Ted Cruz leads Beto O’Rourke in new poll by nine points

A new poll released Thursday morning showed Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has stabilized his lead over his Democrat challenger, U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke of El Paso. As for each candidate's images, 52 percent of Texans surveyed had a favorable view of Cruz, with 44 percent viewing him unfavorably.

AP Photos: Hurricane leaves Florida’s Mexico Beach in shreds

Hurricane Michael all but erased the tiny community of Mexico Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast, reducing some homes to mere concrete slabs and leaving others in shreds. Rescuers and residents struggled Thursday to get into town to assess the damage and search for the missing after it was slammed by 155 mph winds and a 9-foot storm surge.

Missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi tortured, dismembered in Saudi consulate, report says

Tawakkol Karman, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for 2011, gestures as she talks to members of the media about the disappearance of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, near the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, Oct. 8, 2018. Khashoggi, 59, went missing on Oct. 2 while on a visit to the consulate in Istanbul for paperwork to marry his Turkish fiance.

UPDATE 5-Trump wary of halting Saudi arms sales over journalist

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he saw no reason to cut off arms sales to Saudi Arabia because of the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, possibly setting up a clash with the U.S. Congress. Trump also said the United States may be closer to finding out what happened to Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi policies who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish sources have said they believe Khashoggi was killed inside the building and his body removed, allegations that Riyadh dismisses as baseless.

‘Apocalyptic:’ One Florida town demolished by Michael

Mishelle McPherson looks for her friend in the rubble of her home, since she knows she stayed behind in the home during Hurricane Michael, in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. Mishelle McPherson looks for her friend in the rubble of her home, since she knows she stayed behind in the home during Hurricane Michael, in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.

Gov. Mark Dayton to undergo third back surgery

Gov. Mark Dayton will undergo back surgery Friday morning at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, another in a series of health complications the second-term governor has endured in recent years. Dayton's office released a statement saying the surgery is similar to procedures Dayton had in 2012 and 2015, which fused vertebrae in his lower back.

Mitch McConnell says he’s ‘increasingly optimistic’ Republicans will hold the Senate

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that he is increasingly optimistic Republicans will maintain control of the Senate, calling a GOP defeat in November a "scary prospect" for voters who want to see more conservative judges on the nation's courts. In an interview with NPR's Kelsey Snell , McConnell said he generally refrains from making predictions but that he's pleased with how the midterm elections are shaping up for Senate Republicans.

Missouri Appeals Ruling That Blocked Part of Voter Photo ID

Jay Ashcroft, the Republican secretary of state in Missouri, answers a question during a convention of state secretaries of state, July 14, 2018, in Philadelphia. Missouri's top election official on Thursday said the state was appealing a judge's ruling that blocked enforcement of parts of a voter photo identification law, adding that the ruling was causing "mass confusion'' ahead of a key election for a U.S. Senate seat.

Nurse staffing proposal trailing in new poll NEW

Opponents outnumber supporters of Question 1 in newly released UMass-Lowell poll results that also show Gov. Charlie Baker and Sen. Elizabeth Warren maintaining large leads over their opponents as they seek re-election on Nov. 6. The poll of 791 registered voters , taken the first week of October, showed 51 percent of likely voters opposed nurse ... (more)

Nikki Haley’s departure and destination: Darcy cartoon

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced in The Oval Office that she is resigning...and that Jared Kushner is really a "hidden genius." Haley's resignation, effective at the end of the year, immediately sparked speculation over the reason for her departure, the timing of it and her future political plans.

“South Park” takes aim at Kavanaugh, Roseanne and “The…

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Destination Imagination, Inc. Appoints New Executive Director

Michele Tuck-Ponder, Esq. was named Executive Director of Destination Imagination, Inc. after serving as the Interim CEO since December 2017 Destination Imagination , a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching students the creative process through hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics and social entrepreneurship challenges, today announced the appointment of Michele Tuck-Ponder, Esq.

Ap Fact Check: Trump’s view of ‘Medicare for All’ simplistic

President Donald Trump took a big step into the debate over the future of America's health care system with an op-ed column in USA Today that presented a bleak vision of what would happen under plans backed by many Democrats to institute government insurance for everyone. Trump on Wednesday cast the idea as a dangerous scheme by "radical socialists" as he played up potential pitfalls of a government-paid system without citing any of the benefits, such as the disappearance of most medical bills.

8 Rural Races Where Democrats May Reap the Benefits of Trumpa s Trade War

President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports , officially launching his long promised trade war. Beijing retaliated immediately, imposing levies on American exports like soybeans and pork-goods reportedly selected to hit Trump country.

Dems tried to shame, slander, destroy a good man

As I write this, the despicable Democratic Party, along with their best friends in the media, continue their character assassination on Brett Kavanaugh. This debacle has become a disingenuous attempt by the left to shame, slander and destroy a good man and even his family through unsubstantiated claims and "I don't remembers" by his liberal Democratic accuser, Christine Ford.

Michael offers exposure, and risk, to Gillum in gov’s race

Tallahassee Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, speaks during a briefing on Hurricane Michael in Tallahassee, Fla., Wednesday Oct. 10, 2018. In the days before Hurricane Michael made landfall, Gillum blanketed the national airwaves, sounding much like the man he wants to replace, Gov. Rick Scott, who constantly urged residents to seek shelter and take the massive storm seriously.

Michelle Malkin: Investigate the Senate Democrat wrecking machine

How did we get here? The Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination circus didn't happen by accident. The emergence of incredible - and by "incredible," I mean the literal Merriam-Webster definition of "too extraordinary and improbable to be believed" - accusers in the 11th hour was no mistake.