• Mitt Romney,  Paul Ryan,  Polling,  President 2012,  Rick Perry,  Rudy Giuliani,  Sarah Palin

    President 2012 GOP Poll Watch: Perry 29% Vs. Romney 18% Vs. Bachmann 13%

    According to the latest Rasmussen Poll.

    Texas Governor Rick Perry, the new face in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, has jumped to a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann with the other announced candidates trailing even further behind.

    The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary voters, taken Monday night, finds Perry with 29% support. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, earns 18% of the vote, while Bachmann, the Minnesota congresswoman who won the high-profile Ames Straw Poll in Iowa on Saturday, picks up 13%.

    Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who was a close second to Bachmann on Saturday, has the support of nine percent (9%) of Likely Primary Voters, followed by Georgia businessman Herman Cain at six percent (6%) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with five percent (5%). Rick Santorum, former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, and ex-Utah Governor Jon Huntsman each get one percent (1%) support, while Michigan Congressman Thaddeus McCotter comes in statistically at zero.

    Sixteen percent (16%) of primary voters remain undecided.

    An Uh Oh moment for the presumed front-runner Mitt Romney.

    Is there any wonder why Karl Rove said last night that he exepcted others to enter the race? In fact, rumors have been plentiful today that Representative Paul Ryan is now considering the race.

    Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan is strongly considering a run for president. Ryan, who has been quietly meeting with political strategists to discuss a bid over the past three months, is on vacation in Colorado discussing a prospective run with his family. Ryan’s concerns about the effects of a presidential campaign – and perhaps a presidency – on his family have been his primary focus as he thinks through his political future.

    Then, there continues to be the real wild card candidate, Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani who likely would run, if Palin does.

    Stay tuned…….

  • Chris Christie,  Karl Rove,  Paul Ryan,  President 2012,  Rudy Giuliani,  Sarah Palin

    President 2012: Karl Rove Expects Sarah Palin, Chris Christie and/or Paul Ryan to Enter Presidential Race?

    GOP Political operative Karl Rove on Fox News Channel last night

    Texas Governor is the candidate of the hour, but Karl Rove makes the case that more may enter the Presidential arena.

    ROVE: We’ve got a good field. I don’t think that’s the end, though, of the field. I think we’re likely to see several other candidates think seriously about getting in, and frankly, they have time to do so.

    November 22 is the first deadline to file papers to get on a ballot — that’s the last day somebody could get in without starting to lose their place in some of the early primaries or caucuses.

    I suspect we’re likely to see an early September, late August — people taking it seriously.

    SEAN HANNITY: All right, who are these people you suspect might get in?

    ROVE: I think Palin.

    HANNITY: You do think Palin?

    ROVE: Well, I think she’s going to look seriously at it. I don’t know if any of these are going to actually get in, but I think that the nature of the field, and the fact that we’ve now got three candidates when we could have had four, five, or six major candidates is going to lead people to say “Well, I could be in that contest.”

    Palin has got a pretty active schedule in early September. I think Chris Christie and Paul Ryan are going to look at it again, and I wouldn’t be surprised if all three of them gave serious consideration to it….

    HANNITY: I’ve talked to Governor Christie a lot and he says “No way”.

    I was more convinced Gov. Palin after I saw her and interviewed her Friday night at the Iowa state fair that she might get in now.

    Paul Ryan, I don’t think has given any indication. What makes you think those two will get in — meaning Ryan and Christie.

    ROVE: Well, two things. There was an event in New York — [co-founder of Home Depot] Ken Langone pulled together some big moneyraisers and met with Christie and said “you need to think seriously about this.”

    And it’s not just the meeting. What happened afterwards — from what I picked up around the country — I talked to a number of people who had picked up the phone and called Christie to tell him they thought that he ought to run. These are Republican activists, Republican donors, movers and shakers, activists around the country.

    And the same on Paul Ryan, and I’m starting to pick up some sort of vibrations that these kinds of conversations are causing Christie and Ryan to tell the people who are calling them “Well, you know what, I owe it to you. I think I will take a look at it.”

    Whether or not that happens or not, I don’t know, but I’m just picking that up that people have some sense, some belief that these two guys are going to take a look at it.

    I agree that Sarah Palin is a wild card in the race fro 2012 and should Sarah enter the race, the conservative field would be scattered all over the map. I, also, predict that should Palin run, so would Rudy Giuliani which would really divide the GOP Presidential delegate distribution.

    I can foresee a scenario where the GOP nomination comes down to the California GOP primary election in June (likely, a winner take all election) or a “brokered” convention – much like Ford Vs. Reagan in 1976.

  • American Debt Linit,  American Economy,  John Boehner,  Paul Ryan

    John Boehner’s Debt-Limit Plan is a Good Start?

    It is a good start towards replacing Obama as President next year.

    It is, as many conservatives have said in floor speeches and statements of support for the Boehner bill, an important first step. The immediate cuts are small relative to our $14 trillion debt, but the trajectory of spending will now go down.

    Before we get ahead of ourselves, it is important to remember this has to come to a vote in the House. (I suspect it won’t be all that close, unfortunately relieving some die-hards of the necessity of discarding their political purity.) It also has to get through the Senate, where other hardline Republicans, not to mention a whole lot of Democrats, will have to decide: Boehner or default?

    And should this get through both houses, the president will have zero choice in the matter. He will sign it, and we will avoid default. And then the spinning begins. As for those GOP pols and pundits who favored the burn-down-the-building approach, there is perhaps time to reconsider whether they want to be on board with a vote that may change the course of our fiscal future and the shape of the Republican party.

    Read Rep. Paul Ryan’s treatise on the revised legislation here.

    And, looking at the polls today in the key battleground states, in another year, the GOP House Leadership  will not have to worry about negotiating with Harry Reid or the White House.

  • Chris Christie,  Herman Cain,  Jeb Bush,  Mitt Romney,  Newt Gingrich,  Paul Ryan,  Polling,  President 2012,  Sarah Palin,  Tim Pawlenty

    President 2012 Iowa GOP Poll Watch: Romney 21% Cain 15% Palin 15% Gingrich 12%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

    • Newt Gingrich – 39% Vs. 41%
    • Sarah Palin – 59% Vs. 31%
    • Mitt Romney – 51% Vs. 34%
    • Tim Pawlenty – 48% Vs. 18%
    • Herman Cain – 38% Vs. 24% Vs Not Sure = 38%
    • Michele Bachmann – 53% Vs. 16%
    • Jeb Bush – 51% Vs. 20%
    • Ron Paul – 42% Vs. 29%
    • Rick Santorum – 29% Vs. 18% Vs. Not Sure = 53%
    • Rudy Giuliani – 49% Vs. 31%
    • Donald Trump – 28% vs. 56%
    • Jon Huntsman – 7% Vs. 23% Vs. Not Sure = 70%
    • Chris Christie – 42% Vs. 12% Vs. Not Sure = 46%
    • Rick Perry – 21% Vs. 16% Vs. Not Sure = 63%
    • Paul Ryan – 42% Vs. 14% Vs. Not Sure = 45%

    GOP Primary Caucus Head to Head:

    Given the choices of Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, and Mitt Romney, who would you most like to see as
    the Republican candidate for President next year?

    • Romney – 21%
    • Palin – 15%
    • Cain – 15%
    • Gingrich -12%
    • Pawlenty – 10%
    • Ron Paul – 8%
    • Jon Huntsman – 0%

    If Sarah Palin does not run then?

    • Romney – 26%
    • Cain – 16%
    • Gingrich – 15%
    • Bachmann – 14%
    • Pawlenty – 10%
    • Paul – 11%
    • Huntsman – 1%

    If the Republican nomination came down to Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin, who would you vote for?

    • Romney – 48% Vs. Palin – 41% Vs. Not Sure = 11%

    If the Republican nomination came down to Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty, who would you vote for?

    • Romney – 41% Vs. Pawlenty – 41% Vs. Not Sure = 18%

    If the Republican nomination came down to Mitt Romney and Herman Cain, who would you vote for?

    • Romney – 48% Vs. Cain – 34% Vs. Not Sure = 19%

    If the Republican nomination came down to Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann, who would you vote for?

    Romney – 46% Vs. Bachmann – 38% Vs. Not Sure = 16%

    Mitt Romney is leading in Iowa ever since Mike Huckabee exited the race, but he is being challenged by a surging Herman Cain. Iowa will be the first primary state for the 2012 Presidential nominee and is a caucus state.

    Cain and Palin have been the biggest beneficiaries in Iowa of Huckabee and Trump’s decisions not to run. Cain is at 15% now despite not even having been included on our last poll. Palin’s gained 7 points in the six weeks since our last poll compared to 5 point gains for Romney, Pawlenty, and Bachmann, a 3 point gain for Gingrich, and a 2 point bump for Paul.

    Romney’s leading in Iowa based on his strength with centrist and center right Republican voters. With moderates he’s at 34% to 16% for Palin, 13% for Paul, and 11% for Gingrich. With ‘somewhat conservative’ voters he’s at 24% to 15% for Pawlenty, 13% for Palin, and 12% for Gingrich and Cain. His strength with those two groups outweighs his continuing weakness with the furthest right group of voters in the state, which constitute the largest segment of the Republican electorate at 41%. With those ‘very conservative’ folks Romney can muster only a fourth place finish at 13%. Cain and Palin tie for the lead with that group of voters at 19% followed by Bachmann at 15%.

    I would think one would have to say that while Mitt Romney is leading, conservative candidates Cain, Palin and Bachmann are splitting votes. If Iowa conservatives were to consolidate on one candidate, then Romney is in trouble. Surprisingly, Tim Pawlenty, a moderate-conservative does the best head to head with Romney though.

    Here is a summary of the favorable vs unfavorable data:

    So, what does this all mean?

    There is definitely room for the entry of a “new” candidate like Paul Ryan, Chris Christie or Jeb Bush. The $1 million question is whether Sarah Palin runs and if she does, whether the GOP establishment then run someone else against her, ie. Ryan,Christie or Bush?

    Tim Pawlenty is not catching fire and Jon Huntsman fledgling campaign is on life support – at least in Iowa.

    The entire poll is here.

  • Medicare,  Paul Ryan

    Video: Paul Ryan – Saving Medicare, Visualized

    House Budget Committee Chairman Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan explains his Medicare Budget reforms

    Watch the video above and if you rather read his remarks here is the link to the full transcript.

    To learn more about the House-passed Fiscal Year 2012 Budget – The Path to Prosperity: http://budget.house.gov/fy2012budget/

    To learn more about the facts on the House Republicans’ plan to save and strengthen Medicare: http://budget.house.gov/SettingtheRecordStraight/

  • Paul Ryan,  President 2012,  Tommy Thompson

    Updated: President 2012: Should Paul Ryan Run for President? Tommy Thompson to Run for Wisconsin Senate – Ryan Won’t

    +++++Update+++++

    The path is cleared for Rep. Paul Ryan to run for President as the U.S. Senate race has picked up another candidate, Tommy Thompson.

    Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) has told friends he plans to run for the open U.S. Senate seat in Wisconsin, Politico reports.

    “There’s no chance Thompson would run against Paul Ryan, so the former governor will await the Budget Chairman’s official announcement on the race before jumping in. Ryan has suggested in private conversations with GOP officials in recent days that he will take a pass on the race and focus on his House chairmanship.”

    And, NBC News is reporting that Ryan will soon have a news conference soon announcing he will NOT be a candidate for U.S. Senate.

    House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) unveils the House Republican budget blueprint in the Capitol in Washington April 5, 2011

    Yes, and the case for a duty call is obvious.

    Jennifer Rubin makes the case as well.

    In a very practical sense, the question for Ryan is: Why not give his party and the country six months (September 2011 to February 2012)? By then hell either have failed to catch fire or hell have a clear path to the presidential nomination. Six months. Twenty-four weeks. For a politician constantly at work in Congress, in town halls and in media appearances, that doesnt sound like that much. (In fact, I would venture that his schedule is more rigorous now than the average presidential contenders.)

    You see, there is no good reason for Ryan to avoid a presidential run. Sometimes, if you dont see the opening and seize it, a better one never comes along. Bill Clinton understood this in 1992.

    Mitch Daniels, Chris Christie and Paul Ryan should all consider running for the Presidency. Obama is wounded and the GOP needs popular and articulate candidates.

    Duty Calls.

  • Chris Christie,  Mitch Daniels,  Paul Ryan,  President 2012

    President 2012: Should Paul Ryan Run for President?

    House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) unveils the House Republican budget blueprint in the Capitol in Washington April 5, 2011

    Yes, and the case for a duty call is obvious.

    Jennifer Rubin makes the case as well.

    In a very practical sense, the question for Ryan is: Why not give his party and the country six months (September 2011 to February 2012)? By then he’ll either have failed to catch fire or he’ll have a clear path to the presidential nomination. Six months. Twenty-four weeks. For a politician constantly at work in Congress, in town halls and in media appearances, that doesn’t sound like that much. (In fact, I would venture that his schedule is more rigorous now than the average presidential contender’s.)

    You see, there is no good reason for Ryan to avoid a presidential run. Sometimes, if you don’t see the opening and seize it, a better one never comes along. Bill Clinton understood this in 1992.

    Mitch Daniels, Chris Christie and Paul Ryan should all consider running for the Presidency. Obama is wounded and the GOP needs popular and articulate candidates.

    Duty Calls.

  • Herb Kohl,  Paul Ryan,  U.S. Senate 2012

    WI-Sen: Herb Kohl is Out and a GOP Senate Majority is More Likely

    U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) speaks at a news conference Friday, May 13, 2011, in Milwaukee. Kohl said he has decided not to run for re-election after serving in the U.S. Senate since 1989

    The conventional wisdom was the GOP had a more than a likely chance they would replace Harry Reid as majority leader and take control of the U.S. Senate after the 2012 elections. This is reinforced by the announced retirement of incumbent democratic Senator Herb Kohl.

    Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will be on everyone’s mind to replace Kohl, but many think he won’t run. After all, he passed up a chance in 2010 to run against Russ Feingold. Republicans also like the state attorney general, J.B. Van Hollen, one of the few Republicans to win statewide in 2006. In 2010 he was reelected with 58 percent of the vote. Unlike other contenders, he could run without risking his current job. Duffy also mentions former congressman Mark Neumann but notes that he “made an unsuccessful bid against Feingold in 1998 and ran for the GOP gubernatorial nomination last year. He got 38 percent after running a dreadful campaign.” A GOP operative with whom I spoke also says “worth mentioning” is wealthy businessman Tim Michels, who ran in 2004.

    For now, the betting on the Hill is that the Senate will flip to a Republican majority. I won’t say “control” because 60 is well out of reach. Nevertheless, with Wisconsin, Virginia, Florida, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, West Virginia and Nebraska as potential pick-ups, the Republicans could wind up in the mid-50s. Much will defend, of course, on the nominees and whether the GOP has a strong candidate at the top of the ticket.

    Wisconsin will also be in play for the Presidential race and will be a key battleground state. With a contested Senate contest, the spending and media attention will accelerate.

    The GOP’s Senate prospects are only looking better.

  • Paul Ryan

    Astrofail: Rep. Paul Ryan Exposes Astro-Turf Anti-Ryan Activist as Fraud

    Rep Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin)at Town Hall


    Astrfail is right.

    USA Today exposes the fraud that is activist-organized protest at Republican town halls this recess. Their story opens with Paul Ryan calling on a man in the front row before recognizing him, “You changed clothes!” USA Today reports that the man had been at a separate event six hours earlier. Politico reports that “Citizens Action of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Labor Council have enlisted a traveling band of seniors to follow Paul Ryan’s every move.” But the leftist activists have been unable to match genuine support for Ryan. The Weekly Standard‘s John McCormack posts video of constituents giving Ryan a standing ovation after a town hall near Milwaukee.

    When the protests are NOT sincere, it is easy to expose them.