The meaning of Ben Carson's stunning rise  —  It's very meaningful that the surgeon Ben Carson appears to be taking the lead in the polling for the GOP nomination — but not in the ways you might expect.  —  First, it means Donald Trump has stalled out.  Given Trump's standing atop the polls …

Houston Equal Rights Ordinance fails by wide margin  —  Houston's controversial equal rights ordinance failed by a wide margin Tuesday, with voters opting to repeal the law that offered broad non-discrimination protections, according to incomplete and unofficial returns.

How Democrats Could Win the House.  Really.  —  Whatever happens in the White House a year from now, it's an article of faith that not much will change in the House, where Republicans have a seeming lock on the majority.  —  But wait: the ascendancy of Donald Trump and Ben Carson just might have cracked the window open.

Jeb Bush Says He Was Wrong about France's Workweek  —  “I really did a disservice to the French,” he joked  —  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush lightheartedly apologized to the people of France on Tuesday for making fun of their work week during last week's Republican debate.

Is Ben Carson Running for President?  —  Or is he running a clever marketing scam?  —  On February 7, 2013, Ben Carson appeared at a National Prayer Breakfast, where he visibly annoyed President Obama by delivering a right-wing speech denouncing Obamacare and cultural liberalism, and calling for a flat tax based on the biblical tithe.

Kentucky's New GOP Lt. Gov. Is Black Tea-Party Activist  —  Matt Bevin's 53 percent to 44 percent victory tonight marks only the second time in 48 years that Republicans have won the Kentucky governor's race.  But Republicans also made history in another way.

San Francisco sheriff known for ‘sanctuary city’ defense loses re-election bid  —  The San Francisco sheriff who over the summer became embroiled in a national debate over “sanctuary city” policies on Tuesday lost his bid for re-election amid a host of local controversies.

Ohioans reject legalizing marijuana  —  Ohioans pushed a monopoly marijuana-legalization proposal out the door Tuesday by a nearly 2-to-1 vote.  —  But the question is, will pot make a comeback?  —  Although Issue 3 was handily defeated, the debate and conversations about the issue …

The Chilling Regularity of Mass Extinctions  —  One thing we know for sure is that conditions on Earth were, shall we say, unpleasant for the dinosaurs at the moment of their demise.  Alternate and overlapping theories suggest the great beasts were pelted with monster comets, drowned by mega-tsunamis …

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  —  Exclusive: Inside J.K. Rowling's newest magical world  —  The magic is back!  The wizarding world of Harry Potter is returning to theaters next year with the ultra-mysterious prequel film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and EW has the scoop.

Koch brothers seek softer image  —  The Koch brothers are on a publicity tour to change their image.  —  Long caricatured by Democrats as shadowy billionaires who buy Republican politicians so they can grow their profits and destroy the environment, Charles and David Koch did on Tuesday something …

Jefferson County Public Schools see new five-member board take over after election  —  LAKEWOOD — Voters overwhelmingly chose to recall three members of the Jefferson County school board Tuesday night and elected two others to form an entirely new board in Colorado's second-largest school district.

GOP campaigns fail to unite around debate demands  —  The push among Republican campaigns to take greater control of debate negotiations collapsed on Tuesday, as candidates split over whether to sign a letter to TV networks outlining their demands for future debates.