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Its no secret that Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.) would like changes to the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law, which he and almost all Republicans opposed when Congress passed it nearly five years ago.

On Wednesday, Shelby, who gained the gavel on the Senate Banking Committee after Republicans took control of the Senate this year, gave a status report on those efforts. The short answer: Hes still trying to figure out where he can find agreement with Democrats on the panel.

Were going to look at whats doable, whats doable politically, Shelby said during an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Wednesday morning. He noted the obvious challenge: Republicans only have 54 votes in the Senate, short of the 60 needed to overcome procedural hurdles, and President Barack Obama can veto legislation.

Shelby told reporters after his remarks that its possible Democrats will band together and oppose any regulatory bill he tries to advance, but at this point he still has hope. Its early, he said, adding that his staff hasnt put together any specifics of what might be in a bill. Were still probing, were still looking for areas that we can work together.

An expanded version of this story is available at WSJ.com

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The Wall Street Journal: Shelby seeks Democrat buy-in on Dodd-Frank changes

WILLIAM BENDER & BOB STEWART, Daily News Staff Writers benderw@phillynews.com, 215-854-5255 Posted: Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 12:16 AM

STRANGE DAY at the polls in the Far Northeast.

For 13 hours yesterday, labor unions accustomed to working shoulder-to-shoulder found themselves eye-to-eye on the battlefield, getting out the vote for two political novices in a low-profile special election on the fringe of the city.

It was quite civil on the surface. But a civil war was raging underneath.

Organized labor split apart and provided troops to both candidates. Some took up arms for the Republican. Orders are orders.

The result: Democrats lost a state House seat in a district in which President Obama got 57 percent of the vote in 2012 and where Democrats outnumber Republicans, 2-to-1.

Republican Martina White, 26, a financial adviser, was elected state representative in the 170th District, which covers the Bustleton-Somerton-Parkwood area of Northeast Philadelphia.

White easily defeated Democrat Sarah Del Ricci, 34, a horse trainer and director of the Parkwood Therapeutic Riding Center, in the special election to fill the vacancy left by former Democratic state Rep. Brendan Boyle, who was elected to Congress last year.

By most accounts, it was a self-imposed Democratic bloodbath.

Boyle, who in 2008 became the first Democrat to win the seat in the former Republican stronghold, was fuming last night.

Read the original:
GOP takes Boyle's seat in Dem district

March 19, 2015 House Democrat Leadership Press Conference
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi discussed the GOP budget proposal, the ongoing investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton #39;s emails and ethics training for lawmakers at her...

By: Roll Call

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March 19, 2015 House Democrat Leadership Press Conference - Video

A quick reminder of the history that Hillary Clinton hopes to overturn: No Democrat who's served out his term has been replaced by a Democrat since before Abraham Lincoln. The last to do it, as we noted last year, was Martin Van Buren who replaced Andrew Jackson.

It's remarkable to contrast that history with the Republicans (of whom there have been more, boosting the odds that they'd have seen this happen). If you look at each presidency since 1861, it breaks down like this.

Only twice since Lincoln has a Democrat replaced a Democrat at all: Lyndon Johnson in 1963 and Harry Truman in 1945.

As always, we must remember that we're dealing with a very small sample size, as this XKCD strip makes clear. It's ten Democratic presidents in total (since this is a young country). And if Clinton manages to win, we doubt it's the first for which she's remembered.

Philip Bump writes about politics for The Fix. He is based in New York City.

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The Fix: Hillary Clinton is attempting something no Democrat has done since the Civil War

WILLIAM BENDER, Daily News Staff Writer benderw@phillynews.com, 215-854-5255 Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2015, 12:16 AM

HAVE YOU been following that state House race in the Far Northeast?

Of course not. Only political junkies and super voters pay attention to this stuff.

It's actually quite juicy.

Voters in the 170th state House District, which covers the Bustleton-Somerton-Parkwood area, will go to the polls today to elect a replacement for former Democratic state Rep. Brendan Boyle, who was elected to Congress last year.

They'll decide between Democrat Sarah Del Ricci and Republican Martina White, which means that, either way, a woman will represent the former Republican stronghold for the first time.

Del Ricci, 34, is a horse trainer and director of the Parkwood Therapeutic Riding Center. White, 26, is a financial adviser.

Republicans in Harrisburg scheduled the special election for today, rather than hold it on the May 19 primary, because that gives them the best shot at reclaiming the seat they lost to Boyle in 2008. Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-to-1 citywide, but only 2-to-1 in the 170th District.

The race also has devolved into an internecine proxy war with complicated political undercurrents and ugly personal attacks.

Boyle's chosen successor for the vacant seat was Seth Kaplan, chief of staff for his brother, state Rep. Kevin Boyle. But local Democratic ward leader and Lt. Gov. Mike Stack overrode the Boyles' wishes and tapped Pennsylvania Turnpike employee John Del Ricci - then later settled on his wife as the chosen candidate. The reason behind the husband-wife switch depends on whom you ask.

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NE Phila. special election is today