Sen. Bond

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats looked to be on the verge of advancing legislation to overhaul the nation’s health insurance system despite spirited protests today by Missouri Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond and a unified Republican Party.

With a a key procedural vote scheduled for…

Sen. McCaskill

WASHINGTON — There was disquieting news for Missouri Democrats along with some welcome news in the second part of a Public Policy Polling survey released this afternoon.

The good news was a generally strong approval rating for Gov. Jay Nixon at a time…

WASHINGTON — That new poll reported here yesterday showing a neck-and-neck contest between Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt points to a campaign in which both aspirants will be running against Congress next year even as they run for…

Blunt, left, and Carnahan

WASHINGTON — A poll to be released tomorrow affirms what most political observers already know — that Missouri’s Senate race shaping up between Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt is about as close as…

WASHINGTON — The announcement today that the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and four co-defendants will be tried in New York City drew praise from civil rights groups and from New Yorkers who believe the terrorists should be brought to…

                                  UPDATED      WASHINGTON — Since the Wall Street Journal reported last month that a Chinese company would supply the turbines at a huge new wind farm in Texas, an alliance of Steelworkers and U.S. steel companies has protested mightily about taxpayers helping…

WASHINGTON — Transportation Security Administration screeners at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport probably wish that the fellow they chose to grill last March about a box of cash wasn’t a Ron Paul devotee who runs a committee devoted to individual rights and constitutional government.

But grill Steven…

Durbin

WASHINGTON — As the No. 2 Democratic leader in the Senate, Illinois’ Dick Durbin has the task of marshaling votes for the health insurance overhaul championed by his party and his president.

Sounds like he might not see success any time soon.

“We’re…

Rep. Todd Akin greets Capitol protesters today.

WASHINGTON — Chanting “Kill the Bill, Kill the Bill,” thousands of people are rallying this afternoon at the U.S. Capitol, protesting Democrats’ health-care legislation and blaming Washington for a host of perceived ills from high…

Virgina Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell

WASHINGTON — Wednesday mornings after off-year elections always bring over-generalizations.

But the results of Tuesday’s elections — in which the GOP won governors’ races in Virginia and New Jersey and Democrats captured a House seat in New York — appeared to…