Jack Kingston Raised $270K at Senate Fundraiser #GASEN

Kingston is running for Senate. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., announced he raised $270,000 at a fundraiser on May 3 — one day after he formally entered an already crowded primary for Senate.

The Kingston campaign boasted it set a fundraising record for an event in Savannah, surpassing the mark previously set by GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney last year. Full story

Two House Democrats Back Aguilar Over Baca #CA31

Baca is running for Congress again. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Two members of Congress from Southern California endorsed Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, who is part of a growing field of Democrats hoping to defeat Rep. Gary G. Miller, R-Calif., in 2014.

On Monday, Reps. Loretta Sanchez and Gloria Negrete McLeod endorsed Aguilar over former Rep. Joe Baca, who was planning for a rematch with Negrete McLeod before switching to the 31st District last month. Not surprisingly, both members have unpleasant histories with Baca. (See also in Roll Call: ‘Blood Feud’ Between Baca, Negrete McLeod) Full story

Steve King Will Not Run for Senate #IASEN

King will not run for Senate. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll File Photo).

Republican Rep. Steve King announced on Twitter late Friday night that he would not run for Senate:

I will not run for Senate in 2014. A Senate race takes me out of urgent battles in Congress that can't wait until 2015. Many thanks to all.

— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) May 4, 2013

Democrat David Gill’s Convenient Appointment #IL13

A four-time unsuccessful Democratic congressional candidate was appointed Friday to a state government post — the same day a top national Democratic recruit made it clear she will run for Congress.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s appointment of David Gill removes a potential primary spoiler for Ann Callis, a Madison County Circuit Court chief judge. The party has been pursuing Callis for months to challenge freshman GOP Rep. Rodney Davis.

After defeating a top recruit in the 2012 Democratic primary, Gill lost to Davis in the general election for the competitive 13th District. Some Democrats were concerned about a repeat in 2014. Gill was mentioned as recently as this week in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch story looking into potential Democratic challengers.

But the move by the Democratic governor likely takes him out of the running and helps clear the path for Callis. Full story

Mike Huckabee Endorses Rounds in GOP Primary #SDSEN

Huckabee endorsed Rounds. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds landed a national conservative endorsement Friday that could help him in a potentially competitive Republican Senate primary.

Mike Huckabee, a Fox News host and former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate, endorsed Rounds for the state’s open-seat Senate race.

South Dakota conservatives are actively seeking an alternative candidate to Rounds in the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson. None has stepped forward so far, but Rep. Kristi Noem has not taken her name out of consideration yet. Full story

Hanabusa Makes Senate Bid Official #HISEN

Hanabusa will run for Senate. (Bill Clark/Roll Call File Photo)

Hawaii Rep. Colleen Hanabusa made it official Thursday — she’s running for the Democratic nomination for Senate.

The move comes as no surprise. CQ Roll Call reported last week that Hanabusa was expected to announce this week, and Hanabusa has openly discussed the race since being passed over for an appointment to the seat in December.

Full story

First Republican Enters Race for Cassidy’s House Seat #LA06

The grandson of a former champion Louisiana State University football coach is the first Republican to enter the race for the Bayou State’s open 6th District.

Republican Paul Dietzel, a first-time candidate who owns a Baton Rouge, La.-based software company, announced Thursday his candidacy for the seat of GOP Rep. Bill Cassidy, who is running for Senate.

“Our country needs new leadership and new ideas, and I’m running for Congress to bring that fresh perspective we need,” Dietzel said.

He is likely to have plenty of company once the state legislative session ends.

Full story

Bill Northey Passes on Iowa Race #IASEN

Northey, left, will not run for Senate. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Another potential GOP candidate for Iowa’s open Senate seat has announced he will not run, leaving Republicans to continue their search for a strong prospect to run in this top pick-up opportunity.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey became the second Republican in as many weeks to decide not to run. The party continues to await a decision from Republican Rep. Steve King, who remains undecided about the race.

Some Republicans are concerned about a potential King candidacy, arguing that his conservative politics do not have enough statewide appeal to win. But Northey encouraged King to run in his statement about the race:

Full story

Democrats Blitz Markey’s House Seat #MA05 | The Field

Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., has been the favorite to win the special election for Senate for months — which means his House seat has been an attractive spot for ambitious local Democrats for even longer.

A handful of Democrats have been running for nearly three months to replace Markey, who won a Senate primary on Tuesday and is in a strong position to win the special election on June 25.

Three Democrats made their congressional aspirations known in early February, and each of them turned in six-figure first-quarter fundraising reports. Other potential candidates were waiting for the outcome of Markey’s primary with Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, but nonetheless made their intentions to run for his seat known.

The list of announced candidates include: Full story

Markey, Gomez Win Special-Election Primaries #MAsen

Markey won the primary, his first competitive election since winning a 12-candidate primary race in 1976. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Edward J. Markey secured the Democratic nomination in the Massachusetts Senate special election on Tuesday night and is now favored to win the seat outright.

With the Democratic establishment behind him, Markey, 66, defeated fellow Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, 58, in a primary contest that will be remembered most for the time the two were off the campaign trail in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing.

In the June 25 special election, Markey will face GOP primary winner Gabriel Gomez, 47, a private equity investor and former Navy SEAL.

Markey led 57 percent to 43 percent when The Associated Press called the race with 60 percent of precincts reporting. Full story

Jack Kingston Plans Announcement Tour for Thursday #GAsen

Kingston will likely run for Senate. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., has scheduled two news conferences for Thursday — yet another indication he will become the third member of the state’s delegation to enter the Senate race.

The 11-term Republican congressman will make an announcement during double events in his coastal 1st District in Savannah and Brunswick. Kingston’s team would not describe the substance of his planned remarks.

“You’ll have to listen in to find out,” Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford told CQ Roll Call. Full story

Branstad Takes Swipe at Steve King #IAsen

Branstad, right, spoke to reporters on Monday morning. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad told reporters Monday morning that he advised national Republicans to recruit an “Iowa problem solver” rather than “another congressman” to run for the Hawkeye State’s open Senate seat in 2014.

The GOP governor’s comments come as Rep. Steve King, a conservative Republican, is in the final stages of deciding whether to run for retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin’s seat.

According to a recording of Branstad’s weekly news conference via Radio Iowa, he said there are several Republicans in the state who would provide a good contrast with Rep. Bruce Braley, the likely Democratic nominee. Branstad noted that King did serve in the state Senate, and said his initial comments were a shot at Braley, not King.

But Branstad also clarified that he believes having someone free from ties to an unpopular Congress would give the GOP its best chance against Braley. Full story

Five Things to Know About Tuesday’s Massachusetts Senate Primary

Markey is the frontrunner for the Democratic Senate nomination. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Two weeks after the Boston Marathon bombing, Massachusetts voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to select nominees for the Senate special election.

Whether Democrats nominate Rep. Edward J. Markey or Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, the party is heavily favored to hold the seat of former Sen. John Kerry, who was appointed secretary of state.

Three Republicans — businessman Gabriel Gomez, former U.S. Attorney Mike Sullivan and state Rep. Dan Winslow — are vying for their party’s nomination. While the race changed following the bombing, few observers see a Republican able to pull off a surprise upset in the general election on June 25.

Here are five things to watch for during Tuesday’s primaries: Full story

California: Baca Will Challenge Miller in 31st District

Baca will try to come back to Congress, challenging a Republican instead of a fellow Democrat. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

So much for that blood feud congressional race in California’s Inland Empire.

Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., has announced he will run in a different district next year, challenging one of his party’s top targets — Republican Rep. Gary G. Miller.  Full story

Alaska: Joe Miller Launching Senate Exploratory Committee

Joe Miller, the tea-party-backed Alaska Republican who lost a 2010 Senate race, announced on Sunday that he is launching an exploratory committee as he considers another Senate campaign.

The announcement comes just two days after first-term Democratic Sen. Mark Begich announced raising almost $1 million in the first fundraising quarter of the cycle. It also comes after a tumultuous week at the state Republican Party, which ousted yet another chairman.

Full story