Ken Rudin

Candidates have gone into New Hampshire in the past with high expectations, only to be shot down, even if they won. Mitt Romney knows the Granite State is set with traps for his nomination.

As Iowa Republicans head to the caucuses to have their say, we look at how the candidates stack up on the eve of the vote — and how previous winners (and losers) eventually fared.

A group of Republican governors say they may not accept federal funds from the federal stimulus packaged recently signed by President Obama, despite the current economic crisis. NPR's Ken Rudin explains the fallout.

Yesterday, President Obama proposed a spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that exceeds $3.5 trillion. NPR Political Editor Ken Rudin explains why the budget is so expensive and how Congress is expected to react.

Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich named former State Atty. Gen. Ronald Burris yesterday as his pick to replace President-elect Barack Obama's vacant senate seat. Some see the move as a slap in the face to critics who want the governor to resign following allegations of corruption.

The Democratic Rules Committee agreed Saturday to seat delegates from the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries at the party's convention — but give them only half a vote each. The decision was supposed to help heal the party. But the opposite seems to have occurred, with angry supporters of Hillary Clinton promising to take their fight to the convention in Denver.

The Democratic Party tried to resolve its longstanding dispute over delegates from Michigan and Florida. On Saturday, the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee agreed to seat all the delegates from the two states, but give them each just half-votes at the August national convention in Denver.

The Rules and Bylaws committee of the Democratic National Committee meets in Washington to try to resolve whether to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida at the convention. The states were stripped of their delegates after violating party rules by holding early primaries.

The economy is emerging as a big issue in the presidential campaign. Presidential contenders in both parties are touting their economic plans for reviving the ailing economy. Upcoming contests will be critical for some candidates.

A poll of likely caucus voters in Iowa indicates Republican Mike Huckabee has opened up a lead over Mitt Romney. On the Democratic side, the poll gives Barack Obama a slight edge over Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, but that race is still very close.