Happy September!
As summer turns to fall, our push for constitutionally limited government will continue with vigor.
Many 2010 Congressional campaigns will soon be getting into full gear, but please don’t forget to support the endorsed Republican Liberty Caucus candidates in 2009. Most of these candidates are running for local office, and several have already won their primary or general elections.
This newsletter outlines the latest news from the Republican Liberty Caucus and explains the many ways that you can become involved in our efforts to preserve our liberties and change the direction of the Republican Party.
____________________________________________________________________________
News from the Republican Liberty Caucus
For Student and Youth Liberty-Lovers
In August, the Republican Liberty Caucus launched a Facebook group for students and young people working to take back the Republican Party from the establishment politicians and assorted anti-liberty special interest groups.
“Young Liberty-Lovers Working to Change the Republican Party” is an online, interactive forum the RLC is using to build a youth and student movement for liberty.
Please join Young Liberty-Lovers Working to Change the Republican Party on Facebook.
Additionally, the Republican Liberty Caucus has recently formed partnerships with Students for Liberty (SFL) and Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) to advance our ideas on college campuses. In early August, Students for Liberty debated Students for a Democratic Society — and it was quite an academic exercise. Watch Students for Liberty demolish SDS.
Finally, RLC Outreach Chair Aaron Biterman will address American University’s Students for Liberty group on Sept. 2, New York RLC Chair Dan Halloran will speak at the Ivy League Alliance Students for Liberty Conference on Oct. 10, and North Carolina RLC Board member Dr. B.J. Lawson will speak at the Southern Students for Liberty Conference on Oct. 24 in Winston-Salem, NC.
Become a Facebook “Fan” of the Republican Liberty Caucus
In August, the RLC created its “fan” page on Facebook.
RLC Launches Weekly Podcast Program
RLC National Chair Dave Nalle has developed a weekly podcast for the Republican Liberty Caucus. Listen to the first episode here — which includes past RLC Chair Bill Westmiller, Bexar County (Texas) RLC Chair Phil Pepin, and others.
The podcasts will serve not only to update interested parties on RLC activities in the states, but also hopefully allow prominent guests in the broader liberty movement to join in with RLC members in critical discussions about political issues and strategy.
Stay tuned to the RLC blog for future podcast broadcasts. They currently take place on Thursday nights at 10 EST.
Florida RLC Update
There’s a lot going on in the Florida RLC.
Perhaps the most important development is a conference featuring RLC Adviser and former Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr. — sponsored by the Florida Taxpayers Union and longtime RLC member John Hallman — that will focus on Florida State Sovereignty.
The event is scheduled to take place on Sept. 11 in Orlando. Click here for event details.
In addition, RLC Chair Will Pitts circulated a summer RLC update to Florida RLC activists. Read the update online. Among the topics covered are RLCFL efforts to charter local affiliates, marketing and promotion, committee structure, legislative initiatives, and candidates.
Finally, new RLC member Kristi Dunn (photo, left) eloquently explains what attracted her to — and why she joined — our organization. If you haven’t yet done so, I hope you’ll follow Kristi’s lead by joining the RLC today.
____________________________________________________________________________
RLC Seeks State and Local Coordinators!
Forming and sustaining a Republican Liberty Caucus takes time and effort. But the opportunity for success — and the critical importance of having a consistent voice for liberty in each state Republican Party — is worth it!
Many of our states have active affiliates, but we still need help forming affiliates in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Additionally, many of our state affiliates are seeking local RLC affiliate leaders. To lead a chapter in your community, please let us know.
A guide to forming a state RLC affiliate is available at RLC.org. This is an excellent opportunity to become involved in our movement for limited government.
To volunteer, contact Aaron.
____________________________________________________________________________
Returning our party and country to principle!
A Liberty Republican for the New Jersey Senate!
Mike Doherty has seemingly done the impossible.
In 2002, Mike was elected to the New Jersey Assembly. He has never been a party man, but always has been a man of integrity and principle. A West Point graduate who served for eight years in the Army as an artillery officer, Doherty has three sons currently serving in the military.
He has consistently bucked the Republican Party leadership while standing up for his own convictions. For example, in last year’s presidential election he committed what amounted to apostasy in the eyes of both the state and national Republican establishments: Rep. Doherty supported RLC Adviser Ron Paul for U.S. President. He even went so far as to give a speech at a rally on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall at which Paul directed a tirade in the direction of the Federal Reserve building nearby.
According to columnist Paul Mulshine, a reporter who frequently covers libertarianism and New Jersey politics, “I first became aware of [Doherty's principles] in 2001 when he was a freeholder. A judge threatened to throw [him] in jail if he wouldn’t change his vote and approve construction of a county college.” Says Mulshine, “Doherty stood up. The judicial system backed down.”
This year, Doherty began his campaign for an open State Senate seat, facing opposition from Republican Marcia Karrow. The RLC endorsed his candidacy. Doherty risked his safe Assembly seat to enter the primary against Karrow.
Ms. Karrow circulated a flyer accusing Doherty of advocating “surrender in Iraq” — most likely because he supported Ron Paul. Says Mulshine, “Karrow decided to make Doherty’s support for Paul a central theme of her campaign. And if Doherty supported Paul, then Doherty supported surrender in Iraq. Or so the logic went.”
Continues Paul Mulshine, “It didn’t go very far. Neither Paul, who is also a veteran, nor Doherty supports surrender in Iraq. They simply support the Constitution, which calls for wars to be declared by Congress and then fought to the quickest conclusion possible. That is a stance popular with many military men.”
Doherty defeated Karrow in the primary. Doherty now becomes perhaps the most prominent conservative in the New Jersey Republican Party. Keep your eye on him.
Mulshine says that “Doherty showed an ability to rouse a crowd that is almost entirely lacking among GOP politicians.” He continues, “The reason is not difficult to discern. He actually bases his positions on principles. Among Trenton Republicans, that’s a novel concept. But sooner or later they might be tempted to try it.”
The district Doherty is running in encompasses rural Warren and Hunterdon counties and is safely Republican, making it likely that Mike Doherty will be moving up to the New Jersey Senate come 2010.
You can learn more about Mike Doherty or donate to his campaign at http://www.mikedohertynj.com/. New Jersey and Virginia has its elections in 2009, so watch for a Doherty victory — a big win for liberty — come November.
2009 Endorsed RLC Candidates
A primary purpose of the Republican Liberty Caucus is to provide political endorsements so our members can drum up support for the most principled Republican candidates across the country.
Local-level races are no different. The leadership of the Republican Liberty Caucus believes that grassroots, people-centered politics will lead to success for liberty — and that can only happen by ground up, not the top down, politics.
Thus, the RLC has endorsed numerous candidates in 2009. Even in local, non-partisan races, it’s important for the Republican Liberty Caucus to endorse its members and supporters.
There’s still time before November. Please contact any of the below candidates and volunteer for their campaigns.
While a non-partisan race RLC endorsement doesn’t necessarily lend itself to helping local candidates succeed due to the nature of local races (partisan support can be detrimental), it is helpful for the RLC to track its supporters as we work to reshape the Republican Party — and the American political landscape.
Our 2009 endorsed candidates include:
ARIZONA
Kara Egbert
Sahuarita Town Council
**Elected!**
Brett Summers
Marana Town Council
Defeated
CALIFORNIA
Gary Clift
U.S. Representative, District 10 (Special Election)
CONNECTICUT
Jon Searles
East Hartford Town Council
IDAHO
Luke McManamon
Middleton City Council
ILLINOIS
Michael A. Tams
Lisle Township Board
**Elected!**
W. Guy Finley
Round Lake School District Board (Incumbent)
**ReElected!**
KANSAS
Steve Shute
Gardner City Council
Defeated
MASSACHUSETTS
David Trumbull
State Representative
Defeated
James Tuohey
Pembroke Selectman
Brad Wyatt
Boylston School Committee
**Elected!**
MICHIGAN
Matt Chisholm
Swan Valley Board of Education
John Cruz
Mount Clemens School Board
MISSISSIPPI
Connor Brown
Gulfport City Council, Ward 5
Defeated
Jeff Powell
Gulfport City Council, Ward 6
Defeated
MISSOURI
Tom Martz
Springfield City Council
Defeated
NEW JERSEY
Rep. Michael J. Doherty
State Senate, District 23
**Won Primary!**
Rep. Michael Patrick Carroll
State Representative, District 25 (Incumbent)
**Won Primary!**
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Cameron DeJong
Manchester Selectman, Ward 2
Phil Greazzo
Manchester Alderman, Ward 10
NEW YORK
Dan Halloran
NYC City Council, District 19
Robert Hornak
Queens Borough President
Dan Schorr
Westchester County District Attorney
NORTH DAKOTA
Dustin Gawrylow
Mandan School Board
Defeated
OHIO
Maryanne Petranek
Cleveland City Council, Ward 18
OREGON
Erik Seligman
Hillsboro School Board
TEXAS
Erica Grignon
Pflugerville City Council, Place 5
Lisa Mallory
Leander Independent School District Trustee, Place 1
**Elected!**
UTAH
Bruce Bolingbroke
State Senate, District 22 (Special Election)
VIRGINIA
Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, II
Attorney General
**Won Primary!**
Eric Brescia
House of Delegates, District 47
D.J. McGuire
Spotsylvania County Supervisor, Lee Hill District
____________________________________________________________________________
September Republican Liberty Caucus Events
Birmingham Area (Alabama) RLC Meeting – Sept. 1
Contact sboykin11@yahoo.com for details.
Jacksonville Liberty Candidate Forum – Sept. 1
RSVP at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120500027067
Florida Taxpayers Sovereignty Summit with Barry Goldwater, Jr. – Sept. 11
RSVP at http://rlc.meetup.com/111/calendar/11225966
North Dakota Economic Reality Summit – Sept. 12
The Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota will have an outreach booth at this event. Contact RLCMN to volunteer.
Details at http://www.economicrealitysummit.com/
Central East Florida RLC First Annual Constitution Day Dinner – Sept. 17
Melbourne, FL with guest speaker Robert Levy (photo, right) of the Cato Institute
RSVP at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110764964844
Collier County (Florida) RLC Meetup – Sept. 21
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/CollierRLC/calendar/11133958/
North Central Florida RLC Organizational Meeting – Sept. 26
Contact hellenberg.jason@gmail.com for details.
California RLC Convention – Sept. 26
Indian Wells, California in conjunction with California GOP Convention
Contact deaconheath@comcast.net for details.
Maryland RLC Convention – Sept. 26
RSVP at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=155194786176
**Featuring Charles Lollar, Charles County GOP Chair
Do you have an event submission or additional newsletter content suggestion or recommendation? Contact Aaron.
