Free Republic

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will not sign the party’s loyalty pledge for the 2024 elections. This pledge, which promises support for the eventual Republican presidential nominee, is a requirement set by the party’s leadership for candidates who wish to participate in the high-stakes primary debate slated for August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel emphasized that signing this pledge is mandatory for candidates wishing to participate in the GOP’s first primary debate. Earlier this year, McDaniel said President Trump would sign the pledge: “I think they all want to be on the debate stage....

It’s not that last night’s contests in Idaho, Hawaii, Michigan and Mississsippi doomed Marco Rubio’s campaign; it’s that the four bad performances atop Rubio’s previous disappointments — New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, and just about everywhere else not called Minnesota and Puerto Rico – have now created what feels like an insurmountable perception of defeat. Three Rubio-friendly conservative writers — Jen Rubin of the Washington Post, Dan McLaughlin of Red State, and Guy Benson of Townhall.com — contend it’s time for Rubio to quit the race and endorse Ted Cruz. Jen and Dan urge Rubio to strike the deal now...

That leaves Rubio and Cruz. Neither one of them can beat Clinton, or Trump for that matter. Yes, Cruz captured Iowa, but he is too scary for moderate Republicans and independents. And the GOP "establishment" can hope that with Jeb gone, Rubio will scoop up enough non-Trump votes to cruise to a victory, but that's not happening either. After Cruz and Trump grab their share of the undecided, there won't be enough left to give Rubio the bump he needs to pass Trump. Last summer, I gave you five reasons why so many Americans loved Trump and why he would...

It's 2016 (finally)! Iowa voters will head to their caucuses in four weeks. The country will pick a new president in about 10 months. It's all happening, people. Given all of that, it's time to revisit my rankings of the candidates who could be the Republican presidential nominee in November. It's a shrinking list but still far longer than that of the Democrats' side, where it's Hillary Clinton's race to lose (still). The candidate ranked No. 1 below is the most likely, as of now, to be the GOP nominee. And, for the record, I think it's possible (if not...

Ted Cruz appears to be the best positioned Republican candidate running for president in 2016, Federalist publisher Ben Domenech said on MSNBC on Saturday.“[Cruz] appeals to the base in a very strong way,” he said. “He has the second most small-dollar donations and he also appeals to the party elites.”Cruz’s cross appeal among both grassroots conservatives and the GOP establishment is reflected in his campaign donations, he said.Watch the video.“He has the second most money overall and he’s very intentional about the way he’s approached this campaign,” Domenech, said.Cruz raised $12.2 million in the last quarter, second only to Ben...

It isn’t a smart bet to completely stab a fork in Chris Christie’s presidential prospects at this point, so speculation about the field of likely Republican candidates for 2016 continues to gyrate all over the map. A couple of days ago I received a disturbing message in an email from a Democrat–yes, I actually correspond with one of those–in reply to me expressing my opposition to runaway big-government entitlement programs which create more and more dependent democrat voters. It went like this: ‘The right has simply not offered anyone that is palatable to most. I think the majority are centrists....

Republicans are increasingly falling in behind Mitt Romney's White House run, but they haven't got a clue who he should add to the ticket, a CNN/ORC International survey says. Condoleezza Rice tops the vice presidential wish list among Republicans and right-leaning independents, according to the poll Wednesday. Twenty-six percent of those polled backed the former national security adviser and secretary of state under George W. Bush as Romney's No. 2.

Tonight its your chance America--be heard on the John McCain Soapbox. Oppose John McCain? Call 800-468-6453. Do you Support John McCain 800-468-6453. It all kicks off live on the Micahel Reagan Show at 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific Today. Listen on your Reagan affiliate or online at Reagan.com

Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter's insistent warnings about China's military buildup have stamped him as the Paul Revere of the fast-developing 2008 campaign. China is picking America's pocket and using its ill-gotten gains to acquire ships, planes and missiles in a challenge to U.S. national interests, Hunter said. By cheating at trade, China also has been able to pirate many U.S. industries and high-paying manufacturing jobs, said Hunter, a 14-term congressman. AdvertisementSome experts say the Alpine Republican's relentless focus on Beijing's trade tactics is overwrought and ignores important economic benefits to the United States, including hundreds of billions of dollars'...

They say it is rare for someone to announce a presidential candidacy in the state of South Carolina. Unless of course, the candidate comes from the Palmetto State. Duncan Hunter doesn't. His home is 2,288 miles to the west, where palm trees make us think of the natural beauty of the desert, not swamps. They also say it makes more sense, if you're a White House hopeful, to focus your early money and energy on the two states that hold the nation's first presidential contests for both political parties – Iowa and New Hampshire. The idea is to visit so...

Pressing for tougher national defense and updated trade deals, presidential candidate Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., spoke to students and community members in the basement of the Haldeman Center Monday night in an event sponsored by the Rockefeller Center and the College Republicans. "I stand for a strong national defense, enforced borders and bringing back high-paying manufacturing and engineering jobs to the United States through the revamping of international trade deals," he said. Hunter is the second of the 2008 Republican presidential candidates to speak at Dartmouth -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spoke at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center earlier this...

In a straw poll conducted in Maricopa County, AZ, Duncan Hunter beat out all other candidates. Hunter's record had been featured at the event. While this seems almost inconsequential, the point is that when people in any arena find out about him and his issues Hunter attracts broad support. He's still relatively unknown but with the base not sure of any of the top three contenders, there's a window of opportunity for Hunter to be introduced. He's the best candidate by far and the only one who doesn't apologize for his conservatism and who can properly articulate his philosophy.

Following is a release from the Democratic National Committee: Gearing up for a long shot presidential bid, California Congressman Duncan Hunter is taking a cue from the current president on the critical issue of Iraq. Despite the opposition of military leaders, foreign policy experts, and the American people, Duncan Hunter is backing the president's latest increase of more than 20,000 American troops for the Iraqi civil war. Hunter's position on the war stands in stark opposition to the views of the American people, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll taken after Bush's speech that finds that "Americans broadly...

Wrapping up a weekend visit to the first-in-the-nation primary state, likely Presidential hopeful U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California yesterday called himself the most conservative Republican in the Presidential sweepstakes. That, he said, "gives me a chance," despite his low name recognition. Hunter, 58, is the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and was first elected to the House from his San Diego-area district in 1980. He said his formal Presidential announcement will be made later this month.

Rep. Duncan Hunter considers himself the Republicans' best bet to reconstitute the blue-collar coalition that helped the party win the White House in the 1980s. Mr. Hunter, who is seeking the presidential nomination in 2008, says he can rebuild that coalition by campaigning on defense, traditional values and fair trade. "Keeping American jobs in this country is a strong tie between the Republican Party and working America, Main Street America -- that's a portion of our constituency I aim to retrieve, because I stand strong with them," the 13-term congressman from California said in a recent interview, pointing to votes...

Political crossovers are in. So, I'll make my own cross-party comparison and predict that Bob Beauprez, the GOP nominee for governor, might become this year's Harry Truman. Notwithstanding the recent Denver Post poll showing Ritter ahead 50 percent to 35 percent, this thing's not over yet. What Truman, the scrappy underdog, did to his favored challenger in 1948 could be the template for a come-from-behind Beauprez win. Ritter as a latter-day Thomas E. Dewey - imagine that. Winner or not, Battlin' Bob gets my vote for at least 10 reasons: immigration, judges, jobs, taxes, education, health care, highways, water, values...

In another sign Americans are looking for outlets to express their concerns over illegal immigration, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., is handily beating conservative icon Rush Limbaugh in an online poll on who would make the best Republican candidate for president in 2008. Tancredo is the chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus and a leader of those calling for immediate and dramatic policy changes to restrict illegal traffic over the borders. Limbaugh is America's most popular radio talk-show host with more than 20 million listeners every week and is considered a kingmaker for the Republican Party. The poll is organized...

Bill First 5/2 John McCain 7/2 Rudolph Guiliani 7/2 George Pataki 9/2 Chuck Hagel 6 Mitt Romney 6 Bill Owens 8 Tom Ridge 8 George Allen 12 Norm Coleman 12 Lindsey Graham 14 Sam Brownback 14 Arnold Schwarzenegger 66 Dick Cheney 66 Jeb Bush 66 Laura Bush 100