In this October 2011 photo, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Ill., is seen during the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington. (Charles Dharapak/AP/File)

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. beset by difficulties, but Election Day isn't one

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Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D) of Illinois has been absent from Congress since June, citing his health. He's also under investigation by a House ethics panel and, reportedly, the FBI. But he looks poised to sail to reelection, polling shows.

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Election 2012: Can the Democrats retake control of the House?

Congressman Steve Israel says a net gain of 25 seats – what Democrats need to win back control of the House in Election 2012 – is 'in range.' The key, he says, is independents.
'Joe the Plumber' and Herman Cain: A match made on cloud 9-9-9?

'Joe the Plumber' (a.k.a. Samuel Wurzelbacher), who is running for Congress, will campaign with Herman Cain. But the antitax everyman might be two years too late.
New York special election is a smelling salt for Obama, Democrats

New York special election: In a House district where Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1, the victory of GOP businessman Bob Turner delivers a sobering message to the Democratic Party leadership.
In Anthony Weiner's old district, signs of a backlash against Obama?

The special election to replace disgraced Rep. Anthony Weiner takes place in a district that has a 3-to-1 Democratic advantage and has not been represented by a Republican since 1923.
With Weiner's exit, is his House seat safe for Democrats?

Local Republicans see an opening, but they'd need to persuade the national GOP to invest in a special election in N.Y. Ninth. Anthony Weiner resigned the seat Thursday amid a sexting scandal.
What lessons will GOP take from losing New York-26 House seat?

Medicare is indeed a perilous issue for Republicans, Tuesday's House race in New York's 26th District showed. But so are third-party candidates and tepid campaigns.
Can House race in New York alter budget fight on Capitol Hill?

Democrats hope that a win in New York's 26th District on Tuesday would signal to GOP lawmakers that the public rejects their austerity plan for coping with national debt and the deficit.
N.Y. race heats up: Democrats test message on GOP plan to 'end Medicare'

In a special congressional election for New York's solidly Republican 26th District, the Democrat says her GOP foe would back Paul Ryan's plan to 'end Medicare.' The parties are taking notice.
Speaker-to-be John Boehner: More confrontation or a hint of compromise?

After a House Republican landslide, presumptive Speaker John Boehner will have to handle a wounded President Obama and tea party lawmakers emboldened by their success. In a Monitor interview, Boehner suggests ways that he might be able to bridge the gap between the two.
On historic night, Republicans sweep House Democrats from power

Republicans needed to claim 39 Democratic seats to retake the House Tuesday. They won more than 60, surpassing the 'Republican Revolution' of 1994.
Midterm elections: 12 House races to watch to judge size of a GOP 'wave'

Most observers expect Republicans to take over the House of Representatives, but more than 100 races could go either way. The magic number Republicans need to gain to take control: 39. Here are a handful of races to keep an eye on in the states with early-closing polls.
Arkansas: last bastion of the Southern Democrat poised to fall

Polls suggest that Arkansas' House contingent could flip from three Democrats to three Republicans Tuesday. One of the seats has been Democratic since Reconstruction.
Want votes? First, candidates in Election 2010 must make a pledge.

Grass-roots groups, mostly on the right, insist that House and Senate candidates in Election 2010 make specific pledges, before giving their thumbs' up. Spending cuts and repeal of the federal health-care law are often on the pledge list.
Will 'tea party' backing for third-party candidates boost House Dems?

Third-party candidates with 'tea party' support stand to siphon votes from Republicans in as many as 20 House races.
Why the NRA is rallying behind endangered Democrats

Historically, the NRA has overwhelmingly supported Republicans. But Democrats began backing many pro-gun House candidates in 2006, and now the NRA is coming to their defense.
House Republicans at risk? Districts where Democrats hope for upsets

Democrats are expected to lose House seats in Election 2010, but in districts where demographics are shifting their way they are working to upset Republican incumbents. California's Third District is one.
GOP's Pledge to America laced with 'tea party' slogans

Economically, the GOP's Pledge to America, released Thursday, is aimed at small businesses, repealing health-care reform, for example. But the document is also a clear pledge to 'tea party' supporters: You can trust us.
Rise of the YouTube ambush in Election 2010: a case study

Election 2010 campaigns seed town-hall meetings with tough questioners and cameras, in the hope of tarring a rival via a 'YouTube moment.' Here's a look at one recent episode in an Ohio House race.
House ripe for Republican takeover, latest polls find

Voter dissatisfaction with the federal government is at an 18-year high as campaign season officially kicks off. Democrats are fighting discouragement, while Republicans try to temper expectations.
In Pennsylvania, signs that 'Republican revolution' could repeat itself

In Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District, a Republican challenger with little money poses a serious threat to a Democratic incumbent with deep pockets. Does the race portend a Republican revolution à la 1994?
November election: Virginia race shows what Democrats are up against

House Democrats are trying to defend their record from GOP attacks. Here’s a closer look at a Virginia race, featuring freshman Rep. Gerald Connolly (D) and GOP challenger Keith Fimian, which could figure big in the November election.
Alaska's Lisa Murkowski: No. 7 on list of ousted incumbents?

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) of Alaska could become the seventh congressional incumbent to lose a primary in 2010 if her too-close-to-call race with 'tea party' favorite Joe Miller stays in Mr. Miller's favor.
Amid John Boehner blast at Obama, hints of how GOP would rule

House Republican leader John Boehner called on President Obama Wednesday to fire his economic team. But his comments also offered a glimpse of what the would-be House Speaker might do differently if the GOP retakes the House in November.
Ethics charges against Maxine Waters add to Democrats' woes

Rep. Maxine Waters of California is the second Democrat in two weeks to face a trial over alleged ethics violations. Republicans will use the charges to try to gain ground in midterm elections.
Rangel, Waters, and the perils of Democrats 'draining the swamp'

Democratic Reps. Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters, both members of the Congressional Black Caucus, are poised to have House trials on ethics charges right before midterm elections. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pledged to 'drain the swamp' of Washington corruption.