Haley Barbour

Challengers weighing bids to block Steele from second term as Republican Party chairman. Republicans are aggressively recruiting a challenger to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, whose tenure as party chief has been marked by ill-chosen comments and questions about finances.

Bush on Katrina: `Heck of a job' remark about embattled FEMA chief based on a governor's words. Former President George W. Bush says a phrase that haunted him after Hurricane Katrina ? "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" ? was inspired by a statement of praise for his embattled FEMA chief from Alabama's governor.

With midterm elections out of the way, 2012 presidential politicking picks up in New Hampshire. There's no rest for the politically weary in New Hampshire.

Palin's candidates score quite a few wins, a couple of losses, and a few might-have-beens. Sarah Palin's scorecard? More than three dozen of the Republicans she supported won seats in Congress to challenge President Barack Obama and possibly smooth a presidential run by their benefactor. Yet big losses in Delaware and Nevada may have cost the Republican Party crucial seats in the Senate.

Boehner urges Obama to work with Republicans in moving toward smaller, less costly government. House Speaker-in-waiting John Boehner pledged Wednesday that Republicans will use their new majority to seek a "smaller, less costly, and more accountable government," and said he hoped President Barack Obama would join them.

GOP takes Dem governorships in at least 10 states; Dems hold NY with Cuomo win, take Calif.. Republicans captured Democratic governorships in at least 10 states on Tuesday, including some prime presidential battlegrounds, and hoped for even more statehouse gains.

"The American people are demanding a new way forward in Washington," Boehner told a huge crowd of Republican Congressional staff and campaign workers at a victory party in the ballroom of a large Washington hotel.

Democrat John Lynch, the second governor to sign a gay marriage law, has won an historic fourth consecutive term as New Hampshire's governor. Democratic Governor John Lynch, the second governor to sign a gay marriage law, on Tuesday won an historic fourth consecutive term as New Hampshire's governor, the AP reported. Lynch overcame an anti-incumbent, anti-Democrat sentiment to beat his Republican rival, John Stephen. Stephen was supported by high-profile Republicans, including Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Haley Barbour. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation's most vociferous opponent of gay marriage, also came to Stephen's aid. The group criticized Lynch for raising taxes and signing last year's gay marriage law in a $425,000 television and radio campaign titled He's Changed. The ad featured video footage of Lynch saying, ?I do not support gay marriage.? ?Lynch signed gay marriage into law,? a male announcer says in the ad. ?And now he's raising thousands from out o

Mississippi's Barbour: Tea party-backed winners on election day likely to be in GOP caucus. A leading Republican Party figure says tea party-backed congressional candidates who win elections Tuesday will consider themselves part of the GOP when they come to Washington.

Barbour predicts GOP will capture control of House, calls Senate a harder challenge. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says he's confident Republicans will take control of the House in Tuesday's elections, but not likely the Senate.

Obama campaigns in Ohio as Palin says he 'blew it' in first 2 years and Democrats will now pay. President Barack Obama made Ohio his final campaign stop Sunday in the tumultuous midterm elections, trying to help hard-pressed Democrats in a state that could prove crucial to his fortunes in two years.

Obama campaigns in Ohio as Palin says he 'blew it' in first 2 years and Democrats will now pay. President Barack Obama made Ohio his final campaign stop Sunday in the tumultuous midterm elections, trying to help hard-pressed Democrats in a state that could prove crucial to his fortunes in two years.

Republicans say midterms a referendum on Obama while Democrats say they are problem-solvers. Republicans are casting Tuesday's midterm elections as a referendum on the economic policies of President Barack Obama.

Guests for the Sunday TV news shows. Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:

Oregon governor's race starts close, ends close; turnout efforts will determine winner. Democrat John Kitzhaber and Republican Chris Dudley have been in a dead heat in Oregon for weeks in a governor's race about fresh perspectives versus experience. Polls and the candidates say it's still a dead heat just days ahead of Tuesday's election.

Trio of GOP governors to join Ohio governor candidate at rally ahead of Democrats' big 3. GOP candidate for Ohio governor John Kasich (KAY'-sik) expects to get help in his final campaign push from three current Republican governors.

Trio of Republican governors rally base in Pa. to support Corbett, Toomey in tight races. Three high-profile Republican governors are visiting Pennsylvania to stump for the state's GOP candidates for governor and U.S. senator.

A marquee Senate race in Pa. hits fever pitch with luminaries populating state in final days. Pennsylvania voters who figure they've heard it all in the raucous U.S. Senate fight should brace for a final earful.

A marquee Senate race in Pa. hits fever pitch with luminaries populating state in final days. Pennsylvania voters who figure they've heard it all in the raucous U.S. Senate fight should brace for a final earful.

NEWTON, Iowa (Reuters) - Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said on Wednesday he will start thinking about whether he should run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 after congressional elections next week.