Free Republic

Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer (R) could upset his party-backed opponent in the Tuesday primary for North Dakota’s open at-large seat, a new poll suggested. Cramer led fellow Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk, 60 percent to 21 percent with 19 percent undecided, in a Mason-Dixon poll sponsored by the local Valley News Live/KFYR-TV. The poll surveyed 625 likely voters from June 4 to 6. It had a margin of error of 4 percent.

United States President Barack Obama leads Republican challenger Mitt Romney by seven percentage points, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found Tuesday. Obama has widened his lead since April, when he was leading by four percentage points. .....

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D-WV) has announced that he will not endorse Barack Obama for re-election, stating, “[the president] has apparently made it his mission to drive the backbone of West Virginia’s economy, coal and the energy industry, out of business.”

Robert Gibbs on Meet The Press,' responding to Ed Gillespie... We have a strong foreign policy... most severe sanctions on the regime in Iran... it wouldn't be possible under Bush... (Just now on NBC).

Gingrich plans to suspend campaign next week CBS News Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks in Cramerton, NC, Wednesday, April 25, 2012. (Credit: AP Photo/Chuck Burton) UPDATED 1:52 pm ET (CBS News) CRAMERTON, NC--Newt Gingrich on Wednesday unofficially conceded the ...

If you think '08 was bad... you ain't seen nothin' yet Anybody who's ever read-up on Alinsky and the Cloward-Piven strategy can tell you that much of their technique for attacking the establishment involves 'overwhelming' public facilities, government institutions, and financial systems in order to bring bring them to a grinding halt. They then aim to get what they want through blackmail and/or a collapse of the target, inflicting wholesale changes upon the current status quo via civil disruption/force.  With a shaky, state-by-state patchwork being all there is to protect the sanctity of the democratic process in this country (and...

In the days leading to Super Tuesday contests, Rick Santorum stepped away from social issues and bombastic speeches while barnstorming Ohio to recast himself as the underdog whose blue-collar roots would stay true to American values. Yet the former senator from Pennsylvania lost ground, slipping to a near dead heat with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in Ohio, the key state among 10 in which voters will cast ballots today, pollsters said. "I thought his message has become so unclear on who he is or what he stands for that I am losing confidence on his ability to win the...

"Around the world, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, what they did was hard. It takes time. It takes more than a single term. It takes more than a single president. It takes more than a single individual," Obama said. "What it takes is ordinary citizens who keep believe, who are committed to fighting and pushing and inching this country closer and closer to our highest ideals.

Mitt Romney's literature and signs have been at every Republican event for years. He had quite an organization in 2008 with signs that said, "Michigan for Mitt," with the cute reference of the appearance of the lower peninsula being a mitten, and Mitt's name, well, it's just precious. But here we are, 9 days from Michigan's Presidential Primary, which the GOP in Michigan moved up and lost half of it's delegates as a result, and now Mitt has to actually compete. Mitt lost Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, South Carolina, and Minnesota, and may lose Maine. He has so far won New...

There is concern in Venezuela about the direction the country is moving politically, and Venezuelan governor Henrique Capriles is beginning to represent hope for opposition groups. As mayor of Caracas, Henrique was targeted by the administration for not doing enough to suppress protests against the Cuban embassy in 2002, and was charged with fomenting violence; a charge that may have been intended to remove him as political competition. At least a third of Venezuelans currently support opposition candidates according to recent polls, and many Venezuelans left the country since Chavez came to power, and even more after a failed referendum...

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) will not run for re-election this year, a source close to the Congressman told Roll Call. The Blue Dog Democrat had decided against a bid in a redrawn 11th district, which was made substantially more Republican than his current district during GOP-led redistricting.

NASHVILLE — Mitt Romney, who finished third in Tennessee's 2008 Republican presidential primary, has established a solid lead in organizing to win the state this year — if that will still matter on March 6. And some of the state's leading Republicans think that the political dust to be stirred in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and elsewhere will not be settled on that "Super Tuesday" two months from now. If so, Tennessee just might be in the national limelight for a moment. Three other Southern states — Georgia, Texas and Virginia — also have primaries scheduled on March 6....

Officially, the recession ended two and a half years ago. President Obama tells us the economy has been moving in the right direction since June 2009. Few will take solace in that statistic. Americans are suffering. For nearly three years, nearly one in 10 have been out of work. Almost double that number are either underemployed — working part time when they would rather be full time — or have simply given up looking. Historically in America, the deeper the recession, the stronger the recovery. By historical standards, we should be completing the second year of a booming recovery. Recall...

When it comes to foreign affairs, Ron Paul is the most mocked of the GOP field. The argument could be made that Paul only wants to follow the Constitution. He does not believe we should fight a war unless it is declared a war by Congress. As a former military man, Paul says he wants a strong defense, but wants to bring troops back home from around the world. Paul's philosophy on foreign affairs continues to be his biggest stumbling block with older voters and his GOP rivals. An article earlier this year in USA Today stated that Paul has...

The American tradition of public education began in one-room school houses when frontier farm families hired dedicated teachers to teach their children. When I attended public schools in the 1950s, I received an excellent education. American schools were rated the best in the world. Those schools prepared me for Caltech, and Caltech prepared me for a wonderful life in science. I owe my career and accomplishments to the great start I received in the public schools. Those public schools were locally controlled and locally funded. Teachers and parents worked together on the content of curriculum, student discipline, and all aspects...

Today’s opening snark courtesy of Journolister Dave Weigel from his Slate perch: Big Government breaks the news that Bill Ayers hosted a fundraiser for Barack Obama; well, this was broken by Ben Smith in 2007, but still. I call it a “snark” because the word “lie” feels a little harsh during this holiday season. However, it’s just a fact that Big Government didn’t position the piece as “breaking news” and as far as I can tell it wasn’t even a featured story. But you have to admire a guy like Weigel who poses as an objective journalist and yet sees...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Herman Cain on Thursday became the first Republican presidential candidate to receive Secret Service protection. Cain asked for the security and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and congressional leaders approved his request Thursday, Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan confirmed. There have been threats against Cain, who had been experiencing a bounce in the polls, according to an official with knowledge of the situation who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the situation. The nature of the threats was unclear

It’s tempting to get distracted with the horse race aspect of electoral politics during a primary season. But as pundits talk about “who’s up and who’s down” in the 24 hour news cycle, we must keep our eye on the ball with the Obama administration. They rely on distraction to skirt responsibility, but we’re going to hold them accountable for their corruption and incompetence. When the stories about Operation Fast and Furious first broke, it sounded too crazy even for this administration. Why would any government official with an ounce of common sense think it’s a good idea to facilitate...

Ken Vogel and I both have sources telling us that calls were made on behalf of a mystery candidate to various early states to determine presidential filing deadlines. Continue Reading The calls were made by representatives of the law firm Baker Hostetler - a firm that employs lawyer Mark Braden, who represents Sarah PAC, her political action committee. As Ken notes, while he nor representatives of Palin’s campaign would comment on the calls, Palin is the only GOP politician eying the presidential race who is represented by the firm. It wouldn’t be the first time that her representatives have sought...

NEW YORK – ...........The details of Cain's 15-minute presentation to 500 or more movers and shakers in the Big Apple were considered "off the record," but WND can report that after the presentation, Cain received a standing ovation from the assembled crowd. ......Cain drew parallels to former President George H.W. Bush, who in 1980 lost the nomination to Ronald Reagan but signed on to become his vice president: "If it is the right nominee, someone that I can respect and that I believe I can work with," Cain said of accepting the vice presidential nomination, "then I would obviously seriously...