Congressional Elections 2006

Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who rose to national prominence as the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee, appears likely to face a serious primary challenge this year that could measure the depth of his party's discontent over the Iraq war. Ned Lamont, a businessman and war critic, last week began publicly seeking support for a run against Lieberman in the state's August nominating contest.

Iraq war protester Cindy Sheehan announced Thursday that she would not run against U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, sparing the Democratic incumbent a high-profile challenger in the June primary. At a news conference in San Francisco, Sheehan sharply criticized Feinstein for voting to authorize President Bush to invade Iraq. Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in the war, said Feinstein's votes to spend money on military operations in Iraq had allowed Bush "to prolong the murder and the mayhem."

Ed Cox, a millionaire lawyer and son-in-law of President Nixon, spent about $1.1 million of his fortune for the privilege of not running against Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, records show. Cox, who dropped out of the New York race last month but has left open the remote possibility of reentering it, hired high-priced GOP consultants connected to the Bush administration, White House political guru Karl Rove, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Gov. George E. Pataki.

A huge outfitting store on the edge of this mountain-ringed town should be a conservative bastion: The ranchers and farmers who come to shop tend to be reliable Republicans. But here at Murdoch's Ranch and Home Supply -- amid the calf pens, muck buckets and bags of horse feed -- there are signs of trouble for the GOP. And that could be bad news for the party from coast to coast. Jack Bolender, a retiree who voted for three-term Sen.

President Bush's approval rating has been no higher than the low 40s for four months. Independents have been running from him for a year. Conservatives, angered by his failed nomination of Harriet E. Miers to the Supreme Court, are now steaming over his administration's decision to let a company based in Dubai operate port facilities in six American cities. And on Thursday, with speedy stops in Indiana and Ohio, he helped raise more than $1.6 million for Republican campaigns.

ALBUQUERQUE -- Heather Wilson made national headlines recently by forcing the Bush administration to brief members of Congress on its domestic wiretapping program. But here at home, the Republican congresswoman defends Bush's tax cuts and prescription drug plan, reaches out to AIDS patients and pursues issues -- like protecting pets -- that transcend partisan labels. "This is not a typical Republican district," Wilson said, "and I'm not a typical Republican."

There's nothing about Republican Rep. Tom DeLay personally that math teacher Denice Shelburne doesn't like. The Texas lawmaker attends her church, where he mingles with the congregation as an amiable neighbor. His wife, Christine, is lovely, Shelburne said, and DeLay's 22nd District abounds with evidence of his good works. "I just think he's a wonderful person," she said.

With the passing of Friday's filing deadline for November's elections, Orange County will play host to one of the state's few competitive legislative races. It starts with June primaries for a central county seat in the state Senate. The 34th District is represented by Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana), who is running for state controller.

The chaotic 24th Congressional District race, left wide open when the Republican incumbent announced he would not seek reelection, took another turn Monday when one of two Democratic hopefuls said she was dropping out due to "sleazy lies and attacks" by her primary opponent. Mary Pallant, 45, an Oak Park businesswoman, said Monday that she decided not to file candidacy papers because "her family was getting too traumatized with each lie and attack." Pallant said her primary opponent, the Rev.

Rep. Elton Gallegly, who announced last week that he would not run for reelection, bowed to pressure from fellow Republicans, including President Bush, and announced Wednesday that he had changed his mind. The 10-term congressman from Simi Valley also said the undisclosed health concern that had prompted his sudden withdrawal had been resolved, but that this will be his last race.