Posted on 04/21/2012 3:20:10 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Rick Santorum, the winner of Alabama's Republican presidential primary, hasn't released his 22 Alabama delegates to support another candidate, but delegates said they expect to unite behind Mitt Romney if he locks up the GOP nomination.
....Santorum won Alabama's GOP primary March 13, picking up 22 delegates, compared with 13 for Newt Gingrich and 12 for Romney.
Even though Santorum has suspended his campaign, the rules of the Alabama Republican Party bind his delegates to him until he releases them.
Dean participated in a conference call with Santorum on Monday, during which the former Pennsylvania senator told delegates he has no immediate plans to release them. Dean said Santorum is hanging on to the delegates for now to make sure conservative principles play an important role at the Republican National Convention in late August.
Delegate Tom Powers of Clanton said that if Romney gets the 1,144 delegates needed to secure the nomination before the August convention, he expects Santorum to release his Alabama delegates and encourage everyone to give Romney a 100 percent vote in Tampa, Fla.
Delegate Tripp Skipper of Anniston, an aide to Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, said that even though Santorum was his first choice, Romney appears to be the presumptive nominee.
"I'd much rather have Governor Romney as president than President Obama," Skipper said.
State Party Chairman Bill Armistead said it was obvious that Romney would win the nomination. He said some of Santorum's supporters in Alabama are already helping Romney's campaign, and he expects more to come on board.
Gingrich is still seeking the nomination and has his 13 Alabama delegates. Armistead said he hopes Gingrich won't become divisive because "there is no path to victory for him to get the nomination."
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
That would happen if Rick Santorum came out in support of Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich is still seeking the nomination and has his 13 Alabama delegates. Armistead said he hopes Gingrich won't become divisive because "there is no path to victory for him to get the nomination."
Mitt lies and smears his conservatives opponents in the primary - burying them with negative ads -- and the GOP-e is warning Newt.
sweater vest wants to ensure he gets picked for VP. my two least favorite candidates united. I’m beginning to see the wisdom of not voting. to hell with it.
“I’d much rather have Governor Romney as president than President Obama,” Skipper said.
Here we go again, hold your nose mentality. Is this thier strategy? Romney will continue the chess game while others may overturn the table and refuse to play. Looks like the the two parties are in bed with each other and enjoying the game. Either way they win and we lose
If we can take control of the house and the Senate, it becomes: either way, they lose.
While Nevada casino mogul Sheldon Adelson - who has donated $7.5 million to the group - did not give more in March, his wife Dr. Miriam Adelson contributed an additional $5 million last month, according to a report filed late Friday night with the Federal Election Commission. All totaled she has given $12.5 million and the family has given more than $20 million."...
—
Alabama GOP Chair: If Gingrich Loses the South, He's ‘Out of the Ball Game’
By Lara Seligman
Updated: March 13, 2012 | 11:13 a.m.
March 13, 2012 | 7:21 a.m.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead said on Tuesday that out of all the GOP presidential candidates, Newt Gingrich has spent the most time campaigning in the state — and that he has the most at stake as voters head to the polls.
Gingrich needs Southern support the most, Armistead said, arguing that if the former House speaker doesn't do well in Alabama and Mississippi he will no longer be competitive.
“You would think he was running for governor here,” Armistead said on CNN’s Early Start, adding that if Gingrich loses both Southern states, “I believe he’s out of the ball game and then it will be a one-to-one between Santorum and Romney.”
Either way I think the majority of conservatives and the country are going to give Mitt and the GOPe the middle finger salute!
Mitt Romney has one thing going for him: he’s facing President Obama. Just about anyone but Obama would destroy Mitt Romney in an election, but Obama is easily the worst president of my lifetime, maybe even in the last 100 years. So, I don’t think Romney is a guaranteed loss, but we’re definitely in much worse shape than we might have been. I would have liked an election with real contrasts rather than a battle to find the best of the worst. Gah!
The Conservative Constitutional Cause is clearly served by an Obama re-election rather than a Romney win.
A Right leaning/Conservative Constitutional Congress can easily remain united behind an Obama re-election....whereas the same Congress will be sliced and diced by the RINOS if Romney is in the White House.
The Powers That Be fully understand this....
Welcome to the United Soviet States of America..where the Pravda State Media “vet” the candidates to the pleasure and needs of the RinoCrat UniParty.
This “election” will be a non-election...featuring the state approved “candidates”-whose only distinction is whether they are black or white.
“Alabama GOP Chair: If Gingrich Loses the South, He’s ‘Out of the Ball Game’”
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead sings for his supper.
AND though there are going to be some “winner take all” primaries, the following contests are also on the schedule:
RI (16) proportional
NY (92) proportional
WVA (28) proportional -- elect delegates (who list their presidential pick on ballot)
NC (52) proportional
OR (25) proportional
AK (33) proportional
KY (42) proportional
TX (155) proportional
CA (169) proportional (by district)
NM (20) proportional
SD (25) proportional
There there are the Contested delegates: …. “delegates have to be "uncontested" in order to count. The frontrunner's rivals argue some of the states that awarded Romney all of their delegates violated Republican National Committee rules when they moved their contests ahead of April 1 and therefore should distribute delegates proportionally. This dispute, if it continues, would not be ruled on until the August convention in Tampa.
"All the media counts right now give him all of Florida, which is against the rules, all of Arizona, which is against the rules, and all of Idaho," Gingrich said Monday. "Those are all three proportional states and they should only be counting his share. So he has to win 1,144 uncontested delegates."
FL: 50 delegates
ID: 32 delegates
AZ: 29 delegates
For example, the committee agrees that some states that went for Romney jumped the line in the primary schedule, a violation of party rules. But RNC defenders shrug off other complaints, like that they undercut Santorum and Gingrich by formatting a delegate tracking list to pad Romney’s tally, by forming a fundraising alliance this week with Romney and by highlighting a rule that would block an unlikely path to the nomination for Gingrich.
And it’s possible they’ll be other clashes in the coming weeks, with the RNC signaling Thursday its opposition to a push by Santorum backers in Texas to alter the rules surrounding that state’s May 29 primary to help the former Pennsylvania Senator.
Critics of the RNC’s handling of the primary are so sensitive to signs that the committee may be pulling for Romney that they’ve even detected evidence of favoritism in the staff ties between his campaign and the RNC — though some concede such speculation veers more toward conspiracy theory than legitimate concern.”….
Summary of article:
A State Party Chair, who is a National Convention Superdelegate and a Federal Government Employee, a Congressional Staffer who is also a Republican National Convention Delegate, are trying to whip the normal delegates into voting for Romney nearly four months before the convention.
Makes you proud of the current state of the convention system of party decision-making.
He was correct. When GIngrich lost those two states, he was essentially done. Except he didn’t quit. He also didn’t do what others here are skewering Santorum about, release his delegates so they could support Santorum and give Santorum an argument that he could get to 1144.
Because Gingrich right now is playing the same game Santorum is — keep your delegates, go to the convention, use your influence to get your conservative positions aired.
Of course, it seems both candidates are more likely to release their delegates if Romney locks up a majority. In the meantime, Gingrich is still in the race, and has his one-on-one with Romney that his supporters wanted, and it’s only mid-April.
Lets see how Gingrich does in Pennsylvania, which isn’t conservative but at least is somewhat republican.
We can NOT allow this to happen!
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE! I would rather fight now politically to destroy these IDEAL traitors, than HAVE to fight later with blood to keep this country what it was founded on!
Naughty Newt...didn’t give poooor Santorum his delegates.
So Santorum could drop out.
Santorum was NEVER going to be the nominee.
The reason he did so much better than anyone thought possible...people thought Newt was stained, panicked, and took Rick as the anti Romney standard bearer Mr. Perfect, and Romney was so AWFUL he stood up against him beyond expectations.
But there was an outer limit. He reached it. End of story. Had to leave before losing PA, his home state, which he had lost before by 17 pts.
Newt is the far superior candidate and potential president than either Rick or Mitt. The difference is astonishing. He is everything they are NOT. Many times over.
I’m glad he’s there. Rick wasn’t going to be it...whatever it was, to Rick, I’m still not quite clear.
I’m clear with Newt.
Let’s face it, though, the E will have none of it. All roads lead to Mitt, no matter which one you try to go down.
You’re so smart, CWCT...how does it feel to go in circles like everyone else?
And you do.
The princes at the princess hotel.
Come on horse, sing dam you sing!
It’s obvious from watching Fox News Special Report, listening to Rush’s fill-in host Mark Davis, suffering through Shawn Hannity’s farcical neutrality, reading print media, etc that the GOP-e is well aware that the base is fuming. So they’re alternately complimenting Newt and pouring cold water on any coverage and/or ridiculing him. They must pry his supporters away and force everyone into Mitt’s corner. They’re pleading with Mitt to reach out to the base — but at the same time saying Mitt needs to move to the middle now.
The problem is, the primary isn’t over. The RNC has screwed this up royally and they’re blaming us for their misguided, arrogant actions.
Odd, we were just speaking about Jeb the other day, wondering if Mitt might have the gall to tap him for VP.
Now, out comes a poll showing ONLY Jeb could help Mitt in FL.
This AL GOP-E bigwig shows you what Newt faced, even down south.
I’m willing to bet this guy was bought long ago.
Go figure. The delegates pledged to one RINO will bolt for the other RINO.
Wonder if all those conservatives in Alabama who voted for Santorum thinking he was a conservative feel betrayed yet?
Wouldn't surprise me. You'd be amazed at how stuck on themselves some of these unelected politicos can be once they become the "almighty state chair of the Republican Party" or some other "high-ranking" official like that. If some politician doesn't kowtow or pay the "proper respect," then they'll use all the influence they can squeeze from their position against him or her.
But then he demures and says, but Marco would be best. Really? The Bushes have the drapes measured for another White House stay in 8 years (probably 4). I bet Marco knows he will have to wait his turn but that he will be useful campaigning with the cardboard Mass moderate to bring out conservatives and the Hispanic vote.
I'm waiting for Mitt to start parroting Rick Perry on "seal the border, strategic fencing, kill off the cartels and no amnesty." Rick Perry (as a border governor) spoke the truth because he understands and wants to fix the problem, while Mitt parroted what he was told to get the votes (while lying and saying Newt called Spanish a getto language) and once in office Romney WON'T DO A DAMN thing to fix border security or the illegal immigration situation.
Which shows us yet another reason why actual conservatives need to toss these bigwig types out on their cans.
The combined of Santorum and Newt against Romney was overwhelming in AL.
Does this E lapdog care?
Nope.
Romney Assumes Role as Leader of GOP "PHOENIX (AP) - Mitt Romney is assuming his new role as leader of the Republican Party as his campaign works to integrate with the Republican National Committee.
On Friday, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee addressed a gathering of state GOP chairs and members in Phoenix. Reading from a list, he rattled off the names of his primary challengers and thanked them, saying they "fought hard and well." Those listed included Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, who are still campaigning against him.
Sen. John McCain, the party's 2008 nominee, and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus introduced Romney to the gathering of about 200 people.
Priebus told the former Massachusetts governor he wanted to welcome him "in a formal way, to greet a family here."
For sure...Marco actually blurted out that he doesn’t want to be VP now...because why?
We know it’s Jeb’s turn.
Marco knows he can’t cut in the line.
Here’s the hook they can hang Jeb on for us peons down here...quote: you know we can’t beat Obama without FL, so we have no choice but to pick Jeb.
Sweeeeet.
Colombia and Jeb Bush with Laura and George W. Bush
Jan 11, 2012 - (CNN) - Christmas may be over, but a Jeb Bush presidential bid was apparently on the wish list for George and Laura Bush.
The former first lady told a Florida audience Wednesday that she and her husband, the former president, hoped her brother-in-law would decide to run for president this year. Source
More to secure his status as 'next in line' for 2016...
Why is it that Newt is being accused of being "divisive" again? I don't see romney giving up the portion of 'the pie' he's carved out and 'divided' up for himself. In fact the way I see it romney's the punkass bullying chump that rushes the desert table and tries to hog all the desert for himself; "metaphorically" speaking of course.
This country is in trouble if romney's the Republican nominee.
But this would be much easier than running for president...be picked for VP, and either way...by winning and serving in the office, or losing but not the one to blame, you would be next in line for president, next time.
And then it would be, Sarah WHO?
Yet I do see the mindset in this posted Laura comment.
Another one was when Bar said she had met Sarah, she’s quite beautiful, I hope she stays in AK, if you know what I mean, wink wink.
Yes.
Mitt can’t win on his merits but has the money and the morals needed to bury his conservative opposition — and the nerve to declare himself the nominee.
But he is not there yet......
Next in line is Jeb Bush.
Don’t think anything Santorum does can change that.
But he might not KNOW that...
Then George P. Bush will be groomed (is being groomed) for his turn at the White House. It really is too much.
Right on! Or as my wife just said, "so true. So true."
“State Party Chairman Bill Armistead said it was obvious that Romney would win the nomination.”
Again, about the only benefit of this primary season is that the GOP-e has to reveal its existence, and be named in order to support their liberal. The enemy within is as dangerous as the enemy without...
The gop/e needs to be destroyed... or maybe even the entire gop machine. Are you romney-bots proud of YOUR party?
LLS
Well said!
We must fight NOW for NEWT! Mitt/GOP E wants to instill doubt/propaganda - resist it and it will flee. We only have NOW or fight for the next four years. Don't be suckered into their ABO mantra - used to make the weak settle.
Sure beats another four of obama mentality. I'm all for sending a message to the GOP-e - but this is not the election to take that risk.
Palin is going to kick little Rick’s azz in 2016.
LLS
I think more so. The enemy outside makes itself apparent. It takes awhile for too many to see the enemy inside because they are hanging onto disbelief that they have been duped. But the time they wake up, it's all over.
Newt was the ONLY candidate to ever be considered to lead our country and beat Barry. How many were duped otherwise?!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.