Music Monday: Here Comes Carolina

Since my wife is from North Carolina, and the UNC men's basketball team is playing in the national championship this evening, this week's Music Monday is Here Comes Carolina, one of the University of North Carolina's fight songs. UNC played in the national championship last year, too; here's the link for that Music Monday with two other UNC fight songs.

Enjoy!



Click to go below the page break to see all previous Music Monday posts. Do you have a song you'd like to suggest for a future Music Monday? Email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

Vote in 'Tournament of Waste: The Bitter 16'

Tom Coburn's Foundation to Restore Accountability has launched Tournament of Waste: Bitter 16, a March-Madness style contest designed to bring attention to the worst waste, fraud, abuse and duplication in government spending.

From RestoreAccountability.com:

Why the Tournament of Waste matters:

Our country is in serious fiscal trouble. Our national debt will soon hit $20 trillion. In addition, over $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities, and hundreds of failing and duplicative government programs will burden future generations that will ultimately have to foot the bill.

However, there is a way forward. Building consensus on areas like waste, fraud, and duplication can be a great starting point for bigger reforms.

We took the most outrageous wastes from the past year and want YOU to vote for the "team" that will be crowned the winner of the Tournament of Waste.

Not only is this tournament fun and informative, but also promotes conversation on what our country's priorities should be.

Learn more about our mission and how you can get started here.

Click here to vote in the Bitter 16. Submitting picks enters you in a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card.

Tournament of Waste: The Bitter 16

From Tom Coburn's Foundation to Restore Accountability:

Get ready for the 2017 Tournament of Waste! Starting with the "Bitter" 16, we are calling on YOU to decide the worst of government waste. Watch the teaser above and stay tuned for selection Wednesday on March 22nd!

Learn more about Restore Accountability here.

Rand Paul wins '2016 GOP Primary Madness'

Our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has now come to a close, and the champion 'chosen by the people' is Rand Paul. After racking up wins all the way through five rounds, Paul smashed Ted Cruz in the final matchup with a vote of 384 (92%) to 33 (8%). We had votes cast in 45 states, and Rand Paul won all of them except Oklahoma, interestingly enough.

The winner of our 2012 GOP Primary Madness -- Mitt Romney -- ended up as the actual 2012 GOP nominee. In our 2013 version of 2016 GOP Primary Madness, Sarah Palin defeated Rand Paul by an almost identical margin as Paul just beat Cruz with.

Thanks for participating in our GOP Primary Madness tournament! Next year, we'll see if the 'voters' were right.

2016 GOP Primary Madness Championship

Ted Cruz, or Rand Paul? Let the Championship begin! The poll will be open until Saturday, April 4th. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

After you vote, click on "See Detailed Results" underneath the poll for a map of the voting by state.

2016 GOP Primary Madness Championship

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Final Four Results

The Final Four of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for state-by-state details on the voting):

Division 'A' vs. Division 'B'

1. Scott Walker (39%) vs. 2. Ted Cruz (61%)

Division 'C' vs. Division 'D'

2. Rand Paul (91%) vs. 7. Jan Brewer (9%)

The two remaining junior U.S. Senators defeated the two remaining Governors. 2-seed Rand Paul blasted Jan Brewer out of the water, getting 91% to her 9%. Fellow 2-seed Ted Cruz had a tougher run, beating Scott Walker 61% to 39%.

Championship round voting will start shortly.

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Final Four

Let the 'Final Four' begin! The polls will be open until Tuesday, March 31st. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

Click on "See Detailed Results" underneath each poll for a map of the voting by state.

Final Four: Division 'A' vs. Division 'B'


Final Four: Division 'A' vs. Division 'B'

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Elite Eight Results

The Elite Eight of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for state-by-state details on the voting):

Division 'A'

1. Scott Walker (66%) vs. 2. Marco Rubio (34%)

Division 'B'

2. Ted Cruz (67%) vs. 4. Ben Carson (33%)

Division 'C'

4. John Kasich (41%) vs. 7. Jan Brewer (59%)

Division 'D'

1. Sarah Palin (36%) vs. 2. Rand Paul (64%)

7-seed Jan Brewer once again defeated a higher-ranked opponent, this time 4-seed Ohio Governor John Kasich (59%-41%). 567 votes were cast in that matchup, all states except DE, MT, and WY. 622 votes were cast in Division A, with 641 in Division B -- both had votes from every state except DE and WY.

Division D has the greatest amount of votes cast, at 931, from every state except Wyoming. As with the previous round, several pro-Sarah Palin and pro-Rand Paul sites got involved. I received some emails from individuals in both camps, complaining of "voter fraud" by the other side. The settings on the polls I use restrict voting to one-vote-per-IP-address; however, "where there's a will, there's a way", and if someone is determined enough to try, they usually can find a way around the "rules". That said, this is an unscientific poll done for fun, so just relax.

'Final Four' voting will start shortly.

UPDATE: Vote in the Final Four here.

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Elite Eight

Let the 'Elite Eight' begin! The polls will be open until Friday, March 27th. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

Click on "See Detailed Results" underneath each poll for a map of the voting by state.

Division 'A', Elite Eight


Division 'B', Elite Eight


Division 'C', Elite Eight


Division 'D', Elite Eight


Update: View the results here.

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Sweet Sixteen Results

The Sweet Sixteen of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for more details on the voting):

Division 'A'

1. Scott Walker (68%) vs. 4. Mike Pence (32%)

2. Marco Rubio (67%) vs 3. Rick Santorum (33%)

Division 'B'

1. Mike Huckabee (25%) vs. 4. Ben Carson (75%)

2. Ted Cruz (76%) vs. 3. Rick Perry (24%)

Division 'C'

1. Jeb Bush (18%) vs. 4. John Kasich (82%)

3. Paul Ryan (49%) vs. 7. Jan Brewer (51%)

Division 'D'

1. Sarah Palin (52%) vs. 5. Nikki Haley (48%)

2. Rand Paul (81%) vs. 3. Bobby Jindal (19%)

The closest race was also the biggest upset: 3-seed Paul Ryan (49%) falling to 7-seed Jan Brewer (51%). Brewer previously defeated a 2-seed (Chris Christie). Rand Paul had the highest percentage (81%).

Voting increased exponentially in this round; pro-Sarah Palin and pro-Rand Paul sites got involved, resulting in 800-1,100 votes being cast this round. Click on the above links for state-by-state breakdowns of the voting.

I plan to have voting in the 'Elite Eight' start sometime this evening.

2016 GOP Primary Madness: Sweet Sixteen

Let the 'Sweet Sixteen' begin! The polls will be open until Monday, March 23th. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

Division 'A', Sweet Sixteen

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Division 'B', Sweet Sixteen

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Division 'C', Sweet Sixteen

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Division 'D', Sweet Sixteen

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UPDATE: See the results here.
UPDATE 2: Vote in the Elite Eight here!

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Round 1 Results

Round 1 of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for more details on the voting):

Division 'A'

1. Scott Walker (93%) vs. 8. Kelly Ayotte (7%)

4. Mike Pence (76%) vs. 5. Newt Gingrich (24%)

3. Rick Santorum (60%) vs. 6. Donald Trump (40%)

2. Marco Rubio (77%) vs. 7. Carly Fiorina (23%)

Division 'B'

1. Mike Huckabee (83%) vs. 8. Lindsey Graham (17%)

4. Ben Carson (57%) vs. 5. Mitch Daniels (43%)

3. Rick Perry (68%) vs. 6. John Bolton (32%)

2. Ted Cruz (81%) vs. 7. Mary Fallin (19%)

Division 'C'

1. Jeb Bush (61%) vs. 8. Peter King (39%)

4. John Kasich (52%) vs. 5. Susana Martinez (48%)

3. Paul Ryan (73%) vs. 6. George Pataki (27%)

2. Chris Christie (42%) vs. 7. Jan Brewer (58%)

Division 'D'

1. Sarah Palin (56%) vs. 8. Marsha Blackburn (44%)

4. Sam Brownback (22%) vs. 5. Nikki Haley (78%)

3. Bobby Jindal (80%) vs. 6. Rob Portman (20%)

2. Rand Paul (87%) vs. 7. Michele Bachmann (13%)

The closest race was Ohio Governor John Kasich (52%) vs. NM Gov. Susana Martinez (48%). The biggest upset was number-seven seed Jan Brewer's defeat of number-two seed Chris Christie, 58% to 42%. Scott Walker had the highest percentage (93%).

I plan to have voting in the 'Sweet Sixteen' start sometime tomorrow.

UPDATE: Vote in the Sweet Sixteen here.

2016 GOP Primary Madness: Round 1

Continuing our odd-year March tradition, once again we bring to you MuskogeePolitico.com's GOP Primary Madness! The 2011 version accurately picked Mitt Romney as the 2012 GOP nominee, and in 2013 voters picked Sarah Palin. Who will win this round? That's up to you!

(click image to view larger)

Ladies and gentlemen, voting is now open! The polls will be open until Wednesday, March 18th. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.


Division 'A'

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Division 'B'

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Division 'C'

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Division 'D'

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UPDATE: See the results here.

Sarah Palin wins '2016 Primary Madness'

Our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has now come to a close, and the champion 'chosen by the people' is Sarah Palin. After racking up wins all the way through five rounds, Palin smashed Rand Paul in the final matchup with a vote of 526 (91%) to 51 (9%).

The winner of our 2012 GOP Primary Madness - Mitt Romney - ended up as the actual 2012 GOP nominee. Will Sarah Palin follow suit with a victory in 2016? Only time will tell!

2016 GOP Primary Madness Championship

Let the 'Championship' begin. It's up to you to determine the 2016 GOP nominee! Okay, not exactly, but at least the winner of this competition (although, the winner of 2012 GOP Primary Madness did become the nominee).  Polls will be open until Sunday, March 31st. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

CHAMPIONSHIP: Palin vs. Paul

2016 GOP Primary Madness, 'Final Four' results

The Final Four of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for more details on the voting):

Division 'A' vs Division 'B'
2. Rick Santorum (33%) vs 1. Sarah Palin (67%)

Division 'C' vs Division 'D'
1. Rand Paul (55%) vs 1. Mike Huckabee (45%)

After jumping to early leads, both Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee fell to their respective opponents. Over 940 votes were cast in the Santorum vs. Palin contest, easily the most-contested race of the round (698 votes were cast in the Paul vs. Huckabee matchup). If you click on the above links, you can see how each state voted in this round; pretty interesting stuff.

Voting in the Championship round begins tomorrow morning, and will continue through Sunday.

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Final Four

Let the 'Final Four' begin! Polls will be open until Monday, March 25th. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com

Final Four: Division 'A' vs. Division 'B'

Final Four: Division 'C' vs. Division 'D'

2016 GOP Primary Madness, 'Elite Eight' results

The Elite Eight of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for more details on the voting):

Division 'A'
1. Marco Rubio (36%) vs. 2. Rick Santorum (64%)

Division 'B'
1. Sarah Palin (62%) vs. 3. Michele Bachmann (38%)

Division 'C'
1. Rand Paul (56%) vs. 2. Paul Ryan (44%)

Division 'D'
1. Mike Huckabee (53%) vs. 3. Mike Pence (47%)

The closest matchup was in Division 'D', where Mike Huckabee received 52% to Mike Pence's 48%. This week, the Palin vs. Bachmann race got the most attention, with 412 votes cast. Rick Santorum's defeat of top-seed Marco Rubio makes him the only candidate in the Final Four who is not a No. 1 seed.

Voting in the Final Four round begins tomorrow morning, and will continue through Monday.

2016 GOP Primary Madness, Elite 8

Let the 'Elite Eight' begin! Polls will be open until Tuesday, March 19th. If there are any problems with the voting, please leave a comment, or email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com

Division 'A', Elite Eight

Division 'B', Elite Eight

Division 'C', Elite Eight 

Division 'D', Elite Eight

2016 GOP Primary Madness Sweet Sixteen results

The Sweet Sixteen of our 2016 GOP Primary Madness has come to a close, and here are the results (with links for more details on the voting):

Division 'A'
1. Marco Rubio (75%) vs. 5. Mitch Daniels (25%)
2. Rick Santorum (66%) vs. 3. Bobby Jindal (34%)

Division 'B'
1. Sarah Palin (51%) vs. 5. Nikki Haley (49%)
3. Michele Bachmann (66%) vs 7. Mary Fallin (34%)

Division 'C'
1. Rand Paul (56%) vs. 5. Scott Walker (44%)
2. Paul Ryan (65%) vs. 3. Rick Perry (35%)

Division 'D'
1. Mike Huckabee (75%) vs. 4. Bob McDonnell (25%)
2. Jeb Bush (29%) vs. 3. Mike Pence (71%)

Sarah Palin squeaked out a victory over Nikki Haley, 51%-49%. Mike Pence defeating Jeb Bush 71%-29% was the only instance of a lower seed beating a higher seed. Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee received nearly identical votes (182 and 185), and both topped out the field at 75%. The Santorum vs. Jindal matchup got the most votes in this round.

Voting in the Elite 8 round begins tomorrow morning, and will continue through Monday. Click here to go vote.