Free Republic

Several possible contenders for president could end up running against political allies from their own states. Donations and bragging rights are at stake. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Rep. Paul D. Ryan are friends and political allies, one helping the other in 2012 when Walker faced a recall attempt and Ryan ran for vice president on the Republican ticket. But when it comes to winning the White House, Walker has sounded less than supportive of a candidacy by his fellow Badger State lawmaker, suggesting someone more like himself. "There's no doubt, as much as I love Paul and some other...

At this early stage for the 2016 presidential campaign, it’s Hillary’s world, and everyone else just lives in it. Hillary Clinton dominates the potential field of candidates for the Democratic nomination by huge margins, with a more than 5-to-1 advantage over her nearest rival and more than doubling the support of everyone else combined, according to a new McClatchy-Marist Poll. The Republican race is wide open, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slightly ahead. And Clinton has an edge or outright lead over any of them. “It’s Hillary versus the pack for the nomination,” said Lee Miringoff, director of The...

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) blasted President Obama on Tuesday after the president shook hands with Cuban leader Raul Castro at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela. “If the president was going to shake his hand, he should have asked him about those basic freedoms Mandela was associated with that are denied in Cuba,” Rubio said.

Republican politicians have tried to pay homage on Facebook to the late Nelson Mandela since his death on Thursday, but many of their conservative supporters want to hear none of it. Peruse through comment sections of the GOP's Facebook tributes to Mandela, and there's a good chance you'll find plenty of vitriol for the former South African president and for the politicians who praised him. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) wrote that Mandela "will live in history as an inspiration for defenders of liberty around the globe." One commenter took a different view of the anti-apartheid leader's legacy, urging "all you...

The public overwhelmingly opposes any ObamaCare bailout of the insurance industry, the latest IBD/TIPP Poll found, even as the Obama administration is paving the way to do just that. The survey found that 65% oppose a federal bailout of insurance companies that find their profits hit because not enough young, healthy people sign up for ObamaCare plans. Opposition is widespread, the poll of 907 adults found, with 51% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans and 76% of independents against it. It's opposed by every age and demographic group as well. Although few people knew about it until recently, the health law...

This week in Washington, Senator Marco Rubio accused a fellow American of treason. Edward Snowden drew the Republican's ire by informing hundreds of millions of innocent people that the NSA is spying on them... Anyone familiar with the Snowden story will understand why Rubio's comments are misleading. Americans are concerned about their civil liberties because of the accurate information the former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor leaked. He isn't responsible for any conspiracy theories, except in the sense that a conspiracy is "an agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act," and he exposed NSA and GCHQ cooperation on...

Stung by conservative backlash earlier this year, Marco Rubio has spent months seemingly trying to convince skeptical fellow Republicans that he's more than just the Florida senator who championed comprehensive immigration reform. He joined the drive to defund President Barack Obama's health care law, though his voice grew softer as the resulting government shutdown and his party sank in polls. He then turned to championing social issues like legislative prayer. On Saturday, Rubio will deliver the keynote address at a fundraiser for the Florida Family Policy Council, an evangelical group that led the successful 2008 effort to ban gay marriage...

The basic idea that for the first three years of Obamacare, the Treasury has committed to protecting against an industry-wide death spiral — and that could well occur if insurance customers continue to avoid the Obamacare exchanges...This is well worth a vote, because it will highlight the bailout provision, which most Americans aren’t aware of at all...

He will be in future "Gang's of Eight"... (continued 31 second Video)

In considering Will Marshall’s argument that Tuesday’s primaries show that Tea Party influence on the GOP is on the wane, I countered with the suggestion that intimidation of Republicans by the Tea Folk is a more important part of its strategy than replacing “RINOs” in primaries. A case in point is the ongoing pander-fest being conducted by Sen. Lindsey Graham, who faces divided and underfunded Tea Party primary opposition next year, and is trying to overcome conservative anger at his role in supporting immigration reform legislation and then ending the government shutdown. First you had him risking the Mother of...

Terry McAuliffe and Ken Cuccinelli are both looking to make Tuesday's election for governor into a referendum on President Barack Obama's health overhaul. McAuliffe planned to campaign Monday with Vice President Joe Biden a day after Obama weighed in, throwing national Democrats' full backing into the race. Cuccinelli, meanwhile, would be campaigning with Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and planned his final campaign rally with former Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, a hero of the libertarian wing of the GOP.

See: Rubio Seeks Obama's Support for Delay of Individual Mandate "Sen. Marco Rubio is urging President Barack Obama to support his bill that would delay Obamacare’s individual mandate until six months after the program’s malfunctioning website is working normally." What I would like to ask Senator Rubio is: Under what provision of our Constitution is Congress authorized to impose a fine upon a citizen who exercises a fundamental right to purchase health insurance to meet their personal medical and health care needs and refuses “federally approved” health insurance? Does the Senator from the great State of Florida disagree with what...

1:01 YouTube video This tells me Marco Rubio is seizing the moment and distinguishing himself (as well he should) from the RINOs who got their hooks into him and is running to the Right with other members of the party (thank you Cruz and Co).

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) are seeking to stay relevant in the debate over ObamaCare, but they might as well be shouting in a hurricane. A hurricane named Ted. During this month’s fiscal standoff, Sen. Ted Cruz attracted the most attention of any possible White House hopeful on Capitol Hill. GOP strategists say Cruz, a freshman Republican from Texas, has seized the role of Tea Party standard-bearer, giving him an edge with conservative activists. The grassroots army Cruz built over the last few months could help him in Iowa and other primary battlegrounds if he decides to...

Sen. Marco Rubio says he will introduce a bill to postpone the Obamacare measure a "prudent approach." On "CBS This Morning," he said, "It's unfair to punish people for not purchasing a product that they can't purchase right now because of the technology that's in place, the web site they're supposed to buy it on -- by the president's own admission -- is not working. He said all he is calling for is a delay on the requirement until the U.S. General Accounting Office certifies the Web site is working and has been functioning for six consecutive months.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has endorsed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over his Tea Party primary challenger: Washington (CNN) - One-time tea party favorite Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, said Sunday he supports Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s bid for re-election in 2014. McConnell is facing a primary challenge in his home state of Kentucky from businessman Matt Bevin, who was endorsed by the influential Senate Conservatives Fund on Friday. “Matt Bevin is a true conservative who will fight to stop the massive spending, bailouts, and debt that are destroying our country. He is not afraid to stand up to the...

Senator Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) endorsed Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) in his primary against Kentucky businessman Matt Bevin today on Fox News Sunday. Watch: [video]

The Talk Shows October 20th, 2013 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew; Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla.FACE THE NATION (CBS): Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mark Warner, D-Va. THIS WEEK (ABC): Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla.STATE OF THE UNION (CNN): Cruz; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Snip the answer “The base wants a leader who they feel is not going to sell them out,” says a conservative GOP aide. “They’re deeply distrustful of the establishment, and immigration is one of those issues where the base feels they were sold out.”