GOP debate: Early numbers suggest record audience  —  Early overnight Nielsen ratings suggest that Thursday's Republican debate was not just the most-watched primary debate in history — it may have been twice as big as the previous record-holder.  —  The debate on Fox News …

Oops: Jeb's Website Publishes, Then Deletes, Attacks on Walker, Rubio  —  The former Florida governor's campaign describes the attacks as “draft pages.”  —  Jeb Bush's official campaign website on Thursday briefly featured two separate sections attacking two top Republican rivals …

Recordings: State rep asked aide to hide relationship  —  Lansing — State Rep. Todd Courser planned the distribution of a fictional email alleging he had sex with a male prostitute in a bid to conceal his relationship with Rep. Cindy Gamrat, according to audio recordings obtained by The Detroit News.

My Position on the Iran Deal  —  Every several years or so a legislator is called upon to cast a momentous vote in which the stakes are high and both sides of the issue are vociferous in their views.  —  Over the years, I have learned that the best way to treat such decisions is to study …

Firefox exploit found in the wild  —  Yesterday morning, August 5, a Firefox user informed us that an advertisement on a news site in Russia was serving a Firefox exploit that searched for sensitive files and uploaded them to a server that appears to be in Ukraine.

Judge sentences East Texas man to get married or face jail time  —  An East Texas couple says their choice to marry when they wanted to was taken away by a criminal court judge.  —  In July, a Smith County judge sentenced Josten Bundy to get married to his 19-year-old girlfriend as part of his probation …

Baby dies after being rescued from car at Austin Waffle House  —  Related Coverage  —  AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin police are investigating the death of a baby boy at a Waffle House location in Southeast Austin.  —  Police were called out to 7809 E Ben White Blvd. around 2:45 p.m. after receiving …

24 Million Watch GOP Debate on Fox News; Most-Watched Cable News Program Ever  —  In the estimation of many reporters who cover the political and media beats, Fox News was the winner of the first GOP debate.  And with the just-released ratings we can confirm that.

The Voting Rights Act at 50: Why We Still Need It — All of It  —  Demonstrators march in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 13 after the start of the trial that challenged the state's restrictive 2013 voting law.  The trial ended last Friday, but a decision has yet to be announced.

18-Year-Old Sentenced to Five Years for Robbing Man, 84, She Met on Dating Site  —  A teenager who with her twin sister robbed an octogenarian they met on an Internet dating site was sentenced on Thursday to five years in prison.  —  The woman, Shaina Foster, 18, had pleaded guilty to one count …

Defense says prosecutor steered police away from evidence Freddie Gray had history of ‘crash for cash’ schemes  —  The police detectives who investigated the death of Freddie Gray were told that he had a history of participating in “crash-for-cash” schemes — injuring himself in law enforcement settings …