Free Republic

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is on a collision course with the most powerful man in the GOP: Donald Trump. DeSantis is crisscrossing the country to deliver red-meat speeches. Iowa leaders begged him to visit. He just beat Trump in a key straw poll. And now the popular governor is getting close to overshadowing the former president in the 2024 presidential sweepstakes. All of that could be dangerous for DeSantis’ political health, as Trump continues to ponder a new bid for the White House and remains capable of kneecapping any Republican he sees as a threat. “It makes it...

Making sense of the 2016 Republican primary is a task best left to future historians, but here’s one rough measure of how crazy things have become: Results of one hotly contested primary in March are still being disputed. And the fight has gotten so bitter that negative campaign ads are being run on the radio—not against one of the GOP candidates but against one of the lowly 2,472 elected delegates tasked with going to the Republican convention and voting for the party nominee. The story involves a multigenerational rivalry between two Republican powerbrokers from Michigan, and at stake are six...

<p>Ted Cruz suffered a rare convention loss Saturday after delegates backing John Kasich and Donald Trump boxed him out of key positions in the Michigan delegation.</p> <p>The Texas senator's campaign ran eight delegates for eight committee spots and lost every one, alleging it was "double-crossed" by Kasich supporters.</p>

Ted Cruz: 'We're going to win Michigan' (Video at the link) MACKINAC ISLAND, MI — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, speaking Saturday to a crowd of Michigan Republicans that included plenty of "establishment" figures, positioned himself as the grassroots presidential candidate of choice. "If you see a candidate that Washington embraces, run and hide," Cruz said during a keynote address at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference. "...If you think things are going great in Washington, if you think we need to continue heading in the same basic direction -- just kind of fiddle around the edges -- then I...

HOUSTON, Texas – Continuing to build a robust national and Michigan organization, Cruz for President today named Wendy Day, the current Vice Chair of the Michigan Republican Party and Liberty movement leader, as the Michigan State Director for the Cruz for President Campaign. “Wendy is a great fit because she is no stranger to grassroots politics at every level,” said Ted Cruz. “Her influence in the Great Lake State and commitment to freedom make her a valued member of our team.” Wendy is one of the most respected, hardworking grassroots leaders Michigan has seen, said Cruz State Chairman Saul Anuzis....

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis is joining the presidential campaign of Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Cruz’s campaign announced Monday that Anuzis will serve as the state chair for the Republican presidential hopeful. Anuzis will also be a senior adviser helping organize the campaign’s grassroots efforts. Cruz says Anuzis “has a strong record of leadership, success, and exemplary management in Michigan.”(continued)

LANSING, MI - While Michigan Republicans are still debating when to hold their 2016 presidential primary, some of the party’s top political strategists are making the case for potential candidates. Welcome to Michigan Political Points, my weekly roundup of news, views and YouTubes from the state Capitol and beyond. CRUZ NEWS: Former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, now working as a political consultant, penned a column this week making the case for a Ted Cruz presidential nomination in 2016. “He’s the candidate many in the mainstream media and Washington chattering class love to hate,” Anuzis wrote. “He is demonized...

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — This afternoon, after observing the final debate among RNC Candidates for Chairman, RPT State Chairman Steve Munisteri announced that all three representatives for Texas to the Republican National Committee will vote in a bloc on the first ballot for former Michigan State Republican Chairman Saul Anuzis. In announcing his decision, Chairman Munisteri stated: "Bill Crocker, Borah Van Dormolen, and I all came to the RNC winter meetings in Maryland, united behind the belief that a change in leadership was necessary. I personally have wrestled with this very tough decision since I had worked in a...

Saul Anuzis has announced he's running for chairmanship of the Republican National Committee. The former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party pits himself against sitting RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Anuzis garnered respect in the state for employing strategies resulting in recent Republican takeovers of the governorship, state House of Representatives and Michigan Supreme Court, expanding the party's majority in the state Senate and increasing the GOP congressional delegation by two seats. As a staunch advocate for net neutrality, however, Anuzis rows against the tide established by the majority of his party. (It should be noted that on Nov. 2, all...

A prominent Michigan Republican is running against party chairman Michael Steele. Saul Anuzis made his plans known Friday in an e-mail in which he says the party can win in 2012 only if the chairman steps out of the limelight and allows the candidates to become the voice and face of Republicans.

Members of the Republican National Committee will be voting for a new Chairman at the end of January. Vote on your preferred candidate and, if you'd like, submit a comment below. Your comment will be automatically emailed to your state RNC representatives to let them know who you'd like to lead the party!

ON THE PHONE, Saul Anuzis doesn't stutter. That's fitting for the former telecom executive and current Michigan state GOP chairman who's running for Republican National Committee Chairman. After all, he's been the first to actually announce his intention to run. Anuzis is also the first to announce his candidacy using web platforms -- speaking to Republicans via YouTube, changing his status message on the social networking site Facebook, and sending a message via Twitter. The significance of such a move cannot be underestimated: At a time when Republicans are regrouping and looking for a path forward, there is a great...

The following names have been bantied about regarding the race for the RNC Chair: Katon Dawson - South Carolina GOP Chair Newt Gingrich - former Speaker of the House Jim Greer - Florida GOP Chair Saul Anuzis - Michigan GOP Chair Each one has their strong points and weak points. I love Newt, but I don't know if he's suited for the chairmanship. It seems like we need a talented grassroots organizer to build the party from the ground up. Of course fundraising is an important skill as well. Please post your thoughts.

Anuzis brings a different background to state GOP's top job 2/3/2005, 5:40 p.m. ET By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN The Associated Press LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Republican Party is on the verge of being led by a Harley-riding former Democrat who barely spoke English until the first grade. Saulius "Saul" Anuzis, who grew up in Detroit in a blue-collar Democratic family that immigrated from Lithuania, is about to become the GOP's next chairman. Anuzis, 45, wasn't initially interested in succeeding Betsy DeVos, a major GOP donor and fund-raiser who's stepping down after leading the party the past two years....