National Election Wire

House could vote this summer on extending Bush-era tax cuts

The plan announced Friday by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., is likely to have strong support in the House, but stall in the Democratic-dominated Senate. President Barack Obama has said he only wants the cuts extended for most people earning less than $250,000.

THE RACE: Presidential race is most costly ever

The battle between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney will be the most expensive presidential contest ever - by a long shot.

Obama shouldn't count Florida out

The Democratic Party shouldn't write off Florida yet.

S.C. Gov. Haley says House Speaker Harrell is pushing ethics probe

Gov. Nikki Haley’s office Thursday all but accused House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, of a political vendetta. Meanwhile, Harrell’s office accused Haley of attempting to short-circuit a House Ethics Committee investigation into whether the governor broke state law.

U.S. attorney's office assails Calif. Gov. Brown's wildfire-liability plan

Gov. Jerry Brown tucked provisions into his budget that would limit payouts in wildfire liability cases, potentially saving timber companies and other major California landowners hundreds of millions of dollars as federal prosecutors pursue record-high damages in court.

Justice Dept.: Two Sen. Ted Stevens trial prosecutors acted with reckless misconduct

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Justice Department's internal watchdog office has concluded that two federal prosecutors acted with reckless misconduct in the botched case against then-Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens and should be suspended without pay but not fired.

Egypt results point to deeply divisive runoff race

CAIRO — The candidate of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood won a spot in a runoff election, likely against a veteran of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's regime in what would be a deeply divisive battle to become the new president of Egypt, according to partial results Friday from the first round of voting.

Josh Earnest went from baseball in Kansas City to hardball at White House

WASHINGTON — The 37-year-old Earnest, who grew up in Kansas City, Mo., is the principal deputy White House press secretary. Before Earnest even sets foot inside the White House gates and enters the West Wing, it’s his job to know what’s been said over the past 12 hours, who said it and what the fallout has been.

AdWatch: Romney "day one" vows oversimplify

WASHINGTON — TITLE: "Day One: Part Two."

GOP's Rubio plans to sell books in swing states

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is planning a swing-state summer bus tour that will also roll through South Carolina, the early presidential primary battleground.