Outside the Beltway

The confirmation hearing for President Trump’s nominee for Attorney General appeared to go very well, making confirmation essentially a certainty.

The House GOP has moved to rebuke Iowa Congressman for his racist remarks. What took them so long?

After twenty-five days, there’s no end in sight to the Federal Government shutdown. You can thank the President for that.

Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro is the latest addition to the growing Democratic Presidential field.

As the government shutdown enters through its twenty-fourth day, attention is shifting to Senate Republicans who could be pressured to break ranks and potentially force a resolution.

California Senator Kamala Harris is set to enter the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination later this month.

The government shutdown has now entered historic territory, and the Trump Administration is moving closer to a “national emergency” or other extra-legal means to get money for his wall.

Iowa’s Steve King has long expressed anti-immigrant and racist views, now he’s asking why that’s a bad thing.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden will reportedly decide on whether or not he’ll be entering the race for President in the near future.

Bernie Sanders is facing questions about sexual harassment from women who worked on his 2016 campaign as he prepares a likely run for President in 2020.

Several states are getting rid of caucuses in favor of primaries, a move that could be to the disadvantage of candidates like Bernie Sanders.

Begun, the 2020 campaign has.

California is set up throw a huge curve ball into the 2020 Presidential nomination fight.

Faced with the prospect of a large field like the one Republicans had in 2016, Democrats are trying to figure out how to handle debates. So far, the ideas being put forward are as bad as what the GOP ended up doing.

Tennessee will have an open Senate seat in 2020 thanks to Lamar Alexander’s decision to retire at the end of his current term.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed major reforms in Federal sentencing and related laws. As the name of the bill implies, it’s a first step, but a good first step.

Under fire from the New York Attorney General, Donald Trump’s questionable charitable foundation is shutting down.

Former Vice-President Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders are, not surprisingly, leading the early polls for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

Senator Mitch McConnell and others are blocking a criminal justice reform bill currently pending in the Senate.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is reportedly considering a bid for the Democratic Presidential Nomination in 2020.

A state trial court Judge in New York rejected efforts by the Donald Trump to halt a lawsuit alleging charity fraud in connection with the operation of The Trump Foundation.

Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has made several mistakes since Election Day, but she’s likely to win tomorrow’s runoff election.

The evidence that the GOP lost the midterms because of public repudiation of President Trump is overwhelming. The GOP will either accept this and learn from it, or they will not.

Three Democratic Senators are suing the Acting Attorney General, asserting that his appointment was unconstitutional.

Sherrod Brown pulled off the only statewide Democratic victory in Ohio on November 6th. Because of that, he’s being looked at as a potential 2020 candidate for President.

Once again, Republicans in California find themselves looking up and seeing a lot of desolation. They need to find a way to bounce back.

The economy may be doing well, but that didn’t help Republicans in the midterms.

Starbucks Founder Howard Schultz is apparently considering running for President.

Who’s John Delaney? Well, he’s a Congressman from Maryland who’s apparently running for President.

Democratic pickups in several state legislatures could impact redistricting after the 2020 Census.

President Trump’s selection to serve as Acting Attorney General does not appear to be Constitutionally authorized to serve in that position.

Whether as candidates or as voters, Democrats can thank women for many of their victories on Tuesday.

President Trump has fired his Attorney General, a move than many are interpreting as the precursor to a move against Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Florida voters approved an amendment to the state’s Constitution that will restore the voting rights of as many as 1.2 million ex-felons and make it easier for future released felons to get their civil rights back.

In addition to winning back the House, Democrats also made gains in Governor’s races.

With the 2020 Campaign set to begin as soon as the 2018 campaign ends, Democrats find themselves facing an age issue.

Congressman Steve King’s anti-immigrant, xenophobic rhetoric hasn’t bothered his constituents for twenty years, but he suddenly finds himself the focus of controversy and possibly vulnerable. It couldn’t happen to a more well-deserving guy.

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders hints that he’s thinking of running for President in 2020.

Surely a celebrity hound with no political experience can’t become President. Right?

President Trump’s trade war with China is leading car manufacturers to shift production from the U.S. to China.

America’s tradition of unlimited free expression increases the danger of violence.

Add yet another name to the potential Democratic campaign field in 2020.

Bernie Sanders could find repeating the success of 2016 in 2020 may not be so easy.

After nearly a year, Trump’s trade policies are having their inevitable negative impact inside the United States.

Those rambling campaign rally speeches the President loves to give aren’t getting the kind of coverage they used to, not even from his favorite news channel.

Take one name out of contention as a potential replacement for Nikki Haley at the United Nations.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley says he would not consider a Supreme Court nominee in 2020. But does he really mean it?

With four weeks to go until Election Day, Donald Trump and the Republicans are continuing to stoke the divisions laid bare by the Kavanaugh nomination.

Open mouth, insert foot. Chuck Grassley didn’t exactly help his party when he was asked to explain the lack of Republican women on the Judiciary Committee.

The Senate voted to proceed to an expected floor vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court tomorrow, but the final outcome is still uncertain.