Politics

The midterm elections are less than two weeks away. Writer Michael Schaub recommends a book that explores what it's like to run for office and live through all the dramatic ups and downs.

As the last white Democrat in Congress from the Deep South, Rep. John Barrow is a perennial target. So far, he's managed to stay in office by portraying himself as an independent voice.

Latinos make up 9 percent of the state's population and 2 percent of registered voters, and a new poll shows many are undecided. In Charlotte, Michel Martin learns more about their growing influence.

This midterm cycle, more than half the ads from so-called outside groups are being paid for by secret donors. That means voters will never know who's paying tens of millions of dollars for those ads.

Weeks before the November election, a Georgia lawsuit claims more than 40,000 voter registration applications — mainly from black, Latino and Asian-American voters — are missing.

Two million people have already voted in next month's election, including President Obama. Locking in votes early is huge, particularly since control of the Senate rests in a handful of close races.

American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken has hung up his microphone as he runs for Congress as a Democrat representing the rural center of the state. But the campaign is a long shot.

Campaigning against gay marriage used to help Republicans win elections — but now GOP candidates in tight races are backing away from mentioning social issues on the stump.