Steny Hoyer

WASHINGTON - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) is launching a cross-country campaign trip as part of a Democratic leadership push for House candidates in hotly contested races, according to a Hoyer aide. 

Hoyer’s campaign stops next week include Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District, where Democrat Jim Himes is trying to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, and Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, where freshman U.S. Rep. Chris Carney is running for re-election. Hoyer will also be making stops for candidates John Adler and Linda Stender, both of whom are attempting to win Republican-held seats in New Jersey.

The next week Hoyer heads south, where he will hold events for Democrat Paul Carmouche in Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District and U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux in the Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District. He will campaign for  Raul Martinez and Joe Garcia in Florida’s 21st and 25th Congressional Districts, and Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.

Ron Paul (R-Texas) will publicly endorse Maryland's Republican candidates for U.S. House at a fundraiser on Thursday.

Each candidate has been invited to speak at the rally. Richard Matthews (MD-2), Peter James (MD-4), Collins Bailey (MD-5) and Mike Hargadon (MD-7) have all confirmed.

The Maryland Congressional delegation voted 7 to 1 on Friday in favor of a revised economic recovery bill.

The U.S. Senate added provisions and voted on an updated rescue bill Wednesday, after the U.S. House failed to pass a $700 billion bailout package for the financial sector on Monday.

Congress passed the revised bill on Friday 263 to 171.

Continue reading to see how each member of the Maryland delegation voted on the revised version of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

Sergio Vitale (R) showed off his fundraising prowess, while U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) and other House leaders bungled the bailout vote on Monday. They're among this week's Winners & Losers. | CLICK HERE

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) says John McCain made no substantive contribution during Thursday's closed-door White House meeting.

"He didn't speak for more than one minute," said Hoyer during an interview with MSNBC's Nora O'Donnell on Friday.

John McCain: Getty Images PhotoFollowing John McCain's temporary suspension of his presidential campaign, Maryland's congressional leaders aren't ditching their campaigns just yet, but insist they aren't ignoring their duties in Congress either.

Heather Molino, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Baltimore), said the campaign had not officially been suspended. She didn't, however, rule out the idea completely and pointed to Ruppersberger's philosophy: "The best way you can campaign is to do your job and do it well."

Lisa Wright, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick), said the congressman's priority is his Congressional job. She went on to reject criticisms that Bartlett wasn't appearing at enough debates or forums against his 6th Congressional District opponent Jennifer Dougherty (D-Frederick).

After Democrat Frank Kratovil spent Sunday campaigning with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, his 1st Congressional District opponent said Kratovil's time with Hoyer showed his "true liberal colors."

Kratovil joined Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) on Sunday to receive an endorsement from the Anne Arundel County Fraternal Order of Police, before the two made their way to Cambridge to tour a laboratory at the University of Maryland.

Mitt RomneyBALTIMORE - Republican Andy Harris' campaign changed gears on Friday with a new slogan.

The campaign's new motto - "Freedom, Opportunity, Change" - was revealed at the campaign's Friday fundraiser featuring former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.).

"People are simply tired of the way business is being done in Washington," Harris told reporters before his luncheon at the Center Club. "Sixteen months ago almost to the day I decided to run for Congress to change the way business is done in Washington."

Standing by Harris' side was Romney, whose record as governor received praise from the state Senator from Cockeysville.