Rick Santorum Endorses Stephanie Bice for Congress

Senator Rick Santorum Endorses Stephanie Bice for Congress

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 6, 2020) - Stephanie Bice, conservative Republican candidate for Congress in Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District, earned the endorsement of former Presidential Candidate and Pennsylvania United States Senator Rick Santorum.

“I’m honored to receive the support and endorsement of Senator Santorum,” Bice said. “He is one of our nation's strongest voices for American families. He’s led the way on policies that put American workers first, including prioritizing US manufacturing. Sen. Santorum has fought to address the challenges confronting American workers and I am grateful for his support.”

Santorum, who won Oklahoma’s 2012 presidential primary, said Bice would represent Oklahoma’s conservative values in Congress.

Kevin Stitt for Governor

Kevin Stitt was not my top choice for Governor in the primary. Quite frankly, there were several GOP candidates I had in front of him. However, Stitt surged from obscurity into the runoff with Mick Cornett.

I will be voting for Kevin Stitt without reservation.

As I said back in June, Mick Cornett was the only Republican candidate that I absolutely could not vote for. He was - and is - the clear liberal in the race, even supported by a Super PAC funded by a Hilary Clinton bundler. Richard Engle penned a great column on the evidence of Cornett's liberal leanings. Cornett would be Mary Fallin 2.0, or worse. I will never vote for Mick Cornett under any circumstance.

Cornett has merely solidified my resolve in the runoff.

The vulgar and crude direction his campaign has taken speaks ill of the character of the candidate. There is no excuse for stooping to the lows that he and his campaign have taken. No amount of "it's just politics", "that's just how this is done", or attempts to shrug it off will do. It reflects back on the integrity of Mick Cornett, and I find him to weighed in the balance and found wanting.

Kevin Stitt is a businessman who has had tremendous success in building a company during trying economic times. As his company has grown, and with the arena they operate in, there have been some issues [relatively minor in the scheme of things], but he has taken responsibility and made corrections when needed. That personal responsibility could not be said for Mick Cornett and his campaign direction.

Stitt has made government transparency and accountability a major theme of his campaign, something that Mary Fallin failed to do in her eight years. I believe this is incredibly important moving forward, especially as tax collections increase and state government clamors over how to spend the new surpluses we will likely have over the next few years.

On the important issues of life, constitutional freedoms, and religious liberties, Kevin Stitt will be much more reliable than Mick Cornett, who has failed to prove during his tenure in municipal government that he would defend those principles.

During the primary, Kevin Stitt took the time to answer my gubernatorial candidate survey, which went into depth on ten different widely ranging topics. You can read that here. Mick Cornett failed to respond - the only candidate unwilling to go on record (a common thread during his campaign).

In recent days, Stitt has been endorsed by former U.S. Senator and conservative stalwart Tom Coburn, 2016 Oklahoma presidential winner Ted Cruz, and 2012 Oklahoma presidential primary winner Rick Santorum.

A Mick Cornett administration would likely be a repeat of the Fallin years, with an increasingly liberal GOP legislature growing government and raising taxes. Under Kevin Stitt, I believe we would have a Governor who is willing to hold the line and rein in government.

On Tuesday, I will be casting my vote for the only conservative choice for Governor, Kevin Stitt.

Santorum films video endorsement for Kevin Stitt

Former US Senator and 2012 Oklahoma presidential primary winner Rick Santorum endorses Kevin Stitt for Governor yesterday, and the Stitt campaign has now released a video endorsement featuring Santorum:

Rick Santorum endorses Kevin Stitt for Governor

SENATOR RICK SANTORUM ENDORSES KEVIN STITT FOR GOVERNOR

Tulsa, Oklahoma (August 6, 2018) – Former U.S. Senator and 2012 Oklahoma Republican presidential primary winner Rick Santorum today announced his endorsement of Kevin Stitt for Governor of Oklahoma.

“Kevin Stitt is a strong conservative leader who is motivated and ready to make the hard decisions that will put Oklahoma on the path to being a Top Ten state,” said Rick Santorum. “It is clear that Kevin is driven by his faith and his devotion to Oklahoma. This is most evident in his decision to step away from his successful company for a season and to travel the state, listening to Oklahomans and holding more than 100 town halls over the past year. I trust that Kevin will drive economic growth and government efficiency as governor, while also being a consistent advocate for the unborn and a passionate champion for religious liberty. We need more leaders like Kevin in the Republican party who put people first and are ready to deliver conservative, result-oriented policies.”

“I am honored by the attention our campaign is receiving from leaders in the Republican Party like Rick Santorum, a champion for conservative values,” Stitt said. “Like we are seeing at the national level, it is time for Oklahoma conservatives to rise up and put an end to the political status quo that has left our state in last place. I am committed to listening and guiding our state to a new future where we will be Top Ten in government efficiency, education and growth.”

On Super Tuesday in 2011, Oklahomans chose Rick Santorum as their Republican nominee for president.

Rick Santorum endorses Coleman for Congress

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum Endorses Andy Coleman for Congress

Calls Coleman a Committed Conservative and National Security Leader

TULSA, OKLAHOMA: Today former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) endorsed Captain Andy Coleman for the open congressional seat in Oklahoma’s First District.

“Andy Coleman is exactly what Washington needs more of; a committed conservative with the foreign policy and national security experience necessary to make a real difference.  I served for eight years on the Senate Armed Services committee and saw first-hand the need for more veterans with real-world, on the ground experience in foreign affairs in the halls of Washington. Andy Coleman has the experience needed to be a leader on day one and as a defender of persecuted Christians in some of the most dangerous hot-spots in the world; I know he will never back down on his conservative values,” stated Santorum.

Santorum ran for the Republican nomination for President in 2012 and carried the state of Oklahoma in the Republican primary that year.  Every county in Oklahoma’s First Congressional District was carried by Santorum in 2012.

“I am truly honored and incredibly grateful to Senator Santorum for his support.  He has been a reliable defender of religious freedom, the innocent unborn and a leader on national security,” expressed Coleman.

Santorum’s endorsement comes on the heels of a surge of support for Coleman as he assembles a coalition of religious and national security conservatives drawn to his unique background and life experiences. 

Captain Andy Coleman is seeking the Republican nomination for the open congressional seat in Oklahoma’s First District.  He is an Air Force Academy graduate and former intelligence officer who served in the Middle East.  He is the only candidate in the race with military and national security experience – critical skill sets in short supply in the House.  For six years, Coleman led efforts to aid persecuted Christians in 17 hostile and restricted countries, as the Middle East Regional Director for the Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian ministry based in Bartlesville.

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".

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.

Santorum, Pataki join GOP's expanding 2016 field

Rick Santorum, former senator from Pennsylvania and runner-up in the 2012 primary, yesterday announced his candidacy for president. Here's his announcement speech:



Also yesterday, George Pataki, a former three-term Republican governor of New York, threw his hat in the ring for the 2016 presidential race. Here's his announcement video:



They join six other announced candidates: Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, and Mike Huckabee.

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.

Rand Paul wins CPAC 2013 Straw Poll

The 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), hosted by the American Conservative Union, started Thursday, and concludes today. Preliminary results from the CPAC Straw Poll were just released.

1. Rand Paul - 25%
2. Marco Rubio - 23%
3. Rick Santorum - 8%
4. Chris Christie - 7%
5. Paul Ryan - 6%
6. Scott Walker - 5%
7. Benjamin Carson - 4%
8. Ted Cruz - 4%
9. Bobby Jindal - 3%
10. Sarah Palin - 3%
11. Other - 14%
12. Undecided - 1%

More details will be released about the straw poll later.

You can vote in the MuskogeePolitico.com Primary Madness at this link (currently in the Elite 8).

BREAKING: Santorum Drops Out

At a press conference minutes ago in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum announced that he is suspending his presidential campaign, all but guaranteeing Mitt Romney the GOP nomination. Santorum said that he and his family made the decision to enter the race around their kitchen table, and made the decision to exit the race over the weekend around their kitchen table.

Santorum, presumed "dead" for much of the campaign, had a stunning victory by a mere handful of votes in Iowa, launching him to become the number one challenger to frontrunner Mitt Romney. He went on to win, with a shoestring budget, 11 states, over three million votes, and more counties than the rest of the field combined.

With his exit, Mitt Romney will become the GOP nominee. The focus over the coming months will now move to speculation on Romney's vice presidential pick.

To Rick Santorum, his family, and his campaign staff, congratulations on a hard-fought campaign. You surpassed every expectation, and should be proud of your efforts.