Author: Jake Gibson

Senator John McCain is returning to New Hampshire next month.

McCain will campaign for GOP US Senatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte, headlining an invitation only fundraiser for Ayotte on March 12th.

McCain will also host a townhall meeting with Ayotte in her hometown of Nashua on March 13th.

This will be the first time McCain has campaigned in the Granite state since the final days leading up to the 2008 Presidential election.

New Hampshire helped re-launch McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, which had imploded in the summer of 2007.

McCain did over 100 townhall meetings leading up to the crucial “First in the Nation” New Hampshire Presidential Primary and won, once again becoming the GOP frontrunner.

Mitt Romney, a potential 2012 GOP Presidential frontrunner, will not press charges against the man who assaulted him on a flight from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, California on Monday.

The man, who the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officials refuse to name, was arrested and let go.

“The male who was alleged assaulted did not wish to press charges.” said Corporal Jennifer Pound, of the Richmond RCMP.

Police escorted the man off the plane and Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts, was not injured.

Mr. Romney and his wife, Ann, had been in Vancouver since last Friday attending the Winter Olympic Games.

DNC Assails Republicans as Hypocritical for Accepting Stimulus Money

Democrats have targeted Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell in their effort to paint Republicans as hypocritical when it comes to stimulus money.

The Governor’s office confirmed Monday that Virginia will receive $24 million in federal funds over the next four years to use on health care information technology.

That money comes from funds made available to states by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

McDonnell has emerged as a rising star in the Republican party since his landslide election victory last November.

McDonnell’s office released a statement on Monday heaping praise on the funding, “I thank U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius for approving Virginia’s application for cooperative funding…”

However, during his campaign McDonnell said the stimulus bill would bring dangerous long term debt.

The DNC wasted no time and jumped on the issue.

“The spate of Republicans being exposed for seeking stimulus dollars under the radar, proves that either Republicans were just being sarcastic when they assailed the stimulus and they actually love the Recovery Act, or their objections are based on politics and not principle.” Said DNC Spokesman Hari Sevugan.

McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin says of the DNC, “Apparently facts are no impediment to their daily work. The Governor [McDonnell] never opposed Virginia taking stimulus money.”

Martin maintains that McDonnell said all along that the stimulus money is coming from Virginia taxpayers and that Virginia ought to take as much as possible.

The DNC also points to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R), who is widely considered to be mounting a run at the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.

Democrats say Pawlenty is relying on federal money to shore up nearly one third of his state’s budget deficit, yet at the same time has been an outspoken critic of the federal stimulus package.

Pawlenty’s advisers say that he did oppose the stimulus, but now that it’s law wants to make sure Minnesotans get their fair share of the money.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele will be meeting with a group of up to 50 Tea Party activists from across the country this afternoon. The meeting will take place at RNC Headquarters at 4pm.

“ The Chairman believes it extremely important to listen to this significant grassroots movement and work to find common ground in order to elect officials that will protect these principals.” Said Katie Wright, RNC Spokeswoman.

This is part of a broader effort by national Republicans to communicate directly with Tea Party activists rather than risk having their handpicked candidates get run over by the movement.

One Tea party activist who has traveled hundreds of miles to attend today’s meeting tells Fox News, “Steele wants to try to co opt us, but we’re coming to tell him he doesn’t get it. We want to return the Republican party to its roots. We’re expecting some fireworks.”

Tea Party activists have targeted multiple Republicans they don’t feel are conservative enough, such as Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Senator Bob Bennett of Utah.

RNC officials tell us the meeting is “private” but it looks like we’ll hear all about it this afternoon, as Tea Party activists are planning to speak to reporters as soon as they walk out the door.

Mitt Romney, the former Republican Governor of Massachusetts, was physically assaulted by a fellow passenger on a flight from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, California on Monday.

Romney, a 2008 presidential hopeful, asked a passenger who was seated and reclining in front of his wife Ann, to move his seat upright during take off.

“The passenger became physically violent. Governor Romney did not retaliate, but instead let the airline crew respond to the incident.” Said Romney Spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom.

The plane returned to the gate and the passenger was arrested by the police. Romney was not injured, but those familiar with the incident tell Fox News, “there was physical contact with Governor Romney.” Ann Romney was not touched in the incident.

The Romneys have been in Vancouver since Friday for the Olympic Games. Mitt Romney was the former president and CEO of the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Romneys were guests of honor at these games.

New polling suggests former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte (R) has a good shot at knocking off Democrat Paul Hodes for the state’s U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Judd Gregg (R), who is retiring. However, the Granite state’s GOP primary may prove no picnic for Ayotte.

A WMUR/University of New Hampshire survey shows Ayotte leading Hodes 41% to 33%. The poll, conducted from January 27th through February 3rd, surveyed 444 likely general election voters and carried a margin of error of +/- 4.7%.

The Real Clear Politics Average, a compilation of polls widely consulted by political professionals, also has Ayotte up by nearly 8 points.

However, Granite state Republicans tell Fox News the GOP primary is far from locked up. As one insider put it, the contest is “a competitive race among politically astute voters where the winner will have less than 100,000 votes.”

Other Republicans in the race include Ovide Lamontagne, a 1996 Republican gubernatorial nominee, and William Binnie, a wealthy industrialist who has already put more than a million dollars into his campaign. Indeed, at this early stage, Binnie has begun airing television ads, trying to introduce himself to voters.

New Hampshire Republicans profess themselves happy with the competition, though, with one party operative telling Fox News: “All the heat and interest will be on our side. It’s a good way to get our base excited, as if [President] Obama hasn’t already done enough of that.”

Pawlenty Heads to Key Primary State of Nevada Later This Month.

Meanwhile, Tonight the Minnesota Governor Aims to Burnish Foreign Policy Credentials at Speech in Alabama.

In another sign that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) is putting together a run at the GOP Presidential Nomination in 2012, he will be visiting the key primary state of Nevada later this month.

Pawlenty will headline the Nevada Republican Lincoln Day Dinner on Feb. 27 in Las Vegas. Nevada is one of four “early states,” along with New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina, that plan to hold their primaries before the rest of the country.

Pawlenty is a busy man out on the speaking circuit, he will be keynoting the Alabama Winter Dinner in Montgomery, Alabama tonight. As a Governor, some say one of the things Pawlenty lacks as a potential heavy weight presidential candidate, is foreign policy expertise.

To that end, tonight, in addition to his usual rhetoric on the economy, the national deficit and jobs, Pawlenty plans to go after the Obama administration on National Security.

Here are some excerpts Fox has obtained from tonight’s speech in Alabama:

“Exactly 12 weeks ago today – as President Obama was flying over the Pacific on his way to an Asian summit and most of the press back in Washington was getting an early start to the weekend – the Obama Administration announced it would try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and five other terrorists in a civilian court in New York City.

“And, exactly 6 weeks ago today – on Christmas Day – a would-be bomber tried to blow up an airplane filled with innocent people as it landed in Detroit. Within hours of being taken into custody, the terrorist was read his rights, offered access to an attorney and charged in civilian court.

“Combined, these events reveal a frightening truth: Terrorists are at war with America, but the current Administration thinks this is a law enforcement exercise

“To defeat terrorists and keep America safe, we can’t fight with one arm tied behind our back. This means trying terrorists in the military commissions that Congress established three years ago – not civilian courts. And it means holding these trials in the courtrooms right next door to the cells they’re already in at Guantanamo Bay, rather than relocating terrorists to New York, Alabama, Minnesota – or any other state.”

In announcing his visit to Nevada, Pawlenty took a shot at President Obama, who recently said people shouldn’t “blow a bunch of cash in Vegas” if they’re trying to save money to send their kids to college.

“I’m defying President Obama’s orders and going to Las Vegas in order to help the Nevada GOP.”

Pawlenty’s visit to “Sin City” is also a direct shot at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), “Our goal is to replace Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with a Senator who values the needs of Nevadans more than the partisan interests of his political party.”

Sarah Palin, the former Governor of Alaska, Republican mega-star and Fox News contributor, was quick to fire back at Washington Post blog, The Plum Line, for a report that Palin is at war with conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

Sarah Palin spokesperson Meg Stapleton told Fox, “The Washington Post is trying hard to take the pressure off the White House by creating a side controversy, but it is missing the point: as the Governor has said, it doesn’t matter who says the “r” word: it should no longer be part of our lexicon.”

Limbaugh used the “r” word repeatedly during his daily radio show yesterday.  When the Palin camp was asked for comment by the Washington Post, they replied via e-mail that,“Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name calling at the expense of others is disrespectful.”

Palin officials say that is the same comment they have given reporters for a host of other instances where someone had used the “r” word and they are not singling out Limbaugh.

Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) is headed to New Hampshire, home of the ‘First in the Nation Presidential Primary,’ next month.

Political insiders see it as another sign that Pence, the number three Republican in the House of Representatives, may be preparing for a run at the GOP Presidential Nomination in 2012.

Pence recently announced that in 2010 he will not be running for the senate seat currently held by Evan Bayh (D).

Now we have learned that Pence will be the keynote speaker at the Hillsborough County Republican Committee’s Lincoln-Reagan Gala on March 19, an event attended by Presidential hopefuls in the past.

This will be Pence’s first trip to The Granite State, however last summer he visited Iowa, another crucial early state in Presidential politics.

Florida Senate GOP primary race turns on issues of illegal immigrants, the census, and federal funding

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio says he is against including illegal immigrants in the national census.

Critics say that would actually reduce Florida’s political clout and the amount of federal funding the Sunshine State garners.

Rubio’s stance puts him directly at odds with Republican Governor, and Senate GOP primary rival, Charlie Crist who said in a gaggle this morning that he thinks, “Every Floridian should be counted.”

Governor Crist does include illegal immigrants in his thinking on the subject and aides in his office say one reason for including illegals in the count is Florida receiving “All the federal funding we deserve.”

Rubio, The former Speaker of the Florida House, tells Fox News, “When it comes to political apportionment, the Census should count legal American citizens only. Gov. Crist’s position to include illegal immigrants in this count would dilute the voting power of every American citizen. Moreover, it would actually incentivize politicians to perpetuate our broken immigration system by rewarding states with large illegal immigrant populations with a louder voice in Washington. “

Crist aides say this is just the latest shift in Rubio’s “ever changing immigration stance,” pointing out reports that say when Rubio was asked whether illegal immigrants should count on things like the number of seats that Florida should have in Congress, Rubio initially said last week that he was not sure and that he wanted to “research it more.”

Rubio’s opposition is a theoretical one since the census has already started, with illegal immigrants being counted. Yet it is another example of his efforts to play to the conservative wing of the base in the Senatorial GOP Primary race against the more moderate Charlie Crist.

The latest polls out of Florida show Rubio surging, he had been down by more than 30 points only several weeks ago.

Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) announced today that rocker and outspoken conservative Ted Nugent will perform the national anthem at a Perry campaign rally with Sarah Palin in Houston on Sunday.

“Not only is Ted one of our nation’s greatest performers, but his dedication to upholding our nation’s Second Amendment rights has been crucial to maintaining the freedom we are able to enjoy as Americans every day,” said Gov. Perry. “I look forward to Ted’s performance, and to the opportunity to join both him and Sarah Palin in sharing the success story Texas has achieved through our state’s unwavering commitment to conservative values based on the belief in limited government and individual freedom.”

Perry is locked in an increasingly bitter battle for the GOP nomination with U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R).

Their March 2 face off promises to be one of the most interesting primary election days of the season.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R) will be attending the kickoff of the “Tea Party Express III” in Searchlight, Nevada, the hometown of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

Palin, via her Facebook page, says she will attend the event “in March.”

Reid is facing a tough re-election battle in Nevada, where he has been trailing in the polls for weeks

Palin, the 2008 GOP Vice Presidential Nominee, is also speaking at the Tea Party National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee this weekend.

The event has come under fire lately with critics decrying it as a for profit venture and the antithesis of the grass roots, organic, Tea party movement.

It has been widely reported that the Republican mega-star will be paid $100,000 for her Nashville appearance.

However, Palin also announced via her facebook page that she will “not benefit financially from speaking at this event… any compensation for my appearance will go right back to the cause.”

Former Alaska Governor and 2008 GOP VP Nominee Sarah Palin’s PAC, SarahPAC, raised $1.4 million dollars in the last 6 months of 2009.

For the year SarahPAC raised about $2.1 million and has $900,000 cash on hand.

“We are thrilled. Common sense Americans know the direction we need to take this country and that Sarah Palin will be instrumental in taking us there this year. We look forward to the journey ahead!” Said Meghan Stapleton. Senior Advisor and Spokesperson.

They are solid fundraising numbers that show the Republican mega-star’s organizational strength.

By comparison, fellow 2012 GOP nomination frontrunner Mitt Romney’s PAC raised about $800,000 more for the year and Tim Pawlenty’s PAC raised nearly $1.3 million in the last quarter of 2009.

However, Sarah PAC officials feel they did the majority of this while Sarah was writing her book and raised most of the money with the help of the Internet and small events.

“We are excited as we feel that we’ve just begun to tap the Governor’s support. More than 14,000 everyday men and women contributed more than two million dollars to SarahPAC last year with little effort on our part. The money came in through the Internet and a handful of fundraisers and we are grateful for everyone’s support.” Said Tim Crawford, SarahPAC Treasurer.

Senator Arlen Specter (D) of Pennsylvania raised over $1.1 million in the 4th quarter of 2009, and has over $8.6 million dollars cash in hand.

Specter has been leading his Democratic primary challenger Congressman Joe Sestak in the polls for months. Sestak officials tell us that they raised $650,000 in the 4th quarter of 2009 and have $5.1 million on hand.

Sestak himself has complained that he is a loyal Democrat and his party is not helping him enough in his battle with Specter, who was a Republican for decades.

When Specter switched parties national democrats assured him that they would help him in his re-election battle.

Specter may end up needing a serious war chest as well. The 5 term Senator who converted to the Democratic party last spring has trailed in Republican Pat Toomey in numerous polls over the past few months.

Many political insiders now consider the race a tossup, seeing former Republican Congressman Pat Toomey as a serious threat.

When Specter switched parties last spring he admitted that he was facing an uphill fight in the Republican primary and cited that as one of the reasons for his decision.

As Fox first reported, Toomey raised $1.67 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, and has $2.8 million cash on hand going into 2010.‬

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) has not yet said whether or not he’s making a run at the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, but he’s already showing that he can raise some serious bucks.

Officials with Pawlenty’s PAC, Freedom First, tell us they raised nearly $1.3 million dollars in the 4^th quarter of 2009.

PACs are often used by politicians who are looking at making a run at higher office. Pawlenty announced last summer that he would not be seeking a third term as governor next year.

Following that announcement speculation grew even hotter that he was setting his sights on a Presidential bid instead.

 Then in October of 2009, Pawlenty launched his PAC and became a frequent speaker on the conservative circuit.

Other Republicans who have a PAC and are thought to be big time players for the 2012 GOP nomination include former Alaska Governor and Republican mega-star Sarah Palin.

Former Governors and 2008 presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee also have their own PACs.

Palin and Huckabee have not filed their new FEC reports yet.

Romney files his monthly instead of quarterly.  Recent press reports say Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC raised $2.7 million thru November of 2009 and had about $1.1 million cash on hand.

Romney however has a sizeable personal fortune that he used to help fuel his presidential run in 2008.  

The former Massachusetts Governor told us recently that he has not made up his mind about whether he will run in 2012, and that he would rather not use his personal fortune for any future run, but also won’t rule it out.

Aides to Florida Governor Charlie Crist (R) confirm that he will not be attending President Obama’s Townhall in Tampa tomorrow.

Governor Crist has a previously scheduled event at the University of South Florida they say, where he will roll out his higher education budget plan for the next fiscal year.

But within the last 24 hours Crist aides were still working on the schedule to see if the Governor could make an appearance at Obama’s town hall meeting.

It is a disfficult situation politically for Crist. Throughout his Senate Republican primary campaign, Crist has been hammered incessantly by conservatives for what’s now become known as,” The Hug.”

Nearly a year ago when the newly minted President Obama visited Florida to tout his stimulus package, Crist appeared with him on stage in a show of support, and they embraced.

Crist has since denied supporting the stimulus package and has sought to distance himself from an unpopular President as he battles against Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Still Flaorida’s Governor is not completely snubbing the President in the Sunshine state… Crist will meet President Obama when he lands on the Tarmac in Florida.

Tea Party Lists Enemies of Liberty?
Group Plans Multi-Million Dollar Nationwide War Chest

Washington – FreedomWorks, the conservative political action committee that is one of the major players with close ties to the Tea Party movement, released its list of 2010 target Senate races and congressional districts today. In the Florida Senatorial race, the group supports conservative Marco Rubio over current Republican Governor Charlie Crist, conservative Pat Toomey over Senator Arlen Specter (D) in Pennsylvania, Rand Paul (R), son of 2008 Presidential Candidate Ron Paul, for the open Senate seat in Kentucky and among those listed as an ‘Enemy of Liberty’, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada. The group has not yet picked a Republican to back in Nevada, they just want Reid ousted.

On the House side they will work to topple Parker Griffith, the recently converted Democrat in Alabama, as well as Alan Grayson, the outspoken Florida Democrat who said the Republican Health Care plan amounted to telling people “hurry up and die.”

These races are just a drop in the bucket however, the group plans to monitor dozens of races and jump in with both feet when its ready.

FreedomWorks claims a half million members and has ambitious plans on the fundraising front. Rob Jordan, FreedomWorks’ Vice President of Federal and State Campaigns looks at the successes of moveon.org as an example. “They raised around 31 million dollars in 2003. We ‘re not sure we can raise that much, but think we can be in the multi-millions and be a major player in 2010.”

FreedomWorks also brought together dozens of conservative activists today and put them in a room full of reporters, hoping to let the grass roots speak to the Washington establishment. They came from as far away as California, Arkansas, Ohio, and Florida.

“It’s hot in Florida, Charlie Crist is on the run” says Thomas Gaiten, a Florida Field Coordinator for Freedom Works, “I’m arranging an event on February 10 for the one year anniversary of ‘The Stimulus Hug.’

Gaiten is referring to a hug between President Obama and Florida Governor Charlie Crist last year. Crist was an exuberant host and endorsed the President’s stimulus package, for which Crist is now under fire.

It is a moment that conservatives have flogged in Florida. A few months ago Crist was leading his Republican competitor, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, by 30 points. However, the Tea Party movement in Florida has been aggressively organizing for Rubio both on the ground and on the web and the latest polls show the two neck and neck.

Meanwhile in Arkansas, Rob Porto of Little Rock, says Senator Blanche Lincoln (D) ,”is out… The only question is who is going to replace her, and we’re still vetting prospective Republican candidates. We’re planning a number of debates.”

Greg Fettig drove the 600 miles from his native Indiana to be part of this meeting. Fettig co-founded a group called “Hoosier Patriots” and feels that the Tea Party movement has given a voice to people like him. “I used to think I was alone, now I know there are others out there who want to stand up for fiscal conservatism.”

Fettig lives in the district of longtime Republican congressman Dan Burton, but thinks it’s time for Burton to go. “He’s got no fire… He’s been there too long, people should just serve a term or two and then get out.”

This sort of conservative organic grassroots uprising is proving to be quite powerful, with Republicans all over the country scrambling to get out in front of it, but the question remains, how will the Republican party be able to harness it?

A ‘National Tea Party Convention’ is scheduled for Nashville, Tennessee in early February with Republican party mega-star Sarah Palin as one of the featured speakers.

Tea Party organizers admit they are a scattered and loose knit group, joking that it’s kind of like “herding cats.” These activists are so anti-establishment they don’t even like the idea that their own organization is having a convention and charging money for people to attend.

“I like Sarah Palin,” said Scott Boston of the Bowling Green Ohio Tea Party Patriots, “But I’m not going to spend 600 dollars on a ticket. Tea Party meetings are free. I have a feeling that the convention in Nashville is going to be about people who want to lead our parade but wouldn’t be willing to march in it.”