Free Republic

Councilman Robin Engel said he expects to make a decision about whether or not to enter the race by Labor Day. Engel represents the 22nd District, which includes Fern Creek, Jeffersontown and Highview. In his last race for Metro Council, the Republican ran unopposed in a district with a majority of registered Democratic voters. Engel said he's met with party leaders to discuss entering the race, including Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Brad Cummings. So far, Engel hasn't made a decision.

Missouri state Sen. Bill Stouffer is seeking the 2010 Republican nomination to oppose veteran Democratic Rep. Ike Skelton. Stouffer recently filed a statement of candidacy and a statement of organization to organize a campaign in Missouri's 4th, a Republican-leaning district that includes all or part of 25 counties in central and western Missouri. "Enough is enough," Stouffer told CQ Politics Friday. "We've lost sight of what the role of the federal government is. We forget that the federal government was created by the states to serve the states, not to dictate to the states, and I'm concerned with the deficits...

I was searching for something else, and I fell in love again.

Rep. Giffords canceled her town hall in Sahuarita/Green Valley, AZ and Jesse Kelly, her Republican challenger, scheduled an appearance in the same venue at the same time and place. From the looks of the video below it was very successful. Both sides were allowed to speak for two hours and with no problems. You would think that a 2 term congresswoman could manage to put on a town hall during the one month August recess. (VIDEO AT LINK)

MEDINA FOR TEXAS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES BALLOT INITIATIVE DRIVE; "WE TEXANS MUST DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES" Austin, TX, July 2009 - The Medina For Texas campaign, in an effort to bring about a restoration of accountability in government and to create new tethers insuring our elected officials serve the people, has launched an effort to place unprecedented provisions on the Republican Party primary ballot in March 2010. The campaign plans to gather signatures in support of six ballot initiatives at Tea Parties being held around the state this July 4th weekend. "We Texans must demand accountability from Republican candidates. We...

On August 7th, Sarah Paling wrote in her facebook page The Democrats promise that a government health care system will reduce the cost of health care, but as the economist Thomas Sowell has pointed out, government health care will not reduce the cost; it will simply refuse to pay the cost. And who will suffer the most when they ration care? The sick, the elderly, and the disabled, of course. The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so...

HOUSTON - Gov. Rick Perry looks as if he stepped out of a Marlboro billboard: square-jawed, weathered face, a shock of black hair, steely eyes. He even says "howdy" when he enters the room. His public persona is so folksy that many opponents have underestimated his political skills. -snip- Mr. Perry's opponent is Kay Bailey Hutchison, the state's senior senator. On most issues, Ms. Hutchison is also a steady conservative hand, but her tone is more moderate, her positions on social issues are more nuanced, her votes on government spending are more pragmatic. -snip- "I do not want a governor...

SOS! Stop Obama's Socialism Great bumper sticker. Go to www.cwfpac.com to get one!

headed to Davol Square on Tuesday to hear state Rep. Elizabeth M. “Betsy” Dennigan, D-East Providence, announce that she will be challenging U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin in a Democratic primary next year. And as I was picking my way through the crowd, past the banners, balloons and a three-piece band, I bumped into a congressional candidate shaking hands. Only it wasn’t Dennigan. Or even a Democrat. It was state Rep. John J. Loughlin II, R-Tiverton, the House minority whip who plans to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy next year. Was he there to launch a Republicans-for-Betsy organization?...

Vaughn Ward, a former Marine who led a combat tour in Fallujah, Iraq and current GOP House candidate in Idaho, says that "two Alaskans" are coming to campaign for him. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that he doesn't mean Don Young and Ted Stevens. Two of his donors are Jim and Faye Palin of Wasilla, Alaska — the father-in-law and mother-in-law of former GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Which suggests he might have a connection or two up in that state.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell will deliver Saturday's weekly Republican radio address, the Republican National Committee confirmed Tuesday. The address — usually delivered by a Republican member of Congress or sitting governor — will cap off a week that has thrust the Virginia race in the national spotlight.

Former Crystal Lake High School District 155 board member John Dawson wants to take his politics to a higher level. Dawson, 52, of Barrington, announced Thursday he's running in the 8th Congressional District's Republican primary. Democratic U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean of Barrington holds the seat Dawson wants. Other candidates for the GOP or Democratic primaries in the 8th District have not yet stepped forward publicly. The district includes Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. The owner of a home building and remodeling company, Dawson said the need for job creation and getting a handle on the national deficit are two issues...

When it comes to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-Texas) expected retirement from the Senate, the question is moving from “Will she or won’t she?” to “Will he or won’t he?” As Hutchison appears to come closer to calling it quits to focus on running for governor, the emerging question in the Lone Star State is, when she does, whether Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will throw himself and his hundreds of millions of dollars into the race. Without Dewhurst, there doesn’t appear to be a Republican front-runner, and the GOP field has been badly outraised by a pair of Democrats....

The committee also endorsed two of the 13: former state Rep. Dennis Ross in the race to succeed Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Iraq veteran Adam Kinzinger in the race against freshman Rep. Debbie Halvorson’s (D-Ill.). In releasing the list Wednesday, Sessions also for the first time detailed how the program would be run. In order to get involved in the NRCC’s program, Sessions said candidates must demonstrate a base of support, develop a media messaging plan for the race and show they are capable of raising enough money to get their message out. He said too often members who...

I'm sure that the Democrats, Leftist Liberals, and Move On .Org'ers are all laughing , toasting and smiling with glee on the eve of Sara Palin's resignation address. I hope they enjoy themselves because it will be back to work on Monday. Then they will find themselves scurrying like mice to chase down every rumor, news leak, or wire report concerning her whereabouts, personal dealings and career moves. The only plausible explanation for this? They are afraid of her and the threat she poses to bringing down their newly acquired base of power. Romeny and Huckabee together don't receive in...

The most impressive and most promising Republican who spoke Monday night was John Guedry. He all but announced he was running against Rep. Dina Titus (D) and, even though a newcomer on the campaign stage, was savvy enough to downplay the biggest knock against him in his brief remarks; noting that while he's a banker, he's a community banker, not a Wall Street banker. GOP gubernatorial candidates Joe Heck and Mike Montandon also spoke. Montandon seems to have a slight edge right now among the party faithful, but Heck, a doctor by trade, rolled out a new campaign slogan: “I'm...

Republican leaders in New York have chosen state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava as their nominee for the special election to replace Army Secretary-designate John McHugh (R-N.Y.). County chairmen for the 23rd district made the selection on Wednesday. The chairmen choose their nominee in lieu of a primary process for special elections in the Empire State. “I congratulate Dede Scozzafava for receiving the nomination to represent our party and make the case for tax relief, economic development and opportunity,” state party chairman Joseph Mondello said. “We desperately need her voice to oppose the Democrats’ plans to stifle our economy, tax business out...

Many first-time hopefuls for statewide office at least go through the formality of setting up an "exploratory" committee before officially announcing their candidacies. Not Republican Susana Martinez, the district attorney in New Mexico's Doña Ana County. She launched her campaign in her state's 2010 open-seat race for governor on Friday without going through an in-between stage. "I'm ready to get to work," she said Friday.

Palin Vs. Kerry (And MoveOn.org) By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Wednesday, July 15, 2009 4:20 PM The political death of Sarah Palin has been greatly exaggerated. In a devastating op-ed in the Washington Post, Alaska's governor exposes the cap-and-tax fraud that has nothing to do with earth's temperature and everything to do with government control of the economy. She also exposes the stealth socialism ambitions of the Democratic left and once again points out the availability of abundant "shovel-ready" resources under America's soil, off America's shores and even in America's rocks. Judging from the reaction from Sen. Kerry and...

I am starting some ping lists for the 2010 Texas Governor's Race. The ping lists will expire when the election is over. Freepmail me to get on/off the lists. keyword: txgov2010 This ping list will cover all articles related to the governor's race regardless of candidate. keyword: rickperry This list will cover articles related to Governor Rick Perry, positive or negative. keyword: kbh This list will cover articles related to Senator Hutchison, positive or negative. I'll do my best not to send duplicate pings. Regards, BuckeyeTexan

Years ago the infamous boxing promoter Don King used the term “Double Shock Power” to describe a boxer he represented. That is exactly how you can describe Sarah Palin. Not only does she have staying power, she has “Double Shock Power” and they still can't understand why. It's beyond any of them to really believe that someone could actually put their faith in God, believe in “Right To Life”, hold true and stand up for her principals, love America, and apply plain old common sense in dealing with today's issues. She walks the walk and talks the talk and it's...

Two Republican sources said today that even as former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio campaigns for retiring GOP Sen. Mel Martinez's Senate seat, he has been calling around to top Republican donors and activists in the state to discuss the idea of switching from the Senate primary against GOP Gov. Charlie Crist and into the open-seat race for attorney general, where a serious Republican candidate has yet to emerge.

Sarah Palin vs. the Marquis de Sade By Robin of Berkeley I grew up with a mean older brother who was ten when I came on the scene. Family lore is that Tom ran away when my mother left to deliver me. When she returned he responded with disgust, "At least you could have brought me home a brother." Tom's main passion in life was tormenting me. He delighted in mocking me, scaring me, making me cry. He'd laugh and make this strange, guttural sound when he saw my terror. As I got older, he enjoyed more menacing methods of...

Kansas State Sen. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler, picked up yet another endorsement today in the First District Congressional race, this one from former Congressman Jim Ryun. Ryun announced his support for Huelskamp in a fundraising letter as a "a top-notch Kansas state senator for more than a decade, earning many accolades including a lifetime A+ NRA rating — the endorsement of Kansans for Life — and Taxpayer Champion by AFP (Americans for Prosperity)." Huelskamp has gained a whopping 34 endorsements since announcing his intentions to run in December of last year. The list is long and growing longer: Gun Owners of...

Only hours after Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) announced that he would run for Governor, state Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) declared his candidacy to replace Gerlach in the 6th District. Schroder had long said he would vie for Gerlach’s seat if the four-term Congressman stepped aside in favor of a gubernatorial run, and after filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission weeks ago, his announcement was mostly a formality. But as Democrats continue to coalesce around Doug Pike, the contours of the race are becoming increasingly clear. “I have decided to enter this race to ensure that the values that built...

One thing becoming very clear in Obama’s first Quarter of leadership is that he is a liar and is not a leader. He has expressed his hatred of America to foreign nations and he has not stood up to totalitarian brutalities against innocent people. Obama is a very bad president, and the damage he is causing to America is greater then any natural disaster to every hit our land. It is very clear now that every campaign promise made by Obama is a lie. He vowed to not raise taxes, and he is raising taxes. He promised a new openness...

Gov. Rick Perry says Sarah Palin is committed to campaigning for his re-election bid and he welcomes the support of the soon-to-be former Alaska governor...

SARAH PALIN, UNBOUND by Laurie Morrow and Ed Morrow Striving mightily to stay at the head of the torch- and pitchfork-bearing mob pursuing the Monster Palin, Maureen Dowd, in her latest column, has added a new charge to the standard assaults on the Alaska Governor. On top of being too folksy, too pretty, too dull-witted, and too conservative, Palin is crazy. Miss Dowd knows this is true because she read it in Vanity Fair. Using a fashion magazine notorious for its anti-Republican bent as her medical authority, Dowd cattily describes Palin as “one nutty puppy.” She diagnoses the Governor as...

“I am considering a run for Congress,” Ashland County District Attorney Sean Duffy said in an interview Wednesday. “On Wednesday, I’m going down to Wausau to talk about what the future holds.” The Republican Party of Marathon County on Wednesday announced an event next week at Wausau Homes featuring a “very special announcement regarding the 7th Congressional District,” expected to be Duffy’s formal announcement. Duffy is active with the Republican Party of Wisconsin, but he is perhaps best known as a former cast member on the MTV reality show “The Real World: Boston” in 1997. His conservative political views were...

The chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party is vowing to let Gov. John Hoeven (R) know just how much his constituents want him in the Senate. But although GOP chairman Gary Emineth will have an uphill climb to convince Hoeven, serving his third term, to take on Sen. Byron Dorgan (D), who will seek his fourth term next year, the governor has made comments lately indicating he has not completely slammed the door on challenging the Democrat. Asked by The Associated Press whether he would enter the race, Hoeven said he concurred with Emineth's hope of recruiting candidates by...

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) -- the third-ranking member of the House -- is the latest Republican with (possible) national ambitions to head off to Iowa for a political event. Pence, who is due to make an as-yet unspecified appearance in Cedar Rapids on July 24th, isn't on the short list of 2012 GOP candidates, but MSNBC and other outlets have predicted he'll be in the mix. Nevada Sen. John Ensign was in northwest Iowa in early June - shortly before his career imploded -- followed by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who was in Des Moines on Thursday.

The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign. At issue is a question that was never resolved following McCain’s loss in November: Who in the McCain campaign was secretly trashing Sarah Palin to the press? (snip) .... What follows is the email exchange with Bill Kristol that Schmidt rooted out, where Scheunemann speculates that the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband. Read from the bottom up: ——- Original Message ——- From: Randy Scheunemann To: William Kristol Sent: Sat Oct 25 19:44:44 2008 Subject: Re: who...

Predict the next national pol who will confess to cheating and win a prize

Excessive Government involvement is what's wrong with our current healthcare system. One prominent example: FDA regulation and Medicare/Medicaid policies are suppressing new drug and device options and increasing healthcare costs. The FDA's approval process for new technologies costs companies between 250 and 800 million dollars. It takes an average of 8.5 years to move through the FDA's clinical and approval phases and there is no guarantee of approval. Out of 5000 compounds discovered in the pre-clinical stage, only about 5 will make it through. The cost of approved and non-approved drugs and devices are passed on to the physician practice,...

I write to you today for two reasons, to introduce myself and to seek your support. My name is John Loughlin and I am a 3-term State Representative representing District 71 in the Rhode Island General Assembly, which comprises Little Compton, Tiverton, and Portsmouth. I consider myself a life-long Rhode Islander. I grew up in Portsmouth and Lincoln, and graduated from Lincoln Senior High School in 1977. I became an Eagle Scout in Troop 1, Pawtucket, one of my proudest achievements. I live in Tiverton, have been happily married to the former Susan Brush of Scituate for more than 21...

Sources close to Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R), who has formed a Senate exploratory committee, say he is on track to report raising close to $500,000 in the second quarter of the year. Grayson had only two months to fundraise this quarter after filing his exploratory committee in early May. Grayson, who has said he does not plan to challenge Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and has said he will only run if the incumbent decides to step aside, has fundraisers scheduled for Monday in London, Ky., and Tuesday in Lexington. Grayson’s second-quarter haul is significant because it will...

Former Republican state Rep. Mia Morris visited the General Assembly on Wednesday and said she is thinking of running for Congress against Democrat Larry Kissell in the 8th District in 2010 or 2012. And she's not Mia Morris anymore. Since narrowly losing to Democrat Margaret Dickson in the 2002 election, Morris has divorced and remarried. Now she's Mia White. She had a set of twins, a boy and a girl, now 4, and moved to Singapore. White said she's been a commentator and analyst of American politics for Singapore's equivalent of CNN, and she has kept up with the news...

The fundraiser set to be hosted Wednesday by elected officials and business leaders at the posh Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables sounds like countless other receptions benefiting Florida's political establishment. But the invitation topped with bold-faced names is for Marco Rubio, the upstart candidate for the U.S. Senate daring to challenge the popular Gov. Charlie Crist for the GOP nomination. Rubio has been mostly raising money over the Internet. Crist has been attending swanky events almost nightly this month. Their lopsided fundraising battle and poll ratings suggest Rubio's campaign will not end well, but the former Miami lawmaker posted a...

Former Michigan and Buffalo Bills tight end Jay Riemersma has designs on Congress. Riemersma has filed paperwork to run for U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra's (HUCK'-struhz) 2nd District seat in southwestern Michigan. Hoekstra, a Republican, has announced his candidacy for governor in 2010. Riemersma also is a Republican. He is listed as Regional Director of Development on the web site of the Family Research Council.

Here’s a sure sign that commercial real estate broker Chris Riggs is planning to challenge Rep. Ken Calvert in the Republican primary next year: Riggs in recent days has launched Twitter and Facebook sites, and he has also begun to hire consultants and campaign staff. “This race will be a litmus test to see if all the millions of ‘tea party’ attendees across America are really serious about electing officials that run on a limited government, tax lowering platform, as this will be a perfect opportunity to pick off a big tax-and-spend incumbent,” Riggs told the Orange County Register this...

Kentucky Senate President David Williams says he’s not running for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Williams, a Republican, says he doesn’t have time to focus on a U.S. Senate bid. Instead, Williams says, he’s seeking another term in the state Senate and looking to retain the Republican lead in that chamber. U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, also a Republican, currently holds the post and says he’s seeking another term. But Bunning has been viewed as one of the more vulnerable incumbents, and some party leaders have not exactly embraced his candidacy. Williams says he’s not endorsing another candidate in the GOP...

While searching an entirely different matter ... I happened on this. A little difficult to read and it is VWERY long (you've been warned), but I find it fascinating reading and I (at least) can glean some parallel and insight from this.

There's a new leader at the top of the Minnesota Republican Party. State Republicans chose Tony Sutton, a Twin Cities businessman and active GOP party member as its leader at a gathering in Brooklyn Center Saturday. Sutton replaces Ron Carey, who is stepping down from the post. Sutton served on numerous campaigns and Republican committees on both state and national levels. He most recently served as secretary-treasurer of the Minnesota Republican Party. He is also the CEO of Minnesota-based Baja Sol Restaurant Group. Radio talk show host Dave Thompson and former state Sen. Carrie Ruud also sought the post. The...

The ultra-conservative wing of the GOP wants to make Florida’s Republican Senate primary a test case of its power. The race pits Gov. Charlie Crist, a moderate who had the audacity to endorse President Obama’s stimulus plan, against hard-core conservative Marco Rubio, a former speaker of the state House. Crist also just signed a new state budget raising the cigarette tax and various fees by $2 billion, an act that further fueled conservative anger. Even worse, the moderate governor has drawn strong support from current Republican senators. He has been endorsed by Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate,...

With freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil’s (D-Md.) conservative Eastern Shore district near the top of the Republican target list next year, Maryland state Sen. Andy Harris aims to avenge what turned out to be one of the most disappointing losses of 2008 for the GOP. But he might not be alone. Sources say state Sen. E.J. Pipkin is also leaning toward entering the primary for a second-straight cycle, and former state House Minority Leader Al Redmer told The Hill on Monday that he too could run against Harris.

This is what we need to be talking about. Conservative Values and Standing for Something instead of Standing for Everything. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rigML-twftY

This is a video from The Daly Buzz that attempts to shed light on Crist's sexual preference. What are your thoughts?

On the surface, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist appears to be the rising star in the Sunshine State. Mr. Crist won a landslide election, maintains high approval ratings and was considered as a potential vice presidential choice by Republican nominee John McCain. In addition, he was even ranked the most "fiscally conservative governor in the country" by the Cato Institute - beating out even South Carolina's budget hawk Gov. Mark Sanford. Many Florida conservatives, however, have a very different hero - Marco Rubio.

Vanity (?) This evening my wife answered the phone and told me it was the Republican Committee - for me. When i picked up I stated that I was not given any money because I thougth McCain was a travesty and that the way the Committee has been treating [Governor] Palin was an abomination. The nice, polite fellow who called was obviously taken aback and responded with words to the effect of "OK, well thank you for your time". I was a bit surprised that he did not have a response to my disgust with the party. I only wish...