GOP Presidential Nominees

[a6mzero]

There are enough nut jobs on the list to fill up one wing of your local mental health clinic. I don't see a winner in the whole sorry lot.

[Phatscotty]

Ted Cruz wins presidential straw poll at Republican Leadership Conference
Posted by
CNN's Conor Finnegan
(CNN) – Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has won another straw poll, boosting his national profile and elevating his name among potential 2016 presidential contenders.

The firebrand freshman senator and tea party favorite was among a handful of 2016 hopefuls speaking at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans this week.



Cruz finished in first place in the annual conference's presidential straw poll at 30.33%. Dr. Ben Carson, a Fox News commentator and conservative activist, finished in second with 29.38% while Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, was third with 10.43%.

Fox News host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Governor Rick Perry rounded out the top five, at 5.06% and 4.90%, respectively.

Neither Carson nor Paul spoke at the conference, but their support was a show of confidence by the traditionally more conservative crowd. The annual meeting of activists features of who's who of big-name Republican politicians. It is an important appearance for potential presidential candidates to make.

More moderate Republicans also skipped the conference, but many fared much worse in the straw poll. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie came in dead last with 1.11% while Florida’s former Gov. Jeb Bush and current Sen. Marco Rubio and came in seventh and eighth at 4.42% and 3.32 %, respectively.

Cruz's address was among the most popular. He was interrupted several times by cheers and standing ovations - especially when he told the crowd he was "convinced" the Republican Party would retake control of Congress in the midterm elections this fall.

Cruz won the Values Voter summit's presidential straw poll last fall, and came in second to Sen. Paul in this year's straw poll at the big Conservative Political Action Conference.

The potential 2016 presidential candidate said that across the country, people tell him that they are scared – of losing their freedom, losing their constitutional rights, and bankrupting their children and grandchildren.

"There is an urgency facing this country – there is an urgency in politics unlike anything we've ever seen," he said, arguing those fears were driving a new movement.

"America is waking up. We are seeing revival, we are seeing renewal, and together – mark my words – we are going to turn this nation around," he said.

Cruz highlighted his past battles with what he regards as the Washington elites, Democrat and Republican, in the fight over drones, gun rights and filibusters. But he cited a "tsunami" of populist power, a wave of grassroots support as the core of those victories.

"Thank you!" he exclaimed to a shout of thanks from the audience. "Nobody cares what any politician in Washington says. Power in politics, sovereignty in America is with we the people, and that is the path to turning this country around, empowering the people."

That wave will unseat Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, and force Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, out, he said to applause and cheers. A conservative Democrat, Landrieu faces a tough re-election this fall, and the crowd of Louisiana Republicans is eager to unseat her and strip the Democrats of their majority status.

Sounding like a candidate on the trail, Gov. Perry took the occasion to tout his record in Texas, on everything from job creation to reducing nitrous oxide emissions.

“The best ideas can be found in the states, where innovative policies get replicated all the time,” said the two-term governor. “And I have never been afraid to borrow good ideas, regardless of where they come from. No political party has a monopoly on good ideas.”

He argued the party should be the same way.

“If we are to win a majority in both houses of Congress and take back the White House, we must again be the party of big ideas,” he added later. “Americans are looking for leadership that transcends partisanship.”

Former Pennsylvania senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum also gave a passionate speech that called for a return to conservative values and slammed those who would compromise in order to win elections – a veiled swipe he has made before at moderate Republicans, like Gov. Christie.

"The problem with the Republican Party is that we have people in the party who don't believe in the very foundational principles of our party," said Santorum, going on to criticize the party's "moderate" funders, an "expert political class" from "dark-blue communities" in major cities.

"We talk to job creators, not job holders – and ladies and gentlemen, there are a lot more job holders than there are job creators," he said, with a message of economic populism that pushed the GOP to be "pro-growth and pro-worker," not just pro-business.

Santorum finished in ninth place in the straw poll, at 2.37%.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and business magnate Donald Trump were also in attendance at the conference - although none of them were included in the straw poll.

Former presidential candidate Herman Cain also spoke, and even hinted that he may run for president again.

Calling the Obama administration "a period of scandals and a crisis of leadership," the businessman and radio host told the crowd to "stay informed. The stupid people are out-voting us."

At one time the leading candidate in the 2012 Republican field, Cain also pushed back against the notion that Republicans don't reach out to minorities – citing himself as an example.

"What am I, chopped liver?" he exclaimed.

Cain was also not featured in the straw poll.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... this-fall/

[Phatscotty]

There are enough nut jobs on the list to fill up one wing of your local mental health clinic. I don't see a winner in the whole sorry lot.

Why are they nut jobs? Or is it just because they disagree with Democrats, which of course makes them 'crazy'

Just wondering how much respect your opinion deserves, and if you can tolerate different points of view or if they must all be thrown in a concentration camp for the mentally ill., otherwise known as the typical 'tolerant' leftist viewpoint.

[saxitoxin]

I'd say a lot of these guys act like nutjobs for calculated, strategic reasons, in the same vein as Vance McAllister who spoke extensively of God in his campaign but - after he was caught having an affair - the cuckolded husband revealed McAllister had told him he got religious when he needed votes. I mean Ted Cruz went to Harvard and Princeton (on merit; sans establishment ties) and was editor of Harvard Law Review, so he's clearly a bright guy. I think one would find that, the day after he was elected, all the UN, Agenda 21 stuff would get put in the circular file and never revisted.

Then there are those like Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, and Rand Paul who - for different reasons from each other - I think really are nutjobs. That said,I could see myself supporting Rand Paul, for the reason that he's the only one in this group that I think might not let the Zionists put both their hands on the steering wheel, which I'm sure every other candidate here would do. Plus, a little bit of crazy can sometimes be sanitizing.


Then there are people who are certifiably brilliant like Condoleeza Rice, but are just DOA because of their history. And then the mainstream like Chris Christie and Susana Martinez, though, with either of the two parties mainstream is usually just a codeword for compassless, pragmatic politics and political career-seeking.


Finally, there's the representatives of the great, ruling patrician families, like Huntsman and Bush


I'm still holding out hope Hillary gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Brian Schweitzer gets the Democratic nomination; short of that I'll probably vote Green or something.

[a6mzero]

Ted Cruz , just what the country needs another republican president from Texas. Since we all know the last one was all that and a bag of chips.

[Phatscotty]

There are enough nut jobs on the list to fill up one wing of your local mental health clinic. I don't see a winner in the whole sorry lot.

Why are they nut jobs? Or is it just because they disagree with Democrats, which of course makes them 'crazy'

Just wondering how much respect your opinion deserves, and if you can tolerate different points of view or if they must all be thrown in a concentration camp for the mentally ill., otherwise known as the typical 'tolerant' leftist viewpoint.[/quote]

Ted Cruz , just what the country needs another republican president from Texas. Since we all know the last one was all that and a bag of chips.

your posts are meaningless, you say virtually nothing, which doesn't exactly make your opinion very valuable.

What a waste

[Phatscotty]

It's so rewarding to be able to return to the operating room. Yesterday, I performed four pro bono cataract surgeries in Paducah on patients who do not have insurance.

Rand Paul does more good in one day than Obama has done in his entire life. Obama doesn't donate even 1% of his time or money.

[a6mzero]

Ah yes the wonderful Rand Paul.1)opposes the Federal reserve 2)wants to lower taxes yet again (US tax rates r now the lowest they have been in 60 years) 3) opposes the dept of education 4) thinks private business should be allowed to discriminate against people based on race,religion, or for whatever reason they would like to 5)opposes ALL gun control legislation6) opposes abortion even if the womans life is in danger 7)opposes stem-cell research Favors raising deductables on medicare ( the poor and the elderly cant pay the deductables now) 9)Wants to eliminate birth right citizenship. Yes he would make a great president if we wanted to return to say 1850!!!!!!!

[Phatscotty]

Ah yes the wonderful Rand Paul.1)opposes the Federal reserve 2)wants to lower taxes yet again (US tax rates r now the lowest they have been in 60 years) 3) opposes the dept of education 4) thinks private business should be allowed to discriminate against people based on race,religion, or for whatever reason they would like to 5)opposes ALL gun control legislation6) opposes abortion even if the womans life is in danger 7)opposes stem-cell research Favors raising deductables on medicare ( the poor and the elderly cant pay the deductables now) 9)Wants to eliminate birth right citizenship. Yes he would make a great president if we wanted to return to say 1850!!!!!!!

now thats a post!

[saxitoxin]

Is Rand Paul easing himself into establishment Republican foreign policy rhetoric?

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/ ... s-driving/

[DaGip]

Bobby Jindal gets it done.

If I imagine myself being a Republican, this is who I would vote for.

[Phatscotty]

Is Rand Paul easing himself into establishment Republican foreign policy rhetoric?

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/ ... s-driving/

possibly!!! have to keep on eye on him. On the other hand, he's working with Democrat Senator Booker on restoring voting rights to felons once they have served their time and repaid society.

Maybe he works with other people a little TOO well?

[DaGip]

Okay, so I guess this is Phatty's stump to tell all his conservative buddies how great Rand Paul is. Rand Paul has got too much baggage under him (some of it clearly inherited from his Pop). Jindal, however, is an American born of two immigrants (legal, btw. This should be right up the proverbial conservative alley). By being the son of immigrants, this should persuade a portion of immigrants in the country to fall towards his side. Hispanic Americans have a tendency to want to lean conservative, however, the Republican crusade to send immigrants back to the repression they came from is a leading reason for Hispanic Americans to vote Democrat.

Also, I remember his leadership during the Katrina aftermath. He actually made me respect him a thousand times more than Bush, a million times more than that scarlet whore of a senator, and a billion times more than that poopy panted sorry excuse for a mayor!

Anyway, Jindal would make me consider voting Republican.

[Phatscotty]

[Phatscotty]

Ah yes the wonderful Rand Paul.1)opposes the Federal reserve 2)wants to lower taxes yet again (US tax rates r now the lowest they have been in 60 years)

The tax rate is lower than it has been in 60 years, and the government reports record revenues...hmmmmmmmmmmm

That a good thing or a bad thing? Or are all time record revenues still not enough?

[ooge]

Ah yes the wonderful Rand Paul.1)opposes the Federal reserve 2)wants to lower taxes yet again (US tax rates r now the lowest they have been in 60 years)

The tax rate is lower than it has been in 60 years, and the government reports record revenues...hmmmmmmmmmmm

That a good thing or a bad thing? Or are all time record revenues still not enough?

MSNBC loves their Rand Paul,its a good thing to Because after the way Rand Paul's father was treated by Fox News,I dont think Rand Paul will have Fox's suport...at least at first.

[danfrank666]

SEE I am a 1 percenter John Kasich It sucks that ohio doesnt border mexico . Then we could really see how big his balls are