National Journal Hotline's Reid Wilson talks about McDonnell's role at the RNC, as well as the role other local politicians are playing — or not playing at the conventions.

Ann Romney took the stage at the Republican National Convention yesterday along with a host of Republican governors; one of them, Gov. Bob McDonnell, is a local politician showing up more and more on the national stage.

D.C. GOP chairman Bob Kabel talks about his party's battle to get D.C. represented in Congress, its support for marriage equality and how it feels to be at the convention surrounded by so many Republicans for a change.

The meat of the Republican National Convention program begins today in Tampa, Fla., one day after it was planned, thanks to Tropical Storm Isaac.

Thousands of journalists, politicos and Republicans are biding their time in Tampa, Fla. as they wait out a delay of the Republican National Convention caused by Tropical Storm Isaac.

D.C.'s ongoing battle for statehood faced a setbacks this week as Republicans made their opposition to statehood part of the national platform. Now, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray will turn his attention to Democrats. 

National Journal Hotline's Reid Wilson talks about why Mitt Romney announced his vice president in Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell's political future, and how the choice of Paul Ryan will play in the commonewealth. 

Democrats are calling on colleges and universities to help them get out the vote by encouraging students to register, after the youth vote proved so vital in 2008.

Virginia continues to be a darling of the 2012 campaign, as President Obama will return to the commonwealth Thursday night for an event in Leesburg, Va.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the economy was weaker but took no new steps to help. The House and Senate remained at loggerheads over whether to extend the Bush-era tax cuts. Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney returned from a week-long overseas trip. And Chick-fil-A fans and critics took to the streets following anti-gay marriage comments by the company's president. Greg Ip of The Economist, Julie Hirshfeld Davis of Bloomberg News and Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.