Tea Party-backed Republican candidates for the Senate are looking to infuse the upper chamber with the deep-seated conservatism that is present in the House.

Tea Party-backed Republican candidates for the Senate are looking to infuse the upper chamber with the deep-seated conservatism that is coursing through the House.

The top Democrat in the Senate accused Republicans on Tuesday of caring more about the rich than about students as the chamber steamed toward a showdown over keeping student loan interest rates from doubling for 7.4 million students in July.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is steaming toward a showdown on a Democratic proposal to keep student loan interest rates from doubling for 7.4 million students. In a measure of how the upcoming election is driving work in Congress these days, it#39;s a vote Democrats won#39;t terribly mind losing — which is probably what will happen.

The Senate is steaming toward a showdown on a Democratic proposal to keep student loan interest rates from doubling for 7.4 million students. In a measure of how the upcoming election is driving work in Congress these days, it#39;s a vote Democrats won#39;t terribly mind losing -- which is probably what will happen.