Senate

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Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (right), the Democratic candidate for Senate, checks his watch with his Republican challenger, former Sen. George Allen, before their debate in Richmond on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

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Former Sen. George Allen, the Republican candidate for Senate from Virginia, looks over the setup with his wife, Susan, as he prepares for a debate with his Democratic challenger, former Gov. Tim Kaine, in Richmond on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

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Republican candidate for Senate Linda McMahon addresses her Democratic rival, Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, in an Oct. 7, 2012, debate in Rocky Hill, Conn. The two are vying for the seat from Connecticut being vacated by Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent. Mrs. McMahon ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2010. (Associated Press)

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Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers, the GOP nominee for Senate, is counting on former Gov. Angus King and state Sen. Cynthia Dill to split the Democratic vote. (Associated Press)

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Angus King (right), a former independent Maine governor in a third-party bid for Senate, chats with James Sloan at Bath Iron Works shipyard Oct. 1. (Associated Press)

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Rep. W. Todd Akin brought home federal dollars for projects in his district but is now an ally of an anti-earmark group, opening himself up to criticism that he has switched to get a campaign donation from the group for his Senate race. (The Jefferson City News-Tribune via Associated Press)

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Republican Deb Fischer, a member of the Nebraska Legislature, has a healthy lead in polls for the Senate seat of retiring Ben Nelson over Democrat Bob Kerrey, the former senator trying to make a comeback after a decade in New York. (Associated Press)

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Tim Kaine, a former Virginia governor running for Senate, said his remarks at a candidates’ debate in McLean on Thursday were not advocating for a tax increase, but rather stating that he was open to considering a minimum tax. (Associated Press)

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Rick Berg, the Republican Senate candidate in North Dakota, speaks in Bismarck, N.D., during a debate with Democratic candidate Heidi Heitkamp. Ms. Heitkamp and Mr. Berg are running for the seat being left open by the departure of incumbent Democrat Kent Conrad, and Mr. Berg is seen as crucial to GOP hopes of capturing control of the Senate. (Associated Press)

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Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. leads an address by the Women of the Senate at the Democratic National Convention at the Time Warner Arena in Charlotte, N.C., on Wednesday, September 5, 2012. (Andrew Geraci/ The Washington Times)