Free Republic

CANTOR WON'T Public Policy Polling might be a Democratic-centric firm, but that doesn't mean that Republicans can't use the data for their own interests. That's why staffers and outside supporters for Reps. Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy, who have a new book coming out shortly that criticizes past and current GOP leadership, were over the Labor Day holiday weekend sharing PPP's Ohio poll, which showed that only 28% of John Boehner's home-state voters supported a promotion for him to Speaker of the House should the GOP win a majority later this year. "Change doesn't have to be limited to tossing...

Calling themselves the Young Guns, three members of America's House of Representatives are about to publish a template for new era of Republican domination in Congress. With the economy failing to live up to President Barack Obama's hopes for a strong recovery - unemployment remains just below ten percent - Republicans are poised for major gains on Nov 2, when all of the House and a third of Senate seats is contested in midterm elections.

WASHINGTON — With visions of a Republican majority dancing in his head, California U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy is driving the back roads of America these days, looking for fresh faces to represent his party in 2010. "I believe this will be a wave election," McCarthy said. "This will be a national election." To regain control of the House of Representatives, Republicans must pick up 41 seats. If they win big in the House next year, it will be at least partly because the party put McCarthy in charge of its recruiting efforts. It's the latest high-profile assignment for McCarthy, who...

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) held a town hall meeting in Bakersfield. He was asked why the Congress was allowing President Obama to create all the “Czars”. Just before he answered, there were shouts from the audience of “He’s a communist!” McCarthy smiled. He answered the question by saying he did not believe Obama had the right to appoint these “Czars” and give them powers that encroach on the “Checks and Balances” the Constitution requires. Video: Kevin McCarthy Comments on Obama’s Czars

A group thought by many to be devoid of tech-savvy compared to their Democratic counterparts is attempting to break that stereotype by using technology that a lot of people have incorporated in their daily lives. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told a group assembled at the Heritage Foundation’s Blogger’s Briefing on March 17 that he and House Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., are developing an application for the iPod Touch, a product of Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), that would be used to keep the entire House GOP on a unified message. “The one thing Cantor and I have done, we’re buying,...

Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House, has tapped California Rep. Kevin O. McCarthy as his top deputy, cementing an already fruitful partnership between two rising stars in the party. The selection gives Cantor a politically astute ally at the leadership table as he seeks to translate six years of potential into a real power base within the House GOP. The move, which will be announced Monday, also solidifies McCarthy as the next Eric Cantor. Many view this pair as the next face of the GOP in the House. They combined last year to help raise...

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, 43, a prolife freshman Republican from California, will chair the platform committee for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., The Washington Times has learned today. Steven J. Duffield, former aide to conservative Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, will be the committee's executive director. In his first year in Congress, Mr. McCarthy had a 100 percent prolife voting record, according to the National Right to Life committee. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has let it been known through associates that he will not work to "soften" — even behind the scenes — the...

Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy is building party clout and recruiting GOP candidates. WASHINGTON -- When House Republicans launched an early advertising blitz last month targeting 18 House Democratic freshmen elected from Republican-leaning districts in November, behind the scenes was Rep. Kevin McCarthy.Not only was the campaign McCarthy's idea, the Bakersfield Republican freshman helped finance it, writing a $10,000 check out of his ample campaign surpluses from his easy 2006 race to succeed former Rep. Bill Thomas.Democrats blasted the attack ads as "desperate and misleading." But according to Republican leaders, the ad campaign was a huge success and has added immensely...

Kern County and the 32nd Assembly District will lose a lot of political clout with Kevin McCarthy's departure from the state Legislature. McCarthy is a seasoned political hand and a public policy expert who rose to be the Assembly's Republican leader. He gave Kern County a significant voice on regional and statewide issues. McCarthy is giving up his Assembly seat to run for the 22nd Congressional District, hoping to replace his former boss and longtime mentor, Bill Thomas, who is retiring. With Thomas' retirement, Kern County will lose political clout at the national level. As chairman of the House Ways...

Republican Rep. Bill Thomas, chairman of the influential House Ways and Means Committee, was set to announce Monday whether he would retire from Congress or seek a 15th term. Thomas, 64, scheduled a morning news conference in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., amid speculation that he would leave the House of Representatives. Because of House Republicans' self-imposed term limits for committee chairmen, the mercurial but brainy former college professor is serving his last year as head of the powerful committee that writes tax laws. GOP officials are working under the assumption that Thomas will retire, according to a Republican election...

A fight to replace Assembly Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is raging full force, with six candidates jockeying for position, burning up the phone lines and twisting arms. The dominoes are lined up: If Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield, retires from Congress this year, McCarthy will announce that he's running for the seat held by his mentor. McCarthy will then launch his campaign and, in coming weeks, step aside as GOP Assembly chief. McCarthy would be replaced by Sacramento Assemblyman Roger Niello, a fast-rising neophyte, or by George Plescia of La Jolla, Rick Keene of Chico, Sharon Runner of Lancaster, Mimi Walters...

Conservative Republicans who are upset with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are heading to Bakersfield this weekend and are certain to vent their feelings. However, most experts say a full-blown conservative revolt against the GOP's only major candidate for the state's highest office is unlikely. The California Republican Assembly, which represents the conservative wing of the Republican Party, will gather at the DoubleTree Hotel starting Friday for its election-year nominating convention. CRA president Mike Spence was among conservatives who until recently were threatening to lead a movement to withdraw the Republican Party's endorsement of Schwarzenegger. However, that threat appears to have been...

SACRAMENTO -- When it comes to building new roads, schools, sewers and dams, Republicans in the state Assembly are marching to a different drummer than Democratic lawmakers and even GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Led by Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, Assembly Republicans have called for setting aside a small percentage of the state budget each year for a pay-as-you-go construction program. By contrast, Schwarzenegger and Democratic legislative leaders are proposing a series of bond issues to borrow the billions needed for a massive public works program. The highlight of Schwarzenegger's state of the state speech last month was a call for...

These aren't your father's Republicans. Paul Makarechian, 31, showed up in jeans to host an event with Assembly GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. That was at Fashion Island's trendy Ozumo Japanese restaurant. Another of the group's events, this one featuring a congressman, was held at Costa Mesa's hip Sutra Lounge. One of the group's board members, land broker Craig Atkins, is spending much of the year surfing the world's best waves. Makarechian, the chairman, gleefully lists the spiky hair of one favored candidate as an attribute. The group, less Atkins, flew to Vegas this month for its board retreat,...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to turn over the drawing of legislative and congressional districts to a panel of retired judges could threaten some incumbents, but it won't necessarily produce a lot more competitive seats. If it does manage to increase the number of districts that either major party can win, it almost certainly will boost campaign spending by, and the political influence of, special interests the Republican governor frequently criticizes, according to research by experts in drawing district lines. Schwarzenegger has proposed creating more competitive districts as part of his package of plans to overhaul state government...