The Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed fourteen candidates in yesterday’s Texas primary.

One positive note is that Debra Medina, RLC-endorsed candidate for Governor, received nearly 300,000 votes — which would have been something totally unmanageable just a few months back. Congratulations to RLC member Penny Langford Freeman for running Debra’s campaign and to Debra for being an attractive spokesperson for limited government.

Other than Congressman Ron Paul, who won his primary easily with nearly 80% of the vote against three opponents, none of our other Congressional challengers were successful.

Rick Green, who was not endorsed by the RLC but has constitutionalist leanings, won a six-way statewide GOP primary to become the Supreme Court Justice in Place 3.

RLC-endorsed candidates for Board of Education won their primaries, with Ken Mercer defeating one opponent and Brian Russell defeating two opponents.

None of the RLC’s endorsed candidates for State Representative were victorious, but Holly Turner is in a runoff for her State Representative seat in District 47.

Also, RLC Chair Melissa Goodwin won her primary to be Court of Appeals Judge in District 3. Goodwin was previously a Judge, but had lost her seat in the 2008 election.

Travis County RLC Chairman Mike Barré won his race for Travis County Justice of the Peace. And Texas RLC Webmaster Grant Rostig won the Republican primary to become the Commissioner of Caldwell County.

All said, fairly good results! Congrats, Texans!

This week the National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus finalized its list of endorsees for state and national office in the Texas Republican primary on March 2nd. The endorsements are based on recommendations from regional RLC chapters throughout the state. The RLC has endorsed more Congressional candidates in Texas than in any other state.

After reviewing the list, RLC Chairman Dave Nalle observed that “Ron Paul and Jerry Patterson have shown us that liberty Republicans can win state and federal offices in Texas and this year the selection of candidates is outstanding at every level. Texas will lead the way to restoring the tradition of liberty in the GOP.”

This round of endorsements includes only candidates who are in contested primaries. We look forward to great success when they carry on to victory in the general election in November.

Debra Medina, Governor (www.medinafortexas.com)

Tyler Russell, US House District 8 (www.tylerrussellforcongress.com)

Joe Petronis, US House District 10 (www.petronisforcongress.com)

Ron Paul, US House District 14 (www.ronpaulforcongress.com)

Stephen Schoppe, US House District 21 (www.schoppe.us)

George Morovich, US House District 25 (www.morovich.com)

Jessica Puente-Bradshaw, US House District 27 (www.texansforjessica.com)

Dick Bowen, Texas State Senate District 19 (www.dickbowen.com)

Holly Turner, Texas House District 47 (www.hollyfortexas.com)

Ryan Lambert, Texas House District 50 (www.lambertfortexas.org)

Stephen Casey, Texas House District 52 (www.stephencasey.net)

Melissa Goodwin, Judge, Third Court of Appeals (www.judgegoodwin.com)

Mike Barré, Travis County Justice of the Peace District 3 (www.barrefortexas.com)

Grant Rostig, Caldwell County Commissioner Place 4 (www.grantrostig.com)

These candidates represent the best that the Republican Party has to offer this year. They are visionary reformers, dedicated to the principles of limited government, free enterprise and individual liberty. They join hundreds of other RLC candidates around the country who are part of our effort to elect a cadre of new leaders who will guide the Republican Party and our government back to the principles on which the nation was founded and which are embodied in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Information on current RLC endorsees can be found on our endorsements page.
A listing of all current RLC office holders by state can be found on our RLC office holders page.

RLC Outreach Director Aaron Biterman appeared on FreedomWatch with Judge Napolitano this week. He called in rather than appearing in person on the show, but the discussion was interesting with good points made about the libertarian middle and the Tea Party movement. You can stream the video here.

Many months ago, I predicted that R.J. Harris was in a good race where he could potentially make an impact.

The latest poll numbers prove that to be the case. According to a poll from Persistence Consulting LLC, incumbent Tom Cole has 45%; Harris has 33%; and 22% of voters are undecided.

Mr. Harris is a currently serving nineteen-year Oklahoma Army National Guard Officer. He has been on two tours in Iraq and is a second year law student at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He has appeared on Fox News’ Freedom Watch twice and been the featured guest on conservative/libertarian talk-radio programs across the country.

At LibertySlate.com, which is a website I help run independently to track liberty candidates, Harris is in the upper tier of candidates ranked. At LibertySlate, we conclude, “[Incumbent Tom] Cole is somewhat vulnerable because some Republicans have blamed him for losing Republican seats in Congress while he chaired the Republican National Congressional Committee. Cole did not win the seat by huge amounts in recent years, which shows his popularity is waning. In short, Harris is a better fit for this conservative Oklahoma district, and playing up his military service enough could solidify the biggest upset of the 2010 primary cycle.”

Please contribute to R.J. Harris today!

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Illinois has endorsed Adam Andrzejewski for Illinois Governor and David Ratowitz for Congress in District 5. The primary for both races is coming up rapidly: February 2, 2010.

According to Illinois RLC Vice-Chair John Bambenek, after thorough research into all the candidates, Adam Andrzejewski had the best credentials to reform state government, bring jobs back to Illinois and resolve the lingering budget crisis.

Responding to the endorsement, Andrzejewski said, “The mission of the Republican Liberty Caucus is to serve as the conscience of the Republican Party. No more is that needed than in Illinois and their endorsement is a validation of my campaign as the true outsider to bring reform to Illinois.” Learn more about Adam at www.adamforillinois.com.

David Ratowitz was also endorsed by the RLC.  He is running for Congress to restore freedom to the Fifth Congressional district and has also been endorsed by Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica and the political arm of the National Taxpayers United of Illinois. In addition, Ratowitz has been featured on Judge Andrew Napolitano’s “Freedom Watch” program on FOX News several times.

Ratowitz faces two Republican opponents, each vying to take on freshman Rep. Mike Quigley (D) in the Chicago suburbs. Learn more about David at www.ratowitzforcongress.com.

Bruno Behrend, RLC Chairman, said last week on Chicago talk radio, “If the Republican Party nationally had listened to the members of the Republican Liberty Caucus, they would not have lost their majorities in 2006 and 2008.”

He’s right.

And if Illinois voters listen to the Illinois RLC in 2010, they will be well on their way to reforming state government by electing Andrzejewski Governor, sending Ratowitz to Congress, and passing the Putback Amendment.

The Republican Liberty Caucus is pleased to announce the latest candidates we’re recommending you support in 2010.  They include:

* Congressional candidates Brian Miller (AZ-08), Adam Kokesh (NM-03), Jaynee Germond (OR-04), and Terri McCormick (WI-08);

* Virginia State Senate candidate Steve Hunt (January special election); and

* State House candidates Jenn Coffey in NH (incumbent) and Paul Curtman in Missouri, as well as Missouri House incumbents Shane Schoeller, Tim Jones, and Jim Guest.

Learn more about these and other endorsed candidates at our 2010 endorsements page.

“What seems to be a GOP victory at first may well become another liberal victory in the long term. Unless Parker Griffith (formerly D-AL, now R-AL) starts voting like a true fiscal conservative, Alabama could be stuck with another entrenched Big-Government Republican Congressman.”

“Welcome to the party, Parker. Here’s an electronic copy of the Constitution. Read it well, as you will have to continue to dodge us if you continue to disregard it.”

The Washington Times features an article on how conservatives are not ready to accept Griffith; and the Alabama RLC provides several quotes from other conservative pundits on the switch.

by Aaron Biterman

A headline in this week’s Tampa Tribune is titled “GOP infighting shakes party”. The article talks about a familiar 2009 theme: “An increasingly fractious challenge to the Republican Party from its own conservative base could relegate the party to indefinite minority status,” says author William March.

No state has more of a fight on its hands than Florida, where Republican Party Chair Jim Greer has, no doubt, acted illegally to prop up his favorite candidates and help his friends defeat his enemies.  This was already clear when Greer had his cronies boot Republican Liberty Caucus members from the party in September. Now there are increasingly vocal calls for Greer to resign as party boss.

In Florida, State Senator Paula Dockery is challenging Attorney General Bill McCollum for the Republican nomination for Governor and Senator Carey Baker is challenging U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam in the primary for Florida Agriculture Commissioner. Both Dockery and Baker are more conservative than their moderate and establishment opponents. RLC members are supporting Dockery and Baker.

The reason that governorship is open, of course, is that Charlie Crist is running to become Florida’s junior U.S. Senator. Crist faces opposition from Marco Rubio — who has been endorsed by Senator Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund — and former New Hampshire Senator Bob Smith.

But, never fear, the National Republican Senator Committee (NRSC) has plans to come to the rescue. As has been standard practice since the election of George W. Bush in 2000, the NRSC has already coronated its top-tier candidates for Senate in 2010 — without any regard for the opinions of GOP primary voters.

Those candidates include Crist, Carly Fiorina in California, and Trey Grayson in Kentucky.  All three have more conservative and credible opponents: former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, and Kentucky taxpayer advocate Dr. Rand Paul.

Whatsmore, the NRSC is now encouraging its readers to take advice from Karl Rove. In an e-mail the NRSC sent out yesterday, its Communications team forwarded an article from Karl Rove to all NRSC subscribers. Rove’s article was published in The Wall Street Journal, and the NRSC team said it’s a “WSJ Editorial You Should See”.

I saw it, and — shock! — I am not impressed.

Why is the NRSC encouraging its members to listen to Karl Rove? Rove’s name has come up in many political scandals, including the Valerie Plame affair, the Bush White House e-mail controversy and the dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy. Moreover, his strategy of “compassionate conservatism” along with his support of the Bush Doctrine are among the main reasons why Republicans lost in 2006 and 2008.

In the article, Rove says, “In Connecticut, Sen. Chris Dodd trails former Republican Rep. Rob Simmons 35% to 48% in the latest Quinnipiac poll.” Rove does not acknowledge that two other Republican candidates also poll ahead of Chris Dodd: Linda McMahon and RLC-endorsed candidate Peter Schiff. This “ignore at all costs” strategy has been something that Republican establishment candidates have been very skilled at, but has not yielded successful results.

The strategy, a familiar Rove tactic, was employed masterfully by George W. Bush throughout both terms as President, and trickled down to candidates that the NRSC and NRCC supported (mostly unsuccessfully) in 2006 and 2008 such as John Gard in Wisconsin and Darren White in New Mexico. Both Gard and White — unfamiliar names to most readers — had primary challengers that were more conservative, but simply relied on the Bush Administration and the NRCC to “ignore at all costs” these opponents. Both Gard and White went on to lose their general election contests in conservative-leaning districts.  The result was Democrat pickups.

The title of Rove’s article is, “Can Republicans take back the Senate in 2010?”

The answer is yes, but not if they listen to Karl Rove or the NRSC.

The NRSC cannot be allowed to select Republican Senate candidates for GOP primary voters.

Registered Republicans in CA, CT, FL, IL, KY, and other states should select the best candidate to represent the state — without NRSC interference.

According to Bloomberg News, the House Financial Services Committee today, in a 43-26 vote and a second voice vote, attached a Fed-audit amendment to legislation creating a council of regulators to monitor systemic risk.

According to Dr. Paul, the bill, HR 3996, if passed, will grant sweeping new powers to the Federal Reserve. However, at least with his amendment attached, it won’t be acting in secret anymore.

The panel’s vote increases the possibility that Congress will reverse the ban on audits of interest-rate decisions. The broader bill on financial regulation is subject to a vote by the committee, then must be approved by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Obama.

The effort to audit the Federal Reserve was spearheaded by the Campaign for Liberty, but many RLC members have participated in letter writing campaigns and in-person protests in support of the bill (HR 1207).  In September, the California GOP adopted a resolution by RLC members to support HR 1207.

The bill has over 300 co-sponsors in the House and over 30 co-sponsors in the Senate.

A contingent of Nebraska RLC members that serve on the Republican Party of Nebraska State Central Committee, along with a number of other non-RLCNE State Central Committee members, expressed their disapproval of the NEGOP taking the position of endorsing incumbent GOP officeholders at a recent statewide Republican Party meeting.

While the Nebraska RLC members and others were not able to turn away the decision to endorse (by a narrow margin), Republican Liberty Caucus members did have the opportunity to object to the Party’s endorsements — not due to animosity toward any of the incumbents, but because they believe that Party itself should avoid the look of ’smoke filled rooms’ making decisions about who the nominees of the Party should be.

According to Nebraska RLC Chair Laura Ebke, “We will continue to act as the conscience of the Nebraska Republican Party, and question actions that we consider ill-advised — even when we don’t win.”