Rick Barber’s wife, Lithia Barber, today posted a request on Ricks website and on Facebook, to fans and supporters to donate $35.00 for Rick’s 35th birthday.
Friends and Fellow Patriots,
Democrats are donating to keep liberals in Congress. If you want conservative leadership, conservatives must get engaged.
Please join us in celebrating my husband Rick Barber’s 35th birthday by giving $35.00 to Rick Barber for Congress. You can donate online at www.rickbarberforcongress.com.
Rick Barber is a conservative Republican, a small business owner and a Marine Corps veteran. He’s also my cutie pie! Rick is running for Congress in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
Help take our country back by putting a man in Congress who will fight for limited government principles and your conservative values!
Campaigns are expensive! Get in the fight! You can send a Marine to Washington! But he can’t get their without your help!
Rick is sacrificing his time, money and energy for this campaign. Bailey and I miss him terribly at home, but we understand that this fight is worth fighting. Please help us put a good man into Congress!
Rick Barber, who’s running for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, has recently picked up an endorsement by *Liberty First PAC and thoughly impressed me at our meeting in Boston at the Scott Brown Victory HQ in January.
* Full disclosure I serve as Director of New Media for the Patriot Caucus a project of Liberty First PAC
BOSTON (Reuters) – Smelling Democratic blood in the water, the Republican Party in Massachusetts and beyond is looking in some unlikely places for candidates for this fall’s congressional elections.
Republicans, hoping to capitalize on the public’s disenchantment with Washington in general and high budget deficits and health care reform in particular, intend to compete for congressional districts that in the past were deemed solidly Democratic.
This movement gained momentum after Republican Scott Brown scored a major upset in Massachusetts in January, winning the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Democratic icon Edward Kennedy for nearly 50 years.
Brown’s win has super-charged Republicans in Massachusetts, regarded as one of the country’s most liberal states, marking a turnaround from 2008 when Democrats held all 10 of the state’s House of Representatives seats and Republicans did not even contest six of those.
“We’re not going to let Democrats run unopposed again,” said Jennifer Nassour, chairman of the state Republican Party.
The party has found scores of strong candidates ready to run for state or federal office, partly through an on-line recruiting drive, Nassour said.
Lingering economic problems including high joblessness, and disenchantment with President Barack Obama and congressional leadership has the potential to reshape Congress this fall.
The non-partisan Cook Political Report on Thursday said it rates 60 House seats — 54 of which are now held by Democrats — as having at least a reasonable chance of changing hands in November.
Democrats hold a 77-seat advantage in the House with two seats vacant.
Stuart Rothenberg has released his dangerous dozen open House seats list and given the political wave that seems to be forming for the GOP going into the 2010 election cycle these seats, says Rothenberg, have “a serious possibility to flip.”
Tennessee’s 6th. With few Democratic officeholders downballot in this Middle Tennessee district that went 62 percent for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008 and 60 percent for President George W. Bush in 2004, you can already put retiring Rep. Bart Gordon’s (D) seat into the Republican column. The GOP primary will select the district’s next Member of Congress.
Louisiana’s 3rd. The field hasn’t really started to develop in the race to succeed Rep. Charlie Melancon (D), but the fundamentals look terrible for Democrats in a midterm election year with President Barack Obama in the White House. Bush carried the district in 2004 with 58 percent, and McCain won it with 61 percent four years later. Only a Republican screw-up could keep this district blue.
Delaware’s At-Large. Rep. Mike Castle’s Senate run is a double-edged sword for Republicans, since the party will have a hard time holding his House seat. It isn’t impossible, of course, but they’ll need an unusually strong nominee (and a strong political wave) to beat the likely Democratic nominee, former Lt. Gov. John Carney.
Kansas’ 3rd. For Democrats, this looks like a bad cycle for Rep. Dennis Moore to retire and this seat to come open. The party is not competitive in the two big statewide contests this year, so both national and state dynamics favor the GOP. Both primary fields are wide open, though the early favorite on the Republican side may be the party’s 2008 nominee, former state Sen. Nick Jordan. Of course, another ideological split within the local GOP could get Democrats back into the picture.
Tennessee’s 8th. Rep. John Tanner (D) is retiring, and Democrats got a solid candidate in state Sen. Roy Herron, a strong fundraiser and veteran officeholder. But Tennessee could be a giant headache for Democrats, and being a longtime Democratic state legislator may be more of a liability than an asset in 2010.
Hawaii’s 1st. The yet-to-be-scheduled special election to fill Rep. Neil Abercrombie’s expected open seat could be another rude surprise for Democrats. Without a runoff, Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou (R) could sneak past multiple Democratic hopefuls to give Republicans another seat — and a major public relations victory before the midterms. Democrats need to figure out a way to keep the number of their candidates to a minimum.
Arkansas’ 1st. Bush carried this conservative northeast Arkansas district with 52 percent, but McCain drew a solid 59 percent four years later. Plenty of Democratic officeholders are looking to succeed retiring Rep. Marion Berry (D), while Republican options appear fewer. The key question mark is the size of the GOP wave and how disastrous the cycle is for Democrats in Arkansas.
Illinois’ 10th. If the seat held by Rep. Mark Kirk (R) had come open in 2006 or 2008, it would have been a slam-dunk for Democrats. But the environment is very different. The outlook for November depends somewhat on Tuesday’s primaries, but there is no doubt that Democrats see this as a rare takeover opportunity this cycle.
Arkansas’ 2nd. Retiring Rep. Vic Snyder’s (D) central Arkansas district went narrowly for Bush in 2004 and voted 54 percent for McCain in 2008. Former U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin gives the GOP a solid nominee, but a number of serious Democrats are looking at the race.
New Hampshire’s 2nd. Oh how different things looked in New Hampshire a year ago. Democrats finished up their near sweep of the Granite State, and the GOP’s fortunes there suddenly looked like any other New England state. But the national mood has changed, and GOP optimism has soared. Former Rep. Charles Bass leads a large GOP field, while Democrats have a primary of their own to succeed Rep. Paul Hodes (D).
Pennsylvania’s 7th. The ranking of the last two races depends on whether you are making a selection based on where the race is now or where it may be in the fall. Former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan gives the GOP a serious likely nominee. The district no longer leans Republican — Bush won 47 percent in 2004 and McCain only 43 percent in 2008 — and Democrats have a top-tier candidate of their own in state Rep. Bryan Lentz. Still, in a strong Republican year, Democrats have to be nervous about losing Rep. Joe Sestak’s district.
Washington’s 3rd. Retiring Rep. Brian Baird’s (D) open seat performed slightly better for McCain than for Bush in 2004 (and better than Pennsylvania’s 7th did for the same Republicans). But the nomination won’t be decided until the fall, and Democrats have a slew of bigger names looking at the contest. Still, if the GOP gets the right candidate and a partisan wave builds, this district could move up the list as a takeover opportunity.
Senator Even Bayh caught a huge break today with Representative Mike Pence’s announcement that he will not seek the Senate seat, opting instead, to stay in the House leadership and help shape the Republican comeback.
Writing in an open letter posted on facebook Pence said “I am staying for two reasons,” Mr. Pence wrote. “First, because I have been given the responsibility to shape the Republican comeback as a member of the House Republican Leadership and, second, because I believe Republicans will win back the majority in the House of Representatives in 2010.”
Leader Boehner’s statement on Pence’s dicision to stay in the House of Representatives
“Mike’s decision is good news for our conference and good news for the nation – and very bad news for the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. It sends an unmistakable signal that Republicans are intent on doing everything possible this year to end the Democratic monopoly in Washington, build a lasting majority, and renew the drive for smaller, more accountable government.
“With his passion for public service and his love for the people of Indiana, I know this was not an easy decision for Mike and his family. I believe he ultimately concluded he can best serve the people of Indiana and the people of our country by staying in the House and finishing what we’ve started. I salute him for his decision.”
The following is Mike Pence’s letter in it’s entirety:
As many of you are aware, I have been approached about running for the United States Senate in 2010. Karen and I have been humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement which we received from across Indiana, especially since there are several capable and qualified candidates already seeking the Republican nomination.
After much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to remain in the House and to seek reelection to the 6th Congressional District in 2010.
I am staying for two reasons. First because I have been given the responsibility to shape the Republican comeback as a member of the House Republican Leadership and, second, because I believe Republicans will win back the majority in the House of Representatives in 2010.
One year ago I was unanimously elected chairman of the House Republican Conference, the third ranking position in House Republican leadership. I accepted that responsibility because I believed that if Republicans returned to their conservative roots, they could win back the confidence of the American people. And I see it happening every day.
As a Republican leader, I have the opportunity to shape the policy and strategy that will return a Republican majority to the Congress in 2010. So my duty is here, in the House, serving my constituents and my colleagues as we fight to restore a conservative majority to the Congress of the United States. I am not going to leave my post when the fate of the House hangs in the balance. My place is here, in that fight, with the brave men and women who will be winning that victory for the American people.
I also am staying because I believe we will win back the majority in the House of Representatives in 2010, and I am excited to be a part of it. While the opportunity to serve in the United States Senate is significant, I believe the best chance this nation has to restore fiscal discipline, common sense and common values to Washington, D.C., is for conservatives to retake the House in 2010. When we win back the House, we will make history and we will have the power to stop the big government plans of this administration and to steer our nation to a more secure, free and prosperous future.
Last fall, Karen and I completed our first full marathon. We finished the 26.2 miles in just under seven hours despite the rigors on this 50 year-old body and despite many opportunities to step off the track and call it a day. Our inspiration for the day came from a verse in the Bible that reads, “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
I believe the race marked out for me in 2010 is in the House of Representatives. I believe that if we run that race with conviction and endurance, we can win back the Congress for the common sense and the common values of the American people, turn this tide of big government back and set the stage for a boundless American future.
Thanks to you all who prayed our little family through this difficult decision. I hope that God will someday permit me to perform some wider service to the people of Indiana and the country, but for now my focus must remain on finishing the job I was elected to do by my constituents and my Republican colleagues; representing conservative values in Congress and winning back the House of Representatives.
At this point, we have to wonder what kind of conversations are happening behind closed doors within the ranks of the Democrats. First it was Vic Snyder, now it’s Marion Berry.
Fox has learned that six-term Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR) will retire at the end of this term.
Berry is the latest in a long list of both House Democrats and Republicans who have decided to step aside at the end of this Congress. But Berry’s retirement could prove to be particularly vexing for Democrats.
Just last week, Rep. Vic Snyder (D-AR) announced his retirement. And Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) is expected to face one of the toughest re-election campaigns for any Senate Democrat in the country. This shows a vulnerability for Democrats in the south. And a special weakness in Arkansas, where Snyder and Berry may have seen troubled waters ahead statewide with Lincoln at the top of the ballot.
Senator Blanche Lincoln is in big trouble. And with two house seats now in full play, Arkansas could see a major shift this year.
The fallout from Scott Brown’s incredible upset win in Massachusetts has started, Hanna announces rematch against Arcuri in NY-24.
Richard Hanna of Barneveld in Oneida County intends to file with the Federal Election Commission as a candidate for the 24th Congressional District. He will seek the Republican, Conservative and Independence party endorsements. [Read Hanna’s Full Announcement]
Richard Hanna of Barneveld in Oneida County intends to file with the Federal Election Commission as a candidate for the 24th Congressional District. He will seek the Republican, Conservative and Independence party endorsements.
Hanna, who is married with two young children, is a lifelong resident of upstate New York and a successful businessman having employed over 450 people in his 27 years in private business. Richard is educated in economics and has a 30-year history of community involvement; in 2007, he received The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties’ Rosamond Childs Award for Philanthropy and throughout his life has received dozens of other community service awards. Richard ran as a first time candidate in 2008 – one of the worst years in Republican history with little national help – yet had one of the closest races in the United States losing by about two percentage points against a career politician.
“We are fostering a political system that spends most of its time at war with itself ignoring its responsibilities to its citizens and the future,” Hanna said. “As we live through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression every American’s share of our multitrillion dollar debt is over $184,000. If we do not begin to act responsibly and with urgency we risk being the last generation to pass to our children the full promise of our upstate community and this nation.
“I am running as an Independent minded, pragmatic American who believes that it is government’s responsibility to clear the way for individuals to solve problems, to foster all those productive economic and educational elements that create jobs and opportunity, which has allowed our nation’s citizens to enjoy the highest standard of living in the world,” Hanna continued. “We are living at a time of grave consequences as well as opportunity. How we respond is how the future and how our children will judge us.”
NRCC Comment: “Michael Arcuri should review the Massachusetts election results closely because it’s clear that voters, especially independents, are motivated to stop the Obama-Pelosi big government agenda he supports. Frustrated by Arcuri’s partisan record, Central New Yorkers want an independent voice in Congress that fights to create jobs, cut spending and lower taxes. Richard Hanna will provide that leadership and put people back to work.” – Tory Mazzola, NRCC Spokesman
Some quick facts on NY-24:
48% In 2008, a tough election cycle for Republicans by any standard, Hanna earned 48% of the vote against Michael Arcuri. In 2010, Democrats are not safe in Massachusetts, a deep blue state where Obama took 62% of the vote.
50% President Obama garnered only 50% in this district in 2008. As the election results in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia prove, 2010 will be a very different cycle and the Obama-Pelosi message can’t even pull off a win in the Bay State.
+2 The Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) favors the GOP by 2 points.
+6 In 2004, President George W. Bush carried the district by 6, earning 53% of the vote.
91% Michael Arcuri has proven his partisan stripes by voting with Nancy Pelosi 91% of the time, including a vote for government-run healthcare, a bill that only 33% of Americans think is a “good idea.”
Facing a potentially heated primary challenge, old age, and lack of ability to serve in a majority party South Carolina Republican Congressman Henry Brown says he’ll retire and not run for re-election.
Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC) has told associates he will his announce his retirement Monday.
Sources tell Palmetto Scoop that Brown “was upset with being a member of the minority party in Washington. And at 74 years old, age was also a factor in Brown’s decision not to run again.”
Of course, Brown also faced multiple primary challengers, including one from Carroll Campbell III, the son of the former GOP governor and congressman.
Cook Political shows the district to be heavily Republican, with the seat likely going that direction in 2010. The fact that there s now no incumbent, however, might change things a bit and Republicans will now have to spend more time and money to ensure they keep the seat.
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