2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

Huck PAC Releases End Of Year Fundraising Report

Huck PAC Releases End of Year Fundraising Report

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Huck PAC, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s leadership committee, today released its Federal Election Commission (FEC) report for the last half of 2009. In total, over 16,000 donors contributed to Huck PAC in 2009, raising more than $800,000 for the year.
 
Huck PAC, whichis committed to helping Republicans regain control of the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and a majority of governorships, as well as supporting conservative principles around the country, raised $303,000 in the first six months of 2009, and $520,000 in the last half of the year, surpassing its 2009 budget.
 
“We are extremely pleased with the widespread support Huck PAC has received,” said Huckabee. “Small dollar donors and conservative activists nationwide have embraced our message of fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, life, traditional marriage and a strong national defense.”
 
Huckabee pointed to the nearly 6,500 donations made in the last quarter of 2009 alone as evidence that their message is resonating.
 
“We have also worked hard to give a voice to the families struggling in the current economy who do not have the ability to make a financial contribution,” said Huckabee.
 
During 2009, Team Huck (Huck PAC’s volunteer organization):
 
•Made over 60,000 voter contact calls on behalf of newly-elected Virginia Governor, Bob McDonnell, as well as David Harmer, candidate for the 10th Congressional District in Calif., Jim Tedisco, candidate for the 20th Congressional District in New York, and Doug Hoffman, candidate for the 23rd Congressional District in New York.
•Held over 400 events nationwide.
•Launched a 50-state volunteer headquarters online utilizing Twitter, Facebook and Ning.
•Formed over 400 local groups of volunteers.
•Added 9,176 volunteers.
•Launched a nationwide petition campaign “Balance, Cut, Save,” garnered 150,000 signatures in support of fiscal responsibility in Washington.
•Launched “Just Say No” Ben Nelson petition campaign, which collected 60,000 signatures in 72 hours online. This led to Huckabee attending an Omaha, Neb. rally to try and dissuade Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) from voting in favor of the health care bill.
 
The full list of 2009 Huck PAC-endorsed candidates includes:
 
Bob McDonnell for Governor (Virginia)
Bill Bolling for Lt. Governor (Virginia)
Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General (Virginia)
Marco Rubio for Senate (Florida)
Mike Haridopolos for State Senate (Florida)
David Rivera for State Representative (Florida)
Duncan Hunter for Congress (California)
David Harmer for Congress (California)
John Hoeven for Senate (North Dakota)
Trent Franks for Congress (Arizona)
Dick Kelsey for Congress (Kansas)
Tim Huelskamp for Congress (Kansas)
Cary McKay for Judge (Texas)
Weston Martinez for San Antonio City Council (Texas)
John Parke for State Representative (Arkansas)
Rick Crawford for Congress (Arkansas)
Matthew Shepard for State Representative (Arkansas)
Sam Graves for Congress (Missouri)
Bob Vander Plaats for Governor (Iowa)
Chuck Grassley for Senate (Iowa)
Bill Northey for Agriculture Secretary (Iowa)
Mike Pence for Congress (Indiana)
John Kasich for Governor (Ohio)
Alan Nunnelee for Congress (Mississippi)
Les Phillip for Congress (Alabama)
John Linder for Congress (Georgia)
Andre Bauer for Governor (South Carolina)
Rex Rice for Congress (South Carolina)
Steve Moss for State House (South Carolina)
Jim Tedisco for Congress (New York)

Mitt Romney's Free And Strong America PAC Raises Nearly Three Million Dollars in 2009

Mitt Romney's Free and Strong America PAC Raises Nearly Three Million Dollars in 2009

BOSTON, MA – Mitt Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC today filed its year-end finance report with the Federal Election Commission, closing out its 2009 activity.  The PAC reported raising $2,912,697 from January 1st through December 31st, 2009. Contributions to Republican state and federal candidates and causes in this off-election year totaled $120,745.87.
 
The PAC started 2009 with $337,976 cash on hand.  After expenditures, the PAC begins 2010 with $1,125,375 cash on hand, a substantial war chest to help finance Republican candidates in the important 2010 cycle.
 
Mitt Romney formed the Free and Strong America PAC because he believes in the importance of helping Republican candidates and promoting conservative causes around the country. The federal PAC contributed $64,754.74 to federal candidates and committees, and an additional $28,491.13 to state and local candidates.
 
Mitt Romney’s PAC also has five state affiliates in Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, which did not conduct any fundraising but which made contributions to candidates nonetheless.  In 2009, the New Hampshire PAC contributed $17,500 out of its existing balances, including the maximum $1,000 toward Jeb Bradley’s successful campaign to become a New Hampshire State Senator, and an additional $10,000 to the New Hampshire GOP.  In addition, the Alabama PAC contributed $10,000 out of its existing balances in support of Kay Ivey’s gubernatorial campaign.

The federal PAC’s contributions include $9,000 in early "seed money" to U.S. Senator-Elect Scott Brown, who went on to win a special election in Massachusetts to become the state’s first Republican Senator in decades. 
 
The PAC also gave $5,000 each to Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Republican Whip Eric Cantor (VA-07), Missouri Representative Roy Blunt who is running for U.S. Senate, Jim Tedisco who ran in a special election to represent New York’s 20th congressional district, and David Harmer who ran in a special election to represent California’s 10th congressional district.
 
The federal PAC also contributed $1,000 each to the “Undaunted Dozen,” a group of House Republicans targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for their votes against the $800 billion stimulus bill.  In addition, the PAC contributed the maximum $6,800 to the successful campaign of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and $5,000 each to the successful campaigns of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, and Virginia Delegate Barbara Comstock.

Statement From RNC Chairman Michael Steele On State Of The Union Address

Statement From RNC Chairman Michael Steele On State Of The Union Address

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today:

“Tonight, after a year of failed policies and broken promises, President Obama once again demonstrated the rhetorical flair in an attempt to sound populist, if not downright ‘conservative,’ in addressing the very requirements for job creation his administration has ignored for the past year.  But, by all accounts, his explanations failed to answer the question on the mind of Americans: ‘When will I get a job?’  Last year, he promised a ‘New Era of Responsibility’ and instead delivered the exact opposite.  Now that he’s offering a ‘New Foundation for Prosperity,’ business owners and the unemployed alike have reasons to be worried.  There is just no amount of spin and blame shifting that can hide the fact that tonight the President added more zeros to an already burdensome deficit with no explanation as to how he would pay for this ‘new foundation.’  As a good construction worker will tell you – foundations cost money.  

“President Obama said he wanted better solutions.  Republicans have offered common sense conservative solutions.  The people in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts heard our better ideas and voted for them.  If the President is serious, he will give Republicans a seat at the table.  If not, then we know that this is just more spin, arrogance and a refusal to listen to the American people.”

Republican Party Of Minnesota Statement On State Of The Union

Republican Party of Minnesota Statement on State of the Union

Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton tonight issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.

“Like his first year in office, President Obama’s State of the Union address was a major disappointment.  After a year marked by big spending, big tax increases, and big deficits, it’s regrettable President Obama refused to accept responsibility for his actions.  In spite of his rhetoric tonight, it’s clear the broken Washington status quo isn’t working for Minnesotans.  As voters in Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts and now Minnesota have made clear, they are fed up with the insatiable spending and tax increases of Democrats. If Democrats continue to fail to heed the people’s concerns, rest assured they will pay a steep political price in November.”

Republican Party Of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn Statement On The State Of The Union Address

Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn Statement On President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address

DES MOINES – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn released the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address:

“President Obama is telling us that he finally gets the message that the American people are angry.  Unfortunately he fails to understand that frustration and anger results from the leftward agenda he is trying to push through Congress. Since President Obama took office, tens of thousands of Iowans have lost their jobs. Rather than put Iowans back to work, the President and his allies have tried to use our economic crisis as a means to pass his expensive liberal agenda of pork-filled stimulus, cap-and-trade energy tax hikes, and government-run health care.

“The question for Democrats like Leonard Boswell, Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack is whether they’ll continue to toe the line for the free-spending, big government agenda of President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or will they listen to Iowans who know this agenda is devastating for the future of our state and our country?”

Statement By Governor Tim Pawlenty On President Barack Obama’s Address

Statement by Governor Tim Pawlenty on President Barack Obama’s Address

“While I disagree with his proposed direction, I agree with President Obama that education, health care and the deficit are critical challenges for our country. Our nation’s debt is a growing crisis that puts the country’s security at risk. Freezing some spending won’t solve the crisis – we need to actually cut spending. If we set priorities, make tough choices and reject tax hikes, we can create jobs without continuing to run up irresponsible debt.

“In the long run, our schools simply must do a better job of educating children if America is going to remain competitive. That’s why I’ve pushed to hold teachers accountable with a groundbreaking performance-pay system in Minnesota – reforms that I hope the President will push nationwide.

“Minnesota has also led the way on health care, passing reforms to move the system towards paying for and achieving better health care outcomes. Democrats should listen to voters, stop pushing a government-takeover of health care, and join with Republicans to pass reforms that will cut health care costs.”

Excerpts Of President Barack Obama's State Of The Union Address

EXCERPTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

We face big and difficult challenges.  And what the American people hope – what they deserve – is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics.  For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds and different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same.  The aspirations they hold are shared.  A job that pays the bill.  A chance to get ahead.  Most of all, the ability to give their children a better life. 

You know what else they share?  They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity.  After one of the most difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars and teaching kids; starting businesses and going back to school.  They are coaching little league and helping their neighbors.  As one woman wrote to me, “We are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged.” 

It is because of this spirit – this great decency and great strength – that I have never been more hopeful about America’s future than I am tonight.  Despite our hardships, our union is strong.  We do not give up.  We do not quit.  We don’t allow fear or division to break our spirit.  In this new decade, it’s time the American people get a government that matches their decency; that embodies their strength.   And tonight, I’d like to talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.
…
 
By the time I’m finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance.  Millions will lose it this year.  Our deficit will grow.  Premiums will go up.  Co-pays will go up.  Patients will be denied the care they need.  Small business owners will continue to drop coverage altogether.  I will not walk away from these Americans.  And neither should the people in this chamber.
…

Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it’s time for something new.  Let’s try common sense.  Let’s invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let’s meet our responsibility to the people who sent us here.

To do that, we have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now. We face a deficit of trust – deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years. To close that credibility gap we must take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; and to give our people the government they deserve.

That’s what I came to Washington to do. That’s why – for the first time in history – my Administration posts our White House visitors online. And that’s why we’ve excluded lobbyists from policy-making jobs or seats on federal boards and commissions.

But we cannot stop there. It’s time to require lobbyists to disclose each contact they make on behalf of a client with my Administration or Congress.  And it’s time to put strict limits on the contributions that lobbyists give to candidates for federal office. Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign companies – to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities.  They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.

I’m also calling on Congress to continue down the path of earmark reform. You have trimmed some of this spending and embraced some meaningful change.  But restoring the public trust demands more. For example, some members of Congress post some earmark requests online. Tonight, I’m calling on Congress to publish all earmark requests on a single website before there’s a vote so that the American people can see how their money is being spent.

Iowa GOP Unveils New IowaGOP.org, Includes Precinct Caucus Finder

Iowa GOP Unveils New IowaGOP.org, Includes Precinct Caucus Finder

Des Moines, IA – The Republican Party of Iowa today unveiled its new online presence, www.IowaGOP.org, in advance of Saturday’s statewide precinct caucuses. The new site features an online caucus finder that can assist Iowans in locating which of the state’s 1,774 GOP precinct locations they are to attend.

“The new IowaGOP.org represents the innovative and forward-looking approach that Republicans have for leading Iowa. The new and improved IowaGOP.org site is nothing compared to the new and improved state that Iowans will see in November when Republicans regain Terrace Hill and a legislative majority,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn.

In addition to featuring information on all 1,774 statewide precinct caucus locations, Strawn noted the site will serve as a place where all Iowans can learn more about Republican policy solutions, Republican candidates at the state and federal levels, and receive personalized updates about issues and events affecting Iowans.  Strawn also noted the “IowaGOP Live” feature of the website, which allows Iowans to follow the Party’s social media updates from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube in real-time.
 
The precinct caucuses take place Saturday, January 23 at 1 p.m.

Governor Sarah Palin To Join Representative Michele Bachmann On The Campaign Trail

Governor Palin to Join Representative Bachmann on the Campaign Trail

U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (MN-06) announced today that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will come to Minnesota to assist Bachmann's re-election campaign on April 7, 2010.

"There is absolutely no one more in tune with the hearts and minds of everyday Americans than Governor Palin, and I'm excited to welcome her back to our beautiful state this spring," Bachmann said.

Both Governor Palin and Congresswoman Bachmann are well-known and respected conservative leaders whose bold and unwavering stances in defending the U.S. Constitution and commonsense approaches to issues like health care, taxes and government bailouts have attracted millions to their message.

"It didn't take the American people long to see through the extreme liberal agenda of President Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress," Bachmann said. "We saw American's frustration start in the form of tea party protests in states from coast to coast. It continued with the health care town halls throughout last summer. But we saw it come into full focus yesterday in conservative Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts, taking back a Senate seat that was held by Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy for decades. The American people have spoken, and the momentum is clearly at the backs of conservatives heading into the 2010 elections."

Details about Governor Palin's visit will be released as they become available.

Statement By Governor Tim Pawlenty On Scott Brown's Senate Victory in Massachusetts

Statement by Governor Tim Pawlenty on Scott Brown Victory in Massachusetts

“Voters in Massachusetts expressed the outrage Americans everywhere feel about the proposed government takeover of health care. Senator-elect Scott Brown will provide a decisive vote against the Democrats’ health-care schemes. His victory is an inspiration to conservatives across the country to continue our fight for freedom from an overbearing federal government. Congratulations to the Senator-elect and his family for achieving this historic upset.”