DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) -- The biggest elephant wasn't in the room -- so Ted Cruz stood center stage, taking punches from his opponents and the moderators.

Eight GOP presidential hopefuls are scheduled to take part in this weekend's hate group-sponsored "Free to Believe Nationwide Broadcast," which promises to push for "religious liberty." The broadcast, which will go out to over 160 churches in 50 states, will air on Saturday, January 16.

In the wake of Peter Thiel’s support for Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, people on social media are promising to cancel their PayPal accounts.

Famed Las Vegas bookie Jimmy Vaccaro isn't putting his money on anti-gay candidates Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal and Rick Santorum to win the 2015 GOP nomination for president.

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential contenders let fly with some inaccuracies when they badmouthed the Obama administration on health care, military readiness and pay for construction workers in their latest debate.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ben Carson's new campaign chairman, retired Major Gen. Robert F. Dees, says it's time for the U.S. to reevaluate military policies like letting women serve in combat positions and allowing openly gay troops to serve.

Business is booming for male prostitutes -- and it's all thanks to the Republican National Convention.

(CNN) Caitlyn Jenner is heading to Cleveland -- not for the Republican National Convention, but instead to be a celebrity guest at an LGBT brunch.

The Republican Party's conservative wing, pumped up by House Speaker John Boehner's stepping down, is warning the 2016 presidential candidates that defying its wishes will come at their peril.

WICHITA — Court documents are offering a glimpse at the early impact of the gay marriage ruling in Kansas.

(WB) For the first time in 16 years, an openly gay speaker took the stage at the Republican National Convention on Thursday.

WASHINGTON - Republicans seeking their party's 2016 presidential nomination have the challenging task of trying to stand out among the 17 candidates in the race, and Thursday's televised debate was the first opportunity for the party to start whittling down its choices. So it's no surprise that the candidates had a vested interest in puffing up their own records as governors, senators and public figures. And some of them just got the facts wrong.

WASHINGTON (AP) — It took just a few words for the Supreme Court to deal with the question of whether gay marriage is legal. For Republicans thinking about running for the White House in 2016, it won't be that easy.

This week read about a Virginia governor signing a bill that bans the LGBT "panic" defense, and Tennessee lawmakers attempting to prohibit LGBT materials in schools via a bill.

NEW YORK (AP) — Same-sex marriage cases are cascading through the federal courts, and Republican politicians are finding themselves split into three camps.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Donald Trump and Ted Cruz had their first fist-fight of the 2016 campaign during Thursday night's Republican debate.

(WB) Delegates at the Republican National Convention ratified Monday afternoon with little opposition a party platform considered to contain the most anti-LGBT language in history.

A national religious liberty bill that has been labeled "a Pandora's Box of taxpayer-funded discrimination against same-sex couples and their children" by the ACLU, has been accepted by the Republican National Committee Monday.

A group of Republican Oklahoma lawmakers say they're angered about a man's plan to put up a gay pride-themed, 6-foot-tall pole in the Capitol rotunda to celebrate the fictional holiday Festivus from the popular 1990s sitcom "Seinfeld."

ATLANTA — A Texas lawmaker would strip the salaries from government officials who honor same-sex marriage licenses.

(AP) Republican officials rejected an emotional plea Monday to back off the GOP's opposition to same-sex marriage, renewing the party's embrace of religious conservative values as delegates prepared to welcome Donald Trump to their national convention.

(WCT) LGBT-rights activists and organizations decried the May 18 passage of a new National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) containing an anti-LGBT provision.

(AP) Anxiety is high among many transgender Americans after the sweeping Republican election victory. They fear stronger resistance to their push for civil-rights protections, including broader access to public restrooms, and wonder if their newly won right to serve openly in the military is in jeopardy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anyone in America can grow up to be president, as the saying goes — unless you happen to be a Muslim, a leading Republican presidential candidate believes.

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (CNN) -- Campus politics aren't always a clear winner for Rand Paul, as he discovered here this week during an appearance at the College of Charleston.

A Tennessee pastor went on record Sunday during a television broadcast and condoned the practice of stoning gay people for their "sin," Christian Today reports.

There's Mia Love from Utah, the first black Republican woman to serve in the House.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as laid it on the line: Stop accepting gay marriage and abortion, or he will leave the GOP.

Iowa Rep. Steve King vigorously defended his views on marriage, telling CNN's Chris Cuomo that promoting "natural" families is the best thing for presidential candidates to do.

Despite a spotty record on LGBT rights that included co-sponsorship of the anti-gay First Amendment Defense Act, Sen. John McCain of Arizona picked up the endorsement of LGBT conservative group Log Cabin Republicans.