Free Republic

WASHINGTON--The Service Employees International Union announced Wednesday it will endorse President Barack Obama in 2012--an early, but entirely expected endorsement from a union bankrolling Democratic-allied SuperPacs. The endorsement comes before the Republicans even have a nominee, but at least there is no charade about where they stand. "President Obama shares our vision of a nation that invests in good jobs here at home; where everyone pays their fair share; where access to quality, affordable health care is preserved; and where there is a pathway to citizenship for every immigrant worker," said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. "It's a vision...

Call this post “the good, the bad, and the ugly” for Rick Perry today to start off a new week for his campaign. He clearly wanted to start with a boost, and had fiscal-conservative icon Steve Forbes on Fox News yesterday with an endorsement of the Texas governor, tied to the upcoming release of Perry’s economic recovery plan based on the Flat Tax that Forbes himself championed in the 1990s: On Tuesday, Rick Perry will unveil his economic plan which includes measures to drastically reform the tax code and lower the corporate tax rate. It will also, he says, provide...

"Rick Perry -- now coming out with, really embracing Steve Forbes' flat tax idea -- that's going to gain momentum. I look forward to hearing more of the details," she said. "In fact, when I heard that Rick Perry was embracing of Steve Forbes' idea, I went into my garage and dug out an old book from 1999 that Steve Forbes had written. ......Many aspects of it make so much sense - - about the freedom to choose - taxpayer how to file your taxes …..choose a simpler, fairer flat tax…..many of the aspects of it make so much sense."....

South Carolina Republican U.S. Senator Jim DeMint downplayed speculation that he is preparing to endorse Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, saying reports were little more than “fabrication.” “That story is a fabrication made up of anonymous sources that obviously have no clue what Senator DeMint is thinking,” DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton said. “He has said over and over again that he is not leaning toward any candidate yet and may end up not endorsing in the presidential race.”

Vote in CNN Poll: How much would Sarah Palin's endorsement matter in the race for the GOP presidential nomination? To find the poll and vote, scroll down. It's on the right side of the page under Quick vote.

The founder of the Tea Party Nation — one of the largest coordinated groups in the conservative Tea Party movement — announced Monday that he would endorse former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. "Gingrich is the candidate who has the vision to fundamentally change the Federal Government. Gingrich has the unique capabilities to be the field general. He is the big idea man, much as Ronald Reagan was," Judson Philips, founder of the group, wrote in a blog post Monday. Philips is the second prominent Tea Party leader to endorse Gingrich this month, after Allen Olson, chairman of the...

On the heels of presidential candidate Herman Cain's win in the Florida straw poll last weekend, the radio host Dennis Miller announced Monday that he's endorsing Cain for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Miller, who mentioned his support for the Cain campaign on his national radio show, will headline a fundraiser for Cain in Los Angeles and has donated to the campaign, a Cain spokeswoman confirmed. "I'd like to thank [Miller] for his support," Cain said in a statement on his campaign Twitter feed. "I look forward to working with him as we continue our journey to the White House!"

Former Romney Supporter Joins Perry Campaign AUSTIN – Texas Gov. Rick Perry today received the endorsement of former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Van Poole in his campaign for President. Mr. Poole served as a Florida steering Committee Co-Chair for Mitt Romney in 2008, but has decided that Gov. Perry is the candidate Republicans need to take back the White House and get America working again. “Gov. Perry is the real deal, and having an honest, principled conversation with the American people,” said Poole. “Floridians and all Americans appreciate his genuine, straightforward approach. I wholeheartedly support Gov. Perry and look...

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval is backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry's presidential bid. Sandoval cites Perry's "strong record on jobs" and says Perry "will get America working again" in announcing his support in a statement issued Tuesday. Nevada's caucuses are held shortly after contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. That makes Sandoval's support key in the nomination race.

Alternate headline -- Perry to Romney: I See Your T-Paw, and Raise You a Jindal. No sooner had I completed my public rumination over Tim Pawlenty's somewhat curious decision to support Mitt Romney than Rick Perry's campaign swiped Romney's endorsement thunder in a major way: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is backing Rick Perry for president, a major endorsement for the Texas governor as the campaign for the Republican nomination enters the crucial fall stretch of the primary calendar, a source tells CNN. Jindal is on his way to Florida and will be Perry's guest at Monday night's "Tea Party Republican...

Friends- I hope you will join me next week in Richmond for lunch as we welcome Texas Governor Rick Perry to Virginia. You can reserve a ticket to this lunch by clicking here or going to www.RPV.org/LunchwithPerry. I have gotten to know Governor Perry over the past few years and I have seen the terrific job he has done in Texas to attract new jobs and make the tough decisions to balance the budget. Please join me next Wednesday (September 14th) for lunch to support RPV and hear directly from Governor Perry about his vision for our nation. Please reserve...

Equality Virginia PAC Endorses Adam Ebbin for Senate James Parrish, Executive Director of Equality Virginia, announced today that the Board of Directors of Equality Virginia PAC voted unanimously at its meeting on June 26, 2011 to endorse Delegate Adam Ebbin for election to the Virginia Senate from the 30th Senate District. Delegate Ebbin currently is seeking the nomination in a three-way Democratic primary to be held August 23, 2011. The Democratic nomination in this heavily Democratic district is seen as setting a clear path to election in the fall. “Although both of the other candidates running in the primary are...

Although publicly, representatives suggest Winfrey has, and always will support the president, an insider told Pop Eater’s Rob Shuter (recycled with a different headline spin in the NY Daily News) that Winfrey will hold back on any 2008-style endorsement efforts. ... This is where the Wisconsin union thugs should come in. I think they should send a letter to The Oprah and demand that she publicly and enthusiastically support The One – aka The Zero – during his reelection bid or they will assume she is supporting the opposing candidate(s) by default and suffer the consequences.

Haley declined to criticize Romney for a health care bill he instituted as governor of Massachusetts, but she did say that "what governor Romney thought is right for Massachusetts is not right for South Carolina." Haley didn't weigh in directly on Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, but she appeared to sympathize with him on one issue. Daniels has earned the ire of some social conservatives for suggesting Republicans declare a "truce" on social issues while the country deals with its economic troubles. Haley said those social issues will always be a part of the GOP platform, but that they should be...

Election day is fast approaching! After primary elections, fundraisers, and speeches, it now comes down to the will of the people during a short window of time on Tuesday. The months of a grueling campaign and a the blood, sweat, and tears poured into getting a candidate elected are meaningless unless people go to the polls and vote! There are several ways to you can help support Palin endorsed candidates in the waning hours before Tuesday’s election. You can wave signs, paint your car in support of a candidate, make phone calls, and offer to drive people to the polls....

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, announced Friday the endorsement of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- a former Democrat and former Republican who's now an independent. "I've admired Mayor Bloomberg's approach to governing for many years -- .. " Newsom said in a prepared statement from his campaign committee.

"Shove it!" That's the shocking kiss-off that Rhode Island's Democratic candidate for governor gave President Obama yesterday when he found out the campaigner-in-chief wouldn't be endorsing him. "He can take his endorsement and really shove it," a furious Frank Caprio said in a radio interview just hours before Obama touched down in Rhode Island to fund-raise and campaign for congressional hopefuls there. After his campaign said last week that Caprio would be honored to have Obama's backing, the Democrat was singing a different tune yesterday. "What I'm saying to President Obama very clearly is, I'll wear as a badge of...

In the most predictable act in an otherwise completely unpredictable election cycle, the liberal editors of Louisville's The Courier-Journal (CJ) newspaper have decided to "enthusiastically endorse" (to use their words) Jack Conway for election to the U.S. Senate. Conway is running against Republican candidate Dr. Rand Paul for the Senate seat currently held by the retiring Jim Bunning. The CJ editors concluded their enthusiastic endorsement for Conway with these closing statements: "Kentuckians should not gamble on a candidate far out of the political mainstream. The should send Mr. Conway to the Senate." From those statements it is clear that the...

Open Memo To: Nancy Pelosi From Cindy Sheehan Hey Nan, How's that "liberal agenda" going for you these days? You have had quite a run as the first female Speaker of the House, haven't you? In that almost four years now, you have fully funded the wars; rammed through the bankster bailouts and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Modernization Act; refused to hold the criminals of the Bush administration accountable; supported the torture policies of George Bush and wanted even stricter measures against suspected terrorists; obediently supported and defended the murderous Israeli oppression of Palestine; presided over the worst jobs' hemorrhage...

WEST Virginians must soon choose who will represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next two years. The issue in the race is how Democrats have used their 59-41 majority, and whether West Virginians want to see more of the same. The Daily Mail endorses Republican John Raese. Make no mistake. That choice is painful. Gov. Joe Manchin is one of the most engaging and effective governors in the state's history. He has tackled many of the state-erected barriers to economic growth - a broken workers' compensation system, uncompetitive tax rates, an unfair legal climate. The governor also has...