WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Pat Toomey defended their plan to expand background checks for gun buyers on Monday, as Manchin opened the Senate’s debate on the proposal by urging colleagues to “make a difference” and resist political pressure to reject the measure.

Manchin’s call for bipartisanship on one of the nation’s most divisive issues came as the background checks plan that he and Toomey devised was headed to a close vote in the Senate later this week.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate cleared the way on Thursday for debate on proposals to curb gun violence, rejecting an effort by conservative Republicans to block consideration of gun-control legislation prompted by the Newtown school massacre.

The Senate voted 68-31 to open what will likely be weeks of emotional debate on President Barack Obama’s proposals to expand background checks for gun buyers, tighten restrictions on gun trafficking and increase funding for school security.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate cleared the way on Thursday for an emotional, weeks-long debate on proposals to curb gun violence, rejecting an effort by conservative Republicans to block consideration of gun-control legislation prompted by December’s Connecticut elementary school massacre.

The Senate voted 68-31 to open debate on President Barack Obama’s proposals to expand background checks for gun buyers, tighten restrictions on gun trafficking and increase funding for school security.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A breakthrough agreement to expand background checks for gun buyers, announced on Wednesday by two U.S. senators, boosts the prospects the Senate will approve at least some of President Barack Obama’s proposed gun restrictions.

The deal by Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania sets the stage for a Senate debate on a gun-control bill starting on Thursday, when the Democratic-led chamber is expected to defeat conservative Republicans’ efforts to block it from reaching the floor.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate will cast its first vote on President Barack Obama’s gun-control proposals on Thursday, but Democratic Leader Harry Reid said he was unsure if the bill could gain the 60 votes it needs to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.

Reid called on Republicans to drop their attempt to block debate on the gun legislation, but Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said there was no bipartisan support for the effort.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The anti-tax advocacy group Club for Growth, an unapologetic purveyor of in-your-face fiscal conservatism, has no time for the Republican hand-wringing that followed November’s bitter election loss.

The combative Club is preparing to spend millions of dollars next year on its latest round of primary challenges to Republican lawmakers who it believes have violated its conservative economic principles.

WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) – Former Florida Governor Jeb
Bush appeared on five morning talk shows on Sunday to plug his
new book on immigration, but said his heightened visibility does
not mean he is re-entering politics or planning a White House
run – not yet, anyway.

The talk-show marathon capped a busy week of public
appearances for Bush, one of several Republicans seen as
potential contenders for the 2016 presidential nomination. Bush
said it is too early to seriously ponder a bid for the White
House.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A winter storm all but closed down Washington on Wednesday, but hopes for a political thaw sprouted across the U.S. capital.

In a city gripped by partisan gridlock, President Barack Obama’s plans for a private dinner with a small group of Senate Republicans on Wednesday night – and a trip to Capitol Hill next week to speak to their entire caucus – qualified as groundbreaking.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (Reuters) – In the gun-friendly state of Louisiana, the backlash against President Barack Obama’s proposed restrictions on firearms seems to be everywhere.

It can be seen in the frenzied sales and empty racks at Jim’s Firearms store in the state capital, Baton Rouge, where customers have rushed to make purchases as Congress weighs several gun-control bills.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Four months after his bitter election defeat, a reflective Mitt Romney said it “kills” him not to be president and admitted mistakes were made in his losing White House campaign – particularly his failure to win over minority voters.

In his first television interview since November’s loss to President Barack Obama, Romney leveled a fresh blast of criticism at Obama for failing to lead and putting politics ahead of results in the confrontation with congressional Republicans over the budget and spending cuts.