Six Months After Midterm Disaster, Hopeful Signs for Democrats  —  Here's what I wrote two weeks ago about the special election in New York's 26th Congressional district, which was won by the Democrat Kathy Hochul Tuesday night: … Ms. Hochul, with most of the vote counted, has 48 percent of the total, so she has met this threshold.

Hochul takes House seat in stunner  —  Kathleen Courtney Hochul, the Erie County clerk and longtime Democratic figure who defied political experts giving her little chance of success, ground out a stunning and surprisingly comfortable victory Tuesday in the special election for the predominantly Republican 26th Congressional District.

G.O.P. on the Defensive as Voters Resist Medicare Plan  —  WASHINGTON — When they proposed just last month to overhaul Medicare, House Republicans were confident that the wind of budget politics was at their backs and that the country's looming fiscal problems provided justification …

Warning shot: 4-point Dem. victory in heavily GOP district where Medicare was issue — Ryan video tries to shift debate to ‘Saving Medicare’ — Geithner's #PlaybookBreakfast livestream  —RAHM MAY TESTIFY AT BLAGO II: ChiTrib p. 1 tease, “Sources: Emanuel, Blagojevich to testify …

Awkward Moment During Obama Toast to Queen  —  The president and the orchestra at Buckingham Palace this evening were a bit out of synch.  —  When the president toasted the Queen the orchestra misunderstood a pause and what seemed to be a cue from the president for “God Save the Queen” to begin playing.

Decorum Breaks Down at House Hearing  —  WASHINGTON — A House committee hearing into the structure of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau disintegrated into heated accusations of lying to Congress on Tuesday, with the panel's chairman accusing Elizabeth Warren of giving misleading testimony …