Free Republic

It's a nightmare scenario for Republicans, but conservative billionaire Charles Koch says "it's possible" Hillary Clinton could make a better president than the remaining candidates in the GOP primary. Koch, one of the most influential and controversial forces in Republican politics, said in an exclusive interview with ABC News to air Sunday on "This Week" that he believed Bill Clinton was a better president "in some ways" than George W. Bush. "In other ways, I mean [Clinton] wasn't an exemplar. But as far as the growth of government, the increase in spending," Koch said. "It was 2.5 times [more] under...

Hillary Clinton is considering selecting another woman as her vice presidential running mate, according to campaign officials. Following her convincing win over her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders in New York last week, she has already begun turning her attention to November's general election. This offers the intriguing possibility of not just the first female party nominee but the prospect of an all-woman ticket. This week, John Podesta, her campaign chairman, told the Boston Globe that women would certainly be on the list of possible vice-presidential candidates: “We’ll start with a broad list and then begin to narrow it. But there...

In addition to "grass-roots" campaign workers, there are at least eight Super PACs backed by 'shadow elites' who are driven to defeat Donald Trump and they are banking on Ted Cruz. At least one of these super PAC leaders, Katie Packer of OPP, met behind closed doors at the RNC Spring Meeting this week in Florida. Packer states that a republican candidate should "uphold orthodox GOP ideology." This smacks of irony given her past allegiance with Romney/Ryan and Ryan's inability to uphold GOP principles as Speaker of the House. The super PACs are calling, texting, emailing, lobbying, and all-out wining...

So how did Romney lose a race that numerous reputable polls and pundits predicted would be an easy win, based on historical patterns? The most realistic explanation is voter fraud in a few swing states.

In a complicated political season, nobody has more complications to worry about than the half-dozen Republican senators seeking re-election in tight, swing-state contests. Those senators–hailing from Illinois, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina—are being buffeted by big forces largely out of their control as they try to hang onto their seats. Their fate will determine whether Republicans keep control of the Senate, where they currently have a 54-46 advantage. The predicament of these GOP senators comes into clearer focus in the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, completed just last week, which helps crystallize three big complications they...

DO NOT VOTE ON THIS THREAD. This is the nightly DISCUSSION thread for the ongoing 2016 Free Republic Caucus. Per caucus rules, no comments are allowed on the caucus thread itself - hence this open chat thread. If you'd like to vote in the caucus, please look in the sidebar for the link, or check downthread here. Thanks, and let 'er rip! Windy Free Republic Caucus 2016 04/24 (4 more days) (The final thread will be the one labeled "04/28.")

Donald Trump on Saturday addressed reports that he's being encouraged to modify his campaign trail demeanor by family members and by his team, imitating what a "more presidential" candidate would act like. He assured the crowd: "I sort of don't like toning it down." Trump told his audience that new additions to his circle, like senior aide Paul Manafort, are "supplementing" the team that he already has in place, while noting that he is being pressured to be more "presidential" by those close to him.

Free Republic stands for God, family, country! America! "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United State of America." Securing the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity is our mission on FR. We cannot secure the blessings of liberty with Hillary in the White House. When Trump wins the lion's share of the primary votes, states and...

WASHINGTON — Sen. Jerry Moran warned Thursday a primary challenge from Rep. Mike Pompeo would invite Democrats to enter the race and hamper his ability to help elect Republicans elsewhere. The GOP senator said a primary challenge would draw national resources to his defense that could instead go to defeating Democrats in other parts of the country. The consequences of a challenge extend beyond the Senate seat itself, he said. The comments, made in an interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal, serve as a caution to Pompeo, who represents Wichita and south-central Kansas and is openly considering running against Moran. “From...

Um, yeah, good luck with that. According to the latest Reuters Polling snapshot Senator Cruz has dropped another 5 points this week –LINK . This comes on the heels of several weeks of polling data outlining how Ted Cruz has a significant problem with “authenticity”. Readers will note we have discussed this several times. The more the general electorate get to see and know Ted Cruz, the more his support drops. There is a direct correlation.

"Look at a recent still photo of Cruz on the trail the next time you get a chance. He’s not looking happy... Cruz’s Mom and Dad DID become Canadian citizens." "They were not only registered to vote, but they were registered with the Alberta, Canada Health Services. Provable Canadian citizenship required."

DO NOT VOTE ON THIS THREAD. This is the nightly DISCUSSION thread for the ongoing 2016 Free Republic Caucus. Per caucus rules, no comments are allowed on the caucus thread itself - hence this open chat thread. If you'd like to vote in the caucus, please look in the sidebar for the link, or check downthread here. Thanks, and let 'er rip! Windy Free Republic Caucus 2016 04/23 (5 more days) (The final thread will be the one labeled "04/28.")

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Harold Hamm, chief executive of shale oil producer Continental Resources Inc and Mitt Romney's 2012 energy adviser, endorsed U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday, saying he has the "fortitude to make tough decisions." Hamm, who had previously donated to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio's presidential campaign, called the real estate mogul a "business leader's candidate" who has the will to right what he called a series of mistakes from politicians in Washington, including "burdensome government regulations." "The next president of the United States must have the courage, determination and intelligence to disrupt politics as usual," Hamm wrote...

When Donald Trump’s political credentials as a Republican and/or conservative are challenged, he likes to remind people that Ronald Reagan was a Democrat once and managed to evolve over time. Except that Reagan’s conversion was real and he had two terms as governor of California to prove his bona fides before he ran for president as a conservative Republican. As Reagan campaign manager Stu Spencer and speechwriter Ken Khachiagin note in a Real Clear Politics piece: Yes, Ronald Reagan migrated from being a liberal Democrat to the gold standard for conservative Republicans. But Reagan’s views evolved over four decades’ worth...

Well, for one thing, it would be counterproductive. With three, four or five candidates drawing delegates, it simply prevents anyone from getting to 1237 and ensures that the GOPe gets to install one of their own establishment guys at the convention. The malleable "rules" are designed to to preserve, protect and defend the establishment ruling class. Nothing more. Cruz knows this. He has betrayed the grassroots.

Cruz’s path to defeat before the convention is simple: Lose Indiana, lose California decisively, and lose the war for Pennsylvania’s 54 unbound delegates. Within the past 24 hours, there’s new evidence that we’re on track for all three. I covered the battle for Pennsylvania last night and noted that some private polls of Indiana have the race there tight, with Trump possibly out to a small lead, but here’s the first solid evidence from a public poll that that state is tilting against Cruz. To think, after all the time we’ve spent obsessing over delegates, they’re probably not going to...

Like anyone who has ever decided to run for president, Donald Trump is a man who makes promises. Some are bold and stunning: he'll build a 50-foot high wall along the United States' southern border -- and he'll get Mexico to pay for it! If he wins the presidency, in his first term, he'll knock out Obamacare, Common Core, the Environmental Protection Agency, and defund Planned Parenthood! He'll even force cookie company Nabisco to make its Oreos in America again! It's hard to predict whether he will be able to deliver on those pledges after the election. But it might...

Gravis Marketing released the first Delaware poll today showing Donald Trump with a 47 point lead in the Republican field.

DO NOT VOTE ON THIS THREAD. This is the nightly DISCUSSION thread for the ongoing 2016 Free Republic Caucus. Per caucus rules, no comments are allowed on the caucus thread itself - hence this open chat thread. If you'd like to vote in the caucus, please look in the sidebar for the link, or check downthread here. Thanks, and let 'er rip! Windy Free Republic Caucus 2016 04/22 (6 more days) (The final thread will be the one labeled "04/28.")

<p>Donald J. Trump’s newly installed campaign chief sought to assure members of the Republican National Committee on Thursday night that Mr. Trump recognized the need to reshape his persona and that his campaign would begin working with the political establishment that he has scorned to great effect.</p>