WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn., has been chosen to chair the Washington-based Democratic Leadership Council.

BOSTON, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The major parties have nominated six African-Americans for U.S. senator and governor, including one poised to become the first black governor of Massachusetts.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Winning a U.S. Senate majority will be a nail-biter for Democrats, based on Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg polls of voters in three key rural states.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- More black candidates are operating campaigns for the U.S. Senate and governors of U.S. states in 2006 than ever before.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams has apologized to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn., for getting their names wrong.

BAGHDAD, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. congressmen told Iraq's political leaders they need to start showing some progress before the United States loses its patience and goes home.

WASHINGTON, June 19 (UPI) -- Iraq policy has already been cited as an issue in the 2006 midterm elections, with at least one candidate focusing his election campaign on an exit plan.

MEMPHIS, March 15 (UPI) -- The race to succeed U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., in 2006 kicked up a notch as ex-U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary declared for the seat.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- TV news divisions went into election night promising not to project winners in states where vote totals for President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry were too close to call, but the discipline didn't hold, as Fox News called Bush a winner