Free Republic

After Saturday's very important South Carolina Republican Primary, the presidential nomination process kicks into a whole new gear.Three days later, on Tuesday, Republicans in Nevada will gather for their caucus. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) isn't waiting for Saturday night's results from the Palmetto State to launch his efforts in the Silver State. He unveiled his first Nevada-specific ad on Thursday afternoon.The 30-second spot, titled "Nevada Land," continues the Cruz campaign's attacks on Republican front-runner Donald Trump over the issue of eminent domain and federal ownership of land. It features Cruz speaking directly to the voters:"Eighty five percent of Nevada is owned...

WASHINGTON — Two late-night votes in the Senate last weekend provide fodder for party activists already drawing up plans to reward loyalists and punish adversaries as the 2016 U.S. election cycle starts. The litmus-test votes: passage of a $1.1 trillion spending bill that Democrats criticized for being too kind to big banks and campaign donors, and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz's failed constitutional objection to President Barack Obama's immigration policy. Pressure from the bases of both parties was strong enough that 40 senators -- 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans -- voted against the bill even though it included provisions to...

WASHINGTON - Stepping into an elevator on his way out of the U.S. Capitol Friday night, Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell - the next Senate Majority Leader - bid reporters farewell. "See you Monday," he said. By agreement with Democrats, a budget showdown risking a potential government shutdown had been pushed back a couple of days, creating breathing room for senators in both parties while they made plans for a pre-holiday weekend. Sen. Ted Cruz had other ideas. In a maneuver that would put the junior Republican senator from Texas at the center of another high-stakes political drama, Cruz pressed a...