The Associated Press: on Principles & Values

Shelley Moore Capito: Declined to debate with 3rd-party candidates

Capito's campaign said the congresswoman will be on her previously scheduled bus tour. Capito and Tennant, West Virginia's secretary of state, debated last Tuesday in Charleston. Third-party candidates weren't involved. The two met for a West Virginia Chamber of Commerce candidate forum at The Greenbrier in late August.

They are seeking retiring Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller's seat. The Friday morning debate will air in the evening.

Mark Zaccaria: Former chair of state GOP; former Town Council member

Zaccaria has twice run for Congress in the 2nd District held by Rep. Jim Langevin and chaired the party from 2011 to 2013. He's a former member of the North Kingstown Town Council. He told The Providence Journal he's not running "just because I happen to have a pulse." He says he's doing so to offer a viable alternative to Reed. Reed has been in the Senate since 1997. He won his last re-election campaign handily.

Dan Sullivan: AdWatch: I love my state; I hate politicians

Sullivan, in the ad, talks about his love for his wife, the state and the country. But he says he says he hates what "Washington politicians" are doing to Alaska and the country.

He highlights his experience as a Marine and as Alaska's attorney general and Natural Resources commissioner.

T.W. Shannon: Will remain as Speaker during Senate primary

"I want you to know that I will remain Speaker for the time being. I am not stepping down immediately because I want to ensure a smooth transition that does not disrupt the important business of the state, nor distract from the legislative goals of our caucus," Shannon wrote.

Shannon, who previously worked as congressional field director for former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts and current U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2006. He was the first Republican to represent District 62.

He won a close race for House speaker with the help of the Republican caucus' right wing, and he has staked out several conservative positions that occasionally rankle GOP leaders in the state Senate and governor's office.

T.W. Shannon: "Recovering attorney" with JD from Oklahoma City University

John Walsh: Washington incumbents are part of a broken system

Jack Robinson: Ran as Republican in past; running as Independent in 2013

Jack E. Robinson said in a statement on Monday that he switched his voter registration to independent last year. As a Republican, Robinson ran unsuccessfully in the past for several political offices, including twice for the US Senate. He must gather at least 10,000 certified signatures by April 3 to get on the special election ballot.

Joe Kyrillos: If you think things are just fine, choose my opponent

Kyrillos's campaign has appealed broadly to voter frustration with Washington. "If you think things are just fine, that things are O.K. here in New Jersey and across the land, well, then you'll choose my opponent again," he said. "But if you think that unemployment doubling under his watch, the deficit quadrupling, our national debt doubling is unacceptable," he added, "then you're going to make a change." (National unemployment figures reported on Friday showed the rate dropping below 8%, to 7.8%.)

Echoing Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee, Mr. Kyrillos added: "I believe in America. I believe we can do better."

Joe Kyrillos: Introduced to his wife by Gov. Christie

Former Gov. Chris Christie introduced Kyrillos to the woman he would marry. He has been a loyal soldier for the governor, supporting a property-tax cap and initiatives to reverse the effects of a court ruling that requires the state to help equalize spending between rich and poor school districts.

Robert Menendez: Elected mayor of Union City at 32

Elizabeth Warren: I know I'm 1/32 Cherokee because my mother told me so

Her opponents question whether Warren chose this heritage to gain advantages available to Indians and other underrepresented groups in academia. Warren has been adamant that she did not seek any advantage from Native American heritage. Records show that she declined to apply for admission to Rutgers Law School under a minority student program and identified her race as "White" on an employment record at the University of Texas.

Don Stenberg: Our country's going in the wrong direction

"Our country's going in the wrong direction," Stenberg said in his opening remarks. "We desperately need new leadership in Washington to restore America."

Don Stenberg: Most campaign funds come from South Carolina PAC

Stenberg reiterated criticisms he's aimed at Bruning throughout the campaign: That Bruning has become a multimillionaire while serving in public office and that in 2007, Bruning attempted to waive a $1 million settlement with Lincoln-based student loan company Nelnet.

In response, Bruning declared he would not "throw mud" at his opponents, then said "South Carolina has two senators ... they don't need a third," implying that Stenberg would be beholden to South Carolina's Sen. Jim DeMint, a tea party leader who has endorsed Stenberg. The bulk of Stenberg's fundraising for his Senate campaign has come from the Senate Conservatives Fund, a political action committee run by DeMint.

Jon Bruning: OpEd: Became multimillionaire while serving in public office

Stenberg reiterated criticisms he's aimed at Bruning throughout the campaign: That Bruning has become a multimillionaire while serving in public office and that in 2007, Bruning attempted to waive a $1 million settlement with Lincoln-based student loan company Nelnet after the company was accused of improper business practices. A year later, Bruning entered a time-share agreement on a nearly $700,000 vacation home with two Nelnet executives.

In response, Bruning declared he would not "throw mud" at his opponents, then said "South Carolina has two senators... they don't need a third," implying that Stenberg would be beholden to South Carolina's Sen. Jim DeMint, a tea party leader who has endorsed Stenberg.

Pat Flynn: Endorsed by Republican Liberty Caucus

Flynn has raised less money than the other candidates but has garnered national endorsements, including those from the Republican Liberty Caucus and former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.

Dino Rossi: Lost 2004 race for governor by 133 votes

Rossi is a real estate developer who has twice lost races for governor. Rossi, 50, lost to Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire by 133 votes in 2004 after two recounts. He lost to her by nearly 200,000 votes in 2008. He is seeking to capitalize on anti-incumbent sentiment in a state that has voted Democrat the past six presidential elections.

John Boozman: Arkansas can't afford Blanche Lincoln anymore

Boozman and Lincoln sparred over Social Security, taxes and earmarks during the debate. "Sen. Lincoln is a good friend and I admire her, yet we can't afford her anymore," Boozman, a congressman representing northwest Arkansas, said.

Lincoln criticized Boozman for supporting House Republicans' moratorium on earmarks and said that his opposition to money for local projects is harming his congressional district. "The fact is he signed with his party above his state and his district," Lincoln said.

Carte Goodwin: Appointed for 4-month term; will not run for election

Goodwin confirmed that he will not run to continue representing the state in the special election expected this November. Goodwin did, however, say he is ready to make the most of his short term: "I'm anxious to roll my sleeves up."

Chris Christie: Spent beyond government travel allowance as US Attorney

Christie said he stayed in more expensive hotels only when cheaper ones weren't available. "We always went for government rates first," he said. "I don't think there were a lot of stays in 5-star hotels."

The travel records date to when he was sworn in as US attorney in 2002. The limits are updated regularly to reflec inflation, seasonal price jumps and other economic realities of business travel. Federal employees who exceed the allowance are required to explain why, though the justification merely requires an extra layer of approval that is routinely granted.

John Neely Kennedy: Ran for US Senate in 2004 as Democrat; & endorsed John Kerry

While Kennedy shifted his rhetoric, Landrieu largely continued hers--calling Kennedy “confused” because he switched parties last year after running for the U.S. Senate in 2004 as a liberal Democrat who endorsed John Kerry for president.

Kennedy’s received significant fundraising and campaign help from the national GOP, but some of that assistance appeared to be drying up Wednesday with reports that the National Republican Senatorial Committee will pull its ads next week and focus attention on embattled incumbents in other states.

Sarah Palin: Investigated for firing ex-brother-in-law in custody battle

State lawmakers have launched a $100,000 investigation to determine if Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan last month because Monegan wouldn’t fire a state trooper involved in a messy custody battle with her sister.

Palin denied her safety commissioner’s dismissal had anything to do with her former brother-in-law. The investigation launched by state lawmakers is expected to take at least three months.

One state legislator said Palin’s candidacy does not change the investigation. “I think it raises its profile. I don’t think it changes the steps you go through. You have to find out what happened,” he said. The investigator hired by lawmakers two days ago [began scheduling] Palin’s deposition.

Keith Goodenough: Changed from GOP to Democrat; “the party left me”

Goodenough says he’s running largely because of how Barrasso, who is also a former state senator, worked against him during Goodenough’s unsuccessful Wyoming Senate re-election bid in 2004.

Goodenough served in the Wyoming House from 1988-1992 and in the Senate from 1994-2004.

Barack Obama: Attends church with press, to dispel rumors that he’s Muslim

His attendance at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Mason City, Iowa, with the news media in tow, was as much an observation of faith as it was a rejoinder to baseless e-mailed rumors that he is a Muslim and poses a threat to the security of the US. Obama did not address the rumors, but described how he joined Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago two decades ago while working as a community organizer. “I realized that Scripture and the words of God fit into the values I was raised in,” he told the congregation.

Obama regularly attends church, but seldom with reporters watching. He is known to invoke religious references in his speeches and has said he has a “personal relationship” with Jesus Christ. He often has said that religion has a place in public life and that faith and politics are not exclusively the domain of conservatives.

Joseph Lieberman: Endorses Republican John McCain for President

The aide said Lieberman was not courted by anyone else in the race. “I think McCain is the only one who asked for the senator’ endorsement,“ he added.

In a pre-emptive comment against the questions that will inevitably come around the senator since his own contentious 2006 re-election, when he was knocked out of the Democratic primary by a political neophyte because of his pro-Iraq position, Lieberman is not switching parties. ”This is in no way an endorsement of the (Republican) Party, just the man,“ the aide said, adding that McCain did not ask Lieberman to join his ticket in the vice presidential slot.

Ed O`Reilly: Formally announced at the Democratic State Convention

O’Reilly, 53, plans a formal announcement at the Democratic State Convention in Amherst. A year from now, he will need to gain the support of 15% of the convention delegates to secure a spot on the Democratic primary ballot against Kerry. Kerry was unchallenged during his 2002 re-election campaign. O’Reilly said Kerry was wrong to vote in Oct. 2002 in favor of a congressional resolution authorizing war with Iraq, a vote Kerry himself now says was a mistake. A Kerry spokesperson said “Sen. Kerry is honored to serve Massachusetts and looks forward to his re-election campaign.”

John Edwards: We need a new spirit of activism and leadership

Clad in blue jeans, an open-necked shirt and with his sleeves rolled up, Edwards chose the backyard of a victim of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans’ devastated Ninth Ward for his unorthodox announcement. “We want people in this campaign to actually take action now, not later, not after the next election,“ the former North Carolina senator said, sounding as much like a recruiter as a presidential campaigner.

Edwards, 53, is calling for an increase in community service and cuts in poverty, global warming and troops in Iraq. He also said the country should provide universal health care for all and end its dependence on foreign oil. He said he would tax oil company profits and eliminate President Bush’s tax cuts to pay for his priorities.

John Edwards: Campaign slogan: “Tomorrow begins today”

In his message to supporters, Edwards listed his priorities to change America. Among them:

• “Guaranteeing health care for every single American”
• “Strengthening our middle class and ending the shame of poverty“
• ”Leading the fight against global warming“
• ”Getting America and the world to break our addiction to oil.“

Tom Vilsack: Launches presidential bid; files FEC paperwork

The governor is the first Democrat to file for the presidency although a number of better known candidates are presumed to be running. “Americans sent a clear message on Tuesday. They want leaders who will take this country in a new direction,” he said. “They want leaders who share their values, understand their needs, and respect their intelligence. That’s what I’ve done as governor of Iowa, and that’s what I intend to do as president.”

In polls, Vilsack has trailed the other potential candidates, among them Hillary Clinton & John Edwards. The governor even was behind in a survey of Iowans.

Dick Mountjoy: Mistakenly claimed navy service on USS Missouri

The statement about the Missouri was on Mountjoy’s campaign Web site, alongside a photo of him as a young sailor. “After graduating High School, Dick joined the Navy and served during the Korean War aboard the Battleship Missouri,” said the statement, which also was featured in a film on the site.

The retired state legislator last week said his stint aboard the Missouri had been “very brief” and he served on the heavy cruiser Bremerton. He said later that he occasionally boarded the Missouri during the Korean conflict and was on the ship for “a couple of days at a time.” Mountjoy called the statement a “mistake” that was likely based on misinformation from an unknown source, dating back at least six years. “I think it was just something that somebody picked up,” Mountjoy said. “It didn’t come from me.”

Katherine Harris: Separation of church and state is a lie

Katherine Harris: Non-Christian legislators legislate sin, like gay marriage

Dwight Grotberg: Compares running against Conrad to US Olympic hockey team

Dwight Grotberg: Farmer in Barnes County; serves on Township board

Dwight Grotberg: Worked as a missionary in New Zealand

Christy Mihos: “Game on”, but maybe as Republican or maybe independent

Mihos, a registered Republican whose family founded the Christy’s convenience store chain, said last fall he was considering a campaign for governor but would wait for Gov. Mitt Romney to announce whether he was seeking re-election. The governor announced Dec. 14 he would not seek a second term.

“In deference to the governor, we did nothing until he announced. And now we’re filing what we have to file, and now we’re meeting with folks and bringing on the people we need,” he said. “We’ll get there, just more turtlelike than the others.” Mihos has yet to announce whether he will run as a Republican or as an independent.

Jack Carter: Candidacy supported by Sen. Harry Reid

Carter and his wife, Elizabeth, have lived in Las Vegas since 2003, operating an investment consulting firm.

Jack Carter: Social liberal with conservative Southern roots

Tim Michels: Michels wins Senate Republican primary

George W. Bush: Screens all audiences to avoid hecklers

The Bush campaign billed his visit to Beaverton as a chance for ordinary citizens to pose questions to the president. But this was no town hall appearance before a cross-section of citizens. Bush-Cheney re-election headquarters had instructed Oregon campaign officials to distribute tickets, so the school gymnasium was filled last Friday with 2,000 passionate Bush backers.

Kerry’s more open approach carries political risks. Sometimes protesters show up and try to disrupt his appearances. Such dissent is never a problem for Bush. When the time came to “Ask President Bush” Friday, none of his 16 questioners challenged him on his policies. Several did not ask questions at all, but simply voiced support.

John McCain: Denounces “Swift Boat Vets” ads as dishonest

The 60-second ad by a group called “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” accuses Kerry of lying about his decorated Vietnam War record and betraying his fellow veterans by later opposing the conflict. McCain said he’s speaking out against the anti-Kerry ad because he believes it’s bad for the political system. “It reopens all the old wounds of the Vietnam War, which I spent the last 35 years trying to heal,” he said. “None of these individuals served on the boat Kerry commanded. Many of his crew have testified to his courage under fire. I think John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam.

A Bush spokesperson said, ”The Bush campaign never has and will never question John Kerry’s service in Vietnam.“

Barack Obama: Convention keynote speech highlights party’s black targeting

The announcement from the Kerry campaign came on the same day that the Democrat launched $2 million worth of ads for television, radio and newspapers targeting black voters. Democrats handily won the black vote in 2000 by a 9-to-1 margin, and the party and Kerry campaign want to boost that turnout this November.

Obama’s Republican opponent Jack Ryan dropped out last month over embarrassing allegations in his divorce papers. The GOP’s top choices have refused to run, sending Republicans scrambling to line up opposition.

Barack Obama: First black president of the Harvard Law Review

When Obama was 2, his father left the family, returning to Kenya, where he eventually became a senior economist in the Ministry of Finance. Obama graduated from Columbia University in New York, and received his law degree from Harvard Law School. He became the first black president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review.

He worked as a community organizer in New York and Chicago on job-training programs and other projects, and as a civil rights lawyer. He is now a senior instructor in constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Dennis Kucinich: Day 1: Pull out of Iraq, NAFTA, and the WTO

A: If the US occupation of Iraq has not ended, I will go to the UN for a resolution to bring our troops home in 90 days, putting the UN in control of the oil, the contracting, and the cause of Iraqi self-governance. If this has happened, my first action will be to repeal the NAFTA, withdraw from the WTO, and replace them with bilateral trade agreements based on workers’ rights, human rights, and environmental quality principles.

Wesley Clark: Day 1: Implementation five-point Turnaround Plan for America

A: I will begin immediate implementation of my five-point ‘Turnaround Plan for America.’ The plan consists of five specific policies that will reverse the disastrous course President Bush has set for America on the economy, education, health care and the environment. The plan also establishes five concrete ‘accountability benchmarks’ that the American people can use to hold me accountable for my promises.

Dave Freudenthal: Same man as governor as he was as candidate

Freudenthal, an underdog in both the 2002 Democratic primary and the general election, has made it look fairly easy. His GOP opponent was oil and gas businessman Eli Bebout, whom Freudenthal defeated by only 3,789 votes. “I don’t know yet if it’s a fun job, but it’s clearly an honor. There’s no question about it,” he said.

“You have good days and you have bad days,” Freudenthal said. Freudenthal wishes he had extra time to travel and promises a concerted effort to visit more communities in 2004.

Bob Smith: Announces bid for Senate in Florida

Al Gore: Endorses Dean for President

Al Sharpton: Hosts Saturday Night Live: “I hope America laughed together”

SNL frequently has political content, but this is the first time in memory stations bailed out for this reason. Given that the job of an SNL host requires a week’s worth of rehearsal time, it’s unlikely any of the other Democrats would accept if offered.

Sharpton portrayed lawyer Johnnie Cochran, Michael Jackson’s father, and one of the three wise men searching for Jesus [he was pulled over by a traffic cop]. “I hope tonight America laughed together,” Sharpton said at the night’s conclusion. “Maybe we can learn how to live together.”

Howard Dean: You have the power!

Dean pledged to fight conservative Republicans, docile Democrats and the rest of the Washington establishment-all of whom he holds responsible for turning Americans away from the political system. “You have the power to take our country back!” he shouted “You have the power!”

Dean actually began his campaign months ago. But he staged a formal announcement to draw attention and money to his long-shot bid. Besides a crowd of 2,500 in Burlington, 15,000 Dean supporters had signed up to attend campaign events in more than 300 cities.

In a call to disenchanted voters of all political stripes, Dean said, “You have the power to rid Washington of all the politics of money. You have the power to take back the Democratic Party. You have the power!”

Mel Martinez: No Senate run in 2004, but maybe governor in 2006

Martinez, 56, has avoided addressing his political future since speculation began earlier this year that GOP strategists were leaning on him to seek the seat of Sen. Bob Graham, a Democrat pursuing the nomination for president. Martinez, who fled Cuba as a teenager, has been touted by some Republicans as someone who could produce a massive turnout among Republican-leaning Cuban-American voters in South Florida. Hispanic voters in central Florida, his home region, are considered a key constituent in the state’s electoral battleground.

Jane Swift: Bows out of governor’s race, citing family concerns

The announcement of Romney’s entrance into the GOP race for governor had been anticipated for weeks, and Swift’s popularity suffered with each poll taken. Still, until recently, she said she welcomed a challenging campaign. Many of her staff did not know until Tuesday about her decision.

A Boston Herald poll on Sunday showed Romney leading Swift 75 percent to 12 percent.

“Having said early on the time with family was non-negotiable, something had to give,” Swift said. She plans to serve out her term until the end of the year.

Jimmy Carter: Former President criticizes Clinton’s last-minute pardons

John Ashcroft: Common-sense conservative

Ashcroft assured his former colleagues on Tuesday that he could push his personal beliefs aside and enforce laws as they are written by Congress and interpreted by the Supreme Court even though he may disagree with them. “My primary personal belief is that the law is supreme, that I don’t place myself above the law, that I shouldn’t place myself above the law,” he said. “So it would violate my beliefs to do it.” If his religious faith ever were to come in conflict with his enforcement of the law, “then I would have to resign,” he said.

John Ashcroft: Law is supreme, above his personal beliefs

Ashcroft characterized his differences with Lee and Satcher as policy issues. He said he voted against Lee because of “serious concerns about his willingness to enforce” the Supreme Court’s decision limiting preferences for minority companies in awarding government contracts. Satcher, Ashcroft said, had backed AIDS studies in Africa that withheld treatment from some pregnant women with HIV to test the effect of a new approach.

Al Gore: Abstinence Ed in the context of comprehensive Sex Ed

A: I support a comprehensive strategy to prevent teen pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases that includes abstinence education and other measures. I believe that community leaders are in the best position to identify those family-planning strategies that will be most effective within their respective communities.

Alan Keyes: Withdraws with 21 delegates; supports Bush & Cheney

Keyes won no primaries last winter and spring, but he had remained on the campaign trail spreading his conservative message. Asked Tuesday if he still considered himself a candidate, Keyes said, “I am not.” A campaign spokeswoman said Keyes had not yet filed withdrawal papers with the Federal Election Commission.

Keyes said he supports Bush’s choice of former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney as his running mate, adding that Cheney’s anti-abortion views mirrored his own. He said he would join other Republicans to unite behind Bush at the party’s convention.

Keyes won 21 delegates this year though the final count could change by a delegate or two. His best showing was in the Iowa caucuses, where he won 14% of the vote.

Ralph Nader: Plans to be on 50 ballots & make a 4-party race

Ralph Nader: Opposes concentration of power & monied interests

Gary Bauer: Withdraws after NH Primary

Bauer declined to endorse any of the four Republicans still vying for the GOP nomination. Bauer noted those who remain: the son of a president, the son of an admiral, and the son of a tycoon. “I’m the son of a janitor,” he said.

Donald Trump: Appealing to middle Americans leery of political elite

Bob Smith: Exiting race, returning to GOP

Pat Buchanan: Leaving GOP elite, to take message to voters

George W. Bush: A “call to conscience” for personal responsibility

Elizabeth Dole: Crusade for a rebirth of our values

Dan Quayle: Smaller govt; bigger defense; stronger families