NEW YORK — Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday the Democratic primary result will be the "final judgment" on his ethics troubles as far as his constituents are concerned.

"This is the hearing for me in terms of going back to Washington," Rangel said after casting his vote.

Despite the ethics storm surrounding him, Rangel is the heavy favorite over a handful of rivals led by state Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV.

Rangel entered the polling place at P.S. 175 in Harlem Tuesday morning to rousing applause from onlookers and other voters.

"You're staying Charlie," shouted one woman.

An emotional Rangel emerged from the school with his wife, Alma, to more cheers from the assembled crowd of Rangel supporters and volunteers, thanking them for their support before talking to reporters.

"I should have known that the heat in the kitchen would get this hot," said Rangel, who was both feisty and reflective.

He said the action of the House ethics committee "defies all the rules of law."

Rangel also alluded to the ethics troubles of the ranking Republican on the committee, Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas), noting that some of the members reviewing his case "have their own problems," but Rangel didn't mention McCaul by name.

When pressed, Rangel said, "I am not dealing with Washington today."

But Rangel did slam Republicans on a range of issues, highlighting immigration reform and taxes. He also took aim at some Democrats, "many of whom I helped get elected," for abandoning President Obama's legislative priorities.

Rangel admitted that he contemplated retirement "many, many times" over the past two years. "Let me tell you, my wife is here to verify, this has been the roughest emotional time since Korea," the 80-year-old congressman and Korean War veteran said.

Should he prevail Tuesday, Rangel was asked what he would do to assuage the concerns of those who didn't vote for him because of questions about his ethics issues.

"I promise them that I've never disappointed them legislatively, politically or morally," said Rangel. "I started off at 20 years old fighting for this country. I'm 80 years old and I'm still fighting for this country."

A senior union leader will say Tuesday that several Republican candidates from Ohio, if elected, will equal "one ugly future" for America.

In a speech at the Ohio AFL-CIO convention in Columbus, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will lay into the state's GOP gubernatorial nominee, John Kasich; Senate candidate Rob Portman; and Tom Ganley, Rep. Betty Sutton's (D-Ohio) Republican opponent.

"Kasich, Portman and Ganley equal one ugly future for America! It's a bleak vision of a weak nation in decline," Trumka will say. "That's their true promise for America, hidden behind a wall of false populism and name-calling."

In prepared remarks, Trumka will take shots at Kasich's stint as a managing director with the now-defunct Lehman Brothers, as well as Portman's time as U.S. trade representative during the George W. Bush administration. The union leader will also blast Ganley for wanting to cut government programs while seeing a car dealership he owns benefit from the "Cash for Clunkers" program last year.

"Tom Ganley in Akron — running against our own Rep. Betty Sutton — promises to, and I quote, 'cut the Dickens' out of government programs," Trumka said. "That's the same Tom Ganley whose Mercedes dealership made millions off the Cash for Clunkers program, but when it comes to the rest of us, he's all 'You're on your own.' "

Trumka will also tell union members they can make the difference in electing Democrats and making sure Congress doesn't flip to Republican control.

"Because it's going to come down to us and we're going to make the difference — district by district, a few thousand votes, a few hundred votes. Those will be the margins — the difference we make," Trumka will say. "It’ll be you. It’s going to be your vote. Your members. Your worksite leafleting. Your neighborhood walks. Your commitment to Labor 2010. Your programs."

The labor movement will be key to Democrats this election, as they are expecting heavy losses when voters head to the polls in November.

Vice President Joe Biden invoked Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell when warning Philadelphia Democrats about the danger of Republicans recapturing control of Congress. 

Speaking at a fundraiser for Pennsylvania Democrat Joe Sestak, Biden referred to "the woman in Delaware, my home state, who's giving a scare to Mike Castle" when expanding upon the positions taken by Tea Party-affiliated candidates. 

"This is not your father's Republican Party," Biden said Monday night. "This is the Republican Tea Party -- the party of repeal and repeat."

Referring to Senate candidate Pat Toomey (R), Biden added, "Joe's opponent [Toomey] is a poster boy for that philosophy."

Biden supported Sen. Arlen Specter, who Sestak defeated in the May primary, and even helped persuade the long-time Republican to leave the GOP and join Democrats in the Senate. Still, Biden said, "not one single time did I say or do anything other than recognize the incredible capacity of [Sestak]."



"I have campaigned for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of candidates," he said. "Some folks I campaign for were OK, some were great, but I can say I have never campaigned for a man with more character, integrity and capacity than the man I am campaigning for here tonight."

Biden emphasized to the audience who paid between $500-$2,400 to hear him that the Democrats will keep control of Cognress.

Voters will not want to go back to the GOP's economic policies, he said, calling them a "ponzi scheme masquerading as a vision," according to the pool report. 

The Republican Senate primary is shaping up as the toughest test of a movement that has defeated two powerful GOP senators.

NEW YORK — New York State Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV (D) claimed Monday that Rep. Charles Rangel's (D-N.Y.) barnstorming of the state's 15th congressional district will work against him Tuesday.

"It's backfiring on him," Powell told The Hill while campaigning at a subway station on Broadway and 145th St. Monday evening. "People who see him tell me, 'I didn't even know there was an election. Now I have to go vote against him.' "

Powell IV is the son of Adam Clayton Powell Jr., the man Rangel first defeated back in 1970 to win his congressional seat. 

"If he just stayed home, that would have been his best campaign move," said Powell, who predicted high turnout Tuesday courtesy of two open seat Assembly races taking place in the district.

Powell acknowledged that Rangel has his base of unwavering support, but suggested it comes more out of patronage than a desire for what is best for the district. 

"It's all about 'Oh, you got me an apartment 20 years ago,' or 'You got my cousin a job,'" Powell said. "The public is ready to turn the page and we'll prove it tomorrow." 

Powell, along with Rangel's other challengers, is woefully underfunded compared to the 20-term congressman, but he appeared to win at least one supporter Monday night. 

After a short conversation with Powell, Harlem resident Jim Bilodeau said he intends to come out and vote against Rangel on Tuesday. 

"No one should be in Congress for 40 years," he said. "That's just too long."

The prospect of an independent reelection bid by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was met with uncertainty Monday by several Senate Republicans, who said they were reluctant to back their longtime colleague.

Murkowski, who lost Alaska’s GOP primary contest to challenger Joe Miller last month, is said to be considering a write-in candidacy for the general election.

As they returned to the Senate on Monday, Republicans unanimously expressed regret at Murkowski’s loss but refused to say they would support her as an independent candidate. Several simply dodged the question by saying they like Murkowski but that she herself hasn’t made the decision yet.

“I’ll support the nominee of the party,” said Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the 2008 GOP presidential nominee. “I’ve already called Joe Miller and told him that I respect the party’s decision.”

“I’m very supportive of her — I think a lot of her, and I’m very sorry about what happened,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah). “On the other hand, the voters have spoken.”

“As tough as that is, that’s the reality,” added Sen. Mike Johanns (Neb.).

“It’s important to elect Republicans, so it would be tough to support a third-party candidate,” said Sen. Saxby Chambliss (Ga.).

“I like Lisa Murkowski, but I’m going to support the ticket,” added Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.). “She ran in the primary, and she didn’t win the primary. I would hope she would support the ticket.”

Murkowski lost her primary to Miller by a 51-49 percent on Aug. 24. Miller was backed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), who said recently that a write-in Murkowski candidacy would be “futile.” Miller has said he doubts Murkowski will make the effort, saying that she has previously committed not to do so.

A Murkowski spokesman last week said the senator was “very much” considering the option.

Murkowski’s colleague, Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, put the chances of a write-in Murkowski campaign at “50-50.” Begich said he talked to Murkowski after the primary a few weeks ago, but not since then.

“It’s tough in Alaska, because there’s no other choice but to run as a write-in [candidate],” Begich said.

This definitely isn't the best way for a gubernatorial candidate to end a press conference.

Maine Republican Paul LePage grew irate Monday after getting pressed by reporters on details about how his wife, Ann, had potentially "violated statutes by claiming property tax exemptions on homes in both Maine and Florida," according to the Bangor Daily News.

LePage is a Tea Party-backed candidate who was the surprise winner of the June gubernatorial primary.

The Republican, who faces state Sen. Libby Mitchell (D) and some independent candidates in November, eventually stormed out of the news conference. "I am running for governor, not my wife," he said.

A cameraman for WMTW-TV captured the entire exchange LePage had with reporters and then followed him on his way out the building. The station's website doesn't allow the video to be embedded, but the Maine Democratic Party uploaded the story to their YouTube site. It's gripping video.

NEW YORK — The 80-year-old congressman spent Monday taking aim at the ethics committee and asking constituents for their vote.

Republicans regained their lead over Democrats in Gallup's weekly generic ballot poll after falling back into a tie last week.

Forty-eight percent of registered voters said they prefer Republican congressional candidates compared to 43 percent who said they back Democratic office-seekers, according to the survey released Monday. 

Last week's tie represented the first time in the previous five weeks the GOP did not lead in the poll, which is a key indicator of voters' mood heading into election season. Poll results have been volatile: The week before last, Republicans held a 51-point to 41-point advantage over Democrats, a lead Gallup called "unprecedented."

Republicans continued to lead Democrats in voter enthusiasm measures. Ninety-six percent of Republicans said they would vote for a GOP candidate, the highest amount all year, compared to 90 percent of Democrats who said they would vote for a Democrat.

The number of Republicans who said they are "very enthusiastic" about voting in this year's congressional elections jumped 3 percentage points to 49 percent. Democratic enthusiasm also ticked up from 23 to 31 percent, but the party is still 18 points behind the GOP.

The poll, conducted between Sept. 6-12, has a 4 percent margin of error.