Adam Wollner

Rep. Charles Rangel, the third-longest-serving member of Congress, announced Thursday he will seek a 23rd term in office next year.

There had been speculation that the New York Democrat, a veteran member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, would retire at the end of this term. But the 83-year-old ...

In a year that featured divisive fights over the budget, health care and presidential nominations, the United States Senate took a break from partisan bickering Tuesday night to get in the Christmas spirit.

A total of 65 senators — 42 Democrats and 23 Republicans — took part in a gift ...

Rep. Jim Matheson announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of his term, providing Republicans with a likely House seat pickup in 2014.

With a tough re-election fight looming in his conservative Salt Lake City-area district, the Utah Democrat decided against seeking another term in the House.

"When ...

It's clear that Republicans and Democrats had different political opinions about Mitt Romney. But did Romney literally look different to the two sides? A forthcoming study suggests that might be the case.

According to new research from Ohio State University psychologists, individual political biases might have caused 2012 GOP presidential ...

Another day, another GOP primary fight.

This time, it's John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, who's receiving a challenge from the right in 2014. Rep. Steve Stockman, a conservative firebrand, made the surprise move to enter the March 4 race Monday evening just before the ...

At one time, Area 51 was one of the most famous military installations in the world — a place widely talked about, yet so secret that the U.S. government refused to confirm its existence.

That's why President Obama's reference to the southern Nevada base Sunday raised eyebrows. It marked the ...

Get ready for a bruising GOP primary battle in Mississippi.

Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., said Friday he will seek a seventh term in 2014, setting the stage for a contentious contest that pits the Republican establishment against the Tea Party wing.

There had been speculation that Cochran, who ...

After voting for him in large numbers in 2008 and 2012, young Americans are souring on President Obama.

According to a new Harvard University Institute of Politics poll, just 41 percent of millennials — adults ages 18-29 — approve of Obama's job performance, his lowest-ever standing among the group ...

It may have been an election off-year, but that didn't stifle the creativity of political ad-makers in 2013.

Between a handful of congressional special elections, two gubernatorial races, scores of City Hall contests across the country and policy battles in Washington, there were plenty of spots on the airwaves — ...

It's trial balloon season in presidential politics.

Not for the headline-devouring, top-tier prospects like Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie, but rather for the long shots and lesser-knowns who are floating their names for 2016.

On Sunday, former Montana Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer reiterated his interest in a White House run.

Of all the things Americans traditionally associate with Thanksgiving — turkey, family, football — politics doesn't rate high on the list.

But the national holiday and the political world have intersected at times and generated some headlines to remember.

Here are a few memorable Thanksgiving political moments:

Franksgiving (1939)

Although ...

There's still one election yet to be decided from last Tuesday: the Virginia attorney general's race.

The latest figures released Sunday night show it's about as close as it gets: Republican state Sen. Mark Obenshain leads Democratic state Sen. Mark Herring by just 17 votes out of more than ...

As a general workplace rule, it's never a good idea to fall asleep on the job. That's especially true if you're a member of Congress.

But Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California's 17^th District nevertheless appears to have been caught twice on camera dozing off in public recently — once ...

Jimmy Carter's grandson is running for Carter's old job — governor of Georgia.

Democratic state Sen. Jason Carter formally announced Thursday he will challenge Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, joining a long list of relatives of famous politicians on ballots in 2014.

In fact, Georgia voters will determine the fate ...

Vice President Joe Biden's name didn't appear on any ballots Tuesday, but he still had a busy election night.

Prominent politicians often call members of their own party to congratulate them on a successful campaign. But it appears Biden is an especially diligent practitioner, making 10 phone calls to winning ...

Governors, legislators and mayors were elected Tuesday across the nation. Voters also made key decisions about taxes, marijuana, genetically modified foods — and even secession.

Below is a roundup of some of Tuesday's most noteworthy election results, reported by NPR member stations:

Colorado

Colo. School Funding Measure Fails By ...

Aside from the two high-profile governors' races, there's plenty of political action to be found on statewide ballots Tuesday.

A total of 31 ballot measures, concerning issues ranging from education to gambling to marijuana, will go before voters in six states — Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, New York, ...

Michael Bloomberg's time as New York City mayor may be coming to an end, but there's no evidence he's ready to leave the political arena.

Less than two months after playing a starring role in two recall elections in Colorado, Bloomberg has again turned his eye to that state and ...

Ed Marksberry is the longest of long shots against Kentucky GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell.

While the unknown Democrat turned independent is given little chance of defeating the Senate minority leader, Marksberry could still play an important role in the 2014 race — as a spoiler candidate in a contest that ...

A record number of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana, according to a new Gallup poll released Tuesday.

The poll, which was conducted Oct. 3-6, reports that 58 percent of the public supports the legalization of marijuana, while 39 percent opposes it.

The tide of public opinion appears ...