2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis Statement Following Tonight’s CNN Debate In South Carolina

CURTIS LOFTIS: WE NEED A LEADER, NOT ANOTHER CAREER POLITICIAN
 
Boston, MA – South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis made the following statement following tonight’s debate:
 
“What was clear tonight is that we need a reliable leader with a lifetime of leadership experience, not another president who spent his life in politics. Mitt Romney will lead our country down a different path than the continued failure pursued by our current administration. With unemployment near ten percent in South Carolina, our state cannot afford more big-spending, job-killing policies from this administration. Mitt Romney will cut spending, lessen the regulatory burden, and create an environment that will allow businesses to grow and hire. I urge South Carolinians to get to the polls on Saturday and vote for Mitt Romney – it will be a vote for change in Washington.”

Mitt Romney Announces Support Of Former U.S. Ambassador And South Carolina Speaker Of The House David Wilkins

MITT ROMNEY ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR AND S.C. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DAVID WILKINS

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of former United States Ambassador to Canada and South Carolina Speaker of the House David Wilkins. Ambassador Wilkins previously had supported Governor Rick Perry’s campaign.

“I’m honored to have earned the endorsement of Ambassador Wilkins,” said Mitt Romney. “This important show of support demonstrates that my message of a ‘Simpler, Smaller, and Smarter’ federal government is resonating with South Carolina leaders and voters.”

Announcing his support, Ambassador Wilkins said, "Americans want a candidate they can believe in; one who can defeat President Obama and get our country back to work.  Mitt Romney is that man.  Governor Romney would never turn his back on 20,000 new jobs and our energy security as the President has done with the Keystone XL pipeline project.  Mitt Romney has a real plan for restoring our economy and our place in the world as freedom's best friend and most steadfast defender."

Background Information On Ambassador David Wilkins:

Ambassador David H. Wilkins Was First Elected To The South Carolina House Of Representatives In 1980 And Served For 25 Years, 11 Of Those Years As Speaker Of The House.  He was the state chair of the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign.  In 2005, he resigned from the SC House to accept an appointment by President George W. Bush to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Canada.  Wilkins represented the U.S. in Canada until 2009.  He is a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP.

Mitt Romney Announces Support Of Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell

MITT ROMNEY ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF TENNESSEE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BETH HARWELL

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of Beth Harwell, Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, along with an expanded group of Tennessee legislators working in support of his presidential campaign.

“I am honored to have earned the trust and support of such an outstanding conservative leader as Speaker Beth Harwell, and that of so many other Tennessee legislators who are working hard with her every day to support, and not hamper, the small businesses and entrepreneurs who are growing more jobs for Tennessee and our nation,” Governor Romney said.  “I look forward to working with Beth and her colleagues to get our national economy moving again to create even more opportunities for more Tennesseans.”

“As a former Governor and business leader, Mitt Romney is a chief executive who knows how to balance budgets and create more jobs,” Speaker Harwell said. “Just as importantly, Governor Romney knows and is strongly committed to the principle that the states should take the lead on a variety of domestic policy issues which will help us right-size the federal government and protect our Tenth Amendment rights.  I strongly support and endorse Mitt Romney for President, and I look forward to working with him to help get America back on the right track.”

Tennessee Elected Officials Joining Speaker Harwell In Endorsing Mitt Romney:

House Republican Caucus Chair Debra Young Maggart – Hendersonville 
Rep. Harry Brooks – Knoxville
Rep. Phillip Johnson – Pegram

Tennessee Elected Officials Already Endorsing Mitt Romney:

Governor Bill Haslam
Former Governor Winfield Dunn
Congressman Jimmy Duncan
Congresswoman Diane Black
Congressman Phil Roe
Rep. Curtis Halford – Dyer
Rep. Mike Harrison – Rogersville
Rep. Ryan Haynes – Knoxville
Rep. Julia Hurley – Lenoir City
Rep. Curtis Johnson – Clarksville
Rep. Pat Marsh – Shelbyville
House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick – Chattanooga
Deputy Speaker Steve McDaniel – Parkers Crossroads
Rep. Steve McManus – Cordova
Rep. Richard Montgomery – Sevierville
House Majority Whip Barrett Rich – Somerville
Rep. Charles Sargent – Franklin
Rep. Mark White – Memphis

Ron Paul National Campaign Names 20 ‘LDS for Ron Paul’ Utah Coalition Members

Ron Paul National Campaign Names 20 ‘LDS for Ron Paul’ Utah Coalition Members
20 backers from Davis, Salt Lake, Utah counties to aid state, regional, and national outreach

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign announced today 20 new members of its active “Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul” nationwide coalition. 
 
Today’s additions hail from Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties, all Utah.  All pledge to spread the word about Dr. Paul among their respective communities.
 
Going further, their backing of the Paul campaign promises to amplify the Nevada operation’s vigorous outreach to LDS voters, as well as western states and national outreach.

New members are listed by county, with first and last names followed by hometown.

Davis County
 
Gerald Nebeker, Layton
 
Salt Lake County
 
Rion Gull, West Valley City
John Huntinghouse, West Valley City
Rebekah Whyte, Taylorsville
Shantel Hansen, Murray
Joshua Shovan, Draper
Rayetta Croft, Sandy
Daniel Hermansen, Sandy
Dan Fisher, Sandy
Scott Crandall, Salt Lake City
 
Utah County
 
Brittany Hemsath, Provo
Ross Lambert, Provo
Daniel Burt, Provo
Charity & Jared White, Provo
Carla Kirk, Provo
Skyler Hamilton, Orem
Matthew Turner, North Orem
Jonny Rejholec, Eagle Mountain
Randall Cook, Mapleton
 
As a function of this announcement, the above-mentioned persons are all members of the “Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul” nationwide coalition, in particular the Utah steering committee.
 
They join prominent church members already in the coalition, including Overstock.com President Jonathan Johnson, Utah Tenth Amendment Center Director Connor Boyack, and Utah Republican Liberty Caucus Chair Darcy Van Orden. 

South Carolina Business Leaders Endorse Newt Gingrich for President

SC Newt 2012 Announces Endorsement of Statewide Business Leaders

Greenville, SC – Prominent business leaders throughout South Carolina have announced their support for Newt Gingrich as the “true conservative” in the Republican Presidential Primary this Saturday.  Business leaders from throughout the state are sending South Carolinians a clear message that support is surging in South Carolina and the momentum is with Newt!

These leaders include some of the most outspoken business, economic and political leaders in the state. 

They include:

J. Egerton Burroughs, a Conway based real estate developer and owner of Carolina Consultant Company, Chairman at Burroughs & Chapin Company, Chapin & Burroughs Brothers Properties and a member of the Board of University of South Carolina.

Joe Edens, owner of Edens, a Midlands based real estate enterprise with retail centers throughout the Eastern and Midwest United States.

Vivian Wong, owner of Global Trading Consortium of Greenville which creates attracts and links business markets across the globe.

Eddie Floyd, renowned MD and driving force in the Republican party from Florence.  Floyd is also a member of the Board of the University of South Carolina and former special representative to UN under President Bush.

Jim Roquemore, CEO and Chairman of Patten Seed Company, General Manager of Super-Sod/Carolina.  Mr. Roquemore is also Chairman of South Carolina Bank & Trust and sits on the Southeast and National Boards of the Boy Scouts of America.

Doug Wendell, Chairman of the Board of Coastal Carolina National Bank, Chair of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp, and national tourism leader.

Leighton Cubbage of Greenville, partner and co-founder of Serrus Capital Partners, community leader and avid supporter of Clemson University.

Robert Royall, former US Ambassador to Tanzania and former SC Commerce Secretary
 
Gayle O. Averyt of Columbia is the former Chairman of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company, which now operates in 48 states, and is largely credited with the tremendous growth of the South Carolina Republican Party.

John Rainey, is a practicing attorney, Chairman of the Board of Easlan Capital and former Chairman of the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors.
 
Bob McAlister, veteran South Carolina crisis communications and public policy consultant based in Columbia.

Doug Wendell said that “until recently, I was waiting for the right man to emerge as the best candidate. Now, there is no question that man is Speaker Gingrich. He is the only candidate who understands all the issues, has the capacity to address them, and the will and wit to win the general election." 

 

Dr. Floyd stated that "I have concluded a vote for Newt Gingrich is the only way to ensure a conservative is nominated to defeat Obama."

Newt was thrilled to have such an esteemed group of pro-business, pro-free enterprise folks involved in our campaign. As “I’ve said before, America only works when Americans are working.  My Administration will have a pro-growth strategy that balances the budget, pays the debt, and gets Americans working again.  It is not okay that a state as industrious and hard working as South Carolina has an unemployment rate over 9%.  We’ve got to get people working again and I look forward to joining together with South Carolina leaders to do just that.”

Rasmussen Reports South Carolina Primary: Gingrich 33% Romney 31%, Paul 15%, Santorum 11%

Rasmussen Reports South Carolina Primary: Gingrich 33% Romney 31%, Paul 15%, Santorum 11%

The latest telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary Voters in the state finds Gingrich with 33% support to Romney’s 31%. Two days ago, before the last debate, it was Romney by 14 percentage points.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul now runs third with 15% of the vote, followed by former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum at 11%.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/south_carolina/election_2012_south_carolina_republican_primary

Iowa GOP Releases Certified Iowa Caucus Presidential Preference Vote Totals #iacaucus

Iowa GOP Releases Certified Iowa Caucus Presidential Preference Vote Totals
 
Des Moines, IA – The Republican Party of Iowa today released the final, certified vote totals of the January 3 Iowa Caucus presidential preference vote. The final, certified vote totals represent 1,766 of the state’s 1,774 caucus precincts, and reflect a record-breaking 121,503 Iowans who participated.
 
2012 Iowa Republican Caucus Certified vote totals (1766/1774 precincts certified)
 
Rick Santorum             29,839
Mitt Romney                29,805
Ron Paul                     26,036
Newt Gingrich              16,163
Rick Perry                   12,557
Michele Bachmann         6,046
Jon Huntsman                  739
No Preference                  147
Other                                86
Herman Cain                     45
Sarah Palin                       23
Buddy Roemer                  17
 
Total (1766/1774) 121,503
 
Certified vote totals were unavailable for eight of Iowa’s 1,774 precincts. Full, certified vote totals per precinct are available online at www.iowagop.org.
 
“Just as I did in the early morning hours on January 4, I congratulate Senator Santorum and Governor Romney on a hard-fought effort during the closest contest in caucus history,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn. “Our goal throughout the certification process was to most accurately reflect and report how Iowans voted the evening of January 3. We understand the importance to the candidates involved, but as Iowans, we understand the responsibility we have as temporary caretakers of the Iowa caucuses.””
 
As Strawn noted during the January 4 announcement of unofficial caucus night vote totals, Iowa GOP rules provided for a 14-day period by which each of Iowa’s 99 counties were required to submit a Form E document from each of the caucus precincts within the county. The Form E document is the official record of the presidential preference vote in each of Iowa’s 1,774 precincts.  The deadline for county Republican officials to submit the Form E documents was 5 p.m. (CST) on Wednesday, January 18.  Following Wednesday’s deadline, Iowa GOP officials were able to certify results from 1,766 of the state’s 1,774 precincts.
 
Strawn noted that a hallmark of the Iowa caucuses is the openness and transparency within which the proceedings occur.  Not only do voting Iowans and presidential campaign representatives have the opportunity to observe the vote counting in each of the state’s precincts, but each presidential campaign had senior campaign officials in the Iowa GOP’s official tabulation center on caucus night.
 
Strawn indicated this openness and transparency will continue during the post-certification period as the Iowa GOP will be making the precinct caucus Form E documents submitted during the certification process available for review to both presidential campaign officials and members of the media.

Ron Paul to Hold South Carolina Whistle-Stop Tour on Friday, January 20, 2012

Ron Paul to Hold South Carolina Whistle-Stop Tour Friday
Five whistle stops plus a nighttime Columbia rally in run-up to Palmetto State’s January 21st primary

COLUMBIA, SC – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul will conduct a major whistle-stop tour in this key early voting state to energize voters in the run-up to the Saturday, January 21st primary election.
 
The 12-term Congressman from Texas will make five stops beginning at 11:15 a.m. EST.
 
In addition to the whistle-stop tour the same day, Dr. Paul will hold a nighttime campaign rally in Columbia.  All whistle stop events are in an airport hangar with the exception of the Aiken one, which will take place at Bobby’s BBQ, and the nighttime rally in Columbia, which will take place at Jillian’s.
 
Details of the events are as follows.  All times Eastern.
 
Friday, January 20, 2012
 
11:15 a.m.
Charleston Whistle Stop
Charleston International Airport
Atlantic Aviation
6060 South Aviation Road
North Charleston, SC 29406
 
12:30 p.m.
Myrtle Beach Whistle Stop
North Myrtle Beach Grand Strand Airport, Ramp 66
2800 Terminal Street
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
 
1:30 p.m.
Florence Whistle Stop
Florence Regional Airport
Florence Aviation
500 S. McCall Blvd
Florence, SC 29506
 
3:15 p.m.
Aiken Whistle Stop
Bobby's BBQ, Horse Creek Banquet Hall
1897 Jefferson Davis Highway
Warrenville, SC 29851
 
4:45 p.m.
Greenville/Spartanburg Whistle Stop
Greenville Jet Center
Greenville Downtown Airport
1 Aviation Lane # 1,
Greenville, SC 29607-6129
 
9:00 p.m.
Columbia Rally
Jillian's
800 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29201-3126

South Carolina State House Speaker Bobby Harrell Endorses Newt Gingrich

South Carolina State House Speaker Bobby Harrell Endorses Newt Gingrich

Columbia, SC – South Carolina State House Speaker Bobby Harrell today announced his support for and endorsement of Speaker Newt Gingrich in the South Carolina Republican Primary.

"Cathy and I make these decisions together.  We believe Newt Gingrich is the right choice for South Carolina, and for the United States. His commitment to the conservative principles of lower taxes, smaller government, and economic development are key to restoring America to greatness. Speaker Gingrich is the only candidate with proven leadership experience, which is what we need to effect real change in Washington."

Speaker Harrell was elected to the South Carolina State House of Representatives in 1992, and was elected to serve as Speaker of the House in 2005. He owns an insurance business in Charleston, South Carolina, where he lives with his wife, Cathy, and two children.

Speaker Gingrich was humbled to receive the endorsement of such an experienced and committed conservative from the state of South Carolina. "Speaker Harrell has provided exemplary leadership in South Carolina, and we are honored by his and Cathy's endorsement. We look forward to working together to improve the infrastructure of South Carolina and putting South Carolinians back to work."

Randy Page, President of South Carolinians for Responsible Government, Endorses Rick Santorum for President

PRESIDENT OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT STANDS WITH SANTORUM
 
Mt. Pleasant, SC - The Rick Santorum for President campaign is proud to announce that Randy Page, President of South Carolinians for Responsible Government, has endorsed Rick Santorum for President.

Rick Santorum said: "Randy is a true leader for conservative principles in South Carolina, who has devoted himself to restoring the foundational values that make America the greatest nation in the world. I am looking forward to working with Randy in the final days leading up to the South Carolina primary as we look to continue our momentum from our Iowa Caucus victory."

Randy Page currently serves as President of South Carolinians for Responsible Government. SCRG is a statewide grassroots organization that supports and promotes legislative and community initiatives to restore individual liberties and minimize the role of government in our daily lives.

Prior to serving as president of SCRG, Randy has served in a number of capacities with several of our state's leaders. He served as Director of Public Events for Governor David Beasley, as Legislative Director for Lt. Governor Bob Peeler and as Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor André Bauer. 

Randy has also been recognized for his service and has been awarded The Order of the Palmetto in 1998, the highest award granted by the State of South Carolina to a civilian, and he was also recognized by the Bob Jones University Alumni Association with their Distinguished Service Award in 2006. Page is also listed in Marquis' Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Politics.

Page currently serves on the boards of the Palmetto Family Council, South Carolina Citizens for Life and South Carolinians for Responsible Government. Page also serves on the Platform and Resolutions Committee of the South Carolina Republican Party.

He has also served as a delegate to numerous state Republican conventions and is a member of the Lexington County Republican Party's Executive Committee and serves as a District Co-Chairman for the Lexington County Republican Party. He also served as Fourth Congressional District Chairman for the South Carolina Republican Party for several years. He has also consulted on a number of national, state and local campaigns over the years.

Page is married to Melissa (Rohrman) Page and resides in Lexington with their two children, Julie and Jason. The Page's are active members of Grace Baptist Church in West Columbia.