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• Republicans chafe over financial statement request Play Video

  May 23, 2013 2:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's Republican Party is blasting the legislative auditor's office after both the GOP and the state Democratic Party were asked to turn over financial statements to comply with a long-overlooked law. Republican officials were angered by the request and accused the office of targeting conservatives. Democrats simply... more »

• GOP rep wants asylum review in immigration bill

  April 25, 2013 10:42 AM

  WASHINGTON - The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he want to overhaul the way the U.S. grants asylum to immigrants after the Boston Marathon bombing. Rep. Bob Goodlatte is a Virginia Republican. He says U.S. authorities should consider whether asylum applicants are, quote, "engaging in aggressive tactics" in... more »

• GOP roadmap calls for immigration reform

  March 18, 2013 10:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Republican National Committee is endorsing comprehensive immigration reform as part of a multi-step roadmap designed to improve the GOP's brand among minority voters who overwhelmingly backed Democrats last fall. The committee releases a 100-page report Monday outlining dozens of recommendations. The report says Republicans - quote -... more »

• Senate GOP blocks Hagel vote for now

  February 14, 2013 7:48 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republicans have, for now, blocked Chuck Hagel's nomination to become defense secretary. The Senate came up two votes short of the 60 needed to move Hagel's nomination forward as lawmakers prepare to leave town for a week's break. Democrats hold a 55-45 edge in the Senate. Republicans had... more »

• GOP turns to governors in post-2012 review

  January 25, 2013 1:06 PM

  GOP turns to governors in post-2012 review Eds: APNewsNow. Will be updated. KEN THOMAS Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Looking for a new direction, many Republicans are turning to the states for ideas on how to come back from their 2012 election defeat. Republicans are promoting the tax and... more »

• Soul searching in focus as GOP gathers in NC

  January 23, 2013 4:01 PM

  CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Republican soul searching begins in earnest this week as GOP officials from across the nation come together for the first time since their party's November shellacking. There is broad agreement that the Republican Party needs to undergo fundamental changes to remain competitive. But there is no clear... more »

• GOP official: House to vote on delaying debt limit

  January 18, 2013 12:04 PM

  WASHINGTON - A Republican official says the GOP-controlled House will vote next week to permit the government to borrow more money to meets its obligations. Full details aren't settled yet, but the move is aimed at giving the government about three more months of borrowing authority beyond a deadline expected... more »

• Boehner: GOP will pass 'responsible' debt bill

  January 14, 2013 1:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Speaker John Boehner says the GOP-controlled House will "do its job" and pass legislation to lift the nation's borrowing cap and keep the government running, but will insist that Democrats accept new spending controls. Boehner acknowledged Monday that failing to lift the so-called debt ceiling would have bad... more »

• Obama urges action on Sandy aid

  January 2, 2013 11:04 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is calling for House Republicans to vote Wednesday on Hurricane Sandy aid "without delay for our fellow Americans." It comes as New York lawmakers are lashing out at a decision by House GOP leaders not to hold a vote in the current Congress. Obama says... more »

• Boehner: Differences remain in fiscal cliff talks

  December 12, 2012 1:41 PM

  WASHINGTON - Talks between the White House and House Speaker John Boehner on a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" continue out of the public eye. But public statements from lawmakers suggest a deal is not close. Boehner himself says "serious differences" remain between him and President Barack Obama. The... more »

• Obama 'won't compromise,' but holds back on GOP criticism

  December 10, 2012 3:26 PM

  REDFORD, Mich. - President Barack Obama says he "won't compromise" on his demands that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes. However, Obama held back from directly criticizing Republicans for opposing his tax plans, perhaps signaling that private negotiations over the "fiscal cliff" are showing progress. Obama and Boehner met... more »

• Obama to paint Republicans as obstacles to a deal

  November 30, 2012 7:47 AM

  WASHINGTON - During his visit to the Philadelphia area today, President Barack Obama is planning on insisting on higher taxes for the top two percent of earners. That's according to White House officials, who say Obama will cast Republicans as an obstacle to a deal that would avoid the "fiscal... more »

• GOP senators seek more answers after meeting with Rice

  November 27, 2012 2:57 PM

  WASHINGTON - U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice says talking points she relied on when publicly discussing the deadly September attack on the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya simply had it wrong, and there was "no intention to mislead the American people." Rice and acting CIA Director Michael Morell met today... more »

• Bill Clinton: GOP taking away students' rights

  October 3, 2012 2:01 PM

  DURHAM, N.H. - Former President Bill Clinton is telling college students in the battleground state of New Hampshire that they have the right to vote either where they attend school or at home. Clinton took aim at the state's disputed new voter registration law while campaigning for President Barack Obama... more »

• New player in presidential politics to run ads

  September 21, 2012 10:50 AM

  NEW YORK - A new player in the presidential TV advertising campaign is set to go on the air next week in competitive states, according to several media trackers. The Republican-leaning Americans for Job Security will spend nearly $8.7 million across six states - Colorado, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio... more »

• National debt hits $16T; GOP critical

  September 4, 2012 4:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The national debt has topped $16 trillion as chronic government deficits have piled more than $50,000 worth of debt onto federal ledgers for every man, woman and child in the United States. Barack Obama's GOP rivals used the grim but expected news to blast the president for the... more »

• Isaac stalling elected officials' GOP travel plans

  August 27, 2012 10:25 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's Republican elected officials are scrapping or delaying Florida travel plans for the GOP's national convention. Some who had arrived in Tampa quickly turned around and headed home to wait for Tropical Storm Isaac. Gov. Bobby Jindal hasn't officially canceled his plans to speak at the convention,... more »

• Jindal may skip GOP convention because of Isaac

  August 26, 2012 4:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says he's considering skipping his speaking engagement at Republican National Convention because of Tropical Storm Isaac. Jindal said at a news conference Sunday afternoon that he wouldn't leave his state while it's threatened by the storm. Around the time he spoke, a hurricane... more »

• Arguments continue over GOP convention delegates

  August 1, 2012 3:04 PM

  BATON ROUGE - An ongoing dispute over Louisiana's delegates to next month's Republican National Convention has shifted to the national GOP level. State Republican Party leaders lining up behind presumed nominee Mitt Romney and supporters of libertarian Ron Paul couldn't reach an agreement over delegates. Dueling conventions elected separate... more »

• George H.W. Bush, Barbara to miss GOP convention

  July 17, 2012 11:14 AM

  HOUSTON- A spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush, will skip the Republican National Convention next month in Tampa, Fla., because of health reasons. The spokesman, Jim McGrath, says it will be the first time since 1976, when Bush was director of... more »

• GOP-controlled House votes to repeal health law

  July 11, 2012 3:02 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Republican-led House has voted to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law. But the election-year move stands no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. The vote Wednesday was 244-185. By the Republican count, it was the 33rd time in 18 months that the tea party-infused GOP majority has... more »

• Jindal: GOP must push for health care law repeal

  June 28, 2012 10:47 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal says the GOP must push for a full repeal of President Barack Obama's health care law, after it was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Republican Louisiana governor said Americans don't want the health care overhaul. He said it will decrease the quality of... more »

• GOP, Holder open to talks before contempt vote

  June 21, 2012 5:02 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Republican officials and Attorney General Eric Holder say they're willing to negotiate an end to a potential constitutional confrontation in a dispute related to the botched "Fast and Furious" gun-tracking operation. But that didn't stop House leaders from both parties from trading barbs over the issue again... more »

• Ron Paul supporters sue GOP, claiming intimidation

  June 20, 2012 3:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - Supporters of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul have filed a lawsuit against the Republican National Committee and nearly every state party claiming they improperly helped Mitt Romney during the primaries while using intimidation and threats of violence to thwart them. Paul's campaign says the Texas congressman doesn't support... more »

• Jindal attends GOP fundraisers in West Virginia

  June 19, 2012 5:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is raising money for Republicans in West Virginia. The governor's office said Jindal was attending fundraisers Tuesday for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Maloney and for the West Virginia Republican Party. Maloney is trying to unseat Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin in the state. more »

• Gov. Jindal travels to Virginia, Illinois

  June 7, 2012 5:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is back on the road for GOP causes, with scheduled stops including a Mitt Romney fundraiser in Chicago. The Republican governor's office said Thursday that Jindal is attending a Friday fundraiser for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's political action committee. Later that day, he's headed... more »

• House approves GOP bill repealing medical tax

  June 7, 2012 4:49 PM

  WASHINGTON - The House has shrugged off a veto threat and passed legislation repealing a tax on companies that produce many medical devices sold in the United States. Lawmakers approved the measure 270-146. Majority Republicans won support from three-dozen Democrats representing states where medical equipment makers have a heavy presence... more »

• Romney wins GOP presidential primaries in 5 states

  June 6, 2012 3:01 AM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney has won the California Republican presidential primary, completing a sweep of contests in five states. Romney also won presidential primaries Tuesday in New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico and Montana. The victories add to a delegate total that already exceeds the number needed to... more »

• Senate rejects GOP, Dem plans on student loans

  May 24, 2012 3:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate has rejected Democratic and Republican plans for averting a doubling of interest rates on federal college loans for 7.4 million students. The election-season standoff means efforts to resolve the dispute will be delayed until next month. Beginning July 1, interest rates for subsidized Stafford loans for... more »

• Senate Democrats reject House GOP budget plan

  May 16, 2012 3:43 PM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats controlling the Senate have rejected for the second consecutive year a budget plan passed by House Republicans. The vote came after a daylong debate Wednesday in which Democrats blasted Republicans for refusing to consider tax increases as part of a solution to trillion-dollar deficits. Republicans in turn... more »

• GOP blocks Senate debate on Dem student loan bill

  May 8, 2012 11:36 AM

  WASHINGTON- Republicans have blocked the Senate from debating a Democratic bill keeping interest rates on college loans from doubling this summer for 7.4 million students. Republicans say they support heading off higher rates on subsidized Stafford loans. They oppose how Democrats would pay for the measure - raising payroll taxes... more »

• Gingrich calls on GOP to unite behind Romney

  April 25, 2012 11:04 AM

  Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich all but conceded that his White House campaign is over. He said Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina that he expected Mitt Romney to be the GOP nominee. He also called on the party to unite behind the former Massachusetts governor. Gingrich did... more »

• Gingrich says he still has a chance

  April 11, 2012 1:25 PM

  NEWARK - Newt Gingrich says he still has a chance. He says it's still possible to win the GOP presidential nomination.Campaigning today in Delaware, Gingrich said, "It's not over and he has not won it yet," referring to Mitt Romney. Yesterday, Romney moved closer to claiming the nomination after chief... more »

• Message to Gingrich: stay in the race

  April 11, 2012 10:54 AM

  NEWARK- Newt Gingrich says supporters are encouraging him to stay in the GOP presidential race after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out. Gingrich campaigned at a senior center in Newark, Del., Wednesday, one day after Santorum's announcement and two weeks before the state's April 24 primary. Gingrich says he... more »

• Romney halfway to clinching GOP nomination

  April 2, 2012 3:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney is halfway to clinching to the Republican nomination for president. Romney inched up to 572 delegates on Monday - exactly half the 1,144 needed - after the Tennessee Republican Party finalized delegate totals from its March 6 primary. Results in several congressional districts were too close... more »

• Santorum on defensive as race turns to Louisiana Play Video

  March 23, 2012 5:28 PM

  WEST MONROE, La. (AP) - Facing heightened pressure to revive his presidential bid, Rick Santorum was forced to explain another apparent misstep as he courted Louisiana voters Friday, the eve of a critical contest in a Republican nomination battle that increasingly favors Mitt Romney. Santorum said he would support the... more »

• Jeb Bush backs Romney

  March 21, 2012 11:50 AM

  WASHINGTON - Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is endorsing Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination. Bush said the nation faces huge challenges and needs a leader who understands the economy, favors less government regulation, believes in "entrepreneurial capitalism" and wants to help all Americans have a second chance. Bush... more »

• Romney pushes GOP presidential race toward a close

  March 21, 2012 8:12 AM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney says he's "almost there" in his six-year pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination, having defeated Rick Santorum in the Illinois GOP primary. The GOP front-runner is urging Republicans in a campaign email sent after Tuesday's victory to fall in line behind his bid. Romney... more »

• GOP candidates swing through Louisiana Play Video

  March 16, 2012 5:11 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Republican candidates for President are making their way through Louisiana, just one week before the March 24 primary. Secret Service agents spent all day at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church preparing for Rick Santorum's Sunday night visit. Terry plans to ask Santorum about issues of faith Sunday... more »

• GOP nomination fight is Romney vs. Santorum

  March 14, 2012 7:33 AM

  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The Republican presidential nomination fight is heading toward Puerto Rico as a two-man race, with Rick Santorum ascendant and Mitt Romney vanquished in the Deep South. Santorum urged conservatives to "pull together" to defeat Romney after winning Tuesday's primaries in Alabama and Mississippi. Romney salvaged... more »

• Pro-Romney mailer tells voters wrong primary day

  March 13, 2012 11:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE- An independent group touting Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination has started sending out mailers to Louisiana voters in advance of the state's March 24 primary - but didn't quite the details right for advising voters. Restore Our Future, a super PAC helping to finance television ads,... more »

• Voting in Alabama, Mississippi could clarify race

  March 13, 2012 8:57 AM

  BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Deep South primaries today could answer questions for all three Republican presidential candidates. Polls are open in Alabama and Mississippi as Mitt Romney tries to make a southern breakthrough. At the same time, Newt Gingrich is seen as needing wins to stay in the race while Rick Santorum... more »

• GOP candidates plan to visit Louisiana

  March 12, 2012 12:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum will hold a rally tomorrow in Lafayette. GOP candidates are lining up visits to Louisiana before the state's presidential primary on March 24th. Santorum's Lafayette rally is a fundraiser. Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are also expected to make campaign stops in... more »

• GOP candidates make plans to visit Louisiana

  March 12, 2012 11:01 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is planning a Tuesday rally in Lafayette, as GOP candidates start lining up visits to Louisiana as the state's presidential primary draws near. Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere says Santorum is holding a fundraiser and the evening rally Tuesday. Villere says... more »

• GOP hopefuls look South

  March 11, 2012 9:28 AM

  WASHINGTON - Polls show a close race in the two Republican presidential primaries set for Tuesday. Alabama and Mississippi are seen as critical to Newt Gingrich's ability to stay in the race. A Gingrich aide has said the former House Speaker must win both primaries. Rick Santorum is looking to... more »

• Romney, Santorum share Super Tuesday spoils

  March 7, 2012 9:22 AM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are trying to make the most of a mixed Super Tuesday, each claiming a measure of victory but unable to settle the most tumultuous race for the GOP presidential nomination in decades. Romney narrowly won in pivotal Ohio, seized a home-state victory in... more »

• Roemer says GOP didn't give him a chance

  February 23, 2012 11:51 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer says he's running for president as an independent because the Republican Party didn't give him a chance to be a viable candidate. Roemer says he shouldn't have been shut out of the TV debates, and he says both the GOP and the Democratic... more »

• Roemer goes Independent

  February 22, 2012 10:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer is giving up his attempt to win the Republican nomination for president. But he's no giving up his bid for the White House. Roemer announced today that he is leaving the GOP after his dismal performances in the states that... more »

• GOP 'super PACs' overtaking campaigns' fundraising

  February 21, 2012 7:15 AM

  WASHINGTON - An unmistakable dynamic is playing out in the money game among Republican presidential candidates: New "super" political action committees are growing more powerful than the campaigns they support. For two of the leading GOP front-runners, their supportive super PACs raised more money and have more cash left in... more »

• Analysis: Obama sets up clash with GOP in budget

  February 13, 2012 11:07 AM

  WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama's new federal budget showcases the major priorities of his presidency and sets up the top battles that will be waged on both sides in the presidential campaign. In its calls for hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending on job-creating programs and higher taxes on... more »

• GOP candidates to woo conservatives at big event

  February 10, 2012 4:55 AM

  WASHINGTON - Three of the four Republican presidential candidates are addressing a major conservative gathering in Washington, giving them a high-profile stage to reshape their messages at a moment of uncertainty in the contest. Former Sen. Rick Santorum rocked the Republican world this week by winning caucuses in Colorado and... more »

• GOP presidential campaign moves west

  February 1, 2012 6:19 AM

  TAMPA, Fla. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he's "ready to lead this party and our nation." Romney won Tuesday's Florida GOP primary, taking 46 percent of the vote. Newt Gingrich received 32 percent, Rick Santorum, 13 percent and Ron Paul, 7 percent. Gingrich lost to Romney by a... more »

• Jindal: Honored to support Perry

  January 19, 2012 12:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Governor Bobby Jindal says it was an honor to support Texas Governor Rick Perry in his bid for the GOP presidential nomination. Perry dropped out of the race this morning. Lagging in the polls, Perry said he concluded there was no "viable path forward" for... more »

• Perry abandoning presidential bid, backing Gingrich

  January 19, 2012 9:03 AM

  CHARLESTON - Texas Gov. Rick Perry is abandoning his presidential bid and endorsing Newt Gingrich. That's according to Republican officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the Republican presidential candidate's announcement. Perry plans a news conference at 11 a.m. in South Carolina, where he will announce... more »

• Officials: Huntsman to drop out of GOP race

  January 16, 2012 5:40 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Jon Huntsman will withdraw Monday from the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Campaign officials tell The Associated Press Huntsman will endorse Mitt Romney at an event in South Carolina on Monday morning. The former Utah governor placed third in last week's New Hampshire primary despite devoting... more »

• Romney adds to lead in race for GOP delegates

  January 11, 2012 6:32 AM

  (AP) - His victories in last night's New Hampshire primary and last week's Iowa caucuses mean Mitt Romney has a strong lead in the scramble for Republican presidential delegates. But with 1,144 needed for the nomination, there's still a long road ahead. Romney picked up seven delegates in New Hampshire... more »

• Jindal stands by Rick Perry for GOP nomination

  January 4, 2012 5:11 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal says he's not giving up on Rick Perry as a contender for the Republican presidential nomination, despite Perry's poor showing in the Iowa caucuses. Jindal said Wednesday that he still believes in the Texas governor's viability and stands by his endorsement. The Louisiana governor... more »

• Bachmann ends her campaign for GOP nomination

  January 4, 2012 9:38 AM

  DES MOINES, Iowa - Michele Bachmann has ended her presidential campaign - leaving her supporters up for grabs as Rick Santorum tries to become the conservative heavyweight in the Republican race. She said Wednesday she has "decided to stand aside" but would continue fighting to overturn what she called President... more »

• Herman Cain: No endorsement before Iowa caucus

  December 30, 2011 4:14 PM

  DES MOINES - Don't expect Herman Cain to endorse any of the Republican presidential candidates before Tuesday's Iowa caucuses Cain's campaign manager Mark Block told The Associated Press in an e-mail on Friday that the former GOP candidate is not prepared to endorse anyone. He did not elaborate. Cain enjoyed... more »

• Romney casts Ron Paul as fringe candidate

  December 30, 2011 3:17 PM

  WEST DES MOINES, Iowa - The polls suggest that Ron Paul could be the only Republican who could cost Mitt Romney a victory in Tuesday's Iowa caucuses. And Romney is setting out to make sure that doesn't happen. During TV interviews today, Romney said he doesn't think that Paul "represents... more »

• La. Democrats look to rebuild grassroots base

  December 1, 2011 12:34 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - After a string of losses and the inability to field a slate of statewide candidates this fall, Louisiana's Democratic Party is retrenching. Party leaders say they are focused on rebuilding grass-roots support, re-establishing local leadership committees and attracting candidates with an eye to the 2012... more »

• New Jersey governor fundraising for La. GOP

  September 29, 2011 10:31 AM

  BATON ROUGE - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a rising national GOP star, is helping Louisiana's Republican Party fundraise for the fall elections. Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal will hold a rally Thursday afternoon before heading to the private cash-generating event for the state GOP, where tickets range... more »

• White House, GOP discuss potential debt limit pact

  July 31, 2011 10:01 AM

  WASHINGTON- White House officials and congressional Republicans are discussing a potential agreement that could end their bitter debt limit showdown. The hope is that a deal can be completed by Tuesday to avert a possible government default. Officials speaking on condition of anonymity say the White House and GOP... more »

• Senate to stay in session until debt hike passes

  July 18, 2011 12:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The leader of the Senate says the chamber will meet every day - including weekends - until Congress sends President Barack Obama legislation to make sure the government doesn't default on its obligations. Nevada Democrat Harry Reid said there's no more important task than ensuring the U.S.... more »

• Finance reports offer insight into GOP field

  July 15, 2011 6:07 AM

  WASHINGTON- With six months to go before the first votes are cast, Republican presidential contenders are disclosing how much cash they have available - and how much debt they have to overcome - to win the GOP's nomination. Federal election reports are due today and are expected to offer an... more »

• Perry may "Shake Up" Republican field

  July 11, 2011 7:20 PM

  Texas Governor Rick Perry is calling influential members of the GOP in the early voting states of New Hampshire and Iowa in another indication he's seriously considering a run for President. He called New Hampshire Senate President Peter Bragdon over the weekend to gauge support and get feedback on what... more »

• GOP hopefuls descend on La.

  June 17, 2011 3:01 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- As Republicans gather in this conservative bastion to hear from the party's presidential candidates, they'll also be sending a not-so-subtle message to President Barack Obama - the South is GOP territory. No less than five GOP hopefuls were appearing at the four-day Republican Leadership Conference, planning to introduce... more »

• Mitt Romney, Ron Paul clash on Afghanistan pullout

  June 14, 2011 3:30 AM

  MANCHESTER, N.H.- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul are disagreeing on how quickly to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Romney said at a Republican presidential debate Monday that generals in Afghanistan should guide the pullout schedule based to conditions on the ground. He said the troops... more »

• Romney to face rivals in his first 2012 debate

  June 13, 2011 5:22 AM

  MANCHESTER, N.H.- Republicans eyeing their party's presidential nomination in 2012 are preparing for the first debate to include former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Romney and six of his rivals are scheduled to meet Monday night at St. Anselm's College in Manchester. It will be the first time Romney will share... more »

• Texas governor says he might run for president

  May 27, 2011 12:50 PM

  AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he'll consider seeking the Republican nomination for president. The longest serving governor in Texas history reversed course Friday after saying for months he wasn't interesting in running for the White House. Perry said he will decide whether to enter the... more »

• Jindal offers congratulations for Bin Laden death

  May 2, 2011 11:13 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal congratulated President Barack Obama, his national security team and the military for the death of Osama bin Laden, calling it a "great day for America, a great day for justice around the world." Jindal made his comments Monday. He thanked the... more »

• House passes $6T spending cut plan

  April 15, 2011 1:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The House has passed a Republican budget blueprint proposing to fundamentally overhaul Medicare for future beneficiaries while combating out-of-control budget deficits. It would impose sharp spending cuts on social safety net programs like food stamps and Medicaid. The GOP proposal passed 235-193, with every Democrat voting... more »

• No deal yet as possible government shutdown looms

  April 6, 2011 1:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate's second ranking Democrat said Wednesday that negotiators on the budget are making progress but that conservative GOP policy prescriptions remain obstacles as they scramble to avert a government shutdown this weekend. "I feel better today than I did yesterday," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. "There's... more »

• House Republicans seek IRS probe of AARP

  March 30, 2011 1:11 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Republicans want the IRS to investigate whether AARP's lucrative insurance business violates its status as a tax-exempt organization. The seniors lobby pushed for President Barack Obama's health care law, which was solidly opposed by Republicans. On Wednesday, three senior GOP lawmakers released a report estimating... more »

• Jindal staff meets with GOP lawmakers on remap

  March 28, 2011 1:32 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Lawmakers say two of Gov. Bobby Jindal's top advisers have been discussing the redesign of state political maps with the Legislature's Republican delegation, after the governor urged bipartisanship for the redistricting special session. Jindal chief of staff Timmy Teepell and executive counsel Stephen Waguespack met... more »

• GOP: Debt burden hinders long-term growth

  January 8, 2011 10:44 AM

  WASHINGTON - Republicans are spotlighting steps being taken by the new GOP House majority, including trimming members' operating budgets and moving to repeal President Barack Obama's signature health care law. The GOP contends the law extending coverage to 30 million uninsured Americans is a budget-busting job-killer. In the weekly GOP... more »

• Boehner elected House speaker, succeeding Pelosi

  January 5, 2011 1:00 PM

  WASHINGTON - Rep. John Boehner has been elected speaker of the House, sealing newfound Republican power-sharing in Congress and drawing the curtain on the history-making Nancy Pelosi era at the helm. Cheers broke out among GOP lawmakers on the House floor as Boehner, a veteran lawmaker from Ohio, defeated... more »

• St. Martinville lawmaker switches to GOP

  December 14, 2010 11:32 AM

  ST. MARTINVILLE- State Democrats lose another vote in the State House. State Rep. Fred Mills will join the GOP. Mills, a pharmacist from St. Martinville, is in his first term at the state House and is planning to run for a vacant state Senate seat in a special January election... more »

• State Dem leader jumps to GOP

  December 8, 2010 11:55 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The State Senate gets another Republican. Senator John Alario, a former two-time House speaker and fixture in the state Democratic party for nearly 40 years switched to the GOP. The switch became public Wednesday, but he "quietly" filled-out the paperwork last week. The Westwego senator told The Times-Picayune... more »

• House GOP blocks bill to extend jobless benefits

  November 18, 2010 1:13 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republicans in the House have blocked a bill that would have extended jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed beyond the holiday season. The most recent extension of jobless benefits expires Dec. 1. Two million people will lose benefits averaging $310 a week nationwide by the end... more »

• GOP takes control of La. house with Hines switch

  November 12, 2010 2:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Republicans will have the majority in Louisiana's House of Representatives for the first time since Reconstruction, with the party switch of a New Orleans lawmaker. Democratic Rep. Walker Hines announced Friday he is switching to the GOP. Hines' move gives Republicans 51, with Democrats having... more »

• GOP seeks cuts to pay for renewed jobless benefits

  November 5, 2010 4:45 PM

  WASHINGTON - Newly empowered Republicans are demanding spending cuts of $5 billion to $6 billion a month as a condition for extending emergency unemployment benefits that otherwise will start expiring Dec. 1 for millions of workers who've been without jobs for half a year or longer. Up to 2 million... more »

• GOP Leader Endorses Dem in Nevada Senate Race

  October 7, 2010 7:29 PM

  U.S. Seantor Harry Reid of Nevada got an endorsement he probably didn't expect to get in his bid for re-election. One of the state's most influential Republicans over the last 40 years reluctantly chose Reid over GOP candidate Sharron Angle. State Senator Bill Raggio says Angle has extreme views and... more »

• Teepell to work on GOP campaigns this summer

  July 8, 2010 11:43 AM

  Gov. Bobby Jindal's chief of staff, Timmy Teepell, is leaving his post for three months to work on Republican campaigns for governors around the country. Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin told The Associated Press that Teepell will work with the Republican Governors Association on the gubernatorial races. Teepell will... more »

• Obama pushes senators for energy bill

  June 29, 2010 12:28 PM

  Senators say President Barack Obama is insisting that any energy legislation put a price on carbon emissions - something many Republicans call an energy tax they can't accept. Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman told reporters after meeting with the president Tuesday that Obama was clear an energy bill... more »

• Wealthy businesswomen energize Calif. GOP voters

  June 8, 2010 8:12 AM

  Two wealthy businesswomen are poised to make history in today's Republican primary in California. Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman is the GOP front-runner in the race to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina is the leading Republican in the U.S. Senate race. The Republicans have never... more »

• GOP picks Tampa for 2012 convention

  May 12, 2010 2:58 PM

  The GOP is headed to Florida. Republicans have picked Tampa for their 2012 presidential convention. Florida is a swing state with a hefty 27 electoral votes. The choice still needs the approval from the full Republican National Committee in August. The last Republican convention in Florida was... more »

• Porn star: Sex club flap prompts switch to GOP

  April 6, 2010 5:25 PM

  A Louisiana-born porn star says that if she goes through with a run for the U.S. Senate, she'll run as a Republican. In a Tuesday news release making light of a recent Republican spending controversy, Stormy Daniels notes that the Republican National Committee picked up a nearly $2,000 tab... more »

• Jindal to headline GOP fundraiser

  April 2, 2010 10:03 AM

  Gov. Bobby Jindal is headlining a fundraising reception for the state Republican Party next week, although he is prohibited from raising campaign cash during the legislative session. However, his appearance is legal because it's for the GOP, not Jindal personally. The April 9 event in New Orleans costs... more »

• State GOP chairman running for Lt. Gov.

  March 30, 2010 1:55 PM

  The head of the state Republican Party has announced he is tossing his hat into the race for Louisiana Lieutenant Governor this fall. Roger Villere says he is launching a campaign focused on economic development. Villere, from Metairie, joins two other Republicans, Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and... more »

• RNC staffer fired over sex club expenses

  March 30, 2010 1:09 PM

  The Republican National Committee has fired a staffer who helped organize a $1,946 visit last month to a sex-themed Hollywood club, and the GOP says it will recoup the money from a donor who also participated. The episode is the latest in a string of questionable spending by the... more »

• GOP fires staffer over topless club visit

  March 30, 2010 9:50 AM

  A staffer who helped organize a visit to a sex-themed Hollywood club that cost nearly $2,000 has been fired by the GOP. The GOP says it will recoup the money from a donor who also participated. The outing to Voyeur West Hollywood involved several members of the "Young Eagles" GOP... more »

• Republicans condemn threats against lawmakers

  March 25, 2010 12:28 PM

  Republicans are pleading with opponents of the Democratic health care overhaul to refrain from violence and threats. On the House floor this morning, GOP Congressman Mike Pence said passage of the bill that President Barack Obama signed into law earlier this week, is "no excuse for bigotry, threats or... more »

• Gov. Jindal beefs up campaign organization

  March 2, 2010 1:16 PM

  When it comes to running for a second term, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has tapped into an extensive network of Republican consulting firms known for their work with GOP candidates. Right now, Gov. Jindal is seeking a second term as governor, but the connections he is tapping into reach... more »

• Jindal out of state on fundraising trip

  September 28, 2009 3:56 PM

  Gov. Bobby Jindal is heading out again on the campaign fundraising trail, planning three events early this week in the Washington, D.C., area. Jindal's office says the governor is attending a Monday night fundraiser for Bob McDonnell, the Republican candidate for Virginia governor who is running in a tight race... more »