Free Republic

A defiant President Joe Biden on Friday downplayed his poor performance in last week’s debate in what had become a high-stakes interview on ABC, as questions swirled over the future of his candidacy. Here are six takeaways from Biden’s interview with ABC News. 1. Biden says debate was a ‘bad night,’ not a bigger problem. 2. The president takes ownership of poor performance, but offers a new excuse. 3. Biden won’t take a cognitive test and release it to voters. 4. Biden denies polls show him losing to Trump. 5. Biden brushes off nervous Dems: Only the ‘Lord Almighty’ could...

Georgia state Sen. Michael Williams (R), the lawmaker infamous for his disgraceful “Deportation Bus Tour” ad, turned himself into jail on Wednesday after he was indicted on charges of insurance fraud and making false statements during his gubernatorial campaign. Williams, who was indicted on Dec. 20, is accused of lying when he reported to police that $300,000 computer servers were stolen from his campaign office before his failed primary bid back in May. An investigation revealed that he lied about the servers ― which were being used to mine cryptocurrency ― though police didn’t say what happened to them, according...

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) — In a GOP gubernatorial primary marked by over-the-top advertising, one candidate's "Deportation Bus" has drawn a worried response from a Georgia mayor. News outlets report Michael Williams will bring the bus to what his campaign calls Georgia's "dangerous sanctuary cities" beginning Wednesday. The former state co-chair for Donald Trump's presidential campaign says in an ad that his 30-year-old bus will send undocumented immigrants "home."

Georgia governor candidate says 'politically-correct bedwetters' ruined Boy Scouts By Aris Folley - 05/03/18 03:20 PM EDT Michael Williams, a Republican candidate for Georgia governor, said the Boy Scouts of America's decision to drop the word "Boy" from their name was the "latest example of culture rot.” “For many decades, the Boy Scouts helped turn boys into men,” Williams said in a statement. “Unfortunately, they have taken a big step toward the eventual destruction of the very elements that made them such an influential organization.” “They caved to left-wing social engineers who want to remove the concept of male masculinity...

A Republican state senator running for the Georgia governor's seat charged Wednesday that Delta Airlines is donating to groups that fund abortion provider Planned Parenthood, and thus continues to favor "left-wing" causes even though it just cut its partnership with the National Rifle Association. Sen. Michael Williams was on CNN Tuesday to complain about Delta when he was rebutted by CNN anchor Brianna Keilar. In a late Wednesday statement, he said Keilar only wanted to push a "false narrative," and said his new research into Delta showed the problem was worse than he first thought. “Planned Parenthood receives hundreds of...

Retired four-star Gen. Tommy Franks is lending his name and support to Senate candidate Michael Williams, a state railroad commissioner. Williams is running in a crowded GOP primary to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R). Franks, who graduated from Midland High School a year ahead of former first lady Laura Bush, led U.S. forces into Afghanistan and Iraq. “As a retired military man, I don’t often get involved in political campaigns. But I decided that there’s a race going on in Texas that’s so important, that I just couldn’t stand on the sidelines,” Franks said in a statement. “Michael...

The Environmental Protection Agency still is trying to shut down a gas drilling operation near Fort Worth despite fresh doubts about the agency’s central allegation, that the drilling had tainted the local water supply, The Wall Street Journal reports. Texas’ own regulators say new scientific tests on gas in the water well show the leakage is the result of natural causes: gas migrating upward from a rock formation that lies directly below the tainted aquifer. Armed with these findings, Texas officials allege that the EPA is using dubious science to reach hasty conclusions that will harm the state’s economy. “This...

Michael Williams announced a bid Thursday for Texas’ Senate seat. The Tea Party loves him, but can he overcome a tough primary to become the Senate’s lone black member? Williams talks to Benjamin Sarlin about his plan to win, his friendship with George W. Bush, and his trademark bowtie. As far as Republicans go, Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams is pretty easy to recognize. There usually aren't too many African-American men sporting a giant bowtie and cowboy boots speaking at conservative gatherings. The boots are easy enough to explain. “Well, I’m from Texas,” Williams told The Daily Beast in an...

Senate Conservatives Fund Dear Fellow Conservative: I have some very important news to share. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) announced yesterday that she will not seek a fourth term in 2012. This is a major development because it opens up a Senate seat in a strong Republican state, giving us another opportunity to elect a principled conservative. The Republican primary election for this seat won't take place until March 6, 2012 but I expect several candidates to enter the race very soon. The Senate Conservatives Fund will thoroughly evaluate each of these candidates to see if a clear standout emerges....

Former President George H.W. Bush is wasting no time deciding who he thinks should succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Bush, more than a year before the GOP primary, threw his support Monday behind former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams of Fort Worth. "I wanted to get on board early," Bush said while seated next to Williams at the former president's Houston office. "I just know he can do this job." Hutchison, 67, announced last week she wouldn't seek re-election when her term expires at the end of 2012. She's held the seat since 1993. Including Williams, who...

Former President George H.W. Bush will endorse Republican Roger Williams this afternoon for the U.S. Senate seat that Kay Bailey Hutchison now holds. The race to succeed Hutchison, who is not seeking re-election, has drawn interest from a number of Republicans, including railroad commissioners Elizabeth Ames Jones and Michael Williams. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is also considering a run. Roger Williams is a Weatherford car dealer and former Texas secretary of state who was a major Republican donor before he was a candidate. The Bush endorsement could give his campaign a nice boost, particularly since the field is crowded and...

U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Conservatives Fund, announced in December the endorsement of Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams for U.S. Senate. Williams is running to replace Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) who plans to resign later this year. “Michael Williams is the Democrat Party’s worst nightmare. He’s a principled, outspoken conservative who will fight to stop the massive spending, bailouts and takeovers that have destroyed millions of jobs and piled a mountain of debt on our children and grandchildren,” said Senator DeMint. “Michael Williams has a compelling life story, a proven conservative record and an...

Are the national media (and most conservatives) just completely presuming Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's promise to resign from the U.S. Senate, regardless of how the Governor's primaries turn out? Even the standard reference sources, like Wikipedia, FiveThirtyEight, SwingStateProject, the Cook Report, etc., all ignore the race. Meanwhile, a fantastic candidate, Texas State Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams is running hard. (The Texas State Railroad Commission oversees energy issues, among others.) Check out this clip, from CPAC, stating at 3:23: http://www.williamsfortexas.com/posts/48 Any other information about this race would be greatly appreciated.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) inched his way further into the 2010 Senate races Thursday, endorsing a member of the Texas Railroad Commission for the seat that might be vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas.) in her run for governor. In the blistering cold with the Capitol as a backdrop, DeMint threw his weight and the weight of his Senate Conservatives Fund behind Michael Williams, an African-American who served in both the Reagan and first Bush administrations. Williams said he’s looking to come to Washington to “stop the slouch toward European-style socialism.” DeMint said he’s looking to pull the Republican...

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has endorsed Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams for Senate. "We need conservatives willing to engage the Democrats on the field of ideas...willing to speak of a 21st Century conservatism...willing to stand and fight on principle," Gingrich wrote in a fund-raising letter to Texas Republicans. "We need leaders like Michael Williams. Williams is one of several Republicans tangling for the soon-to-be vacate Senate seat now held by Kay Bailey Hutchison. The senior senator is running for governor and says she will probably leave the Senate before the end of the year.

Commissioner Michael Williams (R-TX) talks about the frivolous spending in Washington, including spending millions on ham, pork and cheese!

Changing demographics and a low spot in the road for Republicans could make holding the seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison difficult. Could you describe what makes you uniquely qualified to hold the Senate spot in Texas, and what do you think the top issues are to Texans today and over the next few years?

An interesting battle is taking shape in Texas, long a stronghold for conservatives. Changing demographics and popular Democrats with deep pockets are going to make holding the seat of departing Kay Bailey Hutchison difficult. Losing another vote in the Senate, particularly from red state Texas, could be disastrous.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s decision to challenge Republican Gov. Rick Perry in next year’s gubernatorial primary is leaving her would-be Senate successors perplexed on how to handle their campaign finances. SNIP Already at least four Republicans are running and raising money: former Secretary of State Roger Williams, Texas Railroad Commissioners Elizabeth Ames Jones and Michael Williams and state Senate President Florence Shapiro. But the most aggressive campaign organization is being built by the Democratic mayor of Houston, Bill White, who raised $1.8 million over the past three months and has $2.1 million in the bank. snip The complicating factor is...

I’m running for the U.S. Senate‏ From: Chairman Michael Williams (MichaelWilliams@secureixs.com) Sent: Tue 12/16/08 7:24 PM To: Dear Friend, With much encouragement from my fellow Texans, with the support of my wife Donna, and with firm resolve to make the America of tomorrow more prosperous and free than the nation we know today, I am announcing my candidacy for the United States Senate. We are at a critical juncture in time, and the likelihood of a special election to replace Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison provides an historic opportunity for Texans to rekindle our can-do spirit and offer forward-looking solutions...