Carly Fiorina endorses Terry Neese in 5th District GOP primary

CARLY FIORINA ENDORSES TERRY NEESE FOR OKLAHOMA’S 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SEAT

Oklahoma City, OK – Terry Neese, conservative Republican candidate for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District seat, has earned an endorsement from Carly Fiorina, a conservative thought leader, former Hewlett-Packard CEO, 2016 Republican presidential candidate, and vice presidential running mate of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. In a statement today, Fiorina lauded Neese as the only conservative in the race who can be trusted to defend conservative values and help create more economic opportunities for all.

“As a successful CEO and non-profit leader, Terry Neese is uniquely qualified to represent the voters of the 5th District and I am proud to offer her my full endorsement,” said Carly Fiorina. “Terry has led a career devoted to supporting free-market principles, creating good-paying jobs, and empowering women and men from all backgrounds to achieve economic success. At a time when Washington has become increasingly dysfunctional, we need a successful businesswoman and leader to fight for Oklahoma values and a smaller, more accountable federal government.”

“I am humbled to have earned the support of Carly Fiorina, a like-minded conservative, fierce Pro-Life advocate, and proven business leader,” said Terry Neese. “Like Carly, I recognize the need to get government out of the way of its citizens so we can unleash our nation’s true economic potential and secure brighter futures for all.”

OKGOP State Convention information

From OKGOP Chair Pam Pollard:

We're just a few days away from the 2016 Oklahoma Republican Convention, and time is running out to register and get your Gala tickets, all of which can be done by clicking here.

We'll have some exciting convention events including the following:

Friday (at the Skirvin)
Delegate check-in – 1:00pm-7:00pm
Breakout #1 – 1:30-2:30pm (Choose one)
     -Data! Data! Data! Real World Instructions for GOP Data Center
     -Conservative Politics and Education Policy
Breakout #2 – 2:30-3:30pm (Choose one)
     -Media and Messaging
     -Local Party Fundraising
State Committee Meeting – 4:00pm
Reception/Photo Op with Carly Fiorina – 6:00PM ($100 )
Gala with Carly Fiorina – 7:00PM (Dinner only: $150, Couples $275)

Saturday (at Moore First Baptist) 
Delegate check-in – 7:00am-9:00am (delegates not in line by 9am will not be credentialed)
Prayer Breakfast – 7:30AM: Dr. Tom Vineyard, Pastor, Windsor Hills Baptist Church will lead the Prayer Breakfast celebrating the 68th anniversary of Israel's statehood.
Convention Begins – 9:00AM
Buffet BBQ lunch – 12:30PM: Grammy Award winning singer, Jody Miller
Convention Adjourns – 5:00PM

For full details on the convention agenda, click here. Also you'll find more information about the Friday night Gala Dinner with Carly Fiorina and the Convention details the following day by clicking here.

Additionally, you will find links below for essential information regarding the proceedings at the convention.

• Proposed State Convention Rules
• Proposed State Party Platform
• State Party Rules Amendments
• Current OKGOP Party Rules
• 2016 National Delegate Slate

Cruz announces Carly Fiorina as his VP pick

Cruz Chooses Carly Fiorina as Vice Presidential Running Mate

Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced that former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina would be his Vice Presidential running mate. As a groundbreaking executive and the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company, Fiorina brings a record of innovation and tremendous leadership to the Cruz campaign. An outsider to politics, Fiorina adds a fresh perspective to the difficult challenges America faces and has a solutions-oriented approach that is desperately needed in the federal government.

“In choosing the person I believe would honorably and faithfully serve in the office of the Vice President – the person who under our Constitution could ascend either temporarily or permanently to the presidency – there must be a higher criteria, and that criteria must be this: will that person keep the faith and trust of the American people?” Ted Cruz said. “For all the enormously impressive qualities I saw in others whom I considered for the office of the Vice Presidency of the United States, I found a clear choice:

“One who has never been afraid to stand up to the insider status quo. Who knows the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution because this leader has lived them – a life dedicated to the dignity of work, of our right to pursue our wildest aspirations – and to help others do the same. And a leader who understands that power never has and never will come from the government – here in the United States it comes from the people.

“Who respects the people, who has worked alongside them, and who will serve them with an unbreakable purpose of protecting every one of their rights – and making sure that the America we hand to our kids and grandkids is better than the one before us today.

“For the 13 months of this race, there has been a proven, consistent, courageous fighter. A fighter who terrifies Hillary. And who will do the same to our enemies. And that’s why I am proud to announce Carly Fiorina as my Vice Presidential running mate.”

“Ted Cruz is a constitutional conservative who has made enemies in both parties standing up to the bipartisan corruption in Washington,” said Carly Fiorina. “He has fought to change the system. He kept his word to the people of Texas, and I know, if elected, he will keep his word and bring back American jobs, defend our nation, and protect our constitutional freedoms.

“Make no mistake: this is a fight now. Ted and I can't do this without your help. And this is about all of us. It's about whether we want our kids to be able to get a good paying job when they get out of school. It's about whether we want to turn our backs on religious liberty and our second amendment. It's about whether we want to live in a nation that secures its borders and calls Islamic terrorism by its name. It is about whether we believe America must lead again in the world.

“This is why we fight. Join us. And let's elect Ted Cruz the next President of the United States.”

Carly Fiorina to headline OKGOP Gala Dinner

Carly Fiorina to Headline Oklahoma Republican Party Gala Dinner

(Oklahoma City)—Business leader and former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina will be the keynote speaker at the Oklahoma Republican Party’s annual Gala dinner on May 13, 2016. The event precedes the Party’s state convention which will be held the next day.

“I’m extremely excited to have a conservative leader like Mrs. Fiorina headline this great event,” said Pam Pollard, Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. “Mrs. Fiorina’s ideas about how to reform Washington and get our economy moving again are exactly what Oklahomans talk to me about every day. We’re really thrilled she’s going to be our keynote speaker.”

The Oklahoma Republican Party’s annual Gala Dinner will be held at the Skirvin Hilton on May 13th. A reception will begin at 5:30 PM, followed by a dinner beginning at 7:00 PM. Mrs. Fiorina will be attending the reception and will give remarks at the dinner.

Carly is a tested and proven leader. She has battled breast cancer and buried a child. Getting her start in the corporate world as a secretary for a small real estate business, Fiorina quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the country’s most respected CEOs in technology.

In 1999, Carly was recruited to HP to save a struggling company that had become a bloated, inept bureaucracy that had failed to meet expectations for 9 quarters. As CEO of HP, she was the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 business and the first outsider to lead HP. During the worst technology recession in 25 years, she focused on innovation and leading again. While lots of other tech companies went out of business altogether, Carly saved 80,000 jobs and would grow the company to 160,000 jobs.

Carly is now a leader in the conservative movement standing alongside all Americans who refuse to settle for the way things are and a status quo that no longer works for them. She believes we must end crony capitalism by fighting the policies that allow it to flourish. She believes we must fix our festering problems by holding our bloated, inept government bureaucracy accountable. And she believes Republicans must stand for conservative principles that lift people up and recognize all Americans have the right to fulfill their God-given potential.

Note: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker had previously been scheduled for the Gala, but OKGOP Chair Pam Pollard said that "[Walker] had to cancel because of official business."

Conservatives and Christians need to unite behind Ted Cruz

Conservatives and Christians need to unite behind Ted Cruz

by Jamison Faught

We are now ten days from the Iowa caucuses. After ten months of campaigning by (at one point) seventeen Republican candidates, we are about to see the first votes cast.

At this point, it's down to a two-man race. The only candidates with real, legitimate chances at the nomination are Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

Donald Trump holds moderate to massive leads in every state that has been polled, with the exception of Iowa, where he is neck-and-neck with Cruz at the moment. Generally, Ted Cruz is in second-place in most states, sometimes, with breathing room between him and third.

John Kasich and Chris Christie's path to the nomination only comes with a New Hampshire victory, followed by miraculously winning other states where they have no infrastructure, no current support, or little money. There is no chance this happens.

Jeb Bush's path is a New Hampshire win and a South Carolina victory and somehow consolidating all of the support from every candidate not named Donald Trump. Extremely unlikely, but not totally impossible... until you realize that his campaign and super PAC have spent over $50M only to see his poll numbers vanish into obscurity. Wishful thinking.

Marco Rubio desperately needs to stay relevant by getting second in at least two of the first three states (Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina) - first-place in any of those is increasingly looking out of reach. He then needs success on Super Tuesday (aka "the SEC primary"), and survival until Florida and the later primaries. Rubio is taking fire from many directions, and is almost the sole target of the crashing Bush campaign. Outside of Trump and Cruz, he has the only shot at contention, but his chance is quickly beginning to fade away.

Really, none of the other candidates even have a shot at wining any state. There is no legitimate path to victory for Ben Carson, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, or Jim Gilmore.

That brings us back to Trump and Cruz. The choice between the two men couldn't be much clearer.

Many conservatives were wary of Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012 because of past positions he had taken on key issues. Donald Trump outdoes Romney in flip-flopping.

In the past twenty-some years, and as recently as four years...

• Trump was registered as a Democrat, then an Independent
• Trump supported abortion
• Trump supported "assault" weapons bans and longer waiting periods for purchasing firearms
• Trump supported single-payer, socialized healthcare
• Trump supported massive tax increases
• Trump donated to liberals like Clinton, Schumer, Emanuel, the DSCC and DCCC
• Trump said his pro-partial birth abortion sister (a federal judge) would be a "phenomenal" Supreme Court justice
• Trump said Mitt Romney was too "mean-spirited" on illegal immigration

Name a liberal position, and it's highly likely that Donald Trump has held it in the recent past.

For all of Romney's problems, at least he tangibly proved his conservatism on some issues. Trump has proven nothing other than the fact that he'll abandon his beliefs for political expediency. Isn't that exactly what conservatives are upset with many politicians for doing?

Trump provides no assurances for his conservative fidelity other than his word, and he's proven in the past that his word can't be trusted.

Trump has no political ideology other than a strange hybrid of strong-arm authoritarianism and compromising deal-making. Conservatives should beware.

On a religious side of things, Trump is nominally a Presbyterian. I say nominal, because he exhibits great ignorance on his denomination's teachings and practices. I'm a Baptist, and I would be a better Presbyterian than Trump -- at least I could articulate what Presbyterian doctrine is.

Trump sees no need for asking God's forgiveness and practicing repentance. Christian values and ethics are a foreign language to him. He is practically illiterate when it comes to the Bible. He publicly mocked Ted Cruz's evangelicalism.

His personal life and actions does not show a man transformed by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Trump would be better classified as a Deist than a real Christian. Christians should beware.

At this point in the race, even if you prefer a different candidate, Ted Cruz is the only man who can stop Donald Trump. If Trump wins Iowa, his path to the nomination will be unstoppable.

Unlike many of the other candidates, if Ted Cruz is successful in Iowa, he actually has the organization and money and poll numbers to be competitive in the states that follow.

Unlike Trump, you know where Ted Cruz stands.

• Unlike Trump, Cruz is and has been uncompromisingly pro-life. 
• Unlike Trump, Cruz is and has been uncompromisingly pro-gun. 
• Unlike Trump, Cruz is and has been uncompromisingly against tax hikes.
• Unlike Trump, Cruz is and has been uncompromisingly against socialized medicine and ObamaCare
• Unlike Trump, Cruz is and has been fighting against the liberals in both parties in Washington
• Unlike Trump, Cruz would appoint conservatives in the style of Thomas and Scalia to the Supreme Court

Ted Cruz has a fully formed and tested conservative ideology. He's been through the fire and emerged without compromising his convictions. In an age when Republicans go to Washington and toss aside their campaign promises, Ted Cruz keeps his promises.  He is proven -- he doesn't just talk the conservative talk, he actually walks the walk.

One of the most important issues to think about is the Supreme Court. By the end of the next presidential term, four justices will be over eighty years old. Ginsburg (liberal) will be almost 88, Scalia (conservative) will be almost 85, Kennedy (swing) will be 84½, and Breyer (liberal) will be 82½. The balance of the court for decades to come may be at stake. Does anybody honestly think Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominations would be conservative like Ted Cruz's would be?

Ted Cruz is a genuine Christian. He's unafraid to discuss his faith and how it forms his worldview. He doesn't just pay lip-service to his faith, he lives it out.

He's an evangelical (a Southern Baptist) who understands the importance of Christian values in government, and the influence Biblical principles played in the formation of America. He's devoted to his family. He's humble enough to admit his dependence on the Lord.

His faith in God provides him the firm foundation to hold firm on his convictions, because he understands that he will be held to account for his actions.

These are some of the reasons why the Republican establishment hates Ted Cruz. They know that he can't be bought, he arm can't be twisted, and he won't go along to get along.

Rather, they are willing to risk suicide with the erratic and unpredictable Trump rather than side with the consistent conservatism of Cruz. They would prefer losing with Trump than winning and being "stuck" with Cruz. They dangerously assume that someone like Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio can stop Trump if he defeats Cruz in Iowa. Instead, Trump will steamroll through New Hampshire, South Carolina, and all the rest of the states and territories that follow.

The only time Donald Trump can be stopped is in Iowa, and the only candidate that can stop him is Ted Cruz.

Now is the time for conservatives and Christians to unite behind Ted Cruz. Too much is at stake to not do so.


Jamison Faught is a conservative activist and blogger from Muskogee, Oklahoma. He has served as a Republican state committeeman and precinct chair, founded the Muskogee Tea Party when he was nineteen, and volunteered for numerous conservative candidates for offices from mayor to U.S. Senate.

Seven qualify for Fox Business debate; Paul, Fiorina demoted

Thursday's Republican presidential debate on the Fox Business Channel will be the smallest debate of the 2016 cycle for the GOP, as only 7 candidates made the cut.

Candidates qualified for the debate in one of two ways: be in the top six nationally in an average of the most recent live phone surveys, or be in the top five in Iowa or New Hampshire. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush all made it in by being in the top six nationally, while John Kasich got in by being in the top five in New Hampshire.

Rand Paul and Carly Fiorina, both present in the last debates, polled too low to make it in through either method. They will join Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum in the "undercard" debate, although Paul has said he will skip the junior debate altogether, as his "first tier campaign" deserves the "first tier debate".

12 Republicans, 7 Democrats file for Oklahoma's presidential primary

The filing period for Oklahoma's March 1st, 2016 Presidential Preferential Primary was held Monday through Wednesday; a total of 19 candidates filed under the two main parties recognized in Oklahoma (the third, 'Americans Elect', has a grand total of nine (9) voters statewide).

Here are the candidates that will be on the primary ballot:

Democratic Primary Candidates

• Hillary Clinton (NY)
• Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente (CA)
• Keith Judd (TX)
• Star Locke (TX)
• Martin J. O'Malley (MD)
• Bernie Sanders (VT)
• Micahel A. Steinberg (FL)

Republican Primary Candidates

• Jeb Bush (FL)
• Ben Carson (FL)
• Chris Christie (NJ)
• Ted Cruz (TX)
• Carly Fiorina (VA)
• Lindsey Graham (SC)
• Mike Huckabee (FL)
• John R. Kasich (OH)
• Rand Paul (KY)
• Marco Rubio (FL)
• Rick Santorum (VA)
• Donald J. Trump (NY)

Updated: Conservative Index scores for Oklahoma presidential endorsers

(click image to view larger)

Following some recent presidential endorsement releases, here are the updated Conservative Index scores for Oklahoma state legislators who have picked sides in the 2016 presidential race.

Marco Rubio leads with 17 endorsers, with a Conservative Index average of 67.5. Ted Cruz has 13 endorsers, with an average score of 81.3. Jeb Bush has 10 endorsers, with an average of 62.2. Donald Trump has 4 endorsers, averaging 67.8. Carly Fiorina has 1 endorser with a score of 90. No other candidate (that I am aware of) has a public endorsement from an Oklahoma state legislator.

For comparison, the average Conservative Index score for House Republicans is 72.5, while the Senate Republicans average is 70.0 (combined legislative average is 71.6).

Looking at House endorser averages, only Ted Cruz is above the average (82.9 vs 72.5). Cruz and Fiorina are the only ones with higher Senate averages as well (76.0 and 90.0 vs 70.0), although Fiorina only has one endorser. Cruz is also the only one with a higher combined average (81.3 vs 71.6).

Conservative Index scores for Oklahoma Legislature's presidential endorsers

Back in August, I compared the Oklahoma Constitution's 'Conservative Index' lifetime scores for Oklahoma legislators who had endorsed Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush. Since then, three other presidential candidates have released Oklahoma legislative endorsements, so here's the update.

Marco Rubio has 14 endorsers, with an average score of 65.5. Six endorsers are House members (average of 67.8), and eight are Senate members (average of 64.6).

Ted Cruz has 13 endorsers, with an average score of 81.3. Ten endorsers are House members (average of 82.9), and three are Senate members (average of 76).

Jeb Bush has 10 endorsers, with an average score of 62.2. Nine endorsers are House members (average of 61.4), and one is a Senate member (average of 69).

Donald Trump has 2 endorsers, with an average score of 63. One endorser is a House member (average of 63), and one is a Senate member (average of 63).

Carly Fiorina has 1 endorser in the Senate, with an average of 90.

For comparison, the average Conservative Index lifetime score for Republicans in the state legislature is 71.6. The average for GOP House members is 72.5 and for GOP Senate members it's 70.0.

Carson 25%, Trump 19%, Rubio 9%, Cruz 7% in OK poll

A new presidential primary poll finds GOP candidate Ben Carson now beating Donald Trump in Oklahoma. Commissioned by The Oklahoman newspaper, the survey shows some significant movement from the last one released by SoonerPoll in September.

Oklahoma Republican Primary Survey (link)
The Oklahoman/Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates500 registered Republicans in Oklahoma, Oct. 19th-22nd, MoE +/- 4.3%

Ben Carson - 25%
Donald Trump - 19%
Marco Rubio - 9%
Ted Cruz - 7%
Mike Huckabee - 4%
Jeb Bush - 3%
Carly Fiorina - 2%
John Kasich - 2%
Chris Christie - 1%
Rand Paul - 1%
Santorum/Pataki/Jindal/Graham - 0%
Undecided - 27%

Carson stopped in Oklahoma this past week for some book signings, and now leads Trump in recent Iowa polling.

State Sen. Bice endorses Fiorina

State Sen. Stephanie Bice And Business Owner Linda Huggard Endorse Carly Fiorina

Bice and Huggard Point to Fiorina as the Political Outsider Who Will Fight for America

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Today, Oklahoma State Senator Stephanie Bice and Oklahoma business owner Linda Huggard announce their support for Carly Fiorina for President of the United States. Stephanie Bice is the State Representative for District 22, which includes northern Oklahoma County and eastern Canadian County, including parts of Edmond, Deer Creek, Piedmont and Yukon.  Linda Huggard is the Owner of Broadway Machine and Motor Supply.

Oklahoma State Senator Stephanie Bice:
“It's time for our country to benefit from the leadership qualities a woman like Carly Fiorina would bring to the oval office. Her no-nonsense attitude toward international relations and her goal to make the United States a world leader, economically and militarily, are just two from the long list of reasons why I'm throwing my support to her campaign. I hope to encourage all Oklahomans to join me."

Linda Huggard:
“Carly has a thorough knowledge of the problems, both foreign and domestic, that confront our nation.  She also realizes the urgency of solving those problems.  She has real and workable solutions. She has a keen mind, talent for communicating, ability to motivate people and a love for and dedication to this great nation. America would be fortunate indeed to have Carly in the Oval Office.”

State Senator Stephanie Bice and Business Owner Linda Huggard are joining a growing group of Americans nationwide who have been moved to support Carly’s candidacy because of her willingness to challenge the professional political class and take on the status quo.


Note: Fiorina becomes the fourth current GOP presidential candidate to receive public support from Oklahoma elected officials, joining Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump.

Scott Walker drops out of Presidential race

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker officially suspended his presidential campaign this evening, ending a once-promising run for the White House that has fizzled out over the past few weeks.

Walker briefly led the GOP field in polling back in March, and was second to Jeb Bush until Donald Trump entered the race. Trump joining the race hurt Walker more than any other candidate.

Here's Walker's full statement:

As a kid, I was drawn to Ronald Reagan because he was a Republican and a conservative. But most of all, I admired him because of his eternal optimism in the American people.

That thought came into my head when we were all standing at the Reagan Library last Wednesday. President Reagan was good for America because he was an optimist.

Sadly, the debate taking place in the Republican party today is not focused on that optimistic view of America. Instead, it has drifted into personal attacks.

In the end, I believe that voters want to be for something and not against someone. Instead of talking about how bad things are, we want to hear about how we can make them better for everyone.

We need to get back to the basics of our party:

We are the party that believes that people create jobs – not the government – and the best way to grow the economy is to get the government out of the way and build it from the ground up.

We are the party that believes that the way to measure success in government is by how many people are no longer dependent on the government – because we ultimately believe in the dignity of work.

We are the party that believes that a strong military leads to peace through strength and that will protect our children and future generations – we believe that good will triumph over evil.

We are the party that believes in the American people – and not the federal government.

These ideas will help us win the election next fall and – more importantly – these ideas will help make our country great again.

To refocus the debate will require leadership. While I was sitting in church yesterday, the pastor’s words reminded me that the Bible is full of stories about people who were called to be leaders in unusual ways.

Today, I believe that I am being called to lead by helping to clear the race so that a positive conservative message can rise to the top of the field. With that in mind, I will suspend my campaign immediately.

I encourage other Republican presidential candidates to consider doing the same so the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive conservative alternative to the current frontrunner. This is fundamentally important to the future of the party and – ultimately – to the future of our country.

This is a difficult decision as so many wonderful people stepped up to support our efforts. Tonette and I are so very thankful for the many outstanding volunteers and the excellent staff who helped us throughout the campaign. You have become like family to us.

And speaking of family, I want to personally thank my wife Tonette – who has been a rock – as well as our amazing sons Matt and Alex. I thank my parents, my brother David and his family – and all of our other family and friends for their love and support.

Most of all, I want to thank God for His abundant grace. Win or lose, it is more than enough for any of us.

Thank you.

I'm disappointed to see Walker go (I had been leaning his direction), but I definitely agree with his sentiment that the field needs to start clearing. There are too many candidates, and we need to start coalescing around someone that can beat both Jeb Bush and Donald Trump.

We now have 15 Republicans running for President (links go to the candidate's official website): Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum, and Donald Trump.

Trump 30.8%, Carson 22.5%, Fiorina 8.3% in Oklahoma poll

SoonerPoll released the results of their latest quarterly poll this evening, showing Donald Trump and Ben Carson with commanding leads over the rest of the GOP field. This is the first Oklahoma primary poll that I'm aware of.

SoonerPoll Oklahoma Republican Primary Survey (link)

Donald Trump - 30.8%
Ben Carson - 22.5%
Carly Fiorina - 8.3%
Ted Cruz - 6.5%
Jeb Bush - 6.2%
Mike Huckabee - 5.0%
Marco Rubio - 4.1%
John Kasich - 2.2%
Scott Walker - 1.6%
Chris Christie - 1.0%
Rand Paul - 0.9%
Rick Perry - 0.5%
Jindal/Gilmore/Graham/Pataki/Santorum- 0%
Undecided - 10.4%

The poll of 320 likely Republican voters in Oklahoma was conducted September 1-15, 2015 from a dual frame of 82 cellphone and 238 landline users. The margin of error is plus or minus 5.48 percentage points.

Interestingly, Rick Santorum (who won the 2012 primary here) didn't receive a single vote. Rick Perry suspended his campaign during the middle of this survey.

SoonerPoll didn't release crosstabs of the poll, but in their article mentioned that Trump's lead came from "somewhat conservative", "moderate" and "liberal" Republican primary voters (led by over 10% in each), while he was in a statistical tie with Carson among "very conservative" voters (28.8% to 27.2%).

#16: John Kasich launches presidential campaign

This morning, Ohio Governor John Kasich launched his presidential campaign, becoming the 16th major Republican candidate to announce.

Here's his announcement speech:



An interesting point about Kasich is that he is angling for the centrist/moderate wing of the party, much like Jon Huntsman did in 2012 (Kasich hired most of Huntsman's former campaign team), and John McCain did in 2000. Another similar tie between those three is that like Huntsman and McCain, Kasich is making New Hampshire his "do-or-die" state.


Kasich joins 15 other Republicans running for President (links go to the candidate's official website): Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump, and Scott Walker .

#15: Scott Walker makes it official

Earlier today, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker officially joined the race for President, as he was widely expected to do for some time.

Here's his announcement speech:



He gave his speech with no teleprompter or notes, and released a transcript before the event began. Reporters noted that he followed the prereleased text almost verbatim, which is pretty remarkable for a lengthy speech like this.

Walker joins 14 other Republicans running for President: Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum and Donald Trump.

16 in '16: My thoughts on the GOP field so far

16 in '16 -- the GOP candidates

The presidential race is starting to heat up, and it's definitely going to be interesting to watch. Here are some thoughts on how I'm leaning at this stage of the race.

We've got 16 major candidates on the GOP side of things. I'll try to list them in order of my preference:


LEANING TOWARD

• Scott Walker
• Ted Cruz
• Bobby Jindal
• Rand Paul

OPEN TO

• Marco Rubio
• Rick Perry
• Mike Huckabee
• Ben Carson
• Rick Santorum

RULED OUT

• Carly Fiorina
• Donald Trump
• Chris Christie
• John Kasich
• George Pataki
• Lindsey Graham
• Jeb Bush

This is roughly the order of my current preference. It's not how I view the candidate rankings in order of their chance at the nomination (that list would look quite different).

The further down the list, the more reservations I have about the candidates. As you can see, I've already marked off about half of the field. Fiorina ran for Senate in California as a more moderate candidate than she currently is presenting herself as. Christie, Kasich and Pataki are on the more moderate end of the GOP spectrum, Trump has been all over the place politically speaking (past Democrat and Clinton donor, left-leaning policy positions, etc), Graham has been on the wrong side of far too many issues in the Senate, and Bush... too many problems there to go into, least of which is his last name.

That takes care of the "ruled out" category. Now moving to Tier 2, working from the bottom on up.

Although he wasn't my first choice, I voted for Santorum in 2012. Santorum became the "conservative champion" by default, even though his record in the Senate was not the most conservative. He simply was the last man standing who had a shot at beating Romney. The only way he gets my vote again is if by some miracle/catastrophe he becomes the last option other than, say, Jeb Bush.

Ben Carson has a fantastic personal story to tell, and I think he would play very well in a general election. However, I am concerned with his inexperience with governing, as well as some of his public positions on issues like the 2nd Amendment.

The first vote I ever cast was for Mike Huckabee in 2008. His was the first presidential campaign I really got involved in. I donated, I made phone calls to several different states, and I waved signs, among other things. I still have a soft spot for Mike, but he's made some missteps since 2008, and there are so many good options this year.

Rick Perry had, for the most part, a great record as governor of Texas. He has an advantage over Huckabee and some of the others on this list due to how recently he was in office (left in January of 2015, as opposed to 2007 or earlier). Most candidates would kill for a record like his, but there's a gap between Perry on paper and Perry on the campaign trail.

I appreciate Marco Rubio's dedication in running for president. Some candidates, both now and in the past, have run for president while simultaneously seeking the office they currently hold. Rubio doesn't think that's right, and neither do I. He has a generally good record in the Senate, and would be a great, forward-looking face for the GOP. More than anyone else, Rubio almost makes it in my top tier.

Now for the ones I'm most seriously considering.

Rand Paul appeals to me primarily on a fiscal front. I'm not as sold on some of his foreign and social policies, though much more comfortable with his than with his dad's. Nobody running for president would be as good on fiscal issues as Rand. However, there are a few others that are more well-rounded for my taste. That being said, I think Rand can appeal to some new audiences for the GOP, and I would generally be very happy with a Rand Paul presidency.

Bobby Jindal is an under-appreciated governor. I don't know how his campaign will play out, or if he will gain traction, but he definitely deserves a look. From a policy standpoint, he's extremely intelligent and reform-minded (he's the biggest policy wonk in the field). He's got a great record at that. He's just plagued with a state (Louisiana) that hasn't appreciated that.

Ted Cruz hits all the right buttons. He says the right things, votes the right way, rubs the DC establishment the wrong (or rather, right) way, is articulate and quick on his feet when faced with a hostile media (in other words, every interview he gets). However, I've not heard or read much about his authoring major legislation. Rand Paul has offered alternate budgets, Marco Rubio a tax plan, Coburn had "Back in Black", Bobby Jindal has a healthcare plan, but I don't recall Ted Cruz having offered something like that (other than repealing ObamaCare). Derailing bad legislation is needed, but we also need good alternatives.

Scott Walker is probably in the lead (narrowly) for me right now. He's got a good record as governor, in a very difficult state for a conservative Republican. He beat the Democratic/union machine three times in four years -- a remarkable feat, given that Wisconsin hasn't voted for a Republican presidential nominee since 1984. As Governor, he's led on tough reforms, and won. He has executive experience that a Senator simply doesn't have, and that would be helpful as President.


That's where I'm at right now. You have to admit, we have some fantastic choices this election. Out of 16 candidates, there are nine I'd be happy with, and four or five I'd be thrilled at. The debates begin on August 6th, and voting starts in less than seven months. Buckle up, the ride is about to start!

#14: Christie joins GOP presidential field

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced his presidential campaign on Tuesday, becoming the fourteenth major candidate on the Republican side.

Here's video from his announcement rally:


Christie joins thirteen other Republicans running for President: Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum and Donald Trump.

There are only two other major candidates expected to join the race now -- Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (July 13th) and Ohio Governor John Kasich (July 21st).

As busy as this election cycle seems to be, we're actually "behind schedule" when compared to 2008 and 2012. By this point in 2008, there had already been 3 televised debates (starting on May 3rd), and in 2012 there had been two (starting on May 5th). This time around the first debate is set for August 6th.

Jeb Bush, Donald Trump join GOP presidential field

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush finally made his presidential campaign official yesterday, with a kickoff rally in Miami.



Also announcing today in New York City was businessman and entertainment personality Donald Trump.



Bush and Trump join ten other Republicans running for President: Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, and Rick Santorum.

Carson, Fiorina, Huckabee double GOP's 2016 field

In the last 30-odd hours, the 2016 GOP presidential primary field has doubled. Joining fellow candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio are newly-official contenders Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, and Mike Huckabee.

First to announce yesterday was Carly Fiorina. Fiorina is a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, and was the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate in California in 2010.



Later yesterday morning, Ben Carson held his announcement event in Detroit. Carson is a retired pediatric neurosurgeon who was well-known for his groundbreaking medical career.



This morning, Mike Huckabee joined the race. A former Baptist pastor, Huckabee served as Governor of Arkansas for ten years, and ran for President in 2008.

Coburn Endorses Charles Thompson for Congress

The Charles Thompson for Congress campaign issued the following press release today:

Senator Tom Coburn Endorses Dr. Charles Thompson

(Muskogee, OK) October 3rd, 2010---Senator Tom Coburn announced today his endorsement of Dr. Charles Thompson in Oklahoma’s 2nd District Congressional race.  The senator said of Dr. Thompson that "As a proud military veteran with years of dedicated service to our country, a small business owner, and a veterinarian, he possesses valuable, real world experience outside of professional politics so desperately needed to change the way Washington works.”

The 2nd Congressional seat was held by Coburn from 1994 until he fulfilled his promise of self-imposed term limits in 2000.  He earned high approval ratings both then as a representative and now as a senator from the 2nd District.

Dr. Thompson said he was honored by the announcement. “Senator Coburn's record speaks for itself.  He is clearly one of the most constitutionally conservative Senators in the Congress today.  I am grateful for his endorsement which clearly shows my conservatism and the fact that the incumbent democrat is vulnerable.  I look forward to being Senator Coburn's counterpart in the House of Representatives and serving the people of the 2nd District.”

Senator Coburn also faces a general election battle, but already looks forward to the session starting in January.  “Charles recognizes the serious problems we face as a nation and he will be an ally in the House of Representatives when it comes to upholding the Constitution, fighting wasteful spending, and holding career politicians accountable to the American people.  His conservative values will best represent us in Congress…  Please join me in voting for Dr. Charles Thompson for Congress on Election Day.”

2nd District voters will be able to cast their votes both for Senator Coburn and Dr. Thompson on November 2nd.  They must be registered by October 8th in order to vote.

Thompson is the Republican nominee for the 2nd Congressional District, and will be facing incumbent Congressman Dan Boren (D-Muskogee) in the November general election. To learn more about Thompson and his campaign, click here.

Coburn has endorsed numerous other candidates, both here in Oklahoma and across the country. To name a few:

• Gary Jones - OK (running for State Auditor)
• Josh Brecheen - OK (running for State Senate)
• State Rep. David Dank - OK (running for State House)
• B.J. Lawson - NC (running for 4th Congressional District)
• Carly Fiorina - CA (running for U.S. Senate)
• Marco Rubio - FL (running for U.S. Senate)
• Jerry Moran - KS (running for U.S. Senate)
• Kelly Ayotte - NH (running for U.S. Senate)
• Dino Rossi - WA (running for U.S. Senate)
• John Raese - WV (running for U.S. Senate)