Posted on 08/03/2007 12:23:29 PM PDT by Keyes2000mt
Former Governors, Presidential Candidate says Cox Should Be in Aug. 5th Debate
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Contact: Laura Grock/Martin E. Janis (312) 943-1100 X13
(DES MOINES, IA) - Two influential four-term former Iowa Governors - Governors Terry Branstad and Robert Ray - and former presidential candidate Governor James Gilmore, have called ABC News to request that GOP Presidential Candidate John Cox be allowed in the upcoming August 5th Republican debate. The Governors just informed the Cox campaign of their phone calls on his behalf.
"In my year and a half of heavy campaigning in Iowa and other states, Governors Gilmore, Ray and Branstad have come to know me very well," said GOP Presidential candidate John Cox. "We have had numerous discussions together on the issues and they know what my candidacy stands for. I am grateful to have these outstanding public servants rally to my defense and ask ABC to allow me to participate in the August 5th debate. It's a question of fairness."
Recent Iowa county straw poll results are surprising some political insiders - who are seeing some well-known national GOP candidates bested by the dark horse candidacy of Cox - the Chicago businessman and self-made millionaire who turned around Midwest potato chip manufacturer, Jays Foods. Despite Cox's poll numbers, ABC's Political Director, David Chalian, decided last week against allowing Cox into the August 5th debate. ABC is the media sponsor of the debate.
The latest straw poll in Madison County, IA had John Cox at 13% - 1% point behind Rudy Guiliani and ahead of Fred Thompson and John McCain. In a May 12-16, 2007 Des Moines Register poll, John Cox had 1% - the same as Duncan Hunter and more than Ron Paul. Cox has had strong showings in most of the Iowa counties, with support is at or exceeding those already being included in the upcoming August 5th GOP Presidential debate.
"The people of Iowa are speaking loud and clear," said GOP Candidate John Cox. "They are unsatisfied with the Republican party's current slate of candidates for President. They want someone who isn't a career politician and beholden to the special interests. Bare minimum, that point of view deserves to be represented at the debate. This is about democracy. Pure and simple."
With some of the GOP frontrunners shunning Iowa, Cox had this to say, "Iowa is part of America's heartland. It concerns me that any front runner for President - Romney, Guiliani, and McCain - would discount the Midwest and its tremendous influence in the presidential process." To date, Cox has made twenty-five separate campaign trips to Iowa and has visited all of its 99 counties.
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III was Governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. He recently withdrew from the 2008 election race for president.
POLL RESULTS
Des Moines Register Poll. In a May 12-16, 2007 Des Moines Register poll, John Cox had 1% - the same as Duncan Hunter and Jim Gilmore and more than Ron Paul, all of whom have been invited to participate in the New Hampshire debate at this point.
South Carolina Presidential Straw Polls. In South Carolina, John Cox defeated Tom Tancredo, Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore, Sam Brownback, and Ron Paul overall in the County Republican Party Presidential Straw Polls that were conducted in April 2007. Also in South Carolina, John Cox came in 1st place in the Aiken County Republican Party Presidential Straw Poll, and placed 2nd in the McCormick County Straw Poll.
Iowa Republican Chairman Survey. In Iowa, the website www.IowaPolitics.com conducted a survey of all of the County Republican Chairmen asking them who they would be willing to support for President. John Cox placed 5th in this survey.
Campaign Organization. Our campaign has a vast network of paid staff and volunteers in New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina. We have campaign organizations established in more than 30 states. John Cox has campaigned extensively in those states over the past 14 months, spending over 60 days in New Hampshire, 90 days in Iowa and 40 days in South Carolina - more than just about all the other candidates. According to FEC Campaign Disclosures, John Cox has spent more than $800,000 on this campaign, more than most of the other candidates included in the June 5th debate.
ONE QUESTION....does Cox contribute to arterial obstruction in the form of plaque by using hydrogenated oils in his potato chips merely to extend the shelf-life of the chips?
Biography of John Cox
John Cox was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois in 1955 and was raised in the south suburbs of Chicago.
His mother, Priscilla, raised John on her own after his birth father walked out on them both shortly after John’s birth. She taught in the public schools while they lived on Chicago’s tough south side in a small apartment.
John’s mother later remarried, and his stepfather, Thomas Cox, was a lifelong postal employee. Both parents often spoke of the waste and inefficiency in the public school system and in the post office - both government-run monopolies.
He attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating with honors and a degree in Accounting and Political Science. While attending night school at ITT/Chicago Kent College of Law, John landed his first job with the prestigious accounting firm of Coopers and Lybrand.
After graduating with high honors in 1980, he worked as an associate at a prestigious law firm before starting his own practice.
He opened a law and accounting firm in 1981. An investment advisory firm, real estate management company and a venture capital firm soon followed.
In the 1990’s, John led the investment group that purchased Jays Foods, a major regional potato chip manufacturer, saving over 600 local jobs. He recruited and led a team of professional managers who turned a $17 million loss into a $3 million profit in less than a year.
He is a long-time Republican activist. He has served as president of the Cook County Republican Party and was on the state steering committee for former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp’s presidential run in 1988.
John himself ran for the GOP nomination in the 10th Congressional District in Illinois in 2000; the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in 2002; and, while acting as the President of the Cook County Republican Party demonstrated his commitment to the turnaround effort of that beleaguered organization by serving as the GOP nominee for Cook County Recorder of Deeds in 2004, winning newspaper endorsements for his plan to get rid of the office once elected.
He has served on a local school board, a zoning board and on the boards of charities such as the American Cancer Society, Boy’s Hope/Girls Hope and United Charities.
John created a chapter of Rebuilding Together, a nationwide charitable organization that is dedicated to renovating homes for low-income, elderly, disabled, and families with children. Seeing the need for the program in his community, John recruited a board and formed the Christmas in April - North Suburban Chicago Chapter.
John currently sits on the board of the USO and FireWorks for Kids Foundation.
He serves as the Co-Chairman of the Illinois Branch for the Coalition for the Modernization and Protection of America’s Social Security system and as Chairman of the Midwest Coalition for Tax Reform and Economic Growth.
John is the father of four daughters; Sarah, Stephanie, Shannon and Julianne, John has been deeply involved in their education and other activities, serving as a soccer and basketball coach and tutoring at school and many other activities.
He and his wife, the former Sarah Hall, reside in Chicago.
He is the author of three publications, “Campaign for Prosperity and Renewal”, “A Blueprint for the Renewal and Rebirth of the Illinois Republican Party” and he has just completed his new book on changing American politics by bringing back statesmanship: Politic$, Inc.
Cox seems like a good enough guy, and obviously conservative (I did check his website one time). I can’t see why he shouldn’t have a place at the table.
I like Cox too but he should run for Senate against Dick “Eddie Haskell” Durbin and not divide conservative presidential votes and possibly help a pro-abort cross-dresser like Giuliani to need fewer votes to get delegates. Also the only way a conservative can be nominated and elected in Illinois with the absolute corruption that is the standard of what passes for a GOP here is by self-financing. Cox can do that and, I believe, he has a good biography and correct stands on the issues. We need to thin the herd of POTUS candidates in the GOP right after Fred Thompson announces.
I certainly hope so. Jay’s popcorn is great too, if a tad pricey.
Good points. Maybe Cox SHOULD go for the Senate first - a conservative GOP can win even in Illinois, though it’s difficult. Fitzgerald did it a while back, though his opponent was a nut (but so is Durbin). Maybe after a term or two in the Senate or as Gov, Cox will be ready to run for the POTUS.
Running against the Majority Whip of the Senate is a little easier said than done. Regardless, I think it doesn’t have much to do with the debate. A lot of folks thing Huckabee should run for the Senate against Pryor.
John Cox ran for the U.S. Senate, in 2002; in the primary, he was third, of three candidates, receiving 23% of the vote. He says that, during the past 10 years, Illinois has become too liberal for a conservative to win a statewide race, mainly because of Cook Co. The county has about 5,000,000 people. In 2004, Kerry received about 70% of the vote, in that county. Statewide, Obama received 73% of the vote.
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