News & Sports

Prominent Ohio conservative Senator Rob Portman, once considered for Mitt Romney's running mate, is speaking out about gay marriage in support of his son, who is gay, just as Romney gets set to give his first public speech since the election today. NBC's Peter Alexander reports. (TODAY)

The spotlight has turned to Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the subject of a federal investigation into possible health care fraud and public corruption. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports. (Nightly News)

After 40 years in Congress, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa has announced he will not seek re-election in 2014. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports. (msnbc)

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is asking MTV to pull the plug on reality show "Buckwild." NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports and Sen. Manchin tells TODAY's Matt Lauer "this is not who we are" in West Virginia. (TODAY)

Can the president and Congress strike a deal on how much the wealthy should pay in taxes? Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee gave his take on the way to economic growth. (TODAY)

Arlen Specter, viewed as resilient, smart and aggressive, was a former prosecutor who often riled both conservatives and liberals. Pennsylvanians elected him as a Republican to five, six-year terms starting in 1980. He became a Democrat in 2009. (Nightly News)

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is telling women to become economically empowered and tells TODAY's Ann Curry about the summit she is hosting to reach out to women. (TODAY)

One of the GOP's new faces, Marco Rubio, scored a huge win in last year's campaign season and may be on the map for the Republican presidential field.  NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports. (TODAY)

Veteran and former Senator Bob Dole was honored today with a plaque at the World War II Memorial in Washington DC. Dole, severely wounded while serving with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy, in 1945, reminisces about his fellow veterans at the ceremony. (Nightly News)

Senator Scott Brown talks about being a victim of sexual and physical abuse as a child and other events represented in his new book, "Against All Odds: My Life of Hardship, Fast Breaks and Second Chances." (TODAY show)