.

August 28, 2018

Sharice Davids under fire in Kansas congressional race for call to abolish ICE

A GOP-aligned super PAC is weaponizing the liberal calls to abolish ICE against a Democrat running against Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder in a competitive congressional race in Kansas.

August 24, 2018

Trump endorses Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi special election

President Trump has endorsed Sen. Cindy-Hyde Smith over in the special election race playing out in Mississippi, marking the second time this election cycle the president has snubbed conservative Chris McDaniel.

August 23, 2018

Liberals’ impeach Trump calls put Democrat leaders in tough spot

Liberal activists are increasingly agitating for President Trump to be impeached after this week's successful prosecutions of his personal lawyer and former campaign chairman, putting Democratic leaders in a tough spot.

August 23, 2018

Chris Collins, Duncan Hunter facing federal criminal charges

Reps. Chris Collins and Duncan D. Hunter were the first two lawmakers in Washington to back then-candidate Donald Trump in 2015.

August 22, 2018

Bob Menendez lead slipping in New Jersey Senate race

Sen. Bob Menendez's double-digit lead in his bid for re-election in New Jersey has disappeared, according to a new poll that shows Republican Bob Hugin has closed the gap to single digits.

August 22, 2018

Elizabeth Warren touts anti-corruption plan that bars lawmakers from owning stock

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Tuesday she is introducing legislation that would ban lawmakers from owning and trading stock as part of a broader effort to root out the culture of corruption that has "seeped into the fabric of our government."

August 21, 2018

GOP Super PAC ads: Democrats should be ‘ashamed’ for sticking by Keith Ellison

The Congressional Leadership Fund is attacking Democratic candidates running in competitive House races in Minnesota for not joining the National Organization for Women in demanding that former Rep. Keith Ellison end his bid for state attorney general following allegations of domestic abuse.

August 20, 2018

Keith Ellison is Democrat scourge after abuse reports

Rep. Keith Ellison's political future is "on the ropes" following allegations of domestic abuse that have cast a pall over the congressman's bid to become Minnesota's next attorney general and made some Democrats skittish about getting too close to him in public.

August 19, 2018

Muriel Bowser hits back at Trump over canceled military parade

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser took a victory lap Friday on Twitter after President Trump blamed her for forcing him to cancel his proposed military parade because of the whopping price tag.

August 17, 2018