Economy should be focus of 2012 election, GOP governors say
By Samson Reiny
As the battle for the Republican presidential nomination rages on between front-runner Mitt Romney and a resurgent Rick Santorum, governors from their party today said that economic recovery – not social issues – would be the main concern among voters heading to the ballot box in November.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, speaking after the National Governor’s Association’s annual meeting at the White House, said the divergent fiscal beliefs between Republicans and Democrats would be decisive for voters this election season.
“This president, President Obama, believes in a larger centralized government,” Jindal said, underscoring three straight years of trillion-plus dollar deficits undertaken under the current administration. “You’re going to contrast that with the Republican philosophy of limited government, of lower spending, of balancing our budgets, of growing the private sector economy.”
Virginia’s Governor Bob McDonnell, a Romney supporter, stressed that while people want to know where the candidates stand on abortion and religious freedom – hot-button topics that have gained Santorum, a devout Catholic, traction among the religious right – job creation remains critical for most of the voting public. “They’re going to vote on jobs, spending, the economy, taxes, transportation,” he said, “and whether or not Johnny graduating from college is going to be able to get a good job.”
Acknowledging that primaries are “always a messy process, democracy is messy,” Jindal said he was confident Republicans would unite around their eventual nominee. “The reality is that at the end of the day, we will have a candidate that we will all get behind.”
Virginia shakes off Obama blue, returns to red roots
Pundits always use sports analogies for politics, we’re thinking of trying something different — a hair color analogy.
Virginia returned to its red roots tonight after an impetuous experiment last year with blue, the state’s political color of a generation ago.
OK maybe it doesn’t work as well. To put it more simply, the Republicans won the governor’s race in Virginia. That was in contrast to last year when Barack Obama captured the state which voted Democrat in a presidential election for the first time since 1964.
After Virginia was called, Republicans could not hide their glee, joy, smiley faces. And they were quick with reactions to Republican Bob McDonnell’s victory over Democrat Creigh Deeds.
Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele issued a statement and repeatedly went on CNN including on the “Larry King Live” show. “It sends a clear signal that voters have had enough of the president’s liberal agenda,” he said.
Then he boarded a plane for New Jersey. Hmmm is that a sign?
Democrats smiled and acted as if it were no big deal. Really. UNDERSTATED SHRUG. After all, they said, it’s the New Jersey governor’s race that means more because it’s a traditionally Democratic state. And that race hasn’t been called yet.
Dear Barack,
Please continue to campaign for Democratic candidates in future elections. The Republicans welcome all your help.
Thank you.
The First Draft: Elections East-West
Elections in the East, elections in the West.
Hot off the wire: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been declared re-elected.
Afghanistan’s election commission made the declaration after Karzai’s opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew and a run-off election was canceled. “The Independent Election Commission declares the esteemed Hamid Karzai as the president,” the commission’s chief said.
This will no doubt increase the pressure on President Barack Obama to roll-out his new Afghanistan strategy earlier rather than later, now that he knows who the United States will be dealing with.
Matthew Hoh, the former State Department employee who quit last month in protest over U.S. policy in Afghanistan, told NBC’s “Today” show that the Karzai news was “disappointing” and despite the investment of a lot of U.S. resources, “we didn’t get what we put our troops there for.”
Closer to home (just over the bridge from Washington) it’s the day before the election for Virginia governor and (up the highway a bit) the election for New Jersey governor.
Like it or not, Tuesday’s elections will be seen by some as a referendum on the policies of Obama, who has attended campaign events for the Democrats running in the two governor races.
I wonder if the “acorn effect”will take place in the NJ election? the local economy will miss the 10 dollar bills they throw around.If mickey mouse and donald duck are duck taped in a barn some were it could have a dramatic effect on the turn out!
Romney rakes in the dough, gives generously
Former, and perhaps future, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney raked in some serious cash — $1.6 million — for his political action committee during the first half of 2009, despite the recession.
Romney, who dropped out of the 2008 presidential campaign after poor showings in the early primaries despite raising huge sums of money, is considered one of the untainted potential candidates for 2012. Problems saddling fellow Republicans like outgoing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Nevada Senator John Ensign have put their presidential aspirations in question.
In addition to trying to stockpile some cash in case he decides he will make another White House bid, Romney donated $5,000 to Missouri Republican Representative Roy Blunt, who is running for Senate in 2010, and Republican Bob McDonnell, who is seeking Virginia’s governorship.
Romney also gave $1,000 to Representative Mark Kirk, who has been weighing a bid for President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat in Illinois. Kirk has wavered on whether to run for the open seat being vacated by Democratic Senator Roland Burris.
One of the biggest recipients of Romney’s largess was the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, which got $10,000. He served as governor of neighboring Massachusetts.
Romney’s PAC ended the six-month period with almost $850,000 in cash on hand.
I think Mitt Romney for President and Mike Huckabee as v/pres would make an awesome team for 2012. I would certainly be proud to support their candidacy should we be lucky enough for them to run.
