Free Republic

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz says he's not sorry he spoke out in favor of Israel and the Jewish people at a Sept. 10 conference where he was shouted down and forced to leave the stage, the Washington Free Beacon reported. He said he felt it important to honor his commitment to speak, especially about the plight of persecuted Christians in the Middle East, even as he was met with boos as he went after Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al- Assad. “Look, I anticipated that there were one or two radical speakers who I didn’t expect would be happy with...

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Thursday ripped U.S. Senate Democrats for blocking his bill that would revoke the U.S. citizenship of those who join the ISIS terrorist organization, noting that they are abandoning something Hillary Clinton supported when she was Secretary of State. The Democrats blocked Cruz’s bill on Thursday, a bill that would revoke citizenship from Americans who join ISIS. Cruz’s bill is very similar to one that then Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)—who is now running in New Hampshire against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)—and then Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) offered a couple of years ago.“As then-Secretary of State Hillary...

With six weeks to go, the fight for control of the Senate is down to five states, four of them currently held by Democrats. Republicans must win only two of those contests to guarantee the 51 seats they need to control the Senate for the last two years of Barack Obama’s presidency. And they need to win only one of the Democratic states if they hold the only GOP seat at serious risk. While things could still change — and national polls continue to show an environment that may produce a substantial GOP wave in the House and Senate —...

As for the short list to replace Attorney General, here are the top names our sources are giving us: Former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of New York Outgoing U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan of Seattle U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano Current Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson Labor Secretary Tom Perez No longer on this list is Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who was once considered the favorite. The reason why: “On Thursday, Patrick denied rumors that he is next in line for the job. According to an aide, he said at...

September 25,2014 Eric Holder Is Leaving Now, Because Obama Thinks The Senate Is Lost by MacAoidh/Scott McKay It’s busting out on to the wires today. Holder is resigning, effective as soon as his replacement can be confirmed. He had to do this now, rather than wait until after the midterms, because Holder’s tenure as Attorney General has been marked by a pattern of activist Leftism and constitutional/legal abuse such as has never been seen in American history, and if there is a Republican majority in the Senate next year they’re not going to be able to confirm anyone like him....

While incumbent Minnesota Sen. Al Franken (D) has a comfortable lead in opinion polls, some are wondering if his relatively muted response to ISIS actively recruiting soldiers from Minnesota will come back to haunt him in November.Minnesota has been a hotbed for ISIS recruitment, with over a dozen residents of the Twin Cities traveling to the Middle East to fight for the Islamic State. Two have been killed. Mike McFadden, the Republican candidate for Franken's seat, has jumped on the issue of ISIS in Minneapolis by portraying Franken as ineffectively combating the terror threat.More from ABC: Hours after the release...

Green groups are fearful of Republicans winning the Senate majority in November, predicting it could lead to a “whittling away” of environmental regulations at the hands of GOP leaders. While environmental groups are spending millions of dollars trying to save the Senate for Democrats, they acknowledge the possibility that they could be forced to play defense against an all-Republican Congress in 2015. “I think that the wholesale repeal of environmental legislation, repealing [Environmental Protection Agency] greenhouse gas authority, things like that, that’s unlikely to happen,” said Ben Schreiber, director of the climate program at Friends of the Earth. “It is...

I know a lot of people are giddy at the prospect of Republicans taking the Senate this November, but that’s becoming less and less likely. It’s not because Democrats are rallying around a particular mission or set of candidates; it’s because Republicans and conservatives aren’t. It seems like I’m always writing on issues no one wants to hear are mistakes, such as messaging or social issues. But I don’t care. These things have to be said. If these columns are received like a gaseous cousin on a long car trip through the desert, so be it. Crack a window… If...

What on earth has gotten into Beck? Is he getting his talking points from Ibrahim Hooper? As Pamela Geller says, "Why would he stigmatize Wilders this way? Wilders is the embodiment of what our founding fathers extolled. Individual rights. Freedom of speech. Not sharia law." Beck should have more sense.

The most important words printed in The New York Times since "REAGAN EASILY BEATS CARTER" were from a front-page article last Sunday about how, after six years of Obama, the federal judiciary is now dominated by Democratic appointees. Edward Whelan, head of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, responded to this by saying: "The best way for conservative voters to prevent further damage to the courts is to swing the Senate to Republican control in the elections this November." He's absolutely right. Turn that into a mnemonic, sew it on needlepoint pillows, include it in your wedding vows, right-wingers. For...

Just as a high stakes gambler in the wrong place at the wrong time might get "rolled" from time to time, Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson appears ripe to get "Roved" yet again based upon reports he's "donated $10 million to a Karl Rove-backed outfit boosting Republican Senate candidates and promised a similar amount to an allied group focused on House races."

I’m so disgusted with the Republicans that I’m actually expecting nothing from the coming election. Nevertheless, there are a few nettlesome facts that kind of stand in the way of those who are ready to throw themselves over a cliff worrying about a Democrat comeback. In Iowa, for example, Joni Ernst is up 6 points in a race that is supposed to be “thisclose.” In Colorado, Cory Gardiner is up 8 points and Democrat Governor John Hickenlooper is down by 10. The actually embattled Mary Landrieu is down 13 points (51/38) to Bill Cassidy in Louisiana and Scott Brown is...

Think the Senate will be decided on Election Day, Nov. 4? There are all sorts of reasons why you shouldn't, unless in the next seven weeks one side or the other — probably the Republicans — starts opening up a clear lead in enough races to give them a clear majority. If neither side does, control of the Senate could remain up in the air — for a while. At the very least, political watchers are going to be in for a longer night than usual because one of the key races that is likely to determine control, Sen. Mark...

"With their barbaric murder of two Americans, these terrorists thought they could frighten us or intimidate us or cause us to shrink from the world," Obama said. "But today, they are learning the same hard lesson of petty tyrants and terrorists who have gone before: As Americans, we do not give in to fear. When you harm our citizens, when you threaten the United States, when you threaten our allies, it doesn't frighten us. It unites us." The question now appears to be not if, but when, the United States will strike ISIS in its stronghold in northern Syria. The...

I have read about 5 percent of the noise surrounding the upcoming governor’s race in Pennsylvania. As a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, I’m always amazed at what issues become amplified, minimized, and often buried. Less than 1 percent of the voters will read this little note, but as a son of teachers, and a friend to many current and retired teachers, administrators and state workers, I believe some facts deserve being said. There is no doubt; incoming governors and other elected officials inherit the good, bad and ugly of the preceding budgets and sessions. There is...

Marking the sixth anniversary of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline's permit application, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) teased voters with a preview of what a GOP-controlled Senate would do. "If American people give us the opportunity to be in a majority next year, I'll be setting the agenda," McConnell said. "It's easier to score if you're on offense, and the majority leader is offensive coordinator." He added: "If we have a new majority next year, and a new majority leader, the Keystone pipeline will be voted on on the floor of the Senate, something the current majority has been avoiding...

I’m not Barack Obama. I disagree with him on guns, coal and the EPA.” No. That sentence was not uttered by a right-wing, tea-party, Republican. It was uttered by a Democrat in Kentucky. Barack Obama is, apparently, so politically toxic that moderate Democrats are not content with merely distancing themselves from him; they are now actively campaigning against the Democrat who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. In fact, the ad is downright convincing… Frank Underwood would be proud: Alright. So, Democrat Alison Grimes is no fan of team Obama. Got it. Of course, this kinda raises a few questions, doesn’t...

Jeb Bush adviser and GOP hack Mike Murphy thinks it may be in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) interest to throw the Senate to Republicans. In an appearance on Sunday's Meet The Press, the conservative-bashing consultant who has yet to win a presidential election and once referred to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) as Reid's secret weapon, said if Republicans took back the Senate, it could turn into an "American idol of grievance." Todd snickered and egged Murphy on, showing nothing but contempt for conservatives. "Harry Reid may throw the Senate," Murphy said. "You can argue it's in his interest."...

Department Discusses Pentagon-Style Structure to Stem Migrants, Crime WASHINGTON—Homeland Security officials are planning to create a military-like chain of command to police the Southwest U.S. border, in what could be the department's most significant restructuring since its creation in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, according to people familiar with the discussions. The plan would create a Southern Command, or Southcom in military parlance, bringing together groups of agents from Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, these people said.

Yesterday, Gallup released a poll showing a few things, and none of them are good for Democrats.* The first is that Republicans had expanded their lead over Democrats as the party people believe is best equipped to protect the United States from terrorism: The Republicans’ lead over the Democrats on the question of terrorism is, as you can see, at historic levels. Not since the poll began has the GOP’s lead been this large. As RedState’s Dear Leader Erick Erickson notes, this is what happens when you don’t have a coherent anti-terrorism strategy: At the beginning of this year, President...