“Paul Hodes” on The Daily Caller

With the 2010 midterm elections behind us, the focus has turned to the new class of Republican leaders that were swept into office. Several have already been labeled as future stars of the party. Among them are Senator-elect Marco Rubio of Florida, Congresswoman-elect Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Governor-elect Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Senator-elect Rob Portman of Ohio, and Governor-elect Brian Sandoval of Nevada. These names have been floated as potential presidential and vice presidential candidates in the coming years. Here is a look at several other newly elected officeholders who have the potential be stars for the GOP: (more)

For years, progressives have claimed that net neutrality Internet regulations have the support of “millions” of Americans. They push fear-mongering rhetoric, time after time falsely making doomsday “end of the Internet” predictions, unless government steps in to regulate. And, worse, they have led President Obama, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and some members of Congress to actually believe that net neutrality is not just good policy, but good politics. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Senate hopeful Christine O’Donnell says her first priority if elected would be to help the GOP block Democrats’ priorities in a lame-duck session. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — In one way at least, the fight for control of Congress is grossly one-sided. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elections in Delaware, New Hampshire and New York on Tuesday are measuring the strength of the tea party movement against the Republican establishment as the primary season draws to a close. (more)

GOP momentum toward a Senate takeover is increasing in many respects. But storm clouds are gathering over their head in Delaware and New Hampshire as Tuesday’s primary elections approach. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Take note, Mitt Romney. (more)

The American Action Network, a conservative political group founded this year to pour millions into competitive elections, is for the first time going after incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat in an increasingly tight fight for reelection. (more)

It’s not a news flash that the rapid growth of the federal government is alarming a large number of Americans.  Their outrage is witnessed in the rise of the Tea Party movement that marched on the National Mall and flocked to town hall meetings with an “SOS message” to Congress: Stop Over-Spending! But are lawmakers hearing this plea? A recent study from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF) provides clues that at least some may be opening their ears.  For the first time in over a decade, there is a rising number of representatives and senators whose legislative agendas, if enacted into law, would decrease spending. (more)

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Kelly Ayotte, the tough former prosecutor and wife of an Iraq war vet, seemed to be on a glide path to the Republican nomination in New Hampshire and perhaps the Senate. (more)

In 1984, singer-songwriter Tina Turner asked “What’s Love Got to Do with It” in her breakthrough solo album. This year, political observers find themselves asking the same thing about the massive infiltration of social media into political campaigns—“What’s Social Campaigning Got to Do with It?” As we see it, the answer is pretty simple for candidates running for the U.S. Senate: the difference between winning and losing. (more)

Here is the most up to date list of which House lawmakers have said they will retire at the end of this term, or are leaving their seat to run for higher office: (more)

On paper, it’s not just the Republican campaign fundraising arms that have money problems. Several of their Senate candidates do as well. (more)

The nation’s politicians and political operatives are noodling what Sen.-elect Scott Brown’s victory on Tuesday means for the political climate in their states. My guess is that the reality is there are too many variables for most states to draw a clean comparison analogy. But the Bay State’s neighbor to the north, New Hampshire, may present the most compelling analogy. And that’s bad news for the Democrats. (more)