Topic: Dean Heller

Decoder Wire Gun control forces take fight to New Hampshire, Sen. Kelly Ayotte

Gun control advocates are taking their message to the states, through ads, town hall meetings, and shaming campaigns. They poked Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) of New Hampshire on Tuesday.

Gun vote backlash: Five senators who said 'no' see ratings plunge

Approval ratings have plummeted for five senators who voted against expanded background checks for gun buyers, says a PPP survey. But only one is up for reelection in 2014. Will it still matter in 2016 or 2018?

Decoder Wire Four reasons the Senate gun control bill may be kaput

The Senate is slated to vote Wednesday on nine gun control provisions, but prospects for passage for several – including expanding background checks to more gun buyers – look dim. Here's why.

Nevada depot explosion kills seven. What is known so far?

The explosion at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada appears to have been a training-ground accident. Early reports suggest perhaps a mortar exploded prematurely.

Focus
Election 2012: In Senate, a mighty struggle to maintain status quo

The battle for the Senate now looks like a standoff with neither Republicans nor Democrats likely to win the 60 seats needed for political control. Will partisan gridlock change after Election 2012?

Did Todd Akin just cost GOP a US Senate takeover? (+video)

With the uproar over his comment on 'legitimate rape,' Missouri Rep. Todd Akin has likely hurt his chances at beating Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) in November. Control of the Senate hangs in the balance – and Akin is resisting calls to exit the race.

Wounded aide wins Giffords' seat in Arizona election

Ron Barber, who was wounded in the shooting, won the special election on Tuesday night. 

Tight race in Arizona for Giffords' former aide

The former Congresswoman has been campaigning for her chosen successor; voters are at the polls today in a special election.

Will appearances by Gabrielle Giffords save Arizona seat for Dems?

Gabrielle Gifford is helping the former director of her district office, Democrat Ron Barber, in his race to fill her Arizona seat in Congress. His Republican opponent is Jesse Kelly.

Opinion: One way to force compromise in Congress: No budget, no pay

The Fix Congress Now Caucus is a bipartisan task force of representatives committed to fixing Congress through meaningful reforms. Our first goal: Pass the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would require Congress to pass a budget on time or have members' salaries withheld until it does.

Decoder Wire In defeat of Paycheck Fairness Act, Senate goes into deep campaign mode

Senate activity surrounding the Paycheck Fairness Act – it failed to get enough votes to overcome a GOP filibuster – more closely resembled the taping of campaign ads rather than a debate of the issue.

Why House Republicans are balking at payroll tax cut

Republicans in the House of Representatives don't like a two-month payroll tax cut extension. But American voters aren't  thrilled by the resulting payroll tax hike.

Why John Boehner can still win the tax-cut showdown

House Speaker John Boehner stunned Senate Democrats and Republicans when he said the House would vote down their two-month deal on the payroll tax cut and other measures.

Budget brinkmanship in Congress must end

2011 was a  a year-long game of chicken played by our policy makers. This is a dangerous way to make tax and spending decisions.

Can the GOP be tough on the rich? How about no food stamps?

The White House on Thursday rejected as insubstantial a GOP proposal to curtail unemployment insurance and food stamps for the rich as an offset for extending the payroll tax cut.

In recession-smacked Nevada, can GOP pry Latino voters from Obama?

Obama won Nevada handily in 2008 – and captured 78 percent of the Latino vote. But in 2012 Nevada will be a battleground. Republicans see an opening, because the poor economy has hit minority groups hard.

John Ensign resignation puts focus on Nevada elections. Will GOP have an edge?

Facing scandal, Sen. John Ensign (R) of Nevada is resigning. That allows Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval to name a replacement, which in turn could open up a US House seat.

In Nevada US Senate race, it'll be Harry Reid vs. Sharron Angle

Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle won the GOP primary Tuesday in Nevada's US Senate race. She'll face Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the fall.

Ensign’s approval rating plunges, but he still beats Harry Reid