Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore not giving up longshot presidential bid

Virginia Pilot ^ | 2-4-16 | Bill Bartel

[CJ Wolf]

It doesn’t matter to Jim Gilmore that only 12 Iowans voted for him during Monday night’s caucuses.

“We didn’t expect any vote in Iowa because we didn’t ask for any votes in Iowa,” the former Virginia governor said during a phone interview Thursday. “I’m starting the campaign in New Hampshire where I am right now.”

Gilmore, 66, has received little or no support in recent voter polls nationally or in New Hampshire. He acknowledged that some have made light of his long shot bid for the White House. But he stresses he’s dead serious.

“I am the right candidate. I ought to be the president. So the question now is: ‘Can I make the politics work?’ ”

He hadn’t seen CBS late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert’s send-up Wednesday of Gilmore’s lack of support in Iowa. Colbert mocked his poor showing, telling his audience, “Twelve people … that is less – and we looked it up – than the number of people in Iowa named Jim Gilmore.”

“I don’t know if Colbert’s ridiculing helps or not. But that’s OK,” said Gilmore, who is one of nine GOP contenders still in the race.

With limited dollars, he’s relying more on mailing information to New Hampshire voters and personal appearances than expensive television ads.

He talked about his campaign via cellphone while traveling to a gun club after meeting with senior citizen veterans in Concord. Earlier he shook hands during breakfast at a diner and would end the day at a charity event.

“Look, we’re going to win this thing by succeeding in New Hampshire – beating the expectations and going to a fellow southern state, South Carolina,” he said. “And then I want to perform well in my home state of Virginia. If we do these things, we’ll be in play.”

[CJ Wolf]

I dunno, Gilmore is much better then Rubio. It doesn’t matter.

[CJ Wolf]

Ping! Do we have anyone else?

[mbrfl]

You gotta hand it to him - I guess?

[CJ Wolf]

I know. It’s inspiring.

[CJ Wolf]

During his last debate it was peaking quite well. Especially when he asked about why the other got two questions. This Gilmore guy is the only guy that can beat rubio and he outlasted Paul.

[Secret Agent Man]

I am leery of a guy who says he “ought” to be president. The word isn’t used carelessly, it is picked deliberately.

[mbrfl]

I honestly know very little about him. He may be a good guy, but I don’t see any scenario by which he gets the nomination this year.

[CJ Wolf]

Yeah I don’t think he get’s it either.

Gilmore on the issues page if anyone is interested.

http://www.gilmoreforamerica.com/issues-jim/

[CJ Wolf]

At least he is realistic, kind of humble. All the others seem to say they will win the nomination and they will beat hillary. Maybe he is the guy that ought to be president, but looked over and not taken seriously.

[Kickass Conservative]

I met Gilmore at CPAC years ago.

We had a very pleasant conversation.

That being said, if he keeps this up he will end up being he Martin O’Malley character on the Republican Debate Stage.

Maybe he is hoping for the V.P. slot. You never know.

[CJ Wolf]

He is close to that. I do think he got more votes in Iowa then O’mally. :-)

[CJ Wolf]

I saw him at the horse races once. Said “Hello Governor” quite loudly from across the lawn. He looked and waved at me and we went our separate ways.

[Secret Agent Man]

Maybe. I thik if I knew if he was a longtime politician I would know which way to go on it.

[EternalVigilance]

I saw him walking down my street here in Iowa. Asked him to scoop the snow out of my driveway, but he wouldn’t. Said he was tuckered out from scooping those other twelve driveways.

:-)

[Crucial]

This guys actually a conservative and a vet. He’s anti-amnesty. He’s pretty good on abortion. The gays gave him an “f” on gay rights, he’s pro second amendment, pro states rights...I have to ask, what are we doing supporting these jokers at the top of the field who are afraid to take a stance on the issues that may end America when we seem to have the real deal in Jim Gilmore?

[CJ Wolf]

“I have to ask, what are we doing supporting these jokers at the top of the field who are afraid to take a stance on the issues that may end America when we seem to have the real deal in Jim Gilmore?”

Good Question. I don’t have the answer

[CJ Wolf]

If he only did yours he would have had the 13th vote. lol

[twister881]

“I am I, Don Quixote, the Lord of La Mancha, destroyer of evil am I!”

[fieldmarshaldj]

That would be a poor choice. Gilmore couldn’t carry his own state. He ran for Senator against Mark Warner in 2008 and had the single worst performance as a first-tier candidate in the modern era, getting 1/3rd of the vote (33.7% to Warner’s 65%), and this was an open seat (note that he won both the Governorship and Attorney General offices with 56%, so that performance for Senator was inexcusably horrid). He hasn’t won office in 19 years.

Saying that, I’m sure he’d make a credible Ambassador or lesser Cabinet or government official.

[Godebert]

Gilmore is pro-anchor baby.

On Tuesday, the former Virginia governor released a statement against ending birthright citizenship, calling the proposal a "dangerous step that undermines American liberty."

"Sending this message to young Americans of foreign heritage is the cheapest sort of political pandering and political opportunism," Gilmore said. "The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was written after the Civil War to make it very clear that every person born in this country has a right to citizenship. It is an important principle that has stood the test of time and to attempt to repeal it now would set our nation back."

He's a loser. A nobody, and seeks to undermine our liberty by saturating our country with foreigners.