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A Few Hours Sleep & Back on the Campaign Trail

January 17, 2012 in By Paul, Politics with 0 Comments

My week in South Carolina is shaping up to be all that I expected and more. I spent several hours yesterday interviewing voters, candidates and their family members. I just posted an article I wrote after spending time with Jackie Gingrich Cushman and Kathy Gingrich Lubbers. I’ll let you guess who they are “kin” to. They do a great job stumping for their dad.

Here is the link to the story I posted on The Christian Post today. http://www.christianpost.com/news/gingrich-camp-cries-foul-over-evangelical-leaders-endorsement-of-santorum-67393/

It was good to see the gloves come off last night and by all indications, most people I talked to agreed that Newt came out on top in the debate. Although a few blows were landed by others including Perry and Santorum, there wasn’t a “knock-out” punch that did any damage.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/gloves-come-off-in-sc-debate-romney-targeted-67329/

Interestingly, there are a lot of undecided voters in the Palmetto State; and I mean a lot. Sure, some are sticking my their original picks but that may change depending on who survives after the states primary on Saturday.

For example, Debbie Griffin is a die-hard Rick Perry supporter and she was excited to show me the many pictures she had of herself and the Texas Governor on her phone. And though she won’t admit it, her candidate is probably cooked it he doesn’t turn things around before the weekend.

Where will she go? She hasn’t made up her mind. I bet Perry wishes he had a few thousand more like her in South Carolina.

I’ll be posting a story tomorrow about the old fashioned “tent revival” that all of the candidates spoke at prior to Monday night’s debate. All that was missing were some snakes and someone speaking in tongues. Wait, I think I may have heard a few people speak in tongues. Ron Paul supporters, I bet.

A Big; No a Huge Week in South Carolina

January 15, 2012 in By Paul, Politics with 0 Comments

There are a lot of big weeks in politics. We’ve all heard the phrase, “this is the most important election in our lifetime.” The reality is it’s usually always true and I believe it certainly is the case for the South Carolina GOP primary.

There are still seven candidates in the race (well, six and a half counting Huntsman) and at least one will most likely fall by the way side after Saturday’s election in the Palmetto State.

I arrived in Charleston late last night before having to make the two-hour drive to Myrtle Beach. Nonetheless, I was up bright and early this morning covering the Faith and Freedom Prayer Breakfast that featured Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

Santorum received a bit of a bump yesterday after getting the endorsement of an influential group of evangelicals at a last-minute meeting in Texas. The group’s endorsement surprised everyone, including the group itself, and it remains to be seen precisely what tangible benefits the Pennsylvania GOP hopeful will get as a result. Of course, a win in Saturday’s primary would be a great start. You can read my article on the breakfast by going to: http://www.christianpost.com/news/republican-candidates-vie-for-evangelical-vote-at-s-c-prayer-breakfast-67209/

But tomorrow is the first of two GOP debates this week that will be the determining factor in just how much of a threat either Santorum or Gingrich will be to Romney.

As for Perry – well I don’t think he can stay in much longer. His bankroll has to be getting smaller and his poll numbers are hovering around 6 percent. Plus, from my discussions with some of the folks who attended the Texas meeting, Perry’s support among social conservatives is waining. But as one South Carolina St. Rep told me today, “the only polls that really matter are the ones on election day.” He’s right.

Santorum Gets ‘Blessing’ of Christian Leaders; Now What?

January 15, 2012 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum received a major boost to his campaign on Saturday as a result of being endorsed by a group of the nations leading evangelical leaders. Now voters and candidates are wondering what will happen as a result of the endorsement?

“Everyone was invited here under the premise of ‘would you be willing to drop your support for someone if the group is able to reach a consensus on one candidate,’” Perkins explained. “Given the outcome, I think you see what the answer to that question was for the overwhelming majority of attendees.”

Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council assumed the role as the group’s spokesperson and held a tele-conference at the conclusion of the Saturday meeting.

“What I did not think was possible – is possible,” Perkins told reporters. “This group of Christian conservatives, after three rounds of voting, has endorsed Rick Santorum as the GOP nominee and hopefully the next president of the United States.”

To read the rest of the article, click on: http://www.christianpost.com/news/santorum-gets-blessing-of-christian-leaders-now-what-67198/

Some Christian Leaders to Skip Meeting on GOP Race

January 6, 2012 in By Paul, Politics with 0 Comments

A host of prominent Christian leaders, many of whom attended a similar gathering in August at the home of wealthy Texan Paul Pressler, have been summoned once again next weekend to discuss the future of the GOP presidential race and whom they may support. The only problem – several on the invite list are not attending.

Pressler, who is a former Texas legislator, Judge and now international lawyer, has been heavily involved in conservative politics since the 1970’s and was a leader in the Southern Baptist political movement that held to propel Ronald Reagan to the presidency in the late 1970’s.

In addition to Pressler, others spearheading the meeting include former presidential candidate Gary Bauer, the former chairman of American Family Association, Donald Wildmon and Focus on the Family Founder Dr. James Dodson.

However, The Christian Post as learned that the meeting might be much smaller than the invitation list.

To read the rest of the article, click on this link: http://www.christianpost.com/news/some-christian-leaders-to-skip-meeting-on-gop-race-66484/

 

Santorum Looks Beyond Evangelicals to Attract NH Votes

January 4, 2012 in By Paul, Politics with 0 Comments

Although just eight votes shy of an outright victory in the Iowa Caucuses, Rick Santorum was clearly Tuesday night’s big winner. But now he has to leave the safety of a state filled with like-minded, evangelical voters for New Hampshire where some church congregations are so small they could meet in a phone booth.

Just as small is Santorum’s New Hampshire staff and headquarters and it probably won’t get much larger before Election Day.

“We know we can build on yesterday’s big win in Iowa,” said Bill Cahill, who heads up Santorum’s New Hampshire campaign. “We’ve got to make it happen with the limited resources we have because we can’t afford to hire tons of staff. We believe Rick ‘s positions on taxes and national security will appeal to a majority of New Hampshire Republicans.”

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has a second home in the Granite State and is well-known as any politician in the state, is primed to win the states Republican vote. As proof, he has a 30-point lead and voters are comfortable with his brand of moderate, mainstream politics.

To contrast the differences between Romney and Santorum, the latest Suffolk University poll of GOP primary voters, Romney has a commanding lead with 43 percent and Santorum comes in fifth with a paltry 5 percent of the GOP voters polled. Needless to say, there is a lot of distance between the two.

To read the remainder of the article, go to: http://www.christianpost.com/news/santorum-looks-beyond-evangelicals-to-attract-nh-votes-66390/

Here’s Where the GOP Candidates Stand Before Iowa Caucuses

January 3, 2012 in By Paul, Politics with 0 Comments

If history is any indication, the Iowa caucuses may not determine the GOP nominee for president, but it will play a vital role in which of the seven major candidates will watch the next few debates from the comfort of their living rooms or remain under the hot spotlights of the stage.

For example, in 2008 former Arkansas Gov. and now Fox News Host Mike Huckabee won the Iowa caucuses with a commanding 34 percent of the vote, followed by Mitt Romney at 25 percent. The eventual nominee, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) finished fourth behind former Tennessee Sen. and movie star Fred Thompson whose lackluster campaign ended before he could take advantage of the southern vote in Super Tuesday.

Interestingly, Ron Paul finished in fifth place with ten percent. Chances are almost certain he’ll do much better in 2012.

Of the two Republican candidates who have left the stage so far, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was the first casualty and the Iowa turned out to be the straw that broke his back.

After investing nearly all of his resources in hopes of winning the Iowa straw poll, Pawlenty finished a distant third behind fellow Minnesotan Michele Bachmann who finished first and Texas Congressman Ron Paul was came in second.

Unlike caucuses and elections, straw poll strategies are more akin to voting for the “most likely to succeed” candidate in high school.

To read the remainder of the article, go here: http://www.christianpost.com/news/cp-analysis-where-do-the-gop-candidates-stand-in-iowa-66166/

Will the ‘Values Vote’ Matter in the 2012 Elections?

December 27, 2011 in By Paul, Politics with 0 Comments

The Iowa caucuses a week away, Republican candidates are pulling out all the stops on value voting – including soliciting the help of past and present Christian heavyweights – to convince voters why they are the best person to represent evangelical Christians in the White House.

Yet both voters and pundits are starting to wonder just how big an impact religion and value voters will play in the 2012 elections.

There are several reasons why the Iowa caucuses matter, but one that ranks toward the top is that it serves as a bellwether for the Christian vote in future primaries. After all, the Iowa caucuses will test the intensity of a campaign. If you can get people to come to a caucus with temperatures sometimes hovering near zero, you may face much less resistance in the sunny south.

But there are bumps in the road. Last week, and in an effort to mobilize Christian voters to get behind a single candidate in the Hawkeye state, noted evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats personally endorsed Rick Santorum, who only sometimes polls higher that GOP last-placer Jon Huntsman; a feat that was itself overshadowed by his asking Michele Bachmann to quit the race just a few days prior even though she is running much stronger in Iowa than Santorum.

Click on this link to read the rest of the article: http://www.christianpost.com/news/will-the-values-vote-matter-in-the-2012-elections-65795/

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