In a sign of Republican concern over Sen. Richard Burr's re-election chances, Burr's friend and Senate colleague, John McCain, is now running Google ads pumping the North Carolina freshman.

As first spotted by the Charlotte News and Observer, a Google search of "Richard Burr" brings up a sponsored link from McCain's Country First political action committee -- "Richard Burr NC Senator," it reads, followed by "Join John McCain's Country First to Support Candidates like Burr!"

The link leads to the PAC's Supported Candidates page.

A bill that would set mortgage standards and aims to curb predatory lending practices was easily passed by the House Thursday on a 300-114 vote, with the support of all but three participating members of the Democratic majority, as well as 60 Republicans.

And the measure proved popular with members from partisan swing districts.

Of the 34 Republican lawmakers from districts that split their tickets to back Democrat Barack Obama in the 2008 election, 25 (or 74 percent) voted for the bill.

The bill was drew much less support, on a percentage basis, from members whose districts went Republican both for president and the House last year. "Aye" votes were cast by just 35 of the 144 Republicans (24 percent) from districts that favored Republican John McCain over Obama.

Mike Halfacre (Campaign site photo)

New Jersey Republican Mike Halfacre has filed paperwork to prepare for a possible 2010 campaign against Democratic Rep. Rush D. Holt in the state's 12th District.

Halfacre is a lawyer and the mayor of Fair Haven, a small borough in Monmouth County that is near the eastern end of a Democratic-leaning district that meanders across the midsection of the state.

Tom Fitzsimmons, a spokesman for Halfacre, said in an e-mail message to CQ Politics that Halfacre is "considering running" for Congress next year and that "right now he is talking to people and gauging interest in his candidacy."