Cap Fendig's presidential campaign presses on

The Brunswick News ^ | November 5, 2007 | Brandee A. Thomas

[Kurt Evans]

Shunned at home, Fendig presses on

Cap Fendig has been busy on the presidential campaign trail since announcing his lofty intention in September.

The Glynn County Commissioner has spoken to groups and attended events in Georgia, Florida and Iowa.

Getting out and talking to groups of people is a must for an unknown underdog with limited funds, who is trying to play on the same field as such Republican stalwarts as Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.

"Ours is a grassroots campaign," Fendig said. "(Our) Web site is the main draw. People will e-mail me and ask what they can do and I tell them to start e-mailing their friends.

"The word is getting out."

Maybe so, but funding is always a drawback. While on the road, Fendig is learning first-hand that it takes a large treasury to reach the masses.

"In order to speak to the Florida Republican Party during the 'Presidency Four' (forum) last month, candidates had to pay $100,000 to speak for 20 minutes," he said. He says it shouldn't be that way.

"This campaign isn't about spending a lot of money," he said. "It's about reaching the heart of the American people."

The high costs associated with the Florida debate, which was nationally televised – without Fendig – is discriminatory against the average American who has an interest in politics but lacks a huge purse, Fendig said.

Besides not being able to speak at the Florida debate, he knows first-hand what it's like to be ignored, even by his own party in his own state. Fendig's name was omitted from the Georgia Republican Party's list of candidates for the 2008 presidential primary.

The list was submitted by the state GOP to the Georgia Secretary of State last week.

He's not calling it quits, though. He's also not ready to walk away from the Georgia primary.

Like any other determined sea captain, Fendig, who operates a water sightseeing company, plans to stay the presidential course despite rough waters.

"The (Republican Party officials) made a very uninformed decision, but I'm not giving up on Georgia," he said. "The (voters) should be given the privilege to decide if they want to vote for me or not.

"But this is a national campaign. It's not just about one state, and I will continue campaigning."

If Fendig's attempt to appeal the Georgia Republican Party's decision to keep him off the ballot isn't successful, Peach State voters will not be able to cast ballots for him Feb. 5. Write-in votes are not allowed during primary elections.

As of today, Fendig has gone through the necessary processes to be placed on the primary ballots in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

He learned Friday that he is one of 11 candidates on the Republican ballot in South Carolina. The primary is Jan. 19.

"There's no uniform process for getting on the ballot," he said. "Each state has a different method. For instance, New Hampshire requires that you pay a fee and provide documentation showing you are a federally qualified candidate, while Georgia only requires a letter of request from the candidate.

"Some states haven't even opened their ballots yet."

Fees a candidate must pay to be listed on a primary ballot can range up to $35,000, Fendig said.

Fendig plans to spend the next few weeks in Iowa, his base for campaigning in the Midwest, with its early caucus system.

[Kurt Evans]

For more information:

http://capfendig.com/

[Verginius Rufus]

Hard to understand why a Glynn County Commissioner isn’t being treated as a serious contender. Glynn County voted heavily for Bush...it’s on the coast about halfway between Savannah and Jacksonsville.