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)

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.

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%).

My thoughts on the first GOP debate

Thursday night's debate was a record setter, drawing an estimated viewing audience of over 24 million people. That makes it "the highest-rated primary debate in television history as well as the highest-rated non-sports cable telecast of all time in total viewers."

I didn't get to watch the debate live, but did get to view it last night online. Overall, it was a good debate; I couldn't really pick out a clear winner. Here are my thoughts in order of poll ranking, along with the amount of speaking time each candidate got.

Donald Trump (10:31)
Trump was entertaining, as expected. Performance-wise, it was very mixed. He doesn't have a good response for much of his past liberal views and record, and has a tendency to disdain questions (and questioners). He hit the right notes at some points, but lacks depth on policy and a conservative philosophy. Do we really want a nominee who boasts that he buys politicians?

Jeb Bush (8:47)
Bush seemed a bit scattered. He stumbled over several of his answers, and came across unprepared (or perhaps rusty). So much for the "shock and awe" he was supposed to bring as front runner. He may have the money, but if he performs in future debates like he did in this one, money won't be enough to save his campaign.

Scott Walker (5:55)
Walker did well when he spoke, but it seemed to take a little bit for him to warm up. It was a good performance; not great, but he didn't hurt himself.

Mike Huckabee (6:50)
I felt that Huckabee's debate performance was strong. He's a natural on the stage, and is quicker on his feet and more articulate in his answers than just about any of the other candidates.

Ben Carson (6:36)
At some points in the debate, Carson looked like he felt out of place. At other points, he had some great moments. With his calm, soft-spoken manner, it's easy for him to get lost in the crowd, but I think he did well, overall.

Ted Cruz (6:43)
I was surprised by how slowly Cruz spoke during the debate (slowest words-per minute in the field), which kind of limited how much he could get in, and he had the largest silent spell of the candidates. Otherwise, he had a solid performance, particularly at the closing.

Marco Rubio (6:44)
Rubio probably had the best performance. He's smooth on his feet, articulate, likable, and never seemed to be searching for his answer. He also came across genuine and heartfelt. There really wasn't a bad point for him during the debate.

Rand Paul (5:00)
Paul tried a little too hard to be aggressive. He came across petulant and irritable, particularly in his exchange with Christie over NSA surveillance. It was eerily reminiscent of Rudy Giuliani's spats with Ron Paul in the 2008 debates, which is not a good thing. It's one thing to try to stand out in a crowded field, but Rand went about it the wrong way.

Chris Christie (6:11)
Christie's big moment was his tangle with Rand Paul. While he didn't come across as petty as Rand did, I don't think he necessarily emerged a clear winner out of it. He did have a bright spot in the exchange with Huckabee on entitlements; it's a major issue, but few want to even discuss it. I don't think he gets any bump out of the debate, but he didn't cause himself irreparable harm.

John Kasich (6:56)
This was Kasich's first big opportunity to introduce himself to voters, and I think he did so-so. His attempts to connect with average middle-class voters ("my dad was a mailman" comments) seemed forced and inauthentic. He didn't fall on his face, but I don't think he gained any ground, which he needed to do. In some respects, he was helped by the home-field advantage with the debate audience.


Helped

• Marco Rubio
• Mike Huckabee
• Ted Cruz
• Ben Carson

Neither helped nor hurt

• Scott Walker
• Chris Christie
• John Kasich

Hurt

• Jeb Bush
• Donald Trump
• Rand Paul

With ten candidates on the stage (not even counting the seven that didn't make it on), it was difficult for most of them to be able to speak enough to make a big impact.

I thought some of the questions were dumb, and a lot of them were intended to start some on-stage squabbling, but compared to debates in previous elections, I thought this was one of the best.

Comment with your thoughts. Did you miss the debate? Watch online here, or embedded below:

#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.

Some Brief Blogging Bullets

It's been a while since I last posted, so here are some "brief blogging bullets" to get up to date on a variety of issues.

• A week ago today, my wife and I were headed out of town for a friend's wedding and a last vacation before the baby arrives. We only made it about 20 miles down the road before the trip ended. Instead, I had emergency surgery on a ruptured appendix, and spent four days in the hospital. Feel like a total bum, with a 7½-month pregnant wife doing stuff for me that I'm banned from for now. I didn't expect to use Samaritan Ministries again so soon, but it's a relief knowing that my medical bills will be met.

• Former Texas Governor Rick Perry joined the presidential race on the GOP side (here's his announcement speech). Former Rhode Island senator (as Republican) and governor (as an Independent) Lincoln Chafee jumped in the Democrat primary (his speech), completing his political transformation.

• Speaking of new candidates, for a refresher, here's the "official" roster of (major) announced presidential hopefuls. There are still more waiting on the sidelines.
  
  

  Republicans (10)

• Ben Carson
• Ted Cruz
• Carly Fiorina
• Lindsey Graham
• Mike Huckabee
• George Pataki
• Rand Paul
• Rick Perry
• Marco Rubio
• Rick Santorum
  
  Democrats (4)
• Lincoln Chafee
• Hillary Clinton
• Martin O'Malley
• Bernie Sanders  

• Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee will both be making campaign stops in Oklahoma in the next week. Cruz is doing a lunch with the OKGOP on Saturday the 13th, while Huckabee will be doing two fundraisers, one in Tulsa on Wednesday the 17th, and in OKC on Thursday the 18th. Follow the links for ticket details.

• Over on Race42016.com, one of my favorite conservative sites on presidential politics, Matt Coulter has a post on the death of the Ames Straw Poll, and how the televised debate invitations will play the role of "winnowing the field" usually assumed by the infamous Iowa straw poll.

• The New York Times' published several hit pieces recently on GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio. They examined some of his and his wife's speeding tickets and traffic violations, financial debt, the purchase of a "luxury" speedboat (aka, a fairly average fishing boat), and his West Miami home. HotAir.com has a great post on it here, along with photos comparing Rubio's house with Hillary's, and his boat with John Kerry's.

• In Oklahoma political news, state senator Rick Brinkley (R-Owasso) is in a bunch of hot water. Formerly the president and COO of the Tulsa Better Business Bureau, he was fired in April, and the BBB alleges that he embezzled more than $1M in his fifteen years with the organization. Brinkley was well positioned to replace term-limited Senate Pro Temore Brian Bingman as the Senate's top official, but.... I don't think that's going to happen now. 

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.

Huckabee ends TV show, looks at possible 2016 run

News broke tonight that former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is ending his Fox News Channel program, 'Huckabee', so that he can explore the possibility of a 2016 presidential campaign without the entanglements of a cable television contract.

Huckabee made the announcement on his Facebook page.

"There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether I would run for President. I won't make a decision about running until late in the spring of 2015, but the continued chatter has put Fox News into a position that is not fair to them. The honorable thing to do at this point is to end my tenure here at Fox so I can openly talk with potential donors and supporters and gauge support. As much as I have loved doing the show, I love my country more, and feel that it may be time for me to leave a zone of comfort to engage in the conflicts that have almost destroyed the bedrock foundations of America. I feel compelled to ascertain if the support exists strongly enough for another Presidential run. So as we say in television, stay tuned!"

Huckabee ran for president in 2008, winning the Iowa caucus and seven other states. He narrowly lost Oklahoma to eventual nominee John McCain.

Huckabee endorses Lankford for U.S. Senate

Former Arkansas Governor Backs Oklahoma Congressman for U.S. Senate

 Oklahoma City, OK – Former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, host of hit television and radio programs such as Huckabee, The Mike Huckabee Show, and The Huckabee Report, issued the following statement today announcing that he is endorsing Congressman James Lankford in his race to succeed retiring Oklahoma U.S. Senator Tom Coburn:

“The servant leadership of James Lankford is a rarity in Washington.  The idea of always being accountable, putting others first, and keeping Faith in a faithless town isn’t easy, but James maintains his integrity while representing Oklahoma in Congress.  It is obvious that James is working to revive our great nation for the next generation of Americans.”

“ James Lankford is a rock solid Conservative who works hard and understands how to get rid of government waste and balance the budget. James has fought on the front lines against Obamacare and reckless federal spending every day in Congress.  I know James is well equipped for the task ahead and I’m proud to endorse him as Oklahoma’s next great U.S. Senator. “ – Governor Mike Huckabee, Former Governor, Arkansas, April 3, 2014

About Congressman Lankford

James Lankford, U.S. Representative of Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District and Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, declared in late January that he would run in the special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by long-time U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK – R).

(More after the break)

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.

Mike Huckabee hammers GOP establishment over Todd Akin

"The deadline came and went on Tuesday for Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin to drop out over an incorrect comment he made about rape. The Republican establishment put unprecedented and intense pressure on Todd to quit, including five current and past Missouri Senators. But in an exclusive interview on my radio show, Akin said he’s “in this race to the end.” He said he admitted he misspoke and that his statement was not accurate, but he’d sincerely apologized. You can listen to the audio from that interview on my website."

"The Party’s leaders have for reasons that aren't rational, left him behind on the political battlefield, wounded and bleeding, a casualty of his self-inflicted, but not intentional wound. In a Party that supposedly stands for life, it was tragic to see the carefully orchestrated and systematic attack on a fellow Republican. Not for a moral failure or corruption or a criminal act, but for a misstatement which he contritely and utterly repudiated. I was shocked by GOP leaders and elected officials who rushed so quickly to end the political life of a candidate over a mistaken comment in an interview. This was a serious mistake, but it was blown out of proportion not by the left, but by Akin's own Republican Party. Is this what the party really thinks of principled pro-life advocates? Do we forgive and forget the verbal gaffes of Republicans who are "conveniently pro-life" for political advantage, but crucify one who truly believes that every life is sacred?"

"Who ordered this "Code Red" on Akin? There were talking point memos sent from the National Republican Senatorial Committee suggesting language to urge Akin to drop out. Political consultants were ordered to stay away from Akin or lose future business with GOP committees. Operatives were recruited to set up a network of pastors to call Akin to urge him to get out. Money has changed hands to push him off the plank. It is disgraceful. From the spotlights of political offices and media perches, it may appear that the demand for Akin’s head is universal in the party. I assure you it is not. There is a vast, but mostly quiet army of people who have an innate sense of fairness and don't like to see a fellow political pilgrim bullied. If Todd Akin loses the Senate seat, I will not blame Todd Akin. He made his mistake, but was man enough to admit it and apologize. I'm waiting for the apology from whoever the genius was on the high pedestals of our party who thought it wise to not only shoot our wounded, but run over him with tanks and trucks and then feed his body to the liberal wolves. It wasn't just Todd Akin that was treated with contempt by the thinly veiled attack on Todd Akin. It was all the people who have faithfully knocked doors, made calls, and made sacrificial contributions to elect Republicans because we thought we were welcome in the party. Todd Akin owned his mistake. Who will step up and admit the effort being made to discredit Akin and apologize for the sleazy way it's been handled?"

"I’ve always believed and still do, that if you don’t honor your friendships, you don’t honor yourself. And I consider Todd a friend. So I will join Todd as often as I can, in his fight for our Party’s pro-life policies, traditional marriage and our efforts to rein in the massive expansion of government under President Obama. Todd is being systematically scourged for one thing he said. Is that more important than what Claire McCaskill has DONE over her 6 years in the Senate? If you’d like to join the fight, and help defeat a Democrat Senator standing in the way of a conservative majority, I encourage you to join me. The party has decided it won't help. In fact, it has decided that it will try to cut off the supply lines to Akin to pressure him to exit and let the party bosses overturn the voters of Missouri and pick their own candidate. If this can happen to Todd Akin, who is next?"

"I’ve heard the talk of new deadlines and the nonsense about the Republican Party running a 3rd party candidate, but I am no longer listening to that noise. The idea that our Party would continue to play games behind the scenes and feed the Democrats make-believe narrative of the GOP’s fictional war on women is equally ridiculous. Now is the time to focus on electing a conservative Senate Majority. And if the NRSC and RNC and the money-rich PACS won't help Todd Akin get us to the majority, then we'll do it without them. And his seat will not have been sold to the highest bidder, but obtained by the highest principles."

Gov. Mike Huckabee