Minnesota: District Parties Back Preferred Candidates

Rep. Michele Bachmann easily earned the Minnesota Republican Party's endorsement in her re-election bid. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Minnesota’s Democrats and Republicans endorsed candidates for the fall over the weekend at district-level party conventions.

GOP Reps. Michele Bachmann and Erik Paulsen easily picked up their party’s endorsements for their re-elections. Full story

Washington: Gregoire Endorses Suzan DelBene in 1st District

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Gov. Christine Gregoire endorsed former Microsoft executive Suzan DelBene (D) in the wide open 1st district race to succeed former Rep. Jay Inslee (D), who resigned to run for governor. Full story

Washington: Dennis Kucinich Polling Supporters About Move

(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) appears to indeed be considering running for Congress in one of Washington state’s 10 districts. Full story

Florida: State Rep. Costello Joins 6th District Race

State Rep. Fred Costello (R-Fla.), a former mayor of the city of Ormond Beach, announced a long-expected campaign for Congress on Monday in the open and strongly Republican 6th district. Full story

Arizona: Poll Shows Jesse Kelly With Small Lead Over Ron Barber

(Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 1:16 p.m. | A poll released today shows Jesse Kelly to be the strongest Republican candidate in the June 12 special election to replace former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

It is unclear who commissioned the poll of 300 likely general election voters. But it showed that Kelly was the only candidate ahead of former Giffords staffer Ron Barber, the de facto Democratic nominee. Voters go to the polls Tuesday to pick the nominees for the tossup special contest, and Kelly is the odds-on favorite to face Barber in June.

Kelly led Barber 49 percent to 45 percent in a head-to-head matchup. Retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally was tied with Barber at 42 percent. Local college sports TV broadcaster Dave Sitton trailed Barber 39 percent to 43 percent. State Sen. Frank Antenori, who has had financial problems in his campaign, trailed Barber 40 percent to 46 percent.

Full story

New York: Edolphus Towns Officially Announces Retirement

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

As expected, New York Democratic Rep. Edolphus Towns today announced his retirement at the end of the 112th Congress.

“After months of long family discussions, I have decided not to seek reelection for my seat in the United State House of Representatives,” he said in a statement. “I am very grateful for the support I have received over the years. I believe firmly that we would have won a 16th terms [sic] had we decided to run.”

State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D), already running a serious primary campaign against Towns, becomes the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. The safe Democratic nature of the 8th district means the party’s nominee is almost certain to be the new Congressman. Also in the primary: New York City Councilman Charles Barron.

“It has been an honor to have fought so that the people of New York can have more opportunities and a chance to live better lives,” Towns said.

See all the Members of Congress who have decided to make this term their last on Roll Call’s Casualty List.

Obama Raises More Than $53 Million in March; Republicans Pounce

The Obama campaign announced today in a Web video that its collective March fundraising total was “over $53 million.”

The video featured various campaign supporters announcing their small donations to the campaign, followed by a message from campaign manager Jim Messina. The figures include fundraising from the Democratic National Committee.

Rhode Island: Anthony Gemma Back for Primary Rematch With David Cicilline

As expected, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) officially has a primary challenge in his first re-election race. Businessman Anthony Gemma announced Sunday that he would seek the Democratic nomination in Rhode Island’s 1st district, according to WPRI.

Cicilline has been in deep electoral trouble since he was sworn into office in early 2011. It was revealed soon after the former mayor of Providence came to Congress that the city was in dire financial straits, and he has been under fire ever since. Full story

New York: EMILY’s List Endorses Louise Slaughter, Kathy Hochul

EMILY's List has endorsed Rep. Louise Slaughter, who faces a serious re-election challenge in New York. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

EMILY’s List gave its official endorsement to two vulnerable Congresswomen from New York today, backing Democratic Reps. Louise Slaughter and Kathy Hochul. Full story

New York: Edolphus Towns Retiring After 15 Terms

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 9:35 p.m. | A knowledgeable source confirmed to Roll Call that 15-term Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), first elected in 1992, will retire at the end of the 112th Congress. The news was first reported by the New York Daily News tonight on Twitter.

Towns, 77, had faced a very serious primary challenge from state Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, who is now the frontrunner for the safe Democratic seat, New York Democrats said. Also in the Democratic primary is New York City Councilman Charles Barron. One other name floated by a Big Apple Democrat as a potential candidate: state Sen. Kevin Parker.

Towns, a former chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, showed little appetite for campaigning this cycle, leading to growing local speculation that he might drop out of the race.

Underdog in Giffords Special Positioned to Be Force in Arizona Politics

(Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call)

Who is Martha McSally? That’s the question being asked in GOP political circles in Arizona and Washington, D.C., over the past several months.

The retired Air Force colonel is among the Republicans running in the special election to succeed former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). She probably will not win the primary, but some important Republicans wish she would.

Full story

Friday Fundraising Roundup

Campaigns have until Sunday to file Federal Election Commission reports, but a few campaigns made their numbers public today.

Senate: 

• Hawaii: Rep. Mazie Hirono (D) raised more than $1 million from 7,161 individual donors in the first quarter. Former Gov. Linda Lingle (R) raised close to $1.4 million. Neither released cash-on-hand totals, and former Rep. Ed Case (D) has not yet released any of his numbers.
• Minnesota: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) continues to prove herself as a fundraising powerhouse. She raised $1 million in the first quarter and has $5.2 million in her war chest. Full story

North Carolina: Ethan Wingfield Launches Ad in 11th District

Ethan Wingfield, a 26-year-old Republican businessman, will begin airing a 30-second TV ad in North Carolina’s 11th district on Monday, aiming to introduce himself to voters before a crowded GOP primary on May 18.

Wingfield’s ad, which is backed by a $25,000 week-long buy on cable and broadcast TV across the district, shows him standing in front of a white background next to an easel pad with graphics drawn on it.

Massachusetts: Richard Tisei Outraises John Tierney for Second Straight Quarter

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

UPDATED 5:50 p.m. | Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) announced his first-quarter fundraising figures today. He raised more than $320,000 in 2012′s first three months, which underlines his vulnerability this cycle.

That means Tierney, an eight-term Member of Congress, has been outraised by a challenger two quarters in a row. Full story

Massachusetts: Joseph Kennedy III Raises $1.3 Million in First Quarter

Attorney Joseph Kennedy III (D), the son of former Rep. Joseph Kennedy (D-Mass.), raised more than $1.3 million in the first quarter in his bid for the Bay State’s 4th district seat.

Full story