!["The ideal is somebody that is beloved by the tea party who holds statewide office in a swing state and, oh, is Hispanic and young," said Jennifer E. Duffy, of the Cook Political Report. "He [Sen. Marco Rubio] pretty much fills that bill, doesn't he?" (Associated Press)](http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2011/08/28/rubio_reps_s101x71.jpg?c098eea3477ac6ce32c46b9d70a42787e13ce55a)
While the field for the Republican presidential nomination is crowded and up for grabs, many pundits and politicos are ready to proclaim a front-runner for the ticket's second spot — Florida's Sen. Marco Rubio.
In the past month, Mitt Romney has delivered a widely panned defense of the health care legislation he signed as governor of Massachusetts and been the constant target of national Democratic attacks -- and also has seen his poll numbers rise and his status solidified as the best-positioned candidate to win the GOP nomination and take on President Obama.
Republicans have called on several House Democrats to return "tainted" campaign money they've received from embattled Rep. Anthony D. Weiner in an attempt to link the New Yorker's damaged reputation to others in his party.
Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign's resignation last week, along with the expected gubernatorial appointment of Rep. Dean Heller to fill the remaining 18 months of his term, has set off a game of political musical chairs in the Silver State.
Donald Trump fired back at Karl Rove Tuesday for labeling his possible White House bid a "joke," saying the one-time senior George W. Bush adviser "should be ashamed of himself" for the role he played in pushing an agenda that turned voters against Republicans and paved the way for the Obama presidency.
Rep. Allen B. West has served his South Florida district for less than three months, but already his supporters are demanding more.
House Republicans lost their first vote of the year this week on a measure to extend the USA Patriot Act after failing to count noses within their own caucus and shedding the support of dozens of Democrats who voted against the very same provisions they approved a year ago when they were in charge.
Poised for lame-duck victories spanning foreign, economic and social policy, President Obama is seeing a renewed sense of accomplishment after his first two years in office, which were filled with a brutal health care fight and crises ranging from financial meltdowns to environmental disasters.
Republicans held all of their Senate seats left open by retirements and picked off several seats held by Democrats to capture at least six seats in the midterm election, giving them a louder voice in the legislative chamber most likely to shape President Obama's agenda for the next two years.
