US Senator John McCain will miss a key vote on the Republican tax bill, further narrowing the already-thin margin of support for the controversial measure, US media reported Sunday. The legislation, which will slash corporate taxes as well as cutting those for individuals, has been criticized as primarily benefiting the wealthy.
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WASHINGTON — Key holdouts on the GOP tax bill fell in line Friday, boosting momentum as Republicans finished the final version of their tax overhaul before next week’s vote. Leaders won over Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who had been the lone GOP opponent in the Senate of the $1.5 trillion package earlier because he feared it…
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Democrat James Mackler announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing from the race to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), a move that clears the Democratic field for front-runner, 74-year-old former Gov. Phil Bredesen. Mackler also launched a political action committee called “Believe in Service” to “continue holding anti-service extremists like Marsha Blackburn accountable,” WATE reported. An Iraq War veteran, Mackler, launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination in April. After Bredesen’s entry into the race for the Democratic nomination last week the 44-year-old Mackler likely did not see a path to the nomination against the far better-known Bredesen, as his announcement indicated: This is a moment for unity and we cannot risk dividing those seeking change in Washington because there is no time to waste. While I am stepping back from this U.S. Senate race, I will continue holding anti-service extremists like Marsha Blackburn accountable through a political action committee called “Believe in Service.” Using the platform Tennesseans helped me build, “Believe in Service” will support federal candidates who will protect and expand our national service programs that provide so many opportunities for service here and abroad. It has been an honor to have been a candidate during this critical time in our democracy and I am humbled…
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Retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was at it again on Wednesday, as Mediaite reported: Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who thought Moore was unfit for the Senate even before the sexual assault allegations surfaced, told reporters that he was “proud” of Alabama: “I know we’re supposed to cheer for our side of the aisle, if you will,” Corker said, “but I’m really, really happy with what happened for all of us in our nation, for people serving in the Senate, to not have to deal with what we were likely going to have to deal with should the outcome have been the other way.” You can watch the video of Corker’s comments here. Corker’s latest comments are not likely to improve his standing with Tennessee Republicans. A recent poll published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press showed that the retiring senator is not very popular with Tennesseans overall, and that Democrats like Corker more than Republicans do: Approval ratings for the president are starkly divided by party lines with 81 percent of Republicans approving and 86 percent of Democrats disapproving. Support for Haslam is more mixed, with approval from 43 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans. Corker, R-Tenn., who…
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Just hours after announcing his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, claims of cover ups of sexual assault allegations have resurfaced against former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for the 2018 Senate seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). While two major national press organizations published major investigative stories that Bredesen has a “record of covering up sexual assault allegations,” the dominant local news media outlets in Tennessee, the newspapers that make up the USA Today-Tennessee group, apparently made no mention of it on Friday. Bredesen is facing withering criticism over his handling of sexual assault investigations that were conducted of top officials in his administration while he was Governor of Tennessee, according to a Washington Free Beacon article on Friday, “Top Dem in Tennessee Senate Race Has Record of Covering Up Sexual Assault Allegations: As governor, Phil Bredesen’s office covered up details of harassment allegations against top officials,” which reported: Tennessee Democrat Phil Bredesen, a top party recruit who announced his Senate campaign on Thursday morning, was criticized for hiding details of sexual assault investigations into his top officials during his tenure as the state’s governor. The campaign announcement by Bredesen, who was Tennessee’s governor from…
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Sen. Al Franken on Thursday announced he was quitting the austere upper chamber amid mounting accusations that he forcibly kissed or groped women, bowing to resignation calls from at least 32 of his fellow Senate Democrats. However, he said he was stepping down despite knowing he was not guilty of the behavior described by his accusers. He said it was the right thing to do for the people of Minnesota.
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Dismissing sexual abuse allegations as a “setup” in Barnwell, Alabama, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon on Tuesday cast the accusations against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore as a continuation of an Establishment conspiracy begun during the GOP primary. Bannon, who returned to his old job of running Breitbart News after leaving the White House, told a crowd of fired-up supporters that Moore prevailed against the Establishment’s hand-picked senator, Republican Luther Strange, despite getting outspent 16-1.
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Lift the Vote, a non-partisan project of Power of Liberty, Inc. (a 501 c 4 based in Tennessee), is encouraging Alabama Christian voters to pray, discern and cast their votes next Tuesday in the special U.S. Senate election that pits liberal Democrat Doug Jones against conservative Republican Roy Moore, the organization said in a statement released on Wednesday. “Christians in Alabama need to pray, discern and vote on Tuesday. Vote for what you value, vote for issues you support, like protecting the life of unborn babies, securing religious liberty, and insuring that conservative Justices like Neil Gorsuch can be appointed and confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Dana Hunsinger Gill, Co-founder and National Co-Chair of Lift the Vote, in the statement. “When Christians don’t vote, as happened in ‘08 and ‘12, we silence our own voices and allow other voices to dictate the future of our nation and for our children,” she added. The statement continued: Lift the Vote is airing thirty second radio spots on seven Alabama talk and Christian radio stations in Montgomery, Huntsville, Gadsden, Cullman, and Birmingham over the next week. “I’m a Christian, I’m voting!” stickers are also being distributed in the state. In 2016…
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by Natalia Castro The Senate has played a vital role in stalling the Trump agenda and preventing the swamp they swim in from being drained. One of the greatest struggles President Trump has faced in moving his plan forward has been an inability to fill vacant positions within the executive branch, with positions such as the NASA Administrator, Export-Import Bank President, and others still vacant. These individuals are qualified and ready to do their jobs, and if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell does not allow them to, he is committing a vital injustice against all Americans. The lack of movement on judicial nominees has been a frequent point of contention — so far, only 16 judges have been confirmed — positions within the executive office have also gone unfilled. Currently, the Senate has 94 pending nominations on the executive calendar, many which were added to the schedule as far back as June 2017. The Senate must break from its bubble and realize the direct effect the lack of action is having on the American people. In May, President Trump sent the nomination of Russell Vought to the Senate to serve as the Deputy Director for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).…
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President Donald Trump endorsed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore Monday morning after hesitation, due to the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the Republican candidate. Trump tweeted his endorsement for Moore with a number of reasons as to why he believes it is important Moore wins the election against Democratic candidate Doug Jones.
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by Richard A. Viguerie, ConservativeHQ.com Chairman Today, I’ve launched a campaign to inform Alabama Catholics that Moore’s Democrat opponent, Doug Jones, boldly holds the most extreme, abortion-on-demand views. Alabama Catholics need to understand in no uncertain terms that a vote for Doug Jones is a vote for abortion with no exceptions. Outspent 9-1 and rejected by establishment Washington Republicans, Alabama GOP U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore remains in a dead heat with his Democrat opponent, Doug Jones. It’s now or never to educate Alabama Catholic voters about Jones’s extremist left-wing views, including abortion, and it may be the key to Roy Moore’s victory. . . . . .and to saving President Trump’s almost unprecedented chance to rescue America from anti-religious federal judges. Despite what you might think about Alabama Republican Roy Moore, one fact about that state’s December 12th special election for U.S. Senate is not in dispute: Roy Moore’s defeat would put in serious jeopardy the U.S. Senate Republican majority, an outcome which may prevent passage of tax reform, tax cuts and the confirmation of judges President Trump is naming to recapture the federal courts from decades of judges who blatantly violate the Constitution. That’s why my political…
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The leader of the U.S. Senate’s Republican majority on Sunday dismissed the possibility that the government could shut down later in the week when funding runs out. “Look, there’s not going to be a government shutdown. It’s just not going to happen,” Senator Mitch McConnell told ABC’s “This Week.” …
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Stephen K. Bannon plans to campaign with GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore next week at a rally in Alabama, despite the continued controversy surrounding the judge’s candidacy. Mr. Bannon, who was among Mr. Moore’s early backers, will join the candidate in Fairhope, Alabama, on Dec. 5 ahead of the special election on Dec. 12, ABC News reported. …
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Sen. John Thune said Wednesday that Republicans have reached out to their colleagues who are unsure of whether to support the tax reform bill. He was specifically asked about Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and John McCain of Arizona, who are both still uncertain about whether they’ll support the bill when it comes to a full…
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As president of the State Financial Officers Foundation, I have the privilege of working with some of the nation’s sharpest financial officers. They are not merely treasurers. They are thought leaders, experts, and fighters who, day-in and day-out, serve on the front lines of fiscal policy and intimately understand their state budgets, cash flow, and state…
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With control of the U.S. Congress up for grabs next year, the Senate is days away from an expected vote on a major tax bill that Republicans say will make American corporations more competitive globally but that Democrats say will force the United States to borrow even more from China and other foreign creditors. …
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Rep. Marsha Blackburn said Tuesday that President Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities is vital to the safety of American communities. “This is something that needs to happen,” Ms. Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, said on Fox News. “That order needs to be in place.” …
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An old video from 1994 that surfaced online this week shows just how dramatically the Democratic Party has changed its position on immigration in just 23 years. The video shows a segment on immigration from the CBS News show “Face the Nation” from that year, with a younger Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sounding like President Donald…
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Roy Moore kicked off Wednesday by taking another shot at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is calling on Mr. Moore to end his Republican bid for the U.S. Senate in Alabama over allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors. The former state chief justice has since made Mr. McConnell a top target of Twitter. “Mitch McConnell…
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by CHQ Staff Conservatives wondering where the Alabama Senate election is going should reflect on the despicable conduct of Mitch McConnell when a Republican primary election goes against his wishes. In the 2014 Mississippi Republican Senate primary McConnell backed 36-year incumbent establishment Senator Thad Cochran, whom Citizens Against Government Waste once named the leading pork-seeker in the Senate, against principled limited government constitutional conservative state Senator Chris McDaniel. According to Brietbart’s Matthew Boyle, Sen. Cochran and executive assistant Kay Webber “traveled eight times to France, five times to Italy, four times to Israel, and twice to Japan. The full list of countries they traveled to includes: Italy, France, Brussels, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Hungary, Russia, Norway, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Austria, and Czech Republic in Europe; Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile in South America; Guatemala, and Mexico in North and Central America; Japan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Republic of the Philippines, and South Korea in Asia; Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Azerbaijan, Oman, and United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, to Morocco; and Egypt, Cape Verde, and South Africa in Africa. Other documents show that in 2005 and 2007, the Wine Institute, a trade…
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by ConservativeHQ.com Staff “I had nothing to do with this. This is a completely manufactured story meant to defraud this campaign. They’re losing. They’re 11 points behind. They don’t like my acknowledgment there is a God… They’re desperate. Sean, they’re simply desperate.” ~ Judge Roy Moore to Sean Hannity The political attacks on Judge Roy Moore – which are really more like assassination attempts – have brought the dirty tricks and smears of the Far Left to a new low. The totally unsupported charges that some 38 years ago, Moore, as a 32-year old adult, pursued some kind of a relationship with a 14-year old girl have all the hallmarks of a Leftwing political hit; a source closely tied to Democratic politicians, no physical evidence, no paper trail, and reporting by a rabidly anti-Republican, anti-Trump publication. Likewise, the allegations brought forward by serial Leftist litigator Gloria Allred lack any evidence, let alone proof. But these defamatory attacks are having two desired effects: First, it is driving Moore down in the polls; and, Second, it has manifested a new low in the disgusting cut and run by establishment Republicans, who wanted Moore defeated by any means possible in the Republican…
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Roy Moore, the Republican’s nominee in the Alabama fight for the U.S. Senate seat, announced he’s going to sue The Washington Post for the series of stories that implicate him in sexual dalliances with underage girls 40 years ago. He said this as political players in his own party were folding like cheap card tables to…
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A majority of Alabama Republicans still support GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore after four women accused him of inappropriate sexual conduct, according to a poll released Thursday. Sixty-three percent of Republicans in the state of Alabama still back the Republican candidate, according to a poll released by Decision Desk HQ after a report that details inappropriate…
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After an embarrassing off-year election in New Jersey and Virginia last Tuesday, the Republican Party now faces the very real possibility that it could stumble on tax reform, perhaps sinking its majorities in the 2018 midterm elections. The Senate Republicans announced on Thursday the latest iteration of the White House tax plan, hoping to delay the…
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Roy Moore, the Republican nominee who polls show ahead in next month’s Senate special election in Alabama, is facing calls for him to step aside after The Washington Post reported Thursday that he initiated sexual contact with a 14-year-old-girl when he was 32 and also sexually harassed three other women aged between 16 and 18. “If…
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Senate Republicans are heading into four votes this week to confirm appeals court judges. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell served notice late last week that the Senate will consider four of President Donald Trump’s nominees to federal circuit courts, the powerful appeals panels that give the final word on the overwhelming majority of cases in U.S. courts.…
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Sen. Claire McCaskill, Missouri Democrat, said Sunday that her job isn’t to “fight” President Trump and that there’s a chance for bipartisanship on a tax overhaul if it’s packaged in the right way. “We may not always agree on style, and sometimes we don’t agree on substance, but my job’s not to fight him. My job’s…
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Kid Rock on Tuesday ended months of speculation that he would run for the US Senate, saying he fed the rumors as a publicity stunt. In an expletive-laden interview on shock radio jock Howard Stern’s program, the outspoken musician said he had created a fake campaign website and fueled rumors on social media in order to…
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Senator Jeff Flake suddenly announced Tuesday he will not run for re-election in 2018. CBS News reports: Sen. Jeff Flake abruptly announced Tuesday that will not run for re-election after all in the 2018 midterm elections, leave the Senate when his term ends in January 2019 and delivered a blistering rebuke of President Trump’s behavior. The Arizona Republican announced on the Senate floor that he could “better serve my country and conscience” by dropping his re-election bid, “freeing myself of the political consideration that consumed far too much bandwidth,” he said. Flake then turned his attention to President Trump, blaming him, in part, for his decision to retire. Flake issued a thinly-veiled take-down of President Trump, criticizing the “personal attacks,” the “threats against principles, freedom and institutions” and “flagrant disregard for truth and decency.” He argued that recklessness, outrageous and unhinged behavior have been excused as “telling it like it is, but he warned that when such behavior “emanates from the top of government,” he said it’s something else. “It is dangerous to our democracy,” Flake said. “Why didn’t you speak up? What are we going to say?” he asked rhetorically. “Mr. President, I rise today to say, enough.” “It…
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by John Miller Tennessee’s Senate race is poised to become a battleground in one of the most divisive issues facing the country: Can the United States make free trade work in the national interest? With Sen. Bob Corker out of the race and national figures like Breitbart chairman Stephen Bannon vowing to field populist candidates, the 2018 campaign could become a nationalized race that features intra-party debates on the trade issue. Fueling the debate may be an obscure trade dispute that is making its way to the president’s desk—one with significant implications for Tennessee. Earlier this month, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) unanimously held that trade practices by Samsung and LG Electronics are harming Whirlpool and other U.S. manufacturers. The decision follows two previous rulings by the ITC that Samsung and LG are dumping washing machines into the U.S. market. With the benefit of subsidies from the Korean government, the conglomerates are overloading the U.S. market with washers and selling them below market value in order to undercut U.S. manufacturers. Dumping is illegal under both U.S. and international trade law. President Trump will decide in the coming months whether or not to level tariffs and other remedies against…
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by David Williams This week, the U.S. Senate is holding a budget vote that is a vital component in passing tax reform – if they can’t get the budget passed, it will make the path to overhauling our outdated, growth-killing tax code extremely difficult. It is essential that all U.S. Senators – including Senator Bob Corker – support passage of the budget so Congress can quickly move onto and pass the kind of pro-growth tax reform package Tennessee small businesses need to drive meaningful, long-term growth and job creation. The federal tax code is a bloated, cumbersome disaster. The business rate of 35 percent (39 percent with local and state taxes) is far higher than that of most of our competitors, which makes U.S. companies less competitive in the global marketplace and stifles growth and job creation. The tax code itself is an additional burden. At tens of thousands of pages and millions of words, regular small-business owners have little hope of navigating it. So, their choice is between hiring expensive tax compliance help or dealing with sleepless nights worrying about the IRS knocking on their door. Worse, the tax code strongly favors big businesses, making it even harder for smaller firms…
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Former Pennsylvania Senator and two-time presidential hopeful Rick Santorum announced his endorsement of Dr. Mark Green for Congress Thursday. “Mark Green has been a true champion for conservative values in the State Senate, and I’m confident he’ll bring that same much-needed leadership to Washington, Senator Santorum said in a statement. “Our country desperately needs bold conservative leadership, and Mark is the right man for the job.” Rick Santorum is a longtime leader in the conservative movement since he burst into national political scene in 1991 with a surprise upset victory over Congressman Doug Walgren in a heavily-Democrat district in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. After serving two terms in the House, Santorum ran for and won a seat in the U.S. Senate as a part of the historic Republican takeover of both houses of Congress in 1994. His tenure was marked by several important votes, including voting against NAFTA; empowering schools to include theories of ‘intelligent design’ within ‘origin of life’ lessons; and defending enhanced interrogation techniques like waterboarding. Santorum rose quickly through the Republican leadership, eventually attaining the 3rd highest-rank as the Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. However, his plans in the Senate were cut short after a choppy 2006…
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Republican conservative U.S. Senate candidate Andy Ogles issued a statement Tuesday calling on President Donald Trump to issue an Executive Order addressing the opioid crises. Ogles is asking Trump to direct the Drug Enformcement Agency (DEA) and other federal agencies to use all available means to intensify the investigation and prosecution of those engaged in the reckless, illegal and dangerous over prescription and distribution of opioids. “Congress has tied the hands of our law enforcement officials as they seek to crack down on the illegal distribution of opioids, but with the law enforcement powers they retain they should aggressively pursue those who are fueling the opioid epidemic,” Ogles said in the statement. “I urge President Trump to issue an Executive Order directing the DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies to immediately intensify their investigations and prosecutions of those who are engaged in the illegal distribution of opioids to the fullest extent allowed by law,” the former head of the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity noted, adding: While Congress tries to figure out how to clean up the legislative mess they have created, the Trump Administration needs to have an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to reducing the addictive…
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Former Governor Phil Bredesen, the man who was the last Democrat to run and win a statewide campaign in Tennessee, is now eyeing a run for the U. S. Senate to replace the retiring Bob Corker, the AP reports: In a statement Monday to The Associated Press, Bredesen said he is mulling an entry into the race after several people urged him to reconsider his initial statements that he had no interest in running. “In the days ahead, I’m going to do some research, talk with people and carefully think this through,” he said. “I’ll make a decision quickly.” The former governor has led a relatively quiet private life since leaving public office – a time before social media. He does not appear to have a Twitter account, and an unverified ‘Phil Bredesen’ Facebook account has no entries, but the profile picture is of him, fishing. Breseden has been complementary of incumbent Corker’s tenure, telling the AP: “We are of different parties and don’t always agree on issues, but I have long admired the way in which he puts the interests of Tennesseans and our nation ahead of political gamesmanship,” Bredesen said. “He educates himself on the issues and thinks independently…
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Maine Sen. Susan Collins announced Friday that she will not run for the governor’s seat in 2018. “I am a congenital optimist, and I continue to believe that Congress can – and will – be more productive. I want to continue to play a key role in advancing policies that strengthen our economy, help our hard-working…
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by Richard A Viguerie, CHQ Chairman Today, CHQ Chairman Richard Viguerie joined conservative leaders Ken Cuccinelli II, President, Senate Conservatives Fund, L. Brent Bozell III, Jenny Beth Martin, Co-Founder, Tea Party Patriots, David Bozell, President, For America and Adam Brandon, President, FreedomWorks sending a letter to the Senate Republican leadership making the case that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s failed leadership and betrayals of the conservative – populist voters that brought President Trump to the White House have become an anchor around the neck of Republican Senators in the 2018 Republican primaries that can only be removed by the resignation of McConnell and his entire leadership team. “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s failures and betrayals of the conservative populist voters who brought President Trump to the White House have become an anchor around the neck of Republican Senators in the 2018 Republican primaries,” said conservative direct marketing pioneer Richard A. Viguerie. “Mitch McConnell acts like a Minority Leader, letting Far Left Democrats run the show on Capitol Hill, charged Mr. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com. “As the leader of the alleged conservative party on Capitol Hill he is at best incompetent, and more likely on the other side, leading the opposition…
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Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said that President Donald Trump “would win” against his outgoing critic, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), in a hypothetical 2020 presidential primary, during an interview Wednesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” Blackburn announced Thursday that she will be running for Corker’s seat after he announced he would not be running for re-election in…
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Rep. Marsha Blackburn said Wednesday that Twitter reconsidered its decision to block her campaign announcement video, and it will now be back on that platform. “I have to tell you, the American people have risen up, and I said this is our first Senate conservative victory because we stood firm, and Twitter reconsidered and they are…
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The political action arm of the powerful and influential group, Citizens United, delivered a full-throated endorsement Tuesday of Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) to fill the open Senate seat left behind by the retiring Bob Corker: Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF), the affiliated PAC of Citizens United, issued the following statement endorsing conservative Congressman Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate. “CUPVF is proud to support conservative change agent Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senator from Tennessee. Congressman Blackburn is a longtime friend of Citizens United and the conservative movement,” said Citizens United President David N. Bossie. “I’m proud to say that Congressman Blackburn spoke at all of our Freedom Summits advocating for our shared principles and values.” “We support Marsha Blackburn for Senate because she understands that you can’t just talk about a conservative agenda, you have to fight for it and get it enacted,” added Bossie, who served as President Donald J. Trump’s Deputy Campaign Manager. “Marsha Blackburn is a full spectrum conservative who fought the Obama agenda every step of the way and fully supports President Trump’s agenda of repealing and replacing Obamacare, tax reform, and border security. I look forward to working with Marsha Blackburn in the Senate and I…
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Stephen Bannon, of Breitbart-turned-White-House-turned-back-to-Breitbart fame, has sent out a stern warning Republicans’ way, and it’s one that goes like this: I’m coming for you. For you and your pretty dog, Toto, too – minus Sen. Ted Cruz. Cruz is safe. But aside from Cruz, “no one is safe,” Bannon said, during a Fox interview with Sean…
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Twitter on Monday blocked Senate hopeful Marsha Blackburn’s campaign announcement video over comments she made about the sale of fetal body parts, The Associated Press reported. The Tennessee congresswoman says in the video that she “stopped the sale of baby body parts,” which the social media site said would “evoke a strong negative reaction,” according to…
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Ending months of uncertainty, Representative Marsha Blackburn announced Thursday that she will seek to represent the Volunteer State in the US Senate in 2018. WSMV reported: Congressman Marsha Blackburn has announced she will be running for the U.S. Senate to fill the seat of Sen. Bob Corker. Blackburn’s office says her announcement comes after “several days of a sustained recruitment effort by grassroots Tennessee conservatives to persuade her to run.” Rep. Blackburn released an announcement video talking about why she is running: TRANSCRIPT: The United States Senate. It’s totally dysfunctional and it’s enough to drive you nuts. And that’s why I’ve decided to do something about it. I’m Marsha Blackburn. I’m a hard core, card carrying Tennessee conservative. I’m politically incorrect, and proud of it. So, let me just say it like it is: The fact that our Republican majority in the U.S. Senate can’t overturn Obamacare, or will not overturn Obamacare. It’s a disgrace. Too many Senate Republicans act like Democrats. Or worse. And that’s what we have to change. Here in Tennessee, I fought my own party to stop a massive, job killing, state income tax. And we stopped it. We won. I know the left calls me a…
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After weeks of speculation, Governor Bill Haslam announced Thursday morning he will not seek to replace retiring U. S. Senator Bob Corker in 2018. WSMV reports: Gov. Bill Haslam has announced he will not be running for the U.S. Senate, saying he wants to remain “completely focused” on his job as governor. Haslam previously announced he was “considering” campaigning to fill Sen. Bob Corker’s seat. Haslam said at the end of his term he will have been in public office for 15 years and feels like he will be “most helpful” as a private citizen. Governor Haslam published his announcement on Twitter: My statement on the 2018 U.S. Senate race. pic.twitter.com/1pLR0MhSEd — Bill Haslam (@BillHaslam) October 5, 2017 DEVELOPING…
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House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady said Wednesday that Republican senators need to support the tax reform legislation to prevent another legislative disaster. “At the end of the day, look, given what happened in the Senate in health care reform, I think it’s important for every Republican senator to make the commitment now that they’re…
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Speaker of the House Paul Ryan thinks the Republican tax plan will make it through the U.S. Senate, saying the framework was negotiated on the front end unlike the failed attempts at repealing and replacing Obamacare. “We have more consensus on tax reform as Republicans, and we have less consensus on healthcare reform as Republicans,” the…
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The surprise retirement of Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) may signal a rush to the exit door for other longtime establishment Republicans in the Senate. Several GOP members of the upper chamber — most of them advanced in age — have struggled to acclimate to the style and agenda of President Donald Trump. And some have drifted…
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As Tennessee potentates, politicos, and possible politicians vie for the various elected offices up for grabs in 2018, one individual makes if clear he will not run for any office at all. In 2018. Nope. Not interested. Not even a little. We’re talking, of course, about Vol-for-Life Peyton Manning, who appeared on Nashville’s 3HL on 1045 The Zone Wednesday. When asked if he might have an interest in running for Bob Corker’s now-open seat, Manning replied: Peyton Manning said, “I certainly have an interest in politics and in our country. I just have zero interest in being a politician." — 3HL (@3HL1045) September 27, 2017 WATE reports: Corker announced Tuesday he would retire from the Senate and not seek re-election in 2018, sparking a large amount of buzz about who will run to fill his seat. Corker himself spoke Wednesday, saying while it was possible Manning would run for his seat, he didn’t think it was likely. “Is he going to run for this seat? I think the chances are low. Is there a chance down the road that he could be enticed to run for the United States Senate or something like this? I hope so. He’s the…
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News of Bob Corker’s retirement from the U.S. Senate on the heels of Alabama incumbent Senator Luther Strange’s likely ouster from his short time in office could be a sign of the continuing anti-incumbent, grassroots-powered sea change that has gripped elective politics since the launch of the Tea Party movement in 2009. Senate hopeful Andy Ogles – himself a long-time grassroots conservative activist before becoming the state director of American for Prosperity – released a statement thanking Senator Corker for his twelve years in Washington D.C., adding: We need new faces in Washington who share President Trump’s mission to drain the swamp. Grassroots activists across Tennessee have had my ear for years telling me how Tennessee needs someone who will stand up for Tennesseans and hold true to their promises. People across the country feel the same way – What we are doing in D.C. is not working for the majority of Americans and electing the same batch of folks over and over who haven’t produced any results won’t change a thing. Although rumors of additional candidates have been swirling for months, Ogles is the sole Republican vying for the now-open U.S. Senate seat. “It’s going to be a tough year…
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Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Thursday he cannot support the GOP’s last-ditch plan to replace Obamacare, dealing a major blow to President Trump and his pursuit of a major legislative victory. Mr. McCain, a Republican, was among three senators who killed off earlier repeal efforts in July, but GOP leaders hoped he would back a…
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On Monday, the Andy Ogles for U.S. Senate campaign announced that it has hired Innovative Politics, which “played a key role” in the Donald J. Trump for President campaign advertising team following the Republican National Convention in the 2016 general election campaign. The firm is “a nationally renowned political consulting and full-service advertising agency,” according to a statement released by the campaign, and has been hired “to run [the campaign’s] media strategy and voter contact operations.” Innovative Politics produced nearly 30 television ads for the campaign, which spent more than $75 million dollars on television advertising. Jay Connaughton, chief media advisor with Innovative Politics, played a key role in Trump’s heavily covered Baton Rouge, Louisiana, trip following the devastating floods in the state, as well as in the President-elect’s headline making visit to Flint, MI. The Presidential race was only one of the many significant achievements for Innovative Politics during the past few national election cycles. The firm’s impressive national work, particularly in battleground states, helped the Republican Party maintain control of the U.S. Senate with victories in the critical U.S. Senate elections in North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Iowa, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Florida. Connaughton praised Ogles in the statement. “Andy…
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