Free Republic

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision not to seek the top job again after being ousted by members of his own party caught many by surprise on Tuesday evening — while also creating a power vacuum to take over the gavel. GOP lawmakers have already started putting in calls to colleagues in the hours after McCarthy, R-Calif., stepped aside. The House Republican conference is expected to have a candidate forum for House speaker on Tuesday next week followed by elections on Wednesday.

Democrats predict that as many as 30 candidates will compete in their party's presidential primary in 2020. And while it's still too early to say who might come out on top, buzz is building around some potential candidates, even as other hopefuls fade to the background. A year after a devastating 2016 defeat, Democrats are craving new faces with fresh ideas. Yet many of their leading contenders for the White House in 2020 are politicians who have been around for decades. There's also no clear standout in the potential field. "You have a bunch of Celine Dions but there’s no...

WASHINGTON — Technically, no big-name Republican has formally declared his candidacy for president in 2016. There are as many as two dozen others still in the mix, ranging from those who are just talking about it to others with what amounts to campaigns-in-waiting. Here’s where they stand in the off-and-running race for campaign cash. Click the link to see the list......

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a Tea Party darling, called on Obama to fire Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and quickly submit a plan to balance the budget, not just reduce deficits. “This president has destroyed the credit rating of the United States through his failed economic policies and his inability to control government spending by raising the debt ceiling,” she said. “President Obama is destroying the foundations of the U.S. economy one beam at a time.” S&P said the plan fell short of solving the country’s debt problem. President Obama met with Geithner in the Oval Office late Friday afternoon before...

To the casual observer, it may seem early to be sizing up the 2012 Republican presidential field. But despite the fact that only one hopeful has announced plans to run thus far - that would be former Godfather's Pizza CEO and relative unknown Herman Cain - likely candidates have been working feverishly behind the scenes to lay the groundwork for a credible run at the GOP nomination. They've been lining up staff, speaking to key constituencies in early voting states like Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, raising their profile through media appearances, and building the fundraising networks crucial to...

DES MOINES, Iowa - Four Republicans considering running for president in 2008 courted activists Saturday and predicted GOP success in the November elections despite the party's sagging support in polls. "The theme is we are right on the issues, not just for Iowa but for the country," said New York Gov. George Pataki. "I understand what the experts are saying, but if we stick to Republican principles we will succeed." Also at the Iowa Republican convention, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) said, "The Democrats want this election to be a referendum election. But the best thing we...

If Sen. John McCain seeks the Republican nomination for president in 2008, as expected, he could face stiff competition from another conservative Vietnam vet considered a maverick within the party - Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel. Observers say Hagel could be attractive to many of the centrist Republicans who voted for McCain in the 2000 primaries. Like McCain, Hagel has parted ways with the Bush administration on a number of issues. He's been critical of American troop levels in Iraq and U.S. preparation for the reconstruction of the country. He's spoken out about U.S. policy regarding prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, saying...

Only in a place as obsessed with politics as Washington could an election more than three and a half years away dominate so many discussions. But, heading into the first presidential campaign in 80 years without an incumbent president or vice president running, the possibilities are fascinating. On the Republican side, virtually every national poll shows former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani leading the pack, with 25 to 30 percent of the vote. Sen. John McCain of Arizona tends to run second, with 20 to 25 percent, and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia,...

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - The crowded pack of Democratic presidential contenders went easy with each other at a labor forum on Saturday, focusing their criticism on President Bush (news - web sites) while pledging support for a worker-friendly domestic agenda. Two weeks after a contentious debate in South Carolina, the candidates stayed away from attacks on each other while touting activist approaches to health care, economic revitalization and the appointment of federal judges. "To beat this president, we have to be bold," Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt told a gathering of 1,000 national leaders of the 1.4-million member American Federation...

Observer Washington Bureau COLUMBIA - Flanked by his extended family, Sen. John Edwards delivered a speech Saturday morning to a hall full of Democrats, laying out his populist vision of America and taking on President Bush.The speech capped a weekend spent by Edwards and another Democratic presidential contender, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., at the state party's annual convention.South Carolina is crucial for whoever wants the Democratic nomination to challenge President Bush in 2004.It is the nation's third party contest, after Iowa and New Hampshire. In addition, South Carolina will be important because it will indicate whether a candidate has the...