Free Republic

LIBERAL INCUMBENT’S APPROVAL RATING IDENTICAL TO BARACK OBAMA’S SUPPORT Two-term “Republican” incumbent Lindsey Graham enjoys a big lead over three rivals in the race for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina – but the liberal Washington insider is “underwater” among voters in the Palmetto State, and likely to see significant erosion in his support as his opposition exploits his many vulnerabilities. According to a new poll released by The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier and a trio of South Carolina television stations, only thirty-nine percent of likely voters approve of Graham’s performance in office – compared to 44 percent who...

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A new poll released by KSN-TV in Wichita shows the U.S. Senate race in Kansas could be close. The poll, conducted by Survey USA shows Democrat Chad Taylor within 5% points of three-term Republican incumbent Pat Roberts. The poll shows Roberts leading at 38%. Taylor has 33%. “This poll simply confirms what we’re hearing as we visit with real Kansans throughout the state -- they are ready for new blood,” said Taylor. “Our message isn’t being heard by raising million dollar war chests or polluting the TV with insulting campaign ads. I’ve abandoned the political playbook...

The latest example of how establishment Republicans, “Decepticons”, are diametrically opposed to conservative principles comes directly from RGA President Chris Christie. But before we get to Christie, let’s just recap the last few months. The establishment GOP party refused to support Republican Ken Cuccinelli in Virginia. Establishment class Mitch McConnell and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, announce their three priorities: ◾Full implementation of ObamaCare without removal. ◾Amnesty for Illegal Aliens wrapped in “Comprehensive Immigration Reform”. ◾Full implementation of Common Core federal control over education. McConnell, the CoC and NRSC then formulate the plan. The CoC then publicizes the...

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Several Republican governors eyeing runs for the White House in 2016 are rallying behind the New York gubernatorial candidate spurned by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in an early sign of pre-primary jockeying. Christie, who chairs the Republican Governors Association, raised eyebrows when he said this week he had no plans to campaign for GOP candidate Rob Astorino, who is running an uphill challenge against Democratic incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Christie said he doesn't "invest in lost causes" during an RGA trip to Connecticut Monday. But Astorino, who is in Aspen, Colorado for the RGA's summer...

The Republican running against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blasted Chris Christie on Tuesday for dismissing his race as a lost cause — and suggested the two Northeastern governors are in cahoots as they deal with the fallout over the Bridgegate scandal. GOP gubernatorial hopeful Rob Astorino made the comments at a news conference in Manhattan, which fell a day after Christie, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, said he doesn’t invest in “landslides” or “lost causes.” Astorino said that if the New Jersey governor “is unable to help a Republican candidate for governor, then maybe he should consider...

While there may be a political divide in America, few people would disagree there is trouble in this country, and like many, Dr. Milton Wolf knows something needs to be done. Wolf, who is running against incumbent U.S. Senator Pat Roberts in the Aug. 5 primary, was in Liberal Wednesday to discuss his views on what needs to be done in the nation’s capital. Many people have made the race out to be an attack on Roberts, but Wolf said this was never his intent of running. “I have voted for Pat Roberts for about as long as I can...

TOPEKA, Kan. -- U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts is touting his expertise in agriculture policy as he runs for re-election in the nation's leading wheat-producing state, and tea party challenger Milton Wolf's campaign accused him Thursday of trying to exploit geographical tensions with a new radio ad in western Kansas. The 60-second spot, which began this week and will run until the Aug. 5 Republican primary, says Wolf doesn't understand agriculture and can't be counted upon to defend federal subsidies for crop insurance. The ad describes Wolf, a Leawood radiologist, as living "right next to Missouri" and says he "just doesn't...

Here’s why incumbent politicians hate competitive primaries: They only hurt poll numbers. A new poll from SurveyUSA for KSN-TV in Wichita showed Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts leading Democrat Chad Taylor in a November general-election matchup by 38-33 percent. Check that out again: 38-33 percent. Here’s a question: When’s the last time a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate has been within the margin of error in any race going back decades? Remember that no Democrat has won a Kansas Senate race since 1932. That’s the longest such streak in the nation. Independent candidate Greg Orman took 14 percent — that’s...

WICHITA, Kansas — The U.S. Senate seat held by Pat Roberts is up for grabs and the race is heating up because of a candidate who is not even on the ballot yet: Independent Greg Orman. It is only one of many results revealed in the latest KSN News Poll conducted exclusively for KSN-TV by SurveyUSA. Ahead of the Republican primary on August 5, Senator Pat Roberts leads conservative primary challenger Milton Wolf by 20 points. The margin of error is +/- 3.8%. It is down from a 33 point lead that Roberts had in June when the last KSN...

<p>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has endorsed Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts as he battles an aggressive GOP primary challenge from tea party candidate Milton Wolf.</p> <p>Huckabee announced his endorsement Thursday. He described Roberts as a conservative warrior and said he's fought tirelessly for lower taxes and federal government spending.</p>

One name is ubiquitous at a July 22 rally for Republican Senate candidate Joe Carr, and it isn’t Joe Carr’s. Lamar Alexander, the Tennessee senator Carr hopes to defeat in the August 7 primary, practically greets you the moment you turn into the parking lot at the Millennium Maxwell House hotel. Signs and posters line the driveway and the hallway into the ballroom, reading in big letters: “Beat Lamar.” The phrase also adorns stickers, buttons, even the name-tags for those of us in the press covering the event. The rally’s special guest is focused like a laser on Alexander, too....

In Nashville on Thursday, about a half-dozen Tennessee Tea Party leaders gathered with the Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund to denounce current Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander and promote his Republican challenger Joe Carr. “Lamar Alexander is not a conservative, Lamar Alexander has never been a conservative, Lamar Alexander will never be a conservative,” asserted Nashville Tea Party president Ben Cunningham. Cunningham explained that every six years, Alexander campaigns as a conservative but fails to fight for conservative values. “If he is re-elected, God forbid, he will go back to the Senate, he will serve for six years, he will warm...

South Dakota Democrats are playing a tough hand in the Senate race, but they thought they could count on a wild card — former Sen. Larry Pressler — to help the contest break their way. Pressler seems to have other plans. Democrats already faced long odds to hold retiring Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson’s seat. Obama lost South Dakota by 18 points last cycle, and the state marks the GOP’s best pick-up opportunity in its 6-seat quest to win the majority. The front-runner, popular former GOP Gov. Mike Rounds, faces several foes: Democrat Rick Weiland; state Sen. Gordon Howie, a conservative...

Analysts always strain to generalize about elections. We want to “model” them, find the common elements, and project them as early as possible based on the commonalities. That’s a legitimate approach, but we need always remember that every election is different. Every single one. It isn’t just the candidates that change up, or the specific events that end up defining an election season, or the particulars about presidential and congressional job approval. In midterm elections, especially, the combination of competitive districts and states varies greatly, expanding or contracting the potential for change. Last year, and even in the beginning of...

Teachers unions are struggling to protect their political clout, but as the midterm elections approach, they’re fighting back with their most popular asset: the teachers themselves. Backed by tens of millions in cash and new data mining tools that let them personalize pitches to voters, the unions are sending armies of educators to run a huge get-out-the-vote effort aimed at reversing the red tide that swept Republicans into power across the country in 2010. The unions have plenty of money: They spent $69 million on state races in 2010 and are likely to top that this year. But as they...

In the fall of 2011 we quit thinking of Ann Coulter in any terms other than a sporadically useful, but generally inconsistent, establishment GOP talking head. In short, a “Romneybot”. A recent article reminds us not only why it was so easy to come to that conclusion, but also why this ex-girlfriend of Bill Maher is actually a raving Moonbat. muggedBefore reading what she actually wrote in a recent article entitled “Eyes On The Prize – Chris McDaniel Supporters Should Work To Take Back The Senate“, it should be absolutely necessary to remind ourselves of her book topic: “Mugged -...

NASHVILLE — A national conservative group said today it is putting $20,000 into get-out-the-vote efforts in hopes of boosting turnout for Republican state Rep. Joe Carr in his GOP primary bid to beat incumbent U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. Jenny Beth Martin, chairman of the Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund said the money is going to the Real Conservatives National Committee. The goal is beefing up the "ground game" run by the Real Conservatives' "Beat Lamar" campaign, she said. Martin didn't rule out putting more money into the race, saying there "may be more in a week or so." Both...

Conservative talk-radio host Laura Ingraham urged a ballroom full of Tennessee conservatives on Tuesday night to retire Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) like an “old sweater” that’s gone out of style. "He was really comfortable and sharp looking at one point, but now it just takes up room in your drawer," she said, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Ingraham spoke Tuesday at a 500-strong rally in Nashville for Alexander’s main primary challenger, state Rep. Joe Carr, who’s gained traction in recent weeks in his underdog bid to unseat Alexander. According to reports, she shied away from personal attacks —...

NASHVILLE, July 23, 2014– U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R) is facing a tough primary challenge from State Rep. Joe Carr (R). Carr’s momentum has built over the months and Lamar is sweating bullets underneath his red flannel shirt. More than 20 state legislators have endorsed Carr over Alexander. They join more than 60 conservative Tennessee organizations, vice presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin, the National Association for Gun Rights and more. In natural form, Alexander is placing his bets on misleading the Volunteer state on just where his record stands on the issues. Most insulting of all is Alexander’s attempt to...

The Democrats knew retaining Max Baucus’s Senate seat was going to be a challenge. In an attempt to hold onto that seat, Max Baucus was convinced to retire from the Senate and was shipped off to China as Ambassador. A new Senator was appointed by the Democrat governor to fill out Baucus’s term and to set him up to defend the seat using the power of incumbency. On paper it looked like a good plan. The replacement was the serving lieutenant governor John Walsh. Walsh was superficially an attractive choice. He was a career National Guardsman, rising in rank from...