HIGHLIGHTS

The House is in recess this week, making the Senate the only show in town. Senators will be working to line up a minibus of three appropriations bills.

Last Saturday, campaign finance reports were due to the FEC for the third quarter of the year. Candidates with the best stories to tell have already told them, but this week we’ll see volumes of data surface on fundraising. Interesting places to look: California, Illinois and Michigan, where redistricting has created a batch of Member-vs.-Member races. And it will be telling to peek at the bank account of Rep. Michele Bachmann. The Minnesota Republican has been an exceptional fundraiser, but she hasn’t had many bright days as a contender for the GOP presidential nomination since winning the Ames straw poll back in August.

The Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction is likely to meet throughout the week, though times and locations have not been set.

MONDAY

Another White House Bus Tour. President Barack Obama will travel to Asheville, N.C., to talk about his jobs plan. It’s the first stop of a three-day event.

TUESDAY

Another GOP Debate. The Republican field — minus at least one — will be in Las Vegas for a debate. But Jon Huntsman is skipping it out of deference to New Hampshire, where voters are annoyed because Nevada might move its caucuses ahead of Iowa and New Hampshire. Huntsman’s poll numbers are so low he almost didn’t make the cut to participate anyway.

The President Is Still in North Carolina.  And also in Virginia, talking about his jobs plan.

Chelsea Clinton Is in D.C. The former first daughter will be at George Washington University for an event to recycle old cellphones as a way to fund health projects in developing countries.

WEDNESDAY

The President Is Still in Virginia. First lady Michelle Obama will join the president at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton to talk about the hire-veterans provision of his jobs proposal.

FRIDAY

A Senate Vote on Approps? Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has set this day as his target for getting final passage of the appropriations minibus, which includes Commerce-Justice-science; Agriculture and Transportation-Housing Urban Development. A recess scheduled for the following week provides motivation.