Brian Naylor

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan is in a tight contest with House Speaker Thom Tillis, a Republican. Turnout for third-party candidate Sean Haugh, a pizza delivery man, could also influence the outcome.

The Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General said it would review Medicare Advantage billing practices with an eye toward curbing overcharges.

Republicans thought it would a prime target to win back. But single-term Democrat Sen. Kay Hagan is running stronger than expected, partly because of her ability to engage the African-American vote.

A combination of candidates, a controversial ballot measure and cheap ad rates have made Portland very popular. There are even ads running for a neighboring state's U.S. Senate race.

Maine's Tea Party-backed Gov. Paul LePage won office four years ago when an independent candidate and a Democrat divided the remaining vote. That strong division is shaping up again.

The Kansas City Royals are the surprise team in the World Series, which reminded NPR's Brian Naylor of the series he attended 45 years ago, when the Miracle New York Mets upset the favored Baltimore Orioles.

For me, 45 years ago today — Oct. 15, 1969 — was one of those rare days, a day you remember all your life. It was Game 4 of the World Series. Mets vs. Orioles. My Mets were up two games to one. And I was at Shea Stadium.

I ...

On average, more than 400 pedestrians per year are killed by trains. They are sometimes children, trying to cross the tracks or walking along side them — but the railroads see them as trespassers.

Apple says its new operating system for the iPhone features encryption so secure that not even Apple has the key to it. But the FBI warns that the software could limit its ability to fight crime.

The agency with the responsibility for protecting the president, vice president and their families rates in the bottom third in job satisfaction rankings within the federal government.

The director of the Secret Service, Julia Pierson, resigned on Wednesday after the agency came under scrutiny for a series of security missteps.

A man with a criminal record and a gun was on an elevator with President Obama last month. The security lapse happened when President Obama visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Going into Julia Pierson's hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Tuesday, President Obama has expressed confidence in her and the agency she leads. Will that change?

Lawmakers will question Secret Service Director Julia Pierson on how a man was able to jump the White House fence, cross the lawn and get into the White House before being stopped by agents.

The FBI released a report on Wednesday detailing the 160 "active shooter" incidents between 2000 and 2013, which included the mass shootings at Virginia Tech and Newtown. A key findin...

The Secret Service is reviewing how it secures the White House after an Iraq war vet jumped the fence and made it inside the doors before being subdued. What led up to the security lapse?

Videotaped murders by Islamic State have sparked outrage around the world. But while some European countries have paid ransom to retrieve victims taken by ISIS, Britain and the U.S. have not.

Committees are looking at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration after questions arose about how it handles recalls, including General Motors' recall over faulty ignition switches.

"We don't see foreign policy events, the crisis in the Middle East, even border security here at home appearing in campaign ads to nearly the same degree," says one political ad expert.

While Republicans typically do better among white males than do Democrats, candidates often have a harder time reaching men than women — no matter their race or political dispositions.