SENATE SKIRMISH: GOP ex-Rep. Pat Toomey (top) is set to take on Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak for a Senate seat from Pennsylvania.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Republican, trails little-known challenger Joe Miller (right) by 1,668 votes in the GOP primary with about 14,000 absentee and early votes still to be counted this week.
President Obama joins Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, who is running for Senate, at a campaign rally in Kansas City on July 8. Her opponent is a seven-term GOP congressman.
Businessman John Raese, flanked by his daughters, from left, Agnes and Jane, and wife, Liz, addresses his supporters at the Hotel Morgan after being declared the Republican winner in the West Virginia primary, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010 in Morgantown, W.Va. Raese, a wealthy businessman, defeated a crowded field of GOP candidates. He now becomes key to the GOP's quest to dismantle the Democratic Senate majority. Democrats are clinging to the majority as high unemployment and the slow economic recovery take a toll on their political prospects this fall. (AP Photo/Dale Sparks)
ASSOCIATED PRESS Supporters of U.S. Senate hopeful Linda McMahon (center) celebrate winning the GOP nomination in May. Though early polls showed Mrs. McMahon trailing considerably behind Democratic rival Richard Blumenthal, an August poll shows Mrs. McMahon behind by only 10 percentage points.
Associated Press Former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman this week confirmed long-standing rumors that he is gay. GOP conservatives are not happy about his plans to campaign for gay marriage.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio (left) has launched his most expensive effort yet with an ad that began airing Wednesday. Though he must still win a Sept. 14 primary to secure the GOP nod, the ad targets New York state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo (right), a Democrat.
SWEATING IT OUT: Marco Rubio pauses while being interviewed after voting in West Miami, Fla., in Tuesday's primary. Mr. Rubio, GOP candidate for Senate, will face two rivals in the fall.
Associated Press Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (right), a former Republican, had $8 million in his campaign coffers for his independent bid for Senate as of Aug. 4, nearly double that of his GOP rival.
