January, 2010 Campaign Update

SCOTT BROWN WIN IS NOT A GOP VICTORY

On Wednesday, January 20th Republicans in Washington were bloated with arrogant victory. I told one Republican Senator, "Arrogance is what lost this seat for the Democrats, don't go there." I was not alone in tossing cold water on Republican grandstanding. This is the reality: The Republicans didn't win in Massachusetts; the Democrats lost. The Democrats lost because of arrogance and back room deals that  disturbed at the deepest level America's sense of fairness. Almost 25% of Democrats voted for Scott Brown. His victory was as much a message to Republicans as to Democrats. The message was clear: no more secret  deals that affect the people as a whole. Stop the corruption and do everything in the open as the Founders intended.

Barack Obama is as clueless about Scott Brown's election to the Senate as the Republican leaders. "Here's my assessment of not just the vote in Massachusetts but the mood around the country: The same thing that swept Scott Brown into office swept me into office," Obama said in an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos. "People are angry and they are frustrated. Not just because of what's happened in the last year or two years but what's happened over the last eight years." If  President Obama actually believes this statement, that Republican Scott brown was elected in a heavily Democrat state because people are still angry at George W. Bush, then the President is delusional.

Republicans lost the Senate and the House in 2006 because of corruption and back room deals. Scott Brown was elected in Massachusetts because the people are fed up with the corruption and back room deals of the Democrats. Scott Brown's election was not just a "wake up" call to Democrats; it was a warning from the people to both major parties. The message is clear: We want honesty and transparency and no more secret deals that cost us, the people, our treasury.

Minority Leader John Boehner attempted to explain his version of the Brown victory to a small group meeting that I attended the day after the election. Boehner told the story of a visit to a businessman during his fist election campaign. The businessman told him, “Just promise me one thing and I will support you. Just give me less of what I don’t want than the other guy.” Although Boehner told the story, he still didn’t understand what the businessman had told him.

When Boehner was finished I told him, “What the businessman in your story told you is the story of us all, but why do you guys fund ACORN and Planned Parenthood and the NEA when you take power? You are not giving us ‘less of what we don’t want.’” Boehner’s response to me was a little odd.  He said: “This time we can’t fund those groups, the nation is broke.” Yes, it is broke all right, and it isn’t just the Democrats that got us here. We need fewer of the Democrat and Republican spenders and more social conservatives who tend to be those who believe in the family and not big government, and actually spend less as a result.

THE HOUSE

I cannot emphasize enough that there are 63 House seats currently held by Democrats in districts won by George W. Bush in 2004. There are an astonishing 40 Democrats in districts won by John McCain just last year. Some of these seats are in races that are expensive, but others can be won in a very cost effective manner.

This month I want to highlight one seat that I believe conservatives can win in November, a seat that will not cost the conservative side millions of dollars to win because it is not in a high dollar advertising market. The seat is in Idaho, a state that has only two congressmen.

GING-PAC is endorsing Vaughn Ward, a man who has an amazing personal story.

Vaughn Ward was raised by a single mom in Shoshone, Idaho. He played football in high school and at Boise State University. He graduated with a degree in political science and volunteered in a Senate campaign for Dirk Kempthorne, who won in 1992. The new Senator was so impressed he took Vaughn Ward to Washington as his Legislative Aid. In 1995 he left the Senator’s office to join the Marine Corps and served in Liberia, Cuba, Japan and Korea. The Marines eventually sent him to Capitol Hill as a military fellow working on the military budget. During this time he earned an MBA at the University of Maryland, and after the 9-11 jihad attack on New York and Washington he joined the CIA as an Operations Officer and served in the Middle East and Africa.

In 2006 Vaughn Ward took a leave of absence from the CIA to rejoin the Marines for a tour of duty in Iraq where he commanded Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines in combat in Fallujah. He received the Bronze Star with Combat V for Valor. After his tour he became the Nevada State Director for the McCain/Palin campaign. Vaughn is married to Kirsten and they have two children.

Vaughn is a man of valor and courage who has served his nation, not just politically, but has put his life on the line for our freedoms. Vaughn Ward is exactly the kind of man we need in Washington rather than career politicians and “community organizers.”

Government Is Not God - PAC has endorsed Vaughn Ward and his campaign has been given an initial check. I am hopeful that we can send Vaughn further funds for his campaign as we raise more funds for races in 2010.

KEEPING THE POWDER DRY

As chairman of Government Is Not God - PAC, it is important that I authorize funding to candidates wisely during this crucial election cycle. In the next few months we will endorse more conservative challengers to Democrat held seats in both the House and Senate. I make an effort to talk directly to every candidate we endorse, even incumbents like Michele Bachmann, before the PAC endorses them and issues a check. While it is important to know that they will vote with us on social issues, it is also important to know if they in fact do need our funds. If a candidate is doing well financially, I ask them to be frank with me so that we can fund someone in greater need.

When the time comes to act, when the time comes to endorse and to fund, GING-PAC needs to be ready. It is crucial that we have at least an additional $25,000 on hand by March 1st when primaries begin and we start to fund for the general election.

Please send a check to help today, or give an online gift at www.gingpac.org.

William J. Murray, Chairman

Government Is Not God - PAC

P.O. Box 77237,  Washington, DC 20013

www.gingpac.org

December, 2009 - Campaign Update

“FINGERS WERE BURNED AND LESSONS WERE LEARNED”

            Those were the exact words of one of the GOP leaders in the House when he spoke about the GOP loss in New York’s 23rd congressional district. Republican leaders had pushed the district’s Republican voters to accept liberal Deidre Scozzafava as their candidate regardless of her strong support of abortion and same-sex marriage. Economic conservatives could not support her either because of her long voting record for profligate spending and higher taxes.

      Scozzafava raised very little money from individuals, but had the support of the AFL-CIO and ACORN. As social and economic conservative groups rallied to support Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, she sank in the polls like a rock and was forced to withdraw just days before the election. Showing her true colors, she then endorsed Democrat Bill Owens. Even then, Doug Hoffman came within a point of winning and may yet be the victor.

            The “mainstream media” claims that we conservatives sunk the chances of the “moderate” Republican, Scozzafava. That is untrue. Scozzafava voted to the left of 46 Democrats in the New York House. GOP leadership accepted the line that only a liberal can win in the Northeast. Conservatives could have worked with a real “moderate,” but Scozzafava was no “moderate.” Other than on the issue of gun ownership she was as far left as Nancy Pelosi.

            Doug Hoffman would have won except for absentee ballots that had been cast for Scozzafava before Hoffman even entered the race. Had she not been the Republican candidate, Hoffman would have had an opening to win the seat. If he runs again next November, GING-PAC will be there to support him again.

MORE HOUSE ELECTIONS

            Two “centrist” Democrats have announced that they will not run for reelection. While they gave various reasons, the truth is that polling shows Barack Obama has moved the Democrat Party so far to the left that they can’t get reelected in their districts. Dennis Moore in the Kansas-3rd, where Bush got 55% of the vote in 2004, has said he will not seek reelection. John Tanner in the  Tennessee - 8th also will not run. Tanner supported Pelosi 94.6% of the time. His district voted 53% for Bush in 2004 and 56% for McCain in 2008. Tanner had been so strong in the conservative 8th District that in previous races no Republican ran against him. Unless the Republican Party picks yet another Scozzafava type liberal to run, this seat can be won. GING-PAC is reviewing questionnaires from candidates to determine who to support.                                    

            I can not emphasize enough that there are 63 House seats currently held by Democrats in districts won by George W. Bush in 2004. There are an astonishing 40 Democrats in districts won by John McCain just last year.                                                                        

            Many of the Democrats in these conservative districts have supported Nancy Pelosi over 90% of the time. A case in point is Congressman John Spratt in South Carolina’s 5th District. Bush won the district with 57% and McCain with 53%, yet Spratt has supported radical Speaker Nancy Pelosi on 98.1% of votes. In Tennessee’s 6th District, John McCain received 62% of the vote yet Democrat Congressman Bart Gordon has voted 96.2%  of the time with San Francisco radical Nancy Pelosi. In Missouri’s 4th District, Congressman Ike Skelton has voted with Pelois 95.5% of the time, even though the 4th District went to McCain with 61% of the vote.

            I am enclosing a chart showing all currently held Democrat seats in the House which went for Bush in 2004, McCain in 2008, or both. Names in bold indicate first term freshmen members.

            There is also a lot of corruption in the Democrat Party that will hurt them in 2010.  Rep. Rangel of New York is just one example. He failed to disclose to the IRS $75,000 in rental income he made overseas since 1988, and that is not his only transgression. Then there is the mini marijuana farm belonging to Congressman Barnie Frank’s live-in gay lover. And yes, the lover does have a “spouse” congressional access ID and lapel pin. On the Senate side Senator Baucus, who is 68 years old, dumped his second wife for a young staffer. Then, as chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, he tried to appoint his mistress, Melodee Hanes, as a U.S. Attorney.

            I am very impressed with Vaughn Ward, who is running for Bill Sali’s seat in Idaho’s 1st District.  Raised on a farm by a single mother, he graduated from college with a degree in political science and then served in the Marine Corps. He later served with the Marines as liaison to Capitol Hill and then went to the CIA. After the 9-11 Jihad attack on the USA, he left a promising career in the CIA and returned to the Marines to serve in Iraq. Reaching the rank of Major, he earned a Bronze Star. More about Major Ward can be read at www.vaughnward.com.

            We must also play defense to help incumbents who are important to us. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is a target for the far left. She is hated because she is a pro-life woman with five children, a good marriage and a successful career. GING-PAC stands behind Michele Bachmann and we have already supported her next campaign with a generous check. (In the photo Michele is holding a copy of my latest book.)

THE SENATE

            Right now I am watching Senate races closely but have not gotten really involved. In several states there is more than one social conservative running. With our limited funds, I do not want Government Is Not God - PAC to commit funds in a primary where there is more than one good social conservative. Also, because of the cost of campaigns it is hard to tell who will stay in. A candidate I liked in Illinois has already dropped out.

            California is interesting; businesswoman Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP, is running for the Senate. While there is no mention of social issues at her Internet site, she told the Wall Street Journal that she is "proudly pro-life" and an opponent of taxpayer funding of abortions. On the other hand, while she led HP the company developed a strong “domestic partnership” program. That said, California and the nation would be far better served with Fiorina, than with Barbara Boxer in a Senate seat championing her extreme anti-people “environmental” agenda for yet another six years.

            GING-PAC will probably spend most of its resources in 2010 on conservative House candidates running in the districts carried by both Bush in 2004 and McCain in 2008, and which now have Democrat congressmen.  In the last update I said that the elections were too far away for us to endorse any specific candidates, but that is beginning to change, as viable, godly candidates step forward.

 Please send a check to help today, or give an online gift at www.gingpac.org

William J. Murray, Chairman

Government Is Not God - PAC

P.O. Box 77237,  Washington, DC 20013

www.gingpac.org