ALAMOSA, Colo. — Alonzo Payne was an unlikely candidate in rural southern Colorado, where potatoes and cattle are pillars of the economy and politics lean red.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Thursday, shattering a historic barrier by securing her place as the first Black female justice and giving President Joe Biden a bipartisan endorsement for his promised effort to diversify the high court.

Oklahoma’s justice system is on the verge of a crisis. Qualified, experienced prosecutors are necessary for the criminal justice system to function properly, yet prosecutors are leaving District Attorney’s offices in increasing numbers for the simple reason we cannot pay a competitive salary.