Rick Perry

Trump criticizes Ben Carson, says he doesn't have 'energy'

In polls in national and early-voting states, Carson is second only to Trump. He recently cast doubt on the real estate mogul's religious faith, questioning his "fear of the Lord," then backed off the comment and would not repeat it.

"You don't hit a person on faith," Trump told hundreds of people at a rally in Boone.

Trump embraces role as bully, bids Perry a thorny farewell

On one side stands billionaire businessman Donald Trump and his allies, on the other are those who oppose him.

A day after Rick Perry, Texas' longest-serving governor, ended his second Republican presidential run with a whimper, Trump marked the shake-up by embracing his role as his party's 2016 bully on Saturday.

Rick Perry first to exit 2016 Republican presidential race

Perry's campaign said the longest-serving governor in Texas history would tell a group of conservative activists in St. Louis on Friday night that "some things have become clear."

"We have a tremendous field, the best in a generation, so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservativism will be too," Perry planned to say according to remarks released by his campaign.

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Texas' attorney general charged with securities fraud

Paxton, a 52-year-old Republican, was fingerprinted and photographed at the Collin County jail while a throng of media waited outside. It was a frenzy reminiscent of one year ago when then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry — who was also still in office — was booked after being indicted on charges of abusing his power with a 2013 veto.

But whereas Perry defiantly welcomed the cameras within minutes of being processed at an Austin jail, there was no sign or word from Paxton nearly an hour after his release.

2016 Republicans use Trump, TV to make debate cut

With the first debate of the Republican presidential campaign approaching, the White House hopefuls are trying everything they can to improve their polling position. A candidate needs to place in the top 10 in an average of national polls to meet the criteria Fox News Channel has set to take the stage Aug. 6 in Cleveland.

Those kept out risk being overlooked by voters and financial backers heading into the critical fall stretch before the nominating contests start early in 2016.