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Posts in "Republicans"
May 22, 2012
Kentucky: Thomas Massie Wins GOP Nomination
In a stinging rebuke of the Kentucky Republican establishment, tea-party-affiliated Lewis County Judge-Executive Thomas Massie won tonight’s GOP primary to replace retiring Rep. Geoff Davis (R) in the 4th district.
With 72 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press called the race for Massie. He had 44.9 percent of vote, state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington had 29 percent and Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore had 17.4 percent.
Davis, along with former Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning (R), backed Webb-Edgington, who had broad establishment support. Conservative Republican Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah) backed Massie. Full story
Utah: Dan Liljenquist Slams Orrin Hatch on Lack of Debates
Former Utah state Sen. Dan Liljenquist launched the first TV ad of his Republican primary challenge to longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch.
Minnesota: Kurt Bills Picks Up State GOP Senate Endorsement
State Rep. Kurt Bills has won the Minnesota GOP endorsement to challenge Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D).
“Congratulations to Kurt Bills on receiving the Republican endorsement to run for US Senate,” state GOP Chairman Pat Shortridge and Deputy Chairwoman Kelly Fenton wrote in a joint statement. Full story
May 21, 2012
Texas: Rick Perry and Sarah Palin Make the Case for Their Candidates
Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have found themselves on opposing sides in the Texas Senate GOP primary.
Each has previously made an endorsement: Perry for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst; Palin for former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz.
And now they are going to bat for their candidates. Perry is featured in a new TV ad released Monday by Dewhurst. Perry vouches for him on fiscal policy and adds, “Our country needs him, and so does Texas.”
The Cruz camp also made news Sunday by releasing a robocall from Palin.
May 19, 2012
Illinois: Republicans Pick Davis as Nominee in 13th
Local Republicans selected Rodney Davis, a top aide to Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), to be their nominee for the newly open House seat in downstate Illinois.
The 13th district county GOP chairmen picked Davis over three other candidates today, including Rep. Randy Hultgren’s (R-Ill.) chief of staff, Jerry Clarke.
Republicans were forced to pick a new GOP nominee following Rep. Timothy Johnson’s (R-Ill.) sudden retirement after the March primary. His departure, plus a Democratic redraw of the district’s boundaries last year, make this seat competitive.
Connecticut: Linda McMahon Wins State GOP Endorsement
(CQ Roll Call File Photo)
As expected, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon topped former Rep. Chris Shays in the state convention fight for the Connecticut Republican Party’s endorsement Friday night.
McMahon picked up the support of 60 percent of the delegates at the state convention, while Shays got 32 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press. While the margin was significant, most political observers expected McMahon to win, and Shays met the 15 percent threshold to qualify for the primary on Aug. 14.
McMahon and Shays are running to replace retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman (I). McMahon also won her party’s Senate endorsement over former Rep. Rob Simmons in 2010. She went on to lose that race in the fall to now-Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D). Full story
May 18, 2012
Texas: David Dewhurst Puts $6 Million More Into Senate Campaign
Updated: 9:38 p.m. | Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has donated an additional $6 million to his Senate campaign since April 1.
The figure put his total personal donations to the campaign at $8 million, according to a source in the campaign.
The campaign made the announcement in a press release. It also noted that he had received $500,000 in individual contributions in the pre-primary reporting period beginning on April 1. Campaigns must submit federal election finance reports two weeks out from the primary date.
NRCC Pulls in Big Money, Outraises DCCC in April
The National Republican Congressional Committee, led by Rep. Pete Sessions, outraised its Democratic counterpart in April. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
The National Republican Congressional Committee outraised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by about half a million dollars in April.
The NRCC raised an impressive $6.9 million last month and ended April with $31.3 million in cash on hand.
That compares with the $6.48 million raised by the DCCC; it ended the month with $25 million in the bank.
The NRCC is almost $20 million ahead of where it was in cash on hand at this time last cycle.
May 17, 2012
North Dakota: Club for Growth Backs Kevin Cramer for Congress
National conservatives have officially set their target on a rare contested primary for North Dakota’s open House seat.
The Club for Growth endorsed Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer today, just one day after FreedomWorks announced its support for his bid.
The North Dakota Republican Party and its leaders support Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk, who received the party’s official endorsement at the state convention earlier this year. Cramer opted to run outside the convention system — an infrequent move in North Dakota — and challenge Kalk in the June 12 primary.
The state GOP’s support gives Kalk financial and political resources, and now national groups could boost Cramer with their own deep pockets and fundraising network.
“Kevin Cramer will fight to cut spending, repeal ObamaCare and restore fiscal sanity in Washington,” club President Chris Chocola said in a statement.
NRCC Announces New ‘Contender’ Candidates
The National Republican Congressional Committee announced today that eight GOP House candidates are one step closer to earning the committee’s top-tier Young Guns status.
Those eight candidates progressed to the Contender level, the third step in the four-step Young Guns program. The candidates must meet district-specific benchmarks to move through the program, which gives fundraising and infrastructure assistance.
Romney, RNC Raise $40 Million in April
(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and the Republican National Committee combined to raise $40.1 million in April and closed the month with $61.4 million in cash on hand.
Romney’s April fundraising haul fell just shy of the $43.6 million raised by President Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee during the same period, and would appear to indicate that the former Massachusetts governor is coalescing the support of Republicans following a long and divisive primary campaign.
This is the first month that the RNC and the Romney campaign have coordinated fundraising efforts. Romney’s last main obstacle to the nomination, former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), dropped his presidential bid in early April.
May 16, 2012
Mike Johanns: Club for Growth Sank Don Stenberg
(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
As Republicans sought to interpret Deb Fischer’s upset victory in Tuesday’s Nebraska Senate primary and what it portends for the 2012 elections, Sen. Mike Johanns (R) told Roll Call that the third-party groups who spent heavily to boost Don Stenberg are responsible for his last-place finish.
Johanns, a former Nebraska governor, said the Club for Growth’s television ad campaign that targeted frontrunner Jon Bruning, the state attorney general, was “tone deaf” and left Nebraska GOP primary voters with an overwhelmingly negative impression of Stenberg, the state treasurer. Johanns referred to Stenberg as a “true blue conservative” who has a solid base of support in Nebraska and should have finished with at least around 35 percent of the vote. Bruning, who fought back against with negative attacks of his own, was also damaged in the fray.
“In a state like Nebraska, when the dirt starts flying, those throwing the dirt are going to get dirty too. It not only cost Bruning, it cost Stenberg significantly,” Johanns said this morning in a telephone interview. “It was an error in strategy.”
FreedomWorks Backs Three Upstarts for Open House Seats
FreedomWorks announced its support for three upstart Republican House candidates today, pitting the conservative grass-roots group against local elected officials in each state.
The group endorsed Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer in North Dakota’s at-large seat; Lewis County Judge Executive Thomas Massie in Kentucky’s 4th district; and former state Sen. Sam Aanestad in California’s 1st district.
All three candidates are running in open-seat races. FreedomWorks’ support is notable because it’s backing the underdogs in each race and, in one case, going against the state party’s endorsement.
Nevada: Joe Heck, John Oceguera Reserve $1.4 Million in TV Time
Freshman Rep. Joe Heck (R) and Assembly Speaker John Oceguera (D) have reserved more than $1.4 million combined in fall television airtime in Las Vegas, according to a chart provided by a Democratic source.
May 15, 2012
Nebraska: Deb Fischer Wins GOP Senate Nomination
(Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Coming off a last-minute surge, state Sen. Deb Fischer won the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate tonight, according to the Associated Press.
Up until about two weeks ago, Fischer was largely written off as a candidate. For most of the cycle, state Attorney General Jon Bruning was the undisputed GOP frontrunner. He came in second place.
Bruning had a deep organization, but Fischer’s momentum proved too strong.
The favorite among anti-establishment conservative groups, state Treasurer Don Stenberg came in third place. In recent days, state and national Republicans began to describe the Stenberg effort as a miscalculation on the part of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and others.
