Tag: 2018 elections

Tea Party and GOP Members Believe Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted Cut a Secret Deal in 2018 Election

Chris Butler

  There’s no hard evidence to back it up, but sources believe Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, both Republicans, allegedly made a secret pact during the 2018 election season to assist one another’s political fortunes. Initially, Husted ran for governor, but he later dropped out of that race to seek the lieutenant governor’s job, as DeWine’s running mate, sources told The Ohio Star. Ohio voters elected DeWine governor in 2018. “This stuff about a deal the two men made is not news,” said John McAvoy, a Tea Party official in northwest Ohio who said, at one time, he supported Husted. “People around Ohio know this. It’s common knowledge here.” This matters because some people in Ohio believe members of the state’s GOP leadership can and will exclude conservative candidates not among the state’s political elite. McAvoy, however, said he could not prove his accusations. In another part of Ohio, Ray Warrick, who chaired the Warren County Republican Party for two years, also said he and other conservatives throughout the state believe or speculate DeWine and Husted made a secret deal. “These two men actually spent the first two months of the campaign beating each other up,”…

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Commentary: Democrat Excess Leads to New and Improved Trump in 2019

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Donald Trump

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   Predictions. It’s what New Year’s is all about. It goes without saying that 2018 was full of surprises. Heading into this year Republican majorities in both houses of Congress had just passed a massive reorganization of the federal tax code, including a sizeable tax cut for most Americans in the bill language. By January 1, Democrats were already griping about reduced rates for corporations and businesses, claiming, as they always do, that the benefits of the new law would rain down disproportionately on the wealthiest and most powerful taxpayers. Never mind that many, many companies had already announced sizeable end-of-the-year bonuses and raises for employees based on the improved future tax outlook. Nonetheless, Democrats were convinced the popularity of the new law would not improve (especially if they demagogued the matter) over the course of time. Democrats believed they could parlay President Donald Trump’s lukewarm favorability numbers into a “wave” in November. After all, they’d just been eminently successful in stealing a senate seat in deep red Alabama (with a huge assist from the Washington GOP establishment), so the sky was the limit, right? Last month’s election came and went, Democrats gained 40 seats in…

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New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu Among Lone Republicans Left Standing

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The blue wave made its way through New Hampshire Tuesday night when both U.S. House seats went to Democrats as well as both houses of the state legislature. Neither of the state’s U.S. senators, both Democrats, were up for reelection this year. The results left incumbent Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) among the only victorious Republicans of the night in the state, beating his opponent Democrat Molly Kelly 53 percent to 46 percent. “The next two years are going to be a little bit different, but that’s OK. That’s New Hampshire. Anybody who has ideas is invited to the table,” he said in his victory speech. Sununu will also be up for reelection in 2020, since governors are elected every two years in New Hampshire. Local conservatives blamed nobody but the state GOP for the bad results. The local website GraniteGrok wrote: If the NH Republican Party wants to win, and win Consistently, act like you believe in the Platform.  Speak like you do and at each and every turn.  Vote like you do at each and every opportunity.  And Legislate like there’s no tomorrow because two days ago was that “no more tomorrow” – and you blew it. Creating additional trouble for Sununu is the state’s Executive Council, a political body…

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LIVE Election Night Coverage by Citizens of the American Republic

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The group Citizens of the American Republic announced it will live stream Election Night Coverage of the 2018 midterms. Dubbed ‘the most important election of our lifetimes’ by both the Left and the Right, voters from across the country will decide whether to keep Republicans the majority in the House and the Senate, or instead opt for a divided government by handing control of one or both chambers of the national legislature to the Democrats. Viewers can watch all the coveral live, starting at 8pm eastern time:          

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Virginia’s 7th District Contest between Rep. Dave Brat and His Democrat Opponent Could Set the Mood for the Night

Anna Marie Bolton

It will definitely set your mood if you have been a supporter of President Donald Trump and his efforts to control immigration and get that wall built. Incumbent Republican Dave Brat (R-VA-07) is in a statistical dead heat in recent polls with political newcomer Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger who said in a debate with the incumbent Brat that she wants “comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform” which she knows is a coded endorsement for giving amnesty to millions here illegally. Spanberger, a former CIA agent, went on to say she would “give certainty to dreamers” referring to the Obama executive order granting the right to stay in America to young people who came into the country illegally with their parents. In that same debate in Culpeper on October 16th, Brat, the former chairman of the Economics Department at Randolph-Macon College, touted his two-term record in the House of Representatives as an immigration hawk who attempted to work with Democrats to begin reforming a dysfunctional US immigration system. Citing Spanberger’s support for sanctuary cities, Brat said, “my opponent falls to the very far left on this issue of immigration.” Indeed Rep. Brat is entitled to point to his immigration record in the House.…

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Commentary: Decisive Political Victory is the Only Way to End This Cold Civil War

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Tennessee Star

by Ryan Williams   As even NeverTrump Republicans are coming around – grudgingly, and with caveats, of course – to recognizing the stakes in our ongoing domestic political fights, it is perhaps impolite to note: Some of us drew these conclusions quite a long time ago. The last two weeks of psychodrama in the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation fight should count as strong – if not ironclad – evidence of the soundness of my colleague Michael Anton’s prediction in September 2016 about the trajectory and style of Democratic Party rule in the coming years. He wrote that such rule, should it come, “will be coupled with a level of vindictive persecution against resistance and dissent. We see this already in the censorship practiced by the Davoisie’s social media enablers; in the shameless propaganda tidal wave of the mainstream media; and in the personal destruction campaigns—operated through the former and aided by the latter—of the Social Justice Warriors…” Plenty has been written about the absurdity of running a republic by way of whisper campaigns, uncorroborated smears, and malicious innuendo. There is no need to rehash the mistreatment—some of it irrevocably damaging—of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. What’s important to remember is that this will now be the new norm of nomination battles. It…

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‘Don’t Screw Us Over,’ Ohio Workers Warn Candidates

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by Ramon Taylor   Brandy Corwin likes that she can now wear makeup and nice clothes to work. That is because she is no longer working on the assembly line at the General Motors plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. “I was laid off multiple times, and having a family, you can’t rely on that,” she said. For the past five months, Corwin, 28, has been working at Credit Adjustments, Inc. (CAI), a debt collection agency headquartered in her hometown of Defiance, Ohio, an hour outside the city of Toledo. Corwin was a third-generation manufacturing worker and thought the assembly line was her fate. But now, she no longer has to work overtime and weekends to make ends meet. “I finally have a good work-to-home life balance,” she said, “and I didn’t have that before.” Her two children “love seeing me come home dressed up,” Corwin said. “My son, he compliments me all the time: Wow, Mommy, your hair looks really nice,’ or ‘Wow, Mom, I love your dress,’ because I’m not walking home in dirty jeans and steel-toe boots.” CAI opened its first area call center in downtown Toledo last January, providing 60 new job opportunities, with the goal of adding…

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Analysis: Kavanaugh Fight Sharpens the Stakes for Midterms

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The bitter battle over Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court has exacerbated the nation’s political divide and left many Americans emotionally raw. It’s also given new definition to the high stakes of November’s election. Until now, the fight for control of Congress has largely been viewed as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s first two years in office. But the turmoil surrounding Kavanaugh has transformed the midterms into something bigger than Trump, with implications that could endure long after his presidency. The election is suddenly layered with charged cultural questions about the scarcity of women in political power, the handling of sexual assault allegations, and shifting power dynamics that have left some white men uneasy about their place in American life. Both parties contend the new contours of the race will energize their supporters in the election’s final stretch. Both may be right. Republicans, however, may benefit most in the short term. Until now, party leaders, Trump included, have struggled to rev up GOP voters, even with a strong economy to campaign on. The president’s middling job approval rating and independent voters’ disdain for his constant personal attacks have been a drag on GOP candidates, particularly in the more…

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Letter to the Editor: The Way to Lower Healthcare Costs Is to Support and Elect Candidates Who Will Apply Free Market Principles

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doc nurse senior patient

Dear Tennessee Star, During the U.S. Senate debate I was glad to see Congressman Marsha Blackburn speak out against single payer healthcare. Being in the healthcare industry professionally since 1980 and now as a health consultant focused on health care legislation and helping companies and individuals navigate health care costs, pricing and affordability and keeping legislators informed from the provider perspective of the hindrances to care as a result of government intrusion – I know that single payer health care has disastrous implications. Obamacare has taken us in the wrong direction since 2010 – limiting access to plans, skyrocketing double digit cost increases each year, a diminishing individual marketplace, disappearing insurance plans and greatly reducing provider choice – it has been in direct contradiction to the two promises given to the American Healthcare consumer – If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor, and it will reduce the costs to consumers. It is unfortunate that many mainstream Democrats are taking a bad idea and setting the stage to make matters much worse. Now many Democrats support Senator Bernie Sanders’ proposal to nationalize our health care system via single payer – also known as “Medicare for All.” In reality,…

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Commentary: Republicans Must Nationalize The Election On Kavanaugh Confirmation

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by CHQ Staff   Prior to the middle of September, the Republican establishment was struggling to find a message that would motivate the Trump coalition to turn out for the November midterm election. However, the Democrats have now handed the GOP a national issue that has quickly proven it will motivate voters to shift to Republican Senate candidates: the confirmation of the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. In the key Senate match-up between incumbent Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp and challenger Republican congressman Kevin Cramer, Heitkamp is down 10 points in the latest NBC North Dakota News – Strategic Research Associates (SRA) poll. According to the poll, Cramer leads Heitkamp 51 percent to 41 percent. Eight percent have yet to make up their mind. According to NBC North Dakota News, sixty percent of voters in North Dakota support Kavanaugh with 27 percent expressing opposition. The poll was conducted during the recent disclosure that Kavanaugh may have engaged in sexual misconduct while in high school and college, but before the Sept. 27 testimony by Kavanaugh and one of his accusers before the Senate Judiciary Committee. According to the poll, an overwhelmingly 21 percent of North Dakota voters say…

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Commentary: Republicans Learning the Hard Way a Great Economy Ain’t Enough Anymore

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by Jeffery Rendall   In the 2016 presidential election’s stretch run Hillary Clinton famously asked during an interview, “Why aren’t I 50 points ahead?” American voters knew the answer and shared it with the former first lady and legacy Democrat presidential candidate on Election Day. Clinton did end up a couple points ahead (in terms of popular vote) but was way behind where it counted — in the Electoral College. By posing the ridiculous query Hillary exposed the severe case of denial she and all Democrats brought with them into the voting booth on November 8 of that year. The minority party’s collective fit continues to this day, most recently displayed by the Democrats’ heinous treatment of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process. Party members must go to sleep at night wondering, “What Happened?”, but until Democrats actually face reality their disorder will endure. For his part now-President Donald Trump appears baffled by a similar dilemma, the mystery of why Republicans aren’t way ahead in the polls despite extremely favorable objective factors. All the economic indicators are shooting through the proverbial roof these days, yet Republicans still lag behind where it counts – voter preference surveys. Trump proudly touted…

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Dave Brat’s Democratic Challenger Apologizes After Threatening Message Left On His Doorstep

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by Evie Fordham   Virginia Republican Rep. Dave Brat’s Democratic challenger apologized Monday after her canvassers reportedly wrote “Rot in hell Dave” on a Spanberger flier and left it on Brat’s door this past weekend. Four high school students who were volunteer canvassers for Democrat Abigail Spanberger were responsible, her campaign said according to NBC12. “This type of behavior is completely unacceptable and beneath the dignity of this race, and we have already notified these students that they are not welcome to volunteer with our campaign again,” Spanberger’s campaign said in a statement according to NBC12. “We apologize to Mr. Brat and his family. As someone whose personal, confidential information has already been compromised in the course of this campaign, Abigail believes that politics should never threaten the safety and security of any candidate, their family, or their staff.” Brat’s children found the flier on the doorstep and his campaign referred the matter to local law enforcement, according to the campaign. Police confirmed Spanberger’s campaign’s assertion that “juveniles were involved in the incident,” reported NBC12. Spanberger’s “personal, confidential information” was the center of controversy when the pro-Republican Super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund obtained her “unredacted government background files.” The information was obtained…

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Jeff Webb on The Tennessee Star Report: Bredesen’s Claim He Won’t Vote for Schumer as Leader of Democrats in Senate ‘Almost a Laughable Political Stunt”

Julie Carr

On Wednesdays’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy chatted with Varsity Brands President and CEO Jeff Webb about the current Senate race in Tennessee and what it means for the recent tax cuts and regulation rollback.  They went on to discuss how, if Phil Bredesen was elected that would effect Tennessee and the country at large. During the interview, Webb said that Bredesen’s claim that, if elected to the U.S. Senate, he won’t vote for Sen. Chuck Schumer as the leader of the Democrats in the Senate is “almost a laughable political stunt.” Steve Gill: Jeff good to have you with us. Jeff Webb: Thanks Steve good to talk to you. Michael Patrick Leahy: Good morning Jeff, Mike Leahy here. Gill: In honor of Varsity Brands I told Michael earlier that’s why I’m wearing the cheerleader outfit, the UT cheerleader outfit. Just in honor of you. Leahy: Orange and white pom poms it’s a site that can’t be unseen. (Laughter) Leahy: So, Jeff we talked to you last night,…

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Commentary: Republicans Must Hang Together Now or They’ll Hang Separately in November

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Brett Kavanaugh, Mike Pence

“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1776. As perhaps America’s quirkiest and most practical Founding Father Ben Franklin is remembered for many sayings, but this quote could be his most famous. Franklin spoke the words just prior to signing the Declaration of Independence, knowing full well the dangers of waging war against the Mother Country – the only options for he and his fellow patriots were win or die. On paper the colonies’ ragtag army and flotilla of privateers was little match for the time-tested land and sea forces of the world’s premier empire, Great Britain, but the men who signed the Declaration hedged their bets and sacrificed everything nonetheless. Today the political situation isn’t nearly as dire and grave as it was all those years ago. Elected officials serving in the nation’s capital won’t be tried for sedition or sent to the gallows unless they do something truly egregious (and even then, who’d convict them in today’s divided political environment?). The circus surrounding Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation is certainly heinous but doesn’t quite rise to the level of high treason (but should it?). Still, there’s something to be garnered…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Governor Bill Haslam Retains Relatively High Approval Rating

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Bill Haslam

As Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam moves closer to full lame-duck status when his successor is elected on November 6 it appears he will leave office with a relatively high approval rating from Tennessee voters. A Tennessee Star survey of likely November general election voter conducted in early September shows the Governor with a “favorable” approval rating from 47.8%; “unfavorable” from 27.1%, “ and “not sure or don’t know” at 25.1%. Haslam’s approval figure is 4 points lower than the approval rating for President Donald Trump in the same poll. However, the disapproval number for Haslam is 15 points lower than the response of those surveyed regarding President Trump. Trump and Senator Lamar Alexander received virtually identical disapproval responses in the survey, 42.4% and 40.8% respectively. Haslam and Alexander both recorded high levels of “not sure/don’t know” responses regarding the voters’ opinions of the two men, 27.4% and 25.1% respectively. Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill points out that the Trump and Alexander disapproval ratings reflect the bitter partisan divide in the country and state. “Those who support Trump really support him and those who don’t really don’t,” Gill says. “Despite Alexander’s long term appeal across the political aisle, his support…

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Keith Ellison Accuser, Karen Monahan, Says Democratic Party Doesn’t Believe Her

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by Hanna Bogorowski   Karen Monahan, the woman accusing Minnesota Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of domestic abuse, responded to a Twitter user on Monday who asked if Democrats believe Monahan’s allegations, saying they don’t, and that she’s been threatened and isolated from her own party. The user was following up on a tweet about Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Peter Daou, a Democratic strategist and former advisor to Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, tweeted on Monday that Ford will be “attacked, smeared, and demonized” and that people must “BELIEVE WOMEN.” Make no mistake: #ChristineBlaseyFord will be attacked, smeared, and demonized. She will sustain more venom and vilification than #Kavanaugh. That's how this works. BELIEVE WOMEN. https://t.co/5NJ7nBOs4k — Peter Daou (@peterdaou) September 17, 2018 A Twitter user named Rose responded to Daou’s tweet, saying, “Democrats say believe women, do they believe you….” in reference to Monahan, who claims Ellison violently dragged her off a bed and yelled “Bitch, get the f*** out of my house” in a heated argument the couple allegedly had in 2016. “No, they [Democrats] don’t,” Monahan responded back. “I’ve been smeared, threatened, isolated from my own party.” No, they don't. I've been smeared, threatened, isolated from my own…

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Georgia Democrat Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams Refuses To Reveal Source Of Million-Dollar Donations

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Stacey Abrams

by Jason Hopkins   Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee in Georgia’s gubernatorial election, is refusing to disclose the origin of millions of dollars donated to two foundations that helped propel her political career. Former Georgia House of Representatives Minority Leader Stacey Abrams is remaining mum on who funded two tax exempt non-profit organizations. Voter Access Institute and Third Sector Development, both created and led by the Democrat, received a total of $12.5 million in donations from 2013 to 2016. The purpose of Voter Access Institute was to locate “low-propensity” voters and persuade them to go to the polls. Third Sector Development organized a voter-registration initiative that targeted people of color. The two foundations paid Abrams nearly half a million dollars over the course of three years and introduced the former state representative to a national fundraising network. However, the gubernatorial nominee has refused to publish the names of donors involved in her non-profit work. In response to media inquiry, the campaign wouldn’t explain the reasoning behind withholding the names, but instead took a swipe at Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, her Republican opponent in the election. “I’m proud of New Georgia Project’s efforts to register, advocate for, and mobilize…

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FLASHBACK: Keith Ellison Once Proposed Making a Separate Country for Blacks

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Keith Ellison

by Justin Caruso   Some newly discovered columns shed light on the shocking views expressed by one of the Democrat’s favorite politicians. According to columns written several years ago in the Minnesota Daily, obtained exclusively by The Daily Caller News Foundation, Ellison was once a proponent of a blacks-only nation carved out of America and cash reparations paid from whites to blacks. Ellison also called the U.S. Constitution the “best evidence of a white racist conspiracy to subjugate other peoples.” Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, now in the running to be DNC Chair, has attracted the support of Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Harry Reid. Many think that Ellison, an African-American Muslim, would make a powerful statement leading the DNC. Ellison’s past has gained attention from the media, with Ellison being accused of anti-Semitism and ties to the Nation of Islam. Back in 2006, when Ellison was first entering national politics, Scott W. Johnson wrote in the Weekly Standard: “Ellison was born Catholic in Detroit. He states that he converted to Islam as an undergraduate at Wayne State University. As a third-year student at the University of Minnesota Law School in 1989-90, he wrote two columns for the Minnesota Daily under the name “Keith Hakim.” In the first, Ellison refers to ‘Minister…

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Trump-Endorsed Eddie Edwards Wins Crowded Primary for New Hampshire’s Toss-Up Congressional District

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Eddie Edwards

A former police chief backed by the Trump administration won the Republican nomination Tuesday in New Hampshire’s toss-up congressional district, while Democrats picked experienced, establishment-backed nominees for both that seat and for governor. Eddie Edwards, who was endorsed by Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, defeated six Republican opponents in the 1st Congressional District, which covers the eastern half of the state. A Navy veteran who also served as enforcement chief for the state liquor commission, Edwards is the second African-American to be nominated to a U.S. House seat in New Hampshire. The district was once reliably Republican but has flipped in each of the past four cycles. In 2016, it returned Democrat Carol Shea-Porter to Congress but backed President Donald Trump. Shea-Porter’s decision to step down after four nonconsecutive terms resulted in a swarm of candidates seeking to replace her, including Levi Sanders, son of Vermont senator and former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. He came up far short Tuesday in an 11-way race won by restaurateur Chris Pappas, who would be New Hampshire’s first openly gay member of Congress. Former Obama administration official Maura Sullivan raised more money than the 10 other candidates combined, but she faced criticism for being both…

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Wisconsin GOP Senate Hopes Rely on Underdog Leah Vukmir

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Leah Vukmir, Tammy Baldwin

Leah Vukmir is used to being the underdog. Few gave the Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Wisconsin much of a chance of defeating her better-funded primary challenger last month, but she prevailed thanks largely to support from the party establishment. Now Vukmir faces another opponent with deeper pockets – Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin – in one of the most expensive Senate races in the country. The contest could determine control of the Senate and will be closely watched as an indicator of whether Wisconsin might return to its traditional status as a Democratic state during the 2020 presidential election. Vukmir is taking a big risk by tying herself to President Donald Trump, who won Wisconsin by less than 23,000 votes in 2016, and Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who faces a tough re-election contest in November. “I don’t think any of that intimidates her,” said former Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, Vukmir’s mentor when she was first elected to the Assembly in 2002. “She is the underdog, but she likes that position.” Vukmir, 60, is the daughter of Greek immigrants, a lifelong resident of the Milwaukee area and a registered nurse. Until the Senate campaign, she worked as a nursing instructor.…

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Ron DeSantis Resigns From Congress To Focus On Gubernatorial Bid

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by Molly Prince   Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis of Florida announced his resignation from Congress on Monday to focus on his Florida gubernatorial race. “As the Republican nominee for Governor of Florida, it is clear to me that I will likely miss the vast majority of our remaining session days for this Congress,” DeSantis wrote in his resignation letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. “Under these circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to accept a salary. In order to honor my principles and protect the taxpayer, I officially resign from the House of Representatives effective immediately.” DeSantis also requested that his resignation be retroactive so that he would not receive pay for the month of September. “It has been an honor to serve the people of Florida’s Sixth Congressional District,” tweeted DeSantis. It has been an honor to serve the people of Florida's Sixth Congressional District. pic.twitter.com/j0SgILImyP — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 10, 2018 The Florida gubernatorial race has been contentious since DeSantis faced backlash mere hours after winning his state’s Republican nomination following a comment that was misconstrued to seemingly refer to the race of his opponent, Andrew Gillum. Despite vehemently denouncing racism, the media has continued to portray DeSantis as a racist. DeSantis…

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Commentary: Will the Democrats’ Sad Shaming of Kavanaugh Ignite a Fury in the GOP Grassroots?

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by Jeffery Rendall   With the confirmation hearings for Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh now concluded talk slowly returns to the hot topic of the hour, the 2018 midterm elections. But first let’s digest the big glob of goopy phlegm America was forced to swallow last week, served up by shameless Democrats on a mission. In the course of shredding a good man’s reputation the ravenous pack of minority party wolves revealed they weren’t the least bit interested in learning about Kavanaugh’s judicial philosophies, logical reasoning, legal opinions or thought processes. Democrats spared nothing in savaging the Supreme Court as an institution while verbally disrobing and flogging the nominee before a horrified audience – which included his wife and young daughters. It was a sickening spectacle worthy of bad cinema fiction. If Hollywood produced a film with actors impersonating senators doing the dirty work it wouldn’t have been any more insulting and melodramatic for Kavanaugh himself. One wonders what motivates a respectable person like the judge (or Neil Gorsuch last year) to agree to a guaranteed scourging at the hands of swine in business dress who see it as their sole mission to create histrionics and assault a man’s character. The…

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All Eyes On Red State Dems As Kavanaugh Emerges From Hearings Intact

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Brett Kavanaugh

by Kevin Daley   Attention is fixed on a handful of moderate senators expected to cast the decisive votes on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, after Kavanaugh emerged relatively unscathed from several days of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats tried to infuse the hearings with defiant gestures and dramatic reveals — like a 2003 email purporting to show Kavanaugh misled the committee about his views on Roe v. Wade — but their tactics gained little traction with key lawmakers, while the judge put in a disciplined performance throughout. “Over the past three days, Judge Kavanaugh demonstrated exactly why President Trump nominated him to the Supreme Court,” said White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah. “His fidelity to the Constitution, impeccable qualifications, and extraordinary temperament were on full display for the American people to see. Through long hours and days of questioning, Judge Kavanaugh consistently reinforced his firm belief in the bedrock principles of judicial independence and the rule of law.” For his part, Kavanaugh avoided serious blunders, meeting pointed questions about abortion, race, guns, and executive power with narrow, carefully planned answers, showing good command of legal doctrine but little about his actual views. Supreme Court nominees have generally avoided…

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Daily Caller’s Stephanie Hamill Accuses Democrats Of Ignoring Allegations Against Keith Ellison

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Stephanie Hamill, Keith Ellison

by Nick Givas   The Daily Caller’s video columnist Stephanie Hamill accused the Democratic party of purposely ignoring abuse allegations against House Democrat Keith Ellison, on “Fox & Friends First” Saturday. “You would think that the #MeToo movement people, the women’s march, the Democrat leadership, you think they would be speaking out about this,” Hamill said. Daily Caller’s Stephanie Hamill Accuses Democrats Of Ignoring Allegations Against Keith Ellison https://t.co/5BiVv6u7i1 pic.twitter.com/8yPNv2U2Qx — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 1, 2018 “You would think that this would be enough to generate the protests across the country where people are storming the streets in their pink clothing and their silly hats. But, for some reason it seems like when the people that are being accused that happen to be Democrats, then it is — there are victims that aren’t really believed in this case.” Hamill said the DNC has been investigating the allegations for weeks, but continue to stonewall the press to protect the party’s brand. “The DNC has been investigating this for a couple weeks now, but they’re not giving out any information,” she continued. “The Daily Caller has reached out multiple times through email, through phone calls and pretty much the DNC is stonewalling.” Hamill…

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Is the ‘Blue Wave’ Washing Away the Left’s Chances?

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Andrew Gillum

By Printus LeBlanc   The mainstream media and political left appear to be right about the “Blue Wave.” Since the election of President Trump, the left has become energized like never before, but after a slew of primary elections across the country, it is clear the blue wave crashed early. The results of primaries this year should scare the Democrat Party because the candidates being put forth by their base are to the left of Stalin. It is now more likely the extreme positions of the new candidates will turn the moderates towards the GOP, or they will simply stay home. Most of the new candidates are preaching messages that destroyed Venezuela and fundamentally most Americans disagree with on a basic level. Florida is one of the most pro-Second Amendment states in the nation, and the new Democrat candidate for Governor, Andrew Gillum, is challenging that. While mayor of Tallahassee, Gillum used the power of government to restrict basic constitutional rights of its citizens. Not surprisingly, his efforts have made the city the most dangerous in Florida. Gillum also has an abominable economic platform. The U.S. is in the middle of an economic surge, thanks to tax cuts and deregulation, and Gillum…

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Commentary: It’s Up To Conservatives To Nationalize The 2018 Midterm Election

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by Richard Viguerie   For many years I’ve been telling the GOP establishment that Republicans never win a big election unless they nationalize the election – that means drawing a clear contrast with the Democrats and giving the voters “a tune they can whistle” on big conservative themes. The Republican Establishment has studiously ignored that advice and the defeats of Jerry Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney, as well as the 1998 and 2006 congressional elections are proof that running a content-free campaign and refusing to nationalize the election is a losing strategy for Republicans, especially in a midterm election year like 2018. According to Rasmussen Reports daily tracking poll, Democrats continue to lead Republicans on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot, but after two weeks of a tightening race, Democrats have expanded their lead. Rasmussen’s latest telephone and online survey found that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters would choose the Democratic candidate if the elections for Congress were held today. Forty-one percent (41%) would opt for the Republican. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) are undecided. As I see it, 2018 will likely be another Republican wipeout, like 2006, unless…

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Trump, Trump Campaign Weigh In Late for Foster Friess in Today’s Wyoming GOP Primary for Governor

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Foster Freiss, Donald Trump

As Wyoming voters head to the polls today a late endorsement from the Donald J. Trump for President campaign for mega-donor Foster Friess in the GOP Gubernatorial Primary could tip the scales.  The campaign endorsement follows President Trump’s endorsement tweet of Foster Friess earlier in the day.  Over 32,000 votes have been cast during early voting in the statewide primary races. To the incredible people of the Great State of Wyoming: Go VOTE TODAY for Foster Friess – He will be a fantastic Governor! Strong on Crime, Borders & 2nd Amendment. Loves our Military & our Vets. He has my complete and total Endorsement! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2018 “Throughout his career as a successful businessman, Foster Friess has always stood up for the forgotten American,” said Lara Trump, Senior Advisor to the Donald J. Trump for President campaign. “As President Trump said in his endorsement tweet today, Foster is ‘strong on Crime, Borders & 2nd Amendment’ and ‘loves our Military & our Vets.’ As Governor, Foster will support local businesses, open state taxes for complete transparency, and defend the Second Amendment. We’re pleased to support Foster for Governor and encourage all Wyomingites to get out and…

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RNC Breaks Yet Another Fundraising Record In July

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Rhonna McDaniel

by Hanna Bogorowski   The Republican National Committee (RNC) raised a record-breaking $14.2 million in July, the most the organization has ever raised for that month in a non-presidential year, bringing its cycle total to $227.2 million. The RNC reports having $41.9 million cash on-hand and zero dollars in debt. “We’ve used our unprecedented grassroots support to build the biggest field program we’ve ever had to defend our House and Senate majorities,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a press release to CBS News. “History might be against us, but we’re making sure every voter knows we’re the party of results. All the Democrats have is resistance,” she added. Not only is the fundraising haul substantial in itself, but the press release also notes it raised record-breaking funds despite transferring $4 million to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and another $4 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in July for GOP candidates. July’s fundraising numbers are more than the RNC raised in the month of July in 2010 and 2014 combined. According to its last filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) at the end of June, the RNC also had a 5-to-1 cash on-hand advantage compared to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Accounting for…

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Left Wing Florida Dem. Representative Alcee Hastings Jokes That a ‘Catastrophe’ Is Anyone Saving President Trump from Drowning

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Alcee Hastings

Apprearing at a “Stronger Together” rally as emcee Sunday in the south Florida town of Sunshine, Democratic firebrand Representative Alcee Hastings (D-FL-20) made a joke at the expense of President Donald Trump that, while delighting the crowd assembled, caused some political watchers to take notice. In video posted on YouTube, viewers see Hastings on stage, standing behind a podium. “But I will tell you one joke that I heard from Ari Silver, whose father is former state legislator and is a rabbi, Barry Silver,” Hastings began. He continued: But Ari asked the audience the other night in Palm Beach County – he said, ‘Do you know the difference between a crisis and a catastrophe?’ And no one held up their hand so Ari answered for us. He said, ‘A crisis is if Donald Trump falls into the Patomac River and can’t swim.’ And he said, ‘A catastrophe is anybody saves his ass.’ The audience approved with an overwhelming and sustained applause with laughter. Watch the video: Anthony Man, the South Florida Sun Sentinel political writer, took note of the Hastings’ quip: .@AlceeHastingsFL warms up Democratic rally in Sunrise with a joke about the difference between a crisis and a catastrophe.Crisis:…

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Turnout in Minnesota, Wisconsin Primary Elections at a Twenty-Year High

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voters polling place

Reuters   Voter engagement in the 2018 U.S. midterm races remains feverish, primaries in notable swing states Wisconsin and Minnesota showed on Tuesday. Both states showed sharp increases in participation as voters picked candidates for Congress, Senate and governor, with Minnesota’s turnout surpassing a two-decade high and Wisconsin’s hitting levels not reached for a state primary since at least 2002. Democrats are hoping to replicate successes seen around the nation throughout the past 18 months in local and state special elections, where high levels of enthusiasm have propelled them to victories in races from Alabama’s Senate seat in December to a southwest Pennsylvania congressional district in March. The party is desperately seeking to flip control of Congress and capture more statehouses across the nation, as Republicans have control of both houses of Congress and the majority of state legislatures. In Minnesota, more than 900,000 voters turned out in a state known for high levels of voter engagement, according to unofficial state figures on Wednesday. That equals a turnout rate of roughly 22 percent, according to Minnesota’s secretary of state. It was also the highest for state primary nominating contests since 1994, not including presidential primaries, according to state data. More…

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Reports of Election Site Hacking Rankle Florida Officials

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voting machine

Child’s play or a signs of a serious security problem in one of the nation’s swing states? That’s the question confronting Florida election officials who are pushing back against reports that an 11-year-old hacked a replica of the state’s election website. Multiple media outlets over the weekend reported that children at a hacking conference in Las Vegas were able to easily hack into a version of the website that reports election results to the public. An 11-year-old boy got into Florida’s site within 10 minutes, while an 11-year-old girl did it in 15 minutes, according to the organizers of the event called DEFCON Voting Machine Hacking Village. State officials contend there’s no way that the replica used by hackers is an actual representation of the state’s website. “This was a mock site with likely very few, if any, security measures in place,” said Sarah Revell, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “It is not a real-life scenario and it offers a wholly inaccurate representation of the security of Florida’s elections websites, online databases and voting systems that does not take into account the state-of-the-art security measures the Florida Department of State has in place to prevent any possible…

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Commentary: Media and Republican Establishment Nay-Sayers Frantic to Spin Ohio Primary Victory into Defeat for Trump’s GOP

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Donald Trump

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   It should come as no surprise to conservatives that the media took last week’s mostly positive Republican election results and spun them as though they were lopsided losses for President Donald Trump and his party – and that they represented a giant leap forward for the notion of a “blue wave” forming ahead of November’s midterm elections. The Republican win in the Ohio special election was particularly singled out by political talkers as constituting yet another “warning sign” for the GOP. Republican Troy Balderson’s narrow one-point victory in the Buckeye State’s 12th District meant the GOP held onto what was effectively an open seat – something GOP faithful should be proud of accomplishing rather than taking it as an apprehensive sign that the party ship is listing badly and is about to sink as the opening act on its inevitable journey to the depths. Still, many are concerned. They wanted to win by more, apparently, which is only natural since Balderson’s district is a traditional GOP stronghold that’s gone Republican for decades. President Trump was having none of the negativity, however, boldly claiming his assistance helped carry Balderson (and the others) over-the-top. Seth McLaughlin reported in the Washington Times last…

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Liberal Women’s Group: Ellison Must Resign, Drop Out Of AG Race Following Domestic Abuse Allegations

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Keith Ellison

by Peter Hasson   A liberal-leaning women’s group is calling on Democratic Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison to resign from Congress and end his attorney general campaign following allegations that he physically abused his ex-girlfriend. “We believe women. We believe Karen Monahan,” UltraViolet executive director Shaunna Thomas said in a statement Monday. “A domestic abuser does not belong in any position of power but particularly not as the top prosecutor in the State.” “Keith Ellison should withdraw his candidacy for Minnesota’s Attorney General and resign from the House of Representatives.” Ellison, the deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, denied he physically abused Monahan, an activist for liberal environmental organization, Sierra Club. Karen Francis Monahan especially loved "Little Red Corvette" at the Revolution Reunion @FirstAvenue . pic.twitter.com/zbSgWDogUZ — Keith Ellison (@keithellison) September 3, 2016 Monahan’s son, Austin, on Saturday first accused Ellison of beating his mother in a viral Facebook post. Austin claimed to have uncovered a video on his mom’s laptop that showed Ellison dragging her off a bed and screaming expletives at her. “Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being,” Ellison declared in a statement Sunday. “This video does not exist because I never behaved…

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Minnesota Activist’s Son Accuses DNC Co-Chair Rep. Keith Ellison Of Physically Assaulting His Mom

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Keith Ellison

by Chris White   A person claiming to be the son of a prominent Minnesota-based environmental activist is accusing Rep. Keith Ellison of physically assaulting his mother while the two were in a relationship. Ellison physically assaulted and psychologically abused Sierra Club activist Karen Monahan while the two were in a relationship, according to Austin Aslim Monahan, who claims to be Karen’s son. Austin Monahan also claims his mother convinced him not to make the incidents public because it would not be in her best interests. “My brother and I watched our mom come out of pure hell after getting out of her relationship with Keith Ellison,” Austin wrote in a Facebook post Saturday before detailing the nature of the abuse. His post comes as Ellison runs attorney general in Minnesota. “I was using my moms computer trying to download something and I clicked on a file, I found over 100 text and twitters messages and video almost 2 min long that showed Keith Ellison dragging my mama off the bed by her feet, screaming and calling her a ‘fucking bitch’ and telling her to get the fuck out of his house,” he wrote. Austin added: “We were ready to go public but…

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A Big-Time Tennessee U.S. Senate Race is Looming … in 2020!

Steve Gill
United States Capitol

As voters in Tennessee turn their attention from the just ended primary campaigns, complete with brutal attack ads, negative mailers, hateful radio spots and dinner-interrupting robocalls, get ready for a lot more of the same in the not-so-distant future. No, that doesn’t refer to the November 6, 2018 general election, though it will be a slugfest. I’m  talking 2020! And that election battle started TONIGHT! Tennessee’s Republican Senator Lamar Alexander is up for re-election in 2020, the same year President Donald Trump is almost certainly going to be on the ballot seeking reelection in the March SuperTuesday Primary and the November general election. A recent Tennessee Star statewide poll (June, 2018) of likely GOP primary voters showed Alexander with a dangerously low mix of approval and disapproval numbers. Only 37.3 percent had a favorable view towards Alexander, while 38.1 percent viewed him unfavorably. Alexander was reelected in 2014, receiving less than 50% of the vote in the Republican primary. Alexander lost a dozen counties to Joe Carr in that primary contest, including most of the suburban counties around Nashville, plus Sevier and Blount County in East Tennessee. At this point, Alexander (who will be 80 years old in 2020) is…

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Latino Groups Go To War With Facebook For Requiring ID To Buy Political Ads

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Florida Immigration Coalition

by Peter Hasson and Joe Simonson   Facebook’s recent policy changes requiring proof of identity to purchase political ads is unfair to Latino immigrants, several progressive groups claimed Thursday. Facebook began requiring users to submit a government-issued ID and mailing address before purchasing any political ads in April as part of the company’s efforts to combat foreign meddling in American politics. A coalition of progressive political groups asked Facebook in May to reverse the ID requirement but claim the company has been unresponsive. The activists said Thursday they will “step up efforts to continue shaming Facebook until the policy is amended” in a press release. “Facebook’s one-size-fits-all policy for so-called ‘political advertising’ has effectively shut millions of voices out of the democratic process and public discourse on the most populous and influential social media platform,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, in the release. “The social media giant must face the fact immigrants and other communities are not the enemy.” “Facebook already has a horrible reputation of compromising its users’ sensitive information, and its new ad policies would force users to give up even more personal information — blocking many Latinx people from fully engaging in the democratic process via…

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Letter to the Editor: Corinthia Elder Gets Her Facts Straight

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Corinthia Elder

Dear Tennessee Star, In Dennis Pearson’s June 18 letter to the editor in The Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville), he claims to be a “Ronald Reagan Republican.” It seems he has forgotten one of President Reagan’s most famous quotes.  To Reagan supporters, it is known as “the 11th Commandment.”  It simply says, “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” In his 1990 autobiography “An American Life,” Reagan said he followed this rule since 1968 during his first run for California governor.  He said it served him well throughout his often tumultuous political life. Corinthia Elder is the Republican nominee to be Montgomery County’s next trustee by virtue of winning the May 1 primary.  However, she’s getting support from independents and Democrats across the county because voters know and trust her. They know the “content of her character.” Pearson’s comments were wrapped up in his endorsement of “independent” candidate, Kimberly Wiggins.  She’s only an “independent” because she was not eligible to run as a Republican since she has never voted in a GOP primary during her 10 years here.  If one looks at her voting record, it shows she’s voted in three Democratic primaries. Interesting, that she chooses to run as…

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Mark Skoda Commentary: Diane Black for Governor

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Mark Skoda

Over the years, I have observed Diane Black support pro-life issues, our 2nd Amendment gun rights and more recently, President Trump.  Her conservative bona fides are clear reasons for this endorsement.  Her experience and tenacity in the face of vocal opposition are what we need in Tennessee’s next gubernatorial term.   During her tenure as a Congressman, I have watched as Diane worked to ensure that conservative ideas were given voice. Her pro-life support and her stance on the importance of the family as the fundamental building block of society are well known.  She submitted her first bill as a Congressman to overturn funding to Planned Parenthood and has continued that effort fighting for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act. When it comes to healthcare, Diane, a nurse, is well versed in legislative issues related to healthcare and its impact on people.  She also recognizes the importance to Tennessee both as a function of quality of life for Tennesseans generally and the business environment in particular.  She has been a steadfast opponent of Obamacare and worked to eliminate certain elements of that law that saved taxpayers over $13 billion dollars. More recently, Congressman Black has served on the House Ways and Means…

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Florida GOP Governor Race: Ron DeSantis Ad Cuts Through the Clutter with Humor and Delivery

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Ron Desantis

Florida Republican Congressman and candidate for Governor Ron DeSantis is having a great week. Not only did President Donald Trump endorse him a few weeks ago, the President followed up with a rally in Tampa, Florida Tuesday night to promote both DeSantis and current Governor Rick Scott — who is challenging Democrat Bill Nelson for his Senate seat. Trump carried Florida in 2016, and DeSantis has surged to a 12-point lead over his GOP opponent Adam Putnam in the race to secure the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Adding to his momentum this week, DeSantis released a new television ad Monday featuring his wife Casey in what may be one of the best ads in the campaign season so far. https://youtu.be/2BYgM7yWgkY In the ad, Casey says: “Everyone knows my husband Ron DeSantis is endorsed by President Trump, but he’s also an amazing dad. Ron loves playing with the kids.” While Casey talks about her husband the Congressman is seen encouraging his daughter to “build the wall” out of blocks and to say Trump’s signature slogan “Make America Great Again.” It then shows DeSantis reading Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” to his son, who is also shown wearing a “Make America Great…

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Steve Gill Commentary: Anti-Trump, Liberal Extremist Tom Steyer Donated $5400 to So-Called ‘Moderate Democrat’ Phil Bredesen

Steve Gill
Tom Steyer, Phil Bredesen

Phil Bredesen is hoping to convince Tennessee voters, who overwhelming supported President Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, that he is not one of “those kind” of Democrats that are out of step with Tennessee values and issues. He has attempted to distance himself from his donations TO liberal Democrats like Elizabeth Warren and over $40,000 to Hillary Clinton.  But now he is also having to separate himself from the donations FROM “those kind” of Democrats. Despite Bredesen’s claim that he isn’t running ‘against President Trump” his supporters sure are. Tom Steyer, a California billionaire who has compared Trump to Hitler and called for his impeachment is a donor to Bredesen. Bredesen’s latest FEC reports shows Steyer donating $5400 to the campaign. Steyer has also pledged $30 million to help Democrats retake the House, which would put Nancy Pelosi back in the Speaker’s office.  Plus he has promised another $110 million to redefine Democrats.  It is clear he is not redefining Democrats in the mold of moderates willing to work WITH President Trump. His organization, Need to Impeach, makes that abundantly clear. He is a liberal extremist who is bankrolling the most vitriolic elements of the Democratic Party.  And he’s for Phil…

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Democrats Target Republican Mae Beavers with Facebook Attack Claiming She ‘Opposes Tax Cuts’

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Mae Beavers

A Democrat Party PAC is hitting conservative Republican candidate for Wilson County Mayor Mae Beavers with a Facebook ad that claims she “opposes tax cuts.” The Tennesseans for Common Sense PAC, with leadership that includes longtime liberal Democrat activist Carol Andrews, is also running radio ads, purchased at least one billboard and has done one county wide mailing so far. The PAC, in the supposedly non-partisan County Mayor’s race, clearly intends to help re-elect Democrat Randall Hutto.  Andrews herself is a candidate for the Democratic Party State Executive Committee in the August 2 Democrat Primary. The Democrat PAC is targeting Beavers for her vote in opposition to the Improve Act, which Hutto favored. The Improve Act raised fuel taxes and registration fees about $350 million a year at a time when  Tennessee enjoyed a $2 billion surplus. A narrow majority of Republicans in the House supported the tax increase, 37-35, but proponents relied on Democrat votes to get enough to pass it.  Beavers was one of only about 6 Republicans in the Senate to vote against the tax increase. Advocates of the plan have argued that the Improve Act cut taxes on the sales tax on food; but even when…

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Williamson County Early Voting Numbers Hit 20,000 as Early Voting Ends – Almost Double 2014 Turnout

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early voting

The early voting period for the August 2 Primary and Local General Elections ended Saturday with voter turnout continuing on a record pace across the state. The Tennessee Star will have more detailed analysis of the statewide and key county turnout figures next week once the Secretary of State posts the complete totals. However, a review of the final totals from the Williamson County Elections Administrator shows dramatic increases in voter participation from 2014 in both the Republican and Democratic Party primaries. In Williamson County, 20,884 total votes were cast during Early Voting, representing turnout of approximately 13.9% of total registered voters. In 2014, there were 11,757 total primary votes, a turnout of 8.6%. Of those votes, 14,861 were in the Republican primary. 5,953 were cast in the Democratic Primary. The Democratic primary total is a 400% increase over the primary votes cast in 2014. Nevertheless, GOP votes still exceeded Democrat votes by over a 2 to 1 margin. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill says the significant increase in early votes among both Democrats and Republicans indicates that the Fall election will be more hotly contested than races in recent years. “Assuming we see the early voting numbers double…

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Commentary: It’s On! Jim Jordan Announces For Speaker Of The U.S. House of Representatives

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Jim Jordan, Paul Ryan

by CHQ Staff   Back in May a virtual Who’s Who of conservative movement leaders, led by CHQ Chairman Richard A. Viguerie, came together to urge Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4), the former Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, to run for Speaker of the House. Yesterday, Rep. Jordan made it official; he’s running for Speaker of the House. And Mr. Viguerie is not the only conservative leader to believe Jim Jordan is the last best hope for Republicans to retain the House majority and fulfill the Trump agenda: Jenny Beth Martin, Chairman of the Tea Party Patriots, L. Brent Bozell III, former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese, Ken Cucinnelli of the Senate Conservatives Fund, Frank Gaffney, President, Center for Security Policy and Tim Wildmon, President, American Family Association were also among the more than 40 conservative leaders who signed on to the initial letter urging Jordan to run for Speaker. Our friend Daniel Horowitz of Conservative Review summed up the situation thusly: Amid all the griping about the House leadership, the biggest problem reformers have faced is the old adage, “You can’t beat somebody with nobody.” For years, nobody was willing to step forward and launch a serious and sustained…

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EXCLUSIVE: Marsha Blackburn Tells The Tennessee Star ‘Chuck Schumer Has Bought and Paid For Phil Bredesen’s Vote’

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Steve Gill, Marsha Blackburn

In an exclusive interview with Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill on Friday, U.S. Senate hopeful Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) hit her Democratic opponent square in the jaw, calling him out over one of his greatest vulnerablities. “Chuck Schumer has bought and paid for Phil Bredesen’s vote,” Blackburn told Gill. Senator Schumer (D-NY)- who is currently the Senate Minority Leader and is poised to become Senate Majority Leader should the Democrats’ “blue wave” come to the U.S. Senate in this November’s midterm elections – is said to have personally recruited Bredesen out of retirement to run when Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) opted not to run for a third term “When you look at the Senate race that you’re in the midst of, what we hear from Phil Bredesen is that he’s going to be a different kind of Democrat – but you don’t see different kinds of Democrats in the Senate. And when we look at what Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are saying – Chuck Schumer has recruited Phil Bredesen into this race – they want to raise taxes if they get back in control of the Senate and the House,” Gill noted. Blackburn made it clear Bredesen is…

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PAC Ad Supporting Harwell Says Legalized Marijuana Will ‘Create a State That Lets People Live in a Better State’

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Bruce Wolfe

A new ad from a PAC called TN State Victory touting gubernatorial candidate Beth Harwell’s support of medical marijuana has hit the airwaves. Sources tell The Tennessee Star the PAC is spending $87,000 to run the ad on broadcast and cable television stations around the state, beginning today and continuing until Wednesday, the day before the Thursday August 2 primary election. Accompanyed a dramatic piano musical score, the 30-second spot features Dr. Bruce Wolfe. He says: All my training tells me to do everything I can to help my patients. Suffering comes in all forms, and patients need options for relief. We need to legalizae medical marijuana so we can regulate its use and help cancer patients, people with siezure and anxiety disorders, and give patients in pain an alternative to avoid addictive opiates. The only candidate for governor that is for medical marijuana is Beth Harwell. Beth will help Tennesseeans create a state that lets people live in a better state. Watch the ad: According to polling, the Tennessee State House Speaker Beth Harwell is in a distant fourth place behind front-runners Bill Lee, Diane Black, and Randy Boyd. Last Friday, Harwell promised a ‘major announcement.’ Many political watchers…

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Vice President Mike Pence Endorses Diane Black for Governor

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Mike Pence, Diane Black

Vice President Mike Pence tweeted his strong endorsement for Diane Black for governor of Tennessee on Friday, as early voting is set to close in the August 2 Republican gubernatorial primary. He wrote, “@DianeBlackTN is running for Governor of TN & a strong supporter of #MAGA agenda of tax cuts, military $$ & a champion of right to life policies. There are great candidates running but Diane has been my friend for years, we served together in the House, & she has my support!” .@DianeBlackTN is running for Governor of TN & a strong supporter of #MAGA agenda of tax cuts, military $$ & a champion of right to life policies. There are great candidates running but Diane has been my friend for years, we served together in the House, & she has my support! — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) July 27, 2018 Black said in a statement, “I am honored that Vice President Pence would choose to support me in a state like Tennessee that overwhelmingly supported him and President Trump in 2016. Even before he became Vice President, Pence was an exceptional leader for the state of Indiana, leading with his faith and values. I am proud to call…

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Mark West Commentary: When Men are Unwilling to Lead – Tennessee’s Gubernatorial Race

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Mark West, Bill Lee

by Mark West   There is a story in the Old Testament (Judges 4), where we read about two leaders in Israel, Deborah and Barak. The people of Israel were facing a serious threat from an oppressive enemy, King Jabin and the Commander of his army, Sisera. God had told Deborah to instruct Barak, a leader of men in his own right, to march out against Sisera to defeat the infidel. When Deborah informed Barak of God’s charge to him, Barak’s answer was: “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” In that brief response, Barak revealed a lack of trust in God, a fear of men, and an unwillingness to go into enemy territory alone, without someone of greater courage and faith. Deborah’s response to Barak was: “Very well, I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture.” Like all stories in the Bible, there are typically modern day applications to our lives and even our nation. Rewind twelve months ago to July 2017. I was contacted by Bill Lee to sit down with him, one-on-one, to discuss his campaign…

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Can’t We All Just Get Along? Republican Candidates Sling Mud Before Election

Julie Carr
Randy Boyd, Diane Black, Beth Harwell, Bill Lee

On Monday’s edition on The Gill Report – broadcast on Knoxville’s 92.3 FM WETR – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the unscrupulous battle between Republican nominees for Governor elections August 2nd in Tennessee and the support that the winning candidate may or may not receive from members of their party once elected. Steve Gill observed, “The Republican primary for governor is getting brutal and bitter. You’re seeing attack ads flying back and forth. Beth Harwell’s attacking her opponents with one ad that features them as little children dressed up as you know, a working construction guy, she’s got Diane Black with a blonde wig and her glasses, and then Randy Boyd with his suit. But these are all young kids.” He continued: You’ve got Diane Black and Randy Boyd both viciously attacking each other and Bill Lee. And Bill Lee is kind of using the attack, “I’m the only nice guy vote for me!” The bottom line is there is a lot of vitriol and bitterness that has been built in, baked in to this primary process. And on August 2nd the votes will be counted. Someone, one of these four, will win the Republican primary for Governor. And…

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Norm Partin Commentary: Bill Lee for Governor

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Bill Lee

by Norm Partin   Are you the person that says to yourself, “If I were Governor, this is what I would do…”? Do you tend to vote AGAINST people instead of FOR someone? Are you constantly disappointed by politically influenced legislation on both national and state levels? Are you “that person”? I’m “that person” too, but for the first time in decades I am voting FOR someone. As I reach my twilight my focus is now on my grandchildren and their future, and as such I take my politics very seriously. Why am I supporting Bill Lee for Governor, you ask? There are several reasons that matter to me and should also matter to YOU: Crisis management In the last decade Tennessee has suffered tornadoes, forest fires, floods, and civil disobedience. A leader should not be judged on performance when all is well, a leader should be judged on his performance when the chips are down. I trust Bill to make decisions with sound logic, even when under tremendous pressure. Bill Lee has fought back and succeeded in the face of personal tragedy and business adversity. THAT takes a leader. Fiscal competence This is where elected officials have failed the…

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Letter to the Editor: We Need a Senator Who Will Be an Ally to President Trump

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Marsha Blackburn, President Donald Trump

Dear Tennessee Star,   Congressman Marsha Blackburn should be elected to the Senate in November so President Trump will have an ally in Washington. As I have been volunteering for Marsha this summer, I have acquired insight as to what it looks like to be a leader. I am not able to vote yet, since I am only 16 years old, but Marsha has inspired me to be involved in her efforts to fight for Tennessee values. What stuck out to me is the fact that Marsha is proudly pro-life and has fought tirelessly to defund Planned Parenthood and protect the innocent unborn lives. Also, she is working to bring tax relief, cut wasteful spending, fight for our veterans, and guard our right to keep and bear arms. Marsha should be elected because she supports President Trump’s actions in securing the border and protecting our communities from gangs like MS-13. Knowing that the President of the United States and a United States Senator agree harmoniously will tremendously expand what can be accomplished in dysfunctional Washington D.C. Having a conservative in the United States Senate will not only help to achieve national stability, but also will aid the common good. Congressman…

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