Valerie Richardson

Gates warns president’s goal of destroying Islamic State is ‘very ambitious’

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Sunday that President Obama's vow to destroy the Islamic State is "very ambitious," but that even degrading the terrorist group will require some American combat troops.

September 21, 2014

Democrats drop off tickets to help Harry Reid keep Senate control

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants Democratic candidates to win, but it may be more important that Republican candidates lose.

September 19, 2014

Cato adds climate scholars to counter ‘alarmist hype’ on global warming

The Cato Institute announced Thursday that it will expand its Center on the Study of Science with the addition of two prominent climate scholars with a history of challenging the prevailing narrative on global warming.

September 18, 2014

Four Senate Democratic candidates rake in climate-change cash

Running for office as the favorites of the climate-change movement has its advantages, starting with cash. The same four Senate Democratic candidates being bankrolled by San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer's NextGen Climate Action PAC were the beneficiaries of Wednesday's 24-hour GreenStorm fundraising drive, coordinated by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund.

September 17, 2014

Udall flood ad sparks outrage in tight Colorado Senate race

Colorado Sen. Mark Udall's efforts to sink his GOP challenger by invoking last year's devastating floods are meeting with a deluge of criticism from Republicans who accuse the Democrat of politicizing the tragedy.

September 17, 2014

Guns prominently featured in campaign ads ahead of midterm elections

Guns are becoming the prop of choice in campaign ads around the country this midterm year.

September 17, 2014

Atheists weigh lawsuit over cross on Indiana vets’ sculpture

An atheist group is weighing a lawsuit after the state of Indiana defied the organization’s objections by accepting a sculpture honoring veterans that depicts a white Latin cross.

September 16, 2014

California secessionists stiff-armed at ballot box

It looks like there may be only one California for the foreseeable future.

September 12, 2014

Climate skeptics push back over new rise in carbon

The World Meteorological Organization warned this week that concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached a new high last year, but critics of climate change alarmism say that’s not necessarily a bad thing but instead a reflection of economic progress around the world.

September 11, 2014

N.M. ranchers sue feds over limits to protect endangered mouse

New Mexico ranchers have filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's moves to block cattle from reaching water in order to protect the habitat of an endangered meadow jumping mouse.

September 9, 2014

Udall backs off Islamic State comment claiming to cite beheaded journalists

Sen. Mark Udall, Colorado Democrat, apologized Monday after saying that two U.S. journalists beheaded by Islamic State terrorists would not have wanted Americans to be "impulsive" in their reaction.

September 8, 2014

Hickenlooper out of step with Colorado voters on death penalty: poll

A poll released Monday shows Colorado voters favor the death penalty by more than 2 to 1, which could spell trouble for Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper's re-election bid.

September 8, 2014

Lukewarm wildfire season throws damper on climate-change predictions

This year's below-average wildfire season comes as welcome news for Westerners, but it's also burning a hole in the environmentalist narrative on climate change.

September 7, 2014

Colorado Sen. Mark Udall retreats from debate challenges

The Colorado Senate candidates held their first debate Saturday, an event that was nearly overshadowed by Democratic Sen. Mark Udall's retreat from his earlier push for a series of debates.

September 7, 2014

Tesla plant in Nevada comes back to haunt California Gov. Brown in debate

Tesla Motors' decision Thursday to build its giant electric-car battery plant in Nevada instead of California came at an awkward moment for Gov. Jerry Brown.

September 5, 2014

Liberal donor Steyer attacks Republicans linked to Kochs

There's a certain chutzpah in liberal billionaire Tom Steyer's decision to attack Republicans for associating with billionaires.

September 3, 2014

Liberal donor Steyer attacks Republicans linked to Kochs

There's a certain chutzpah in liberal billionaire Tom Steyer's decision to attack Republicans for associating with billionaires.

September 3, 2014

Cory Gardner, Mark Udall spar over birth control pill access

It's getting harder to tell the Democrats from the Republicans in Colorado. Case in point: Rep. Cory Gardner released an ad Tuesday calling for making birth control pills available over the counter, but Sen. Mark Udall isn't wild about the idea.

September 2, 2014

‘Unity ticket’ forms in Alaska gubernatorial race

Alaska's Democratic and independent gubernatorial candidates announced Tuesday that they will join forces to run on the same ticket, a stunning decision aimed at creating a credible challenge to Republican Gov. Sean Parnell.

September 2, 2014

Alaska Democrat, independent may unite on ballot against GOP governor

Alaska's Democratic and independent candidates for governor want to beat Republican Gov. Sean Parnell so badly that they are considering a plan to run on the same ticket.

August 31, 2014