Campaign Update - June, 2008

THE HOUSE

Melissa Hart is running for her old 4th District seat in Pennsylvania that was lost in the GOP slaughter of 2006. Several Republicans in that area of the country lost because of Republican scandals that did not even involve them. Don Sherwood of her state lost his seat over the settlement of a lawsuit filed by a mistress who charged that he had beaten her. Melissa Hart is fighting her way back and this time Sherwood is not in the news. The 4th District is currently represented by Jason Altmire, who ran as a moderate Democrat and has since voted consistently with radical left Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Melissa Hart is a solid pro-life social conservative who understands the values of the people of western Pennsylvania, and she belongs back in the House. GING-PAC has endorsed Melissa Hart and we will do our best to assist financially in her campaign.

Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) was endorsed by GING-PAC in the last election and he won. He is now a rising star in the House and a strong leader in the Republican Study Committee (RSC). The RSC is a group of solid conservative congressmen who make up the heart of conservative activism on the House side of the Hill. It is important that we get Jim reelected and GING-PAC is once again endorsing him.

Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) is one of the congressmen GING-PAC helped to elect in a special election this year. He replaced Joann Davis who went to be with the Lord after a long battle with cancer. Rob is another member of the Republican Study Committee and a solid pro-life social conservative. GING-PAC has already assisted Rob Wittman in his campaign for a full term.

I attend a lot of events in Washington and some may surprise you. Rob Wittman put on a “fish fry” fund raising event at a townhouse near the Capitol. He brought in some mahi mahi that was caught off the coast of Virginia that morning, and oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. The oysters were new hybrids developed to survive the pollution that has killed off 95% of the native oysters and crabs. Rob has a doctorate in oceanic studies and is an expert on the Bay. Imagine the shock on a lot of faces when Rob put on an apron and fried the fish and oysters up himself. He is just a regular guy who understands regular folks and the kind of man we need in Washington, DC.

THE SENATE

Right GING-PAC is working with only two Senate campaigns, one for an incumbent and one for a challenger. We are solidly behind Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK). It is critical to the entire conservative movement that Senator Inhofe stay in the Senate the next six years. He is the man who took on Al Gore’s entire “green agenda” and has fought Senator Barbara Boxer tooth and nail as she has tried to ram though legislation that would cripple the middle class of this nation.

There is more: Senator Inhofe has been to Iraq more than any other Senator to stand with our troops -- yes, far more often than even John McCain. In addition, he spends each August recess in Africa preaching the Gospel to leaders there. He has had great success as an evangelist to presidents and prime ministers in Africa. Already we have given several checks to Senator Inhofe and hope to assist him more.

Former congressman Bob Schaffer should be the present Senator from Colorado, but thanks to the horrid decisions of Republican leadership, the seat was lost to a Democrat. Bob Schaffer was far ahead in the polls for the seat in 2004 when beer king Peter Coors jumped into the race. The GOP leadership forced Schaffer out of the race, claiming that Coors’ money and name recognition would win. Coors may have lost because of his name recognition. This time Bob Schaffer safely has the nomination and he has the best shot of winning in a Republican state that has been turning Democrat thanks to the mistakes of the Republican party. This month GING-PAC issues its first check to Bob Schaffer.

THE PRESIDENCY

According to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, everything is either black or white, just all good or all bad. Rich people are all bad. The energy companies, particularly Exxon, are bad. The financial companies that loan money to people to buy homes are also on his bad list, particularly Countrywide Financial. OOPS: his billionaire buddy George Soros is OK, and so are all the very rich Hollywood stars that shower him with money. And yes, Speaker Nancy Pelosi who has $55 million in assets in on his OK list as well.

Obama’s billionaire friend Jim Johnson, who received multi-million dollar real estate loans from Countrywide, (yes, the company on Obama's bad list.) is also on his good list. So much is Johnson on the good list that Obama picked him to help find a vice presidential running mate. After intense public criticism for his relationship with Countrywide, Johnson quit the Obama VP search committee. Obama said he was not going to check on the mortgage relationships of those associated with his campaign. In other words only Republicans are held accountable for their actions.

Sounds like something John McCain could really go after, but he is busy telling Republicans that he wants to make the nation “green.” John McCain will just not accept the advice of anyone outside of paid K Street advisers and they think trying to mimic Al Gore is the way to go. These guys even designed him a green background to travel around with. When many of us in Washington said the ugly colored green background he was using at his events looked sickly, his campaign shrugged it off. Meanwhile the Obama camp used a red, white and blue background everywhere. Finally after newscasters made jokes about the puke colored background it was finally changed. McCain desperately needs to dump the K Street guys and get some people near him who eat at Chick-fil-A instead of Morton's Steak House. This campaign needs help and we are being kept at arm’s length.

MEANWHILE: Barack Obama will be the first Presidential candidate to refuse federal funding for the general election since the program was begun after the corruption-plagued Nixon campaign in 1972. If McCain stays in the federal program he will be limited to $82.5 million dollars while Obama may spend as much as he can raise. NOTE: A California, Florida or New York Senate campaign can cost over $50 million because of the cost of TV advertising. Obama may be able to raise and outspend McCain by a 2 to 1 margin this fall, as most of the rich favor Democrats. The rich back the Democrats while the Republicans are busy defending the rich. It is an odd thing.

Contributions to GING-PAC assist candidates such as Melissa Hart, Jim Jordan, Rob Wittman and others.

William J. Murray, Chairman

Government Is Not God – PAC

PO Box 77237

Washington, DC 20013