Seth McLaughlin
Articles by Seth McLaughlin
Chris Christie clears Bridgegate, but Republican presidential poll numbers drop
A year after the Bridgegate scandal threatened to kneecap his presidential aspirations, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has escaped the preliminary investigations relatively unscathed and with his presidential hopes still alive, though damaged. Published December 28, 2014
Republican kingmaker Phil Cox sets eyes on 2016 race
Republican governors had arguably the best showing of anyone on Election Day last month, and a key mastermind behind their efforts is Phil Cox, who cut his teeth in Virginia politics and has now become one of the most sought-after campaign staffers of the 2016 presidential cycle. Published December 28, 2014
Iowa’s Steve King rules over GOP on road to presidency
Rep. Steve King has summoned the potential field of 2016 Republican presidential candidates to Iowa next month for his Freedom Summit, and they are jumping at the opportunity — underscoring the conservative firebrand's political pull and marking the event as the first major gathering of the next campaign for the White House. Published December 28, 2014
Rick Santorum eyes 2016 White House bid, promises political rebirth
Rick Santorum is gearing up for another run for president and vows next time he'll be an even stronger candidate — armed with a retooled message aimed at the working class, an established network of supporters and, perhaps more importantly, a resume that he believes dovetails with the issues conservatives care about most. Published December 23, 2014
Tea party to defend its small government champions in 2016 Senate races
Sen. John McCain likely has a bull's-eye on his back, but tea party groups have signaled that they expect the 2016 Senate races to be a lot more about defending the small government champions the movement helped win in the 2010 wave election than in headhunting 'establishment' Republicans. Published December 21, 2014
Jeb Bush announcement puts pressure on donors, other Republican establishment candidates
Jeb Bush changed the contours of the 2016 presidential race Tuesday by announcing that he is "actively" exploring a run at the White House in a bid that would test both his brand of moderate-conservative politics and the continued mixed feelings the GOP has toward the Bush family. Published December 16, 2014
Jeb Bush formally exploring presidential bid
Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, said in a post on Facebook Tuesday that he is actively exploring a 2016 presidential bid. Published December 16, 2014
Romney super PAC debuts without candidate’s stamp
A "Ready for Romney" political action committee announced its formation over the weekend, paving the way should Mitt Romney make another bid for president — but even some of the two-time candidate's advisers don't know who's behind it. Published December 15, 2014
Jeb Bush lays groundwork for 2016 White House run as self-imposed deadline nears
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is inching closer to a White House bid, with some of his allies clamming up about his plans and his recent public remarks seeming to lay the intellectual groundwork for a run. Published December 8, 2014
Chris Christie not connected to ‘Bridgegate’ lane closures, investigators’ report finds
The special committee investigating New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and the "Bridgegate" scandal have found no evidence tying the governor to the lane closures, according to the investigators' interim report, due to be released Monday. Published December 7, 2014
RNC cap on 2016 presidential debates could give rise to ‘new round of sideshows’
The Republican National Committee's push to limit the number of debates in the 2016 presidential primary could end up creating an arms race of sorts, with groups denied the chance to hold "official" debates instead hosting candidate forums that would serve much the same purpose. Published December 7, 2014
Mary Landrieu, Bill Cassidy faceoff in final debate
Down in the polls and with no easy path to victory in sight, Sen. Mary L. Landrieu looked to land a haymaker Monday in a debate against Rep. Bill Cassidy, demanding that her Republican challenger come clean about whether he billed the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center for a no-show job. Published December 1, 2014
Carly Fiorina could shake up a crowded 2016 GOP field
With the 2016 GOP presidential race starting in earnest in the new year, there is a dearth of prominent women candidates. But a number of Republicans say that Carly Fiorina could change that. Published November 26, 2014
Obama amnesty: 2016 GOP hopefuls struggling to please base without angering Hispanics
The 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls are having to walk a tightrope as they respond to President Obama's executive deportation amnesty, trying to push back against the White House while not offending the increasingly powerful Hispanic voting bloc. Published November 24, 2014
Democrats abandoning embattled Sen. Mary Landrieu in Louisiana runoff
National Democratic campaign groups have abandoned Sen. Mary L. Landrieu in Louisiana, leaving her massively outspent as she tries to hang onto her seat in a Dec. 6 runoff election to determine the last Senate seat. Published November 17, 2014
Rick Santorum, conservatives eye Christian vote in 2016
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who rallied religious voters in a 2012 presidential nomination bid, this week signaled a possible run for president in 2016, but he can expect a GOP field far more crowded with social conservatives. Published November 12, 2014
Republican 2016 contenders weigh right time to decide on White House bid
In what's expected to be a large 2016 GOP presidential field, the first decision is over when to decide. Published November 11, 2014
Asian vote breaks for Republicans in midterms
Republicans on Election Day had their best showing among Asian voters in decades, topping Democrats for the first time since the 1990s, according to exit polls that have analysts wondering if the GOP has found a way to make inroads with the fast-growing demographic. Published November 9, 2014
Ben Carson launches TV ad as GOP stars look ahead to 2016
Rising conservative star Ben Carson will be the subject of a documentary set to air over the weekend that with give people across the country greater insight into his life and likely spur more speculation about his presidential ambitions in a week when the midterm elections gave a boost to many of his potential rivals. Published November 5, 2014
Tea party, establishment Republicans set for showdown over 2016 nominee
After simmering throughout the 2014 primaries and general election, the feud between tea party and establishment Republicans is set to boil over in the next two years as both factions turn up the heat in the battle to be kingmakers for the GOP presidential nominee. Published November 4, 2014