2016 Presidential Campaign Blog

Republican Party of Wisconsin Announces Orlando Owens as African American Outreach Director

Republican Party of Wisconsin Announces Orlando Owens as African American Outreach Director

[Madison, Wis.] – Today, the Republican Party of Wisconsin announced Orlando Owens as African American Outreach Director, a key aspect of the Party’s commitment to enhance outreach efforts and build a strong, sustaining coalitions effort across Wisconsin.

“I’m pleased to announce a full-time African American Outreach Director who will actively work to increase support as part of our comprehensive voter engagement program,” said Brad Courtney, Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “By making a commitment now to establish a permanent presence in communities across Wisconsin, our Party is putting in place a vibrant structure for success.”

A native of Milwaukee, Owens will build meaningful relationships at the local level, facilitating discussions on the issues facing our state and promoting the successes Wisconsin has seen under Republican leadership. The effort is part of the Party’s determination to grow its reach among every group of Wisconsin voters.

“The Republican Party is the true party of growth and opportunity, and we’re going to actively build our network of support so that we can spread our positive message of success. We have a proud story to share, and Orlando will work day in and day out to identify with supporters who share our vision of greater prosperity for all,” said Gerard Randall, Chair of the Wisconsin African American Council.

Rick Santorum & Patriot Voices PAC Endorse Iowa's Matt Schultz For Congress

Santorum & Patriot Voices PAC Endorse Iowa's Matt Schultz For Congress

VERONA, PA - 2012 Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus victor, former U.S. Senator, and Chairman of Patriot Voices Rick Santorum endorses Matt Schultz for Congress in Iowa's 3rd congressional district.  
 
Rick Santorum said, "I first met Matt Schultz in early 2010 when I visited Council Bluffs, Iowa for a luncheon to support the Pottawattamie County Republican Party.  After lunch, Matt and I visited one-on-one, getting to know more about each other and talking about our mutually shared vision for our nation.  From that day forward, it was clear to me that Matt was a strong leader, great family man, and a leading face in a new generation of conservatives ready to return our nation to a path of prosperity."
 
"The American people need courageous leaders in Congress to do the right thing for their constituents and the nation, and no candidate better epitomizes this brand of bold leadership more than Matt Schultz.  As Iowa's Secretary of State, Matt has led the fight for voter integrity and insuring each vote counts.  I have no doubt that Matt will bring this same leadership to the Halls of Congress on issues like fiscal responsibility and job creation for working families.  My wife Karen and I are both proud to wholeheartedly endorse Matt's candidacy.  I look forward to joining Matt on the campaign trail soon," concluded Santorum.
 
Matt Schultz currently serves as Iowa's Secretary of State.  During the 2012 presidential primaries, Schultz was the only Iowa statewide official to endorse a candidate for President, endorsing Senator Santorum in December 2011.  Santorum also endorsed Schultz's campaign for Iowa Secretary of State in 2010.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Names Azarias Reda as Chief Data Officer

RNC Names Azarias Reda as Chief Data Officer
 
WASHINGTON –  Continuing to expand the Party’s digital and data efforts, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is announcing the addition of Azarias Reda as the RNC Chief Data Officer.

“Azarias will join Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Digital Officer Chuck DeFeo, Chief Technology Officer Andy Barkett and Deputy Data Director Jesse Kamzol to expand our Digital and Data Department’s creative platforms and our Party’s innovative tools for successful campaigns,” said RNC Chairman Priebus.

“Azarias’ background in computer science and experience working with start-ups makes him the best fit to build a data engineering team to lead our candidates to victories in 2014, 2016 and beyond,” said Co-Chair Day.

“When I heard what the RNC was trying to accomplish, I was genuinely impressed by their approach to create an environment, and allocate the necessary resources, to build some remarkable systems that push the envelope on data engineering as it applies to politics,” said Reda.  
 
“For all intents and purposes, this is much like building a startup. It means creating an environment where talented people can tackle large problems, experiment with new ideas and create products that will have serious impact – and do so within short deadlines and limited resources. This is the best way to innovate and I look forward to being a part of it.”
 
The RNC Chief Data Officer is responsible for the collection and enhancement of the party’s data. He will work with our CTO on the distribution of data that we get back from the Political field program.
 
DATA PRIORITIES:
•    Build the best data engineering team in the world. We are well underway creating an open and exciting environment for talented people to work on some incredibly interesting projects that have a lot of social impact.
•    Leverage our unique strength with traditional voter data to build an advanced data platform and a set of innovative products that will power campaigns.
•    Fully engage with the tech community and contribute to open source projects.
•    Work with our ecosystem of startups and tech providers within the republican party to advance the state of products provided to campaigns.
•    Create a young, technical and engaged image for the Republican Party.
 
BIOGRAPHY:

Azarias graduated from college in Kansas, with three degrees in computer science, applied mathematics and business administration. He later earned a PhD in computer science engineering from the University of Michigan, where he researched building computer systems to work in environments with limited network connectivity---such as in developing countries, like Ethiopia. While attending graduate school, Azarias worked at LinkedIn in Silicon Valley, and Microsoft Research in India. Following graduate school, Azarias joined Meritful, an enterprise start-up company that provided a software platform to connect companies with graduating students. He was born in Ethiopia and moved to the United States while in college.

Gov. Gary Johnson’s Reaction To The State Of The Union Address

GOV. GARY JOHNSON’S REACTION TO THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
 
January 28, 2014, New York, NY -- Former New Mexico Governor and 2012 presidential candidate Gary Johnson released the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union address:
 
“Since President Obama’s State of the Union speech last year, the national debt has increased by more than $700 billion.  Millions of Americans are or will soon see their insurance cancelled, altered or rendered substantially more expensive -- and their health care choices now made by the government.  And when it comes to civil liberties and fundamental freedoms, Americans are today more fearful of their own government than of outside threats.
 
“These are realities that no rhetoric can disguise. The President spoke of building “new ladders of opportunity”. As long as our President and the Congress continue to add to the burden of debt on every American and continue to make us less free, the ladder of opportunity will just become more and more difficult to climb.  
 
“Americans don’t need a speech to know that the state of the Union is precarious, and will remain so until politicians of both parties abandon the failed idea that the federal government can somehow spend and manipulate us into prosperity and real opportunity.
 
“We’ve tried the approach of addressing the nation’s challenges with more government, more programs, and dollars we don’t have.  The President’s speech tonight suggested more of the same. I believe America is ready to try something different, like less government, less debt and more freedom to build our own ladders of opportunity.”

Senator Marco Rubio Comments On Tonight’s State Of The Union Address

Marco Rubio Comments On Tonight’s State Of The Union Address

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement tonight regarding President Obama’s State of the Union Address:
 
“Americans deserve more opportunities to achieve a better life, and that’s going to require a free enterprise economy that’s creating more middle class jobs and a government with less debt. While the President discussed some areas of common interest, the heart of his 2014 agenda is clearly more about working alone than with the American people’s representatives on the major reforms we need.
 
“President Obama missed an opportunity on several fronts, especially by insisting that Washington keep spending more money than it takes in, keep dictating to entrepreneurs how to run their businesses, and failing to level with the American people about how we can save our retirement programs. We need a real opportunity agenda that helps people seize the enormous potential that the coming years hold.”
 
In addition, Rubio commented on the following issues the President addressed tonight:
 
RUBIO ON INCOME MOBILITY
 
“Washington is too dysfunctional and poorly suited to effectively manage America’s anti-poverty programs. A better approach is to empower states to determine how to set up their own safety nets to best deal with the unique problems of each state. We should replace the earned-income tax credit with a wage enhancement that would make a job a more enticing alternative to collecting unemployment insurance. We need a better-functioning safety net that helps people get back on their feet, along with an economy that’s creating more middle class jobs and an education system that helps people attain the skills to fill those better-paying jobs.”
 
RUBIO ON OBAMACARE
 
“At no point did the President explain why American taxpayers should have to fund a bailout of health insurance companies when ObamaCare fails to sign up enough young and healthy people. The President won’t be able to ignore this problem much longer as the realities of ObamaCare’s failures put taxpayers at greater risk of bailing out health insurers. We should take this possibility completely off the table by approving legislation I’ve introduced with Congressman Tim Griffin.”
 
RUBIO ON FOREIGN POLICY
 
“President Obama claims credit for ending one war and winding down another, but the truth is that the global war against extremists will continue long past his presidency. America’s role in the world is as indispensable as it has ever been, yet President Obama glossed over the enormous challenges we face. The President failed to acknowledge the ongoing security threats we face in Afghanistan and Iraq or address bipartisan concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the bellicosity of North Korea, the instability in Egypt and the ongoing tragedy in Syria. I remain concerned that his proposals could weaken our intelligence capabilities and military preparedness at a moment when we face emerging new threats around the globe.”
 
RUBIO ON FREE TRADE
 
“After five years of doing little to promote free trade, I’m glad President Obama talked about the importance of new trade agreements with Europe and Asia. Expanding free trade will open new markets to American exports, which will create thousands of new middle class jobs here at home. I am hopeful that the Administration will successfully conclude negotiations with our trade partners in Asia and Europe, and that Congress will approve these promising new trade agreements.”
 
RUBIO ON IMMIGRATION
 
“The U.S. has a broken immigration system that needs to be fixed, but it’s clear the President either fails to realize or is indifferent to the fact that his unilateral, executive power grabs and habit of ignoring parts of ObamaCare have made it harder to achieve meaningful progress on immigration. As he forges ahead with his unilateral agenda on a host of issues, he needs to recognize that a permanent solution to our immigration problems rests with Congress. The House of Representatives should be given the time and space to develop their own immigration reform proposals, and we should all recognize that incremental progress is better than nothing at all.”
 
RUBIO ON THE MINIMUM WAGE
 
“Raising the minimum wage may poll well, but having a job that pays $10 an hour is not the American Dream. The way our people will achieve the American Dream is by making it easier for those who are stuck in low-paying jobs to seize opportunities to move up to better paying jobs. To do this, we must focus on policies that help our economy create those jobs and that help people overcome the obstacles between them and better paying work.”

Sen. Rand Paul Delivers Response to State of the Union Address

Sen. Paul Delivers Response to State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Sen. Rand Paul delivered his response to President Obama’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.

EXCERPTS:

“Let me say from the outset, I will work with the President, Democrats, Independents and anyone else who wants to get people back to work and alleviate poverty in our country.

“In the marketplace, most small businesses fail. If government is to send money to certain people to create businesses, they will more often than not pick the wrong people and no jobs will be created.”

“Government spending doesn't work. It doesn't create jobs. Only the democracy of the marketplace can find those capable of creating jobs.”

“I believe in an America with a strong safety net, but one that doesn’t suffocate our resolve to better ourselves and our country.”

“The ticket to the middle class is not higher taxes on the very businesses that must create the jobs.”

“Economic growth will come when we lower taxes for everyone, especially people who own businesses and create jobs.”

“We must choose a new way, a way that empowers the individual through education and responsibility to earn a place alongside their fellow Americans in the most prosperous nation ever conceived.”

Rick Santorum Responds to State of the Union Address

Rick Santorum Responds to State of the Union Address

Dallas, TX - Former U.S. Senator, former Republican presidential candidate and Chairman of Patriot Voices Rick Santorum issued the following statement at the conclusion of President Obama's State of the Union address tonight:
 
"The state of our union is indeed strong, but it is because of the resilience of hardworking Americans, not because of the heavy-handed policies of this administration.
 
"President Obama's State of the Union address glossed over the failures of his administration: failure to improve the economy, failure in the implementation of his signature achievement ObamaCare, failure to address our national security challenges, and failure to compromise.
 
"The tool of the Executive Order, which President Obama said tonight he will again put into use, illustrates the vindictive way he chooses to govern.  Rather than finding areas of compromise, he bypasses Congress and acts unilaterally to ram through his agenda.
 
"We hear the media talk endlessly about a do-nothing Congress, but we can't ignore our do-nothing President, in part because of the atmosphere he has created that makes it impossible to get anything done.  He continues to harmfully expand the power of the presidency to the detriment of the American people.  
 
"If President Obama really wants to help hardworking American families achieve good-paying, stable jobs and live the American dream, he would stop pushing an agenda that is hurting small businesses, increasing healthcare costs and is overwhelmingly anti-family.   We must put in place an economic plan that revives our domestic manufacturing and energy potential, rolls back job-killing regulations and forces the federal government to shrink.
 
"Finally, I will say that on one point the President is right: Americans want to believe in opportunity for all.  But that can only be achieved if this President and this Congress begin to lift up hardworking families, protect our national security interests through a consistent foreign policy and ensure prosperity for this and future generations by building economic freedom," concluded Senator Santorum.

Excerpts of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address As Prepared for Delivery

Excerpts of the President’s State of the Union Address

As Prepared for Delivery

“In the coming months, let’s see where else we can make progress together.  Let’s make this a year of action.  That’s what most Americans want – for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations.  And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all – the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead.

Let’s face it: that belief has suffered some serious blows.  Over more than three decades, even before the Great Recession hit, massive shifts in technology and global competition had eliminated a lot of good, middle-class jobs, and weakened the economic foundations that families depend on.

Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better.  But average wages have barely budged.  Inequality has deepened.  Upward mobility has stalled.  The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by – let alone get ahead.  And too many still aren’t working at all.

Our job is to reverse these tides.  It won’t happen right away, and we won’t agree on everything.  But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class.  Some require Congressional action, and I’m eager to work with all of you.  But America does not stand still – and neither will I.  So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.”  

…

“Opportunity is who we are.  And the defining project of our generation is to restore that promise.”

Senator Jon Kyl to Chair 2016 Phoenix Host Committee for Convention Bid

Senator Jon Kyl to Chair 2016 Phoenix Host Committee for Convention bid

Phoenix, Ariz. – The 2016 Host Committee bidding for the Republican National Convention announced today that former United States Senator and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl will chair the committee.

Senator Kyl, a respected political and business leader will lead a strong committee seeking to land the GOP’s biggest event shy of Election Day itself.  “We are honored to have Senator Kyl headline our efforts.  He knows what Arizona has to offer, has raised millions of dollars for candidates and causes and his reputation as a ‘workhorse’  is unchallenged,” said Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham.

Phoenix City Councilman Bill Gates, will be the key political figure on behalf of the City of Phoenix and has full bi-partisan support from Mayor Greg Stanton. “To have the man TIME Magazine recognized as one of the top 100 influential people in the world lead our efforts bodes well for Phoenix as we seek to bring a significant economic impact to our city and state,” said Gates.

Kyl will reach out to business and political leaders, influencers and decision makers as Phoenix makes the case to introduce the 2016 Republican Presidential Nominee to the rest of the country and world.  Known for his fundraising ability, critical thinking and business acumen, Kyl’s involvement is a strong start for the team determined to win their second bid for a National Convention.

Phoenix was among the finalists for the Convention in 2012.

Gov. Jeb Bush Announced As Keynote Speaker At Prescott Bush Awards Dinner On April 10, 2014 In Stamford, CT

Gov. Jeb Bush Announced As Keynote Speaker At Prescott Bush Awards Dinner

HARTFORD, CT —The Connecticut Republican Party today announced that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush – grandson of Prescott Bush – will be the keynote speaker at the 36th Annual Prescott Bush Awards Dinner to be held on April 10th in Stamford.

“I’m excited and honored to have Governor Jeb Bush keynoting the 2014 Prescott Bush Awards Dinner,” said Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. “Governor Bush is a proven leader with an impressive record of public service. As Governor, he improved the quality of life for Floridians by transforming education, fostering a robust economy and cutting nearly $20 billion in taxes. As a member of the Republican Party, he has worked tirelessly to support candidates and advance our shared conservative principles.” “There is a lesson to be learned in Connecticut from Governor Bush’s leadership.

Guided by his Republican principles, Governor Bush solved problems and enacted commonsense reforms without a need for higher taxes or unnecessary government spending,” added Labriola. The grandson of Prescott Bush, Governor John Ellis “Jeb” Bush served as the 43rd Governor of Florida and was the first Republican governor in state history to serve two full terms.