U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) are the first two candidates to officially announce their candidacy in the 2016 presidential election. They are two of the most interesting, dynamic, and polarizing figures in American politics today.

Both men have striking similarities in their approach to politics and governing, as well as the voters they appeal to. However, there are also several key differences between the two that will distinguish and define their presidential campaigns.

A newly released Pew Research Center report once again shows that Americans who self-identify as independent remain near the 40-percent mark, but at the same time perpetuates the long-held stereotype that independents still fall only along red or blue lines and will vote in predictable patterns.

Hillary Clinton intends to run for president in 2016 were dispelled in early April when Politico reported that some entity or individual -- the details are still not clear -- signed a lease to rent two floors in Brooklyn Heights, New York as the site of her campaign headquarters.

It’s hard to look at the doctrine of the Constitution Party without seeing references to overt religious fundamentals -- namely, Christian fundamentals. The preamble to its platform begins:

Rand Paul (R-Ky.) officially announced his intentions to run in the 2016 presidential election. Prior to his announcement, Paul released a prequel political ad announcing his imminent announcement to run for president.

But the great thing about this political ad is that it leaves no doubts as to where Paul stands on many key issues in this election.

On Sunday’s episode of HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, comedian and reporter John Oliver traveled to Moscow to visit Edward Snowden, who is residing in Russia after leaking NSA documents to the media.

A Quinnipiac University poll taken in March released Monday. It found that more than 80 percent of adults in key swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida supported legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Likewise, a majority in all three states also supported legalizing small amounts for recreational use.

Galt House Hotel.

He’s not named after Ayn Rand, says his father. And the Galt House is named after Dr. W.C. Galt, not John, says the hotel’s website.

But, he does have a strong libertarian streak.

Rand Paul is expected to announce the launch of his 2016 presidential campaign on Tuesday. In anticipation of the announcement, people have wondered if his father, former U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas), will be involved in the campaign at all.

Al Jazeera America reported Monday that a sizable portion of California's population does not have reliable access to fresh water because of high levels of arsenic in the soil. California is 4 years into a historic drought that now has forced over a million residents to spend as much as a tenth of their income just on bottled water.