Senate races

West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant (D) leads the Democratic field for Senate in West Virginia; Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R), the only announced contender for the seat, seems to have taken a hit in her popularity over the past few months.

Former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker’s (R) decision to run for Senate in Iowa makes him the first Republican to jump into what could be a potentially crowded field. 

But some Republicans in the state are far from thrilled about the party's options after a number of top-tier candidates took a pass on the race.

“I have a hard time, with this current field, seeing any of them winning the general election,” Craig Robinson, a former political director for the Republican Party of Iowa, told The Hill. “It's going to be difficult.”

Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown (R) leads every potential challenger in the Massachusetts gubernatorial race, according to a new poll.

The survey, from Public Policy Polling, could give Brown reason to find that race more appealing than challenging Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire, a race in which he's expressed interest.

The congressman's decision deals a major blow to Democrats' hopes of picking up the seat.

Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer may spend money to back Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in his race for the open Massachusetts Senate seat after supporting the liberal congressman in his successful primary fight.

Here’s what an aide to Steyer told Bloomberg about whether Steyer will get involved in Markey’s general election fight against Republican Gabriel Gomez:

“[T]he short answer is: It depends. . . . When climate is on the ballot through a significant difference between candidates, and local citizens want us to help them, we’ll thoroughly consider their request. In Massachusetts, a key will be whether Mr. Gomez stands with many cold-eyed realists in the military on the growing national security threat posed by climate change and fossil fuel dependence.

National Democrats are charging Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), running for Senate in West Virginia, with hypocrisy for suggesting she cut back on spending in her own life while going on congressional trips to foreign nations.

Rep. Ed Markey, the Democratic Senate nominee in Massachusetts, on Tuesday distanced himself from President Obama’s proposed cuts to Social Security.

Former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker (R) will file paperwork to become a candidate for Iowa's open Senate seat this week, he said Monday.

The announcement makes Whitaker the first Republican to jump in the race after a number of high-profile members of the GOP said they wouldn't run. The seat has proven a recruitment headache for Republicans.

Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell (R) is "intensifying efforts" to prepare for a potential Senate announcement now that his friend, Gov. Sean Parnell (R) has ruled it out, Treadwell tells the Juneau Empire.

The endorsement sets up a potential fight between the deep-pocketed group and the DSCC, which is backing Schatz.