Earlier today, Carr’s exploratory committee released his first quarter fundraising totals. Suffice it to say it was impressive. Scratch that. Allow me to elaborate. Let’s just say it was a “shock and awe” fundraising effort. While Carr’s two primary opponents have been fundraising for 3 years (Desjarlais) and 5 months (Tracy) respectively, Carr has been fundraising for just 6 weeks. He raked in more than $200K. Also, note the fundraising report is from Carr’s EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE. He hasn’t even officially announced his candidacy, and he’s raised nearly $35K a week. Essentially, Carr has been fundraising with one hand tied behind his back since he hasn’t officially announced. The press release from Carr’s exploratory committee probably had the cumulative effect of a Duke facepalm for the Desjarlais and Tracy campaigns.

Since I correctly predicted Carr’s rising conservative stardom in February, I’m going to venture another prediction and posit that Desjarlais will fail to surpass Carr’s fundraising total this quarter. A week or two ago, Desjarlais sent out an urgent email fundraising plea. Incumbents don’t do a desperate thing like that 18 months before an election unless they are rapidly approaching “freaking out status.”

Meanwhile, Tracy has floated a 250K figure around the Capitol for his campaign total, but that pales in comparison to what he had in the bank at a similar junction in the 2010 race. Through March 2010, Tracy had over $400K in the bank through two fundraising periods. So anything under $400K in the bank this quarter would likely be a disappointment for Team Tracy. Keep in mind Tracy outraised his two chief opponents in 2010 but finished third in the primary.

Carr’s fundraising prowess is significant because wealthy GOP supporters often prefer to remain on the sidelines during an exploratory phase, giving to candidates only after they cross the red line and officially announce. Therefore, it stands to reason that Carr is primed for another exceptional fundraising quarter once he makes his candidacy official. Here’s a refresher on why TN-4 needs to send Joe Carr to Washington.

Conservatives need to stop settling for mediocre candidates who simply vote the right way most of the time and devote their efforts to joining the GOP establishment glee club upon arriving in Washington. Dear Electorate, the nation is facing a crisis of leadership. Our debt is out of control, our military is being degraded, our liberties are under assault and our enemies around the world are increasingly belligerent and emboldened. Now is not the time to send a  backbencher to DC.

We need LEADERS who will LEAD the conservative movement and shake up Washington DC. We need candidates with integrity who not only vote right  (incidentally that criteria ought to be the minimum prerequisites) but who possess the ability to eloquently articulate the conservative message and advance freedom. Desjarlais is too damaged by his past to lead and advance the movement. He’s failed to lead since he’s been in Washington. Tracy is a Lamar Alexander type of Republican, which means he’s clearly not going to lead the movement either. Don’t believe me? Last month, Tracy sponsored a head-scratching ceremonial resolution honoring Lamar Alexander for his opposition to regulations that would prohibit public fishing below dams. If that’s not a “kiss the ring” gesture, I don’t know what is. Further, Alexander is anything but a conservative darling these days. Lamar’s no-show for the historic Rand Paul filibuster (protesting the Obama administrations refusal to guarantee it wouldn’t use drone strikes against US citizens) is a case in point. And Tennessee conservatives took notice of his absenteeism. You’d have thought he could have come up with some excuse to make a cameo. Granted a late night Alexander appearance at the filibuster would have been, well, odd. The conversation may have gone something along the lines of “Hey guys, I thought I left my cell phone in here earlier.” Awkward pause. “What are you all still doing here at this hour?” In stark contrast, Carr publicly praised Senators Paul, Cruz and Rubio for their principled stand against the Obama administration. Carr told supporters we needed more men and women like them in Washington. Here, here!

Here’s how I see it: one guy would go to Washington with a serious man crush on Lamar Alexander. Another would go there, align himself with Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and advance the conservative movement. I’ll take that guy, please.

Enter State Rep. Joe Carr. While his leadership style is in the mold of Allen West, his voting record is closer in line with a more conservative Jeff Flake or Jim Jordan.  Carr led the unpopular fight to curb illegal immigration in Tennessee, and his leadership resulted in Tennessee enacting some of the toughest illegal immigration legislation in the country. More recently, Carr helped spearhead the effort to prevent Tennessee from setting up a state exchange, which would undoubtedly breathe new life into the disastrous Obamacare. Carr helped lead a rally at the Capitol to head off the impending state exchange nightmare. In sum, Carr is a conservative marching to the sound of the gunfire, a most unusual quality for an elected official. Instead of shying away from tough fights, Carr rather relishes sprinting full speed toward them.

Carr’s HB 42 is another current example of his political courage. HB 42 is a law that would nullify any executive orders from President Obama and any federal laws that assault the 2nd amendment. Carr contends that Obama is usurping the legislative branch’s authority by issuing  23 executive orders attacking gun rights–and (pardon the pun) he’s right on target. Carr’s bill confronts a President acting unconstitutionally. Liberal opponents of the bill deride the legislation, citing the supremacy clause of the Constitution. However, it’s worth noting that Congress has not passed any laws on the 2nd amendment since January. President Obama, meanwhile, has essentially attempted to create 23 laws assaulting gun rights since the year began. Fellow RedStater, jayp, has also summarized Carr’s legislation quite well.

Here’s some more good news for conservatives in the fourth district:

Last month, Carr appeared on Al Sharpton’s show on MSNBC to discuss his legislation. Carr’s performance garnered almost 13,000 views on YouTube and continues to climb.

Last week, Lee Beaman, the chair of Carr’s exploratory committee for Congress (and one of the most sought-after conservative donors in the country) announced the hiring of Thomsen Smith, arguably the top GOP fundraiser in the state, to Carr’s exploratory committee. Smith worked for Tennessee Congressman Stephen Fincher, former Congressman Ed Bryant, Fred Thompson, Bill Frist and several other GOP leaders over the last 20 years.

Smith has fundraising connections all over the state–and Carr has statewide connections also. Three years ago, Carr established JoePAC, a highly successful PAC, that raises money for GOP House candidates across the state. JoePAC raised over $100,000 at Carr’s annual T-bones and Politics event in Middle Tennessee last year. JoePAC contributed to Tennessee Republicans gaining a walk-out proof majority in the House last year.

In summary, Carr has demonstrated the kind of organizational ability and conservative leadership we need in Washington, DC. Let’s pray he winds up running for this seat. If he does, the RedState community and conservatives in the district ought to quickly rally behind him. We need more street fighter conservatives in the Beltway. I had the opportunity to attend Carr’s T-bones and Politics this past fall. Gov. Scott Walker was the keynote speaker, and he was great. It was truly a fabulous event. But I was impressed with the short inspirational speech Carr delivered. I dare say most of the audience would have stormed the beaches of Normandy after that speech. Carr has a special talent and ability to inspire conservatives. If there’s anything we need, it’s more eloquent and articulate leaders who are capable of advancing the conservative cause in Washington.  You can help Joe by liking his grassroots Facebook page ”Carr Fans” and his 10th Amendment Caucus Facebook page. Both of these pages keep supporters informed of key issues and battles brewing for conservatives.

Stay tuned. I’m optimistic we’re going to get another strong conservative leader elected in 2014 from the Volunteer state.

Justin Wax is a graduate of MTSU and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He is a Murfreesboro businessman and father of two.

Note: This article was first published in the Daily News Journal on February 1, 2013.

The next morning a slight drizzling rain and colder conditions greeted us. We again boarded the charter bus and left for the Butler County Victory Center located 15 minutes away. We received a quick tutorial on the art of door knocking. It was difficult to hear our instructor. The Victory Center was overflowing with local Ohio volunteers, our 50+ strong Tennessee contingent and several volunteers from Kentucky. The vast majority of our volunteers were College Republicans but there was a good mix of ages and occupations represented: a physician (urologist), a small business guy (tech industry); two retired ladies in their seventies; two farmers (man and wife) both in their seventies interspersed with 50 college Republicans. Let me just pause right there. I have campaigned in dozens of local and national elections (including Bush ’04 and Perry ’12), and I never recall witnessing older Americans in their seventies pounding the pavement to door knock. I may have seen a handful of seasoned citizens phone banking, but never door knocking. Quite an astonishing phenomenon to observe. An ominous sign for the President if there ever were one: two elderly country farmers opting to leave the farm for a weekend, travel five hours to Ohio to campaign for the President’s opponent. Imajean did most of the talking. Bill was perfectly content to let Imajean handle the conversing, while he studied the walk list and prepared to navigate. Bill spoke 2-3 sentences all Saturday, until we asked him about his farm. Then he let loose. Both he and Imajean told me one of their biggest concerns was receiving a phone call that their cattle had gotten loose. I had heard from a farmer friend of cows escaping,  running loose in the rural community they lived and wreaking havoc. I’m certain it was a little nerve wracking for Imajean and Bill to leave their home and business behind for the weekend. But these two were committed, and it was obvious they cared deeply about their country. Incidentally, they were two of the kindest and most determined American patriots I met on our Ohio excursion. So thankful our paths crossed.

I quickly found myself on the same GOTV van as the seniors and began trying to coach them on the art of door knocking as we traveled en route to our assigned neighborhoods. In Butler County, we were in John Boehner’s district, so we enjoyed campaigning in friendly territory. However, we engaged low propensity voters in accordance with the Romney campaign strategy. We targeted Ohioans who voted in perhaps 2 out of 3 presidential elections or 3 out of 4. Our RNC leaders instructed us to skip the houses with Romney yard signs. These were highly motivated Romney supporters; no need to expend resources and waste time chitchatting. I believe it to be a very shrewd strategy. Republican turnout is very high on election day in Ohio and in most states. Why not spend some resources and time trying to convince low propensity voters to utilize the convenience of early voting? The RNC appeared to attempt to cast a larger net with this strategy. Many Republican voters we engaged seemed wary of early voting, especially older Republicans. We tried to convince as many as we could to early vote or mail in an absentee ballot. Most were receptive to early voting after we talked with them. We convincingly and truthfully explained the incessant phone calls from the GOTV effort would likely come to a complete stop if they bit the bullet and early voted.

We divided up into groups of two. I had invited an old high school buddy “Pete” to make the trip with me, so we set out with steel gray clouds above dropping a light misty rain on us. Soon, the sky opened up and the sun warmed things up a bit. Many Ohioans weren’t home or opted not to answer the door. We left some Romney and Josh Mandel literature along with a quick little note: “Sorry we missed you! Hope we can count on your support for the GOP ticket! – Bethany & Justin Wax.” I opted to sign my wife’s name to it, because she was definitely with me in spirit, although physically she was back in Tennessee making sure our kiddos behaved themselves. She made the Florida trip in ’04 for Bush but that was 2004 BK (before kids). Further, I just thought it weird to sign it “Justin & Pete.” Didn’t want to give folks the wrong idea. Pete agreed with this approach and signed his wife’s name to his notes.

We had good responses most of the day. After lunch, an Ohio small business owner of a construction company joined our team. Pete and I enjoyed getting to know him. His business had been hit very hard by the Obama economy. He  was very appreciative we’d come from Tennessee to campaign in his community. Inadvertently, the RNC had assigned us to door knock in a private retirement community. After the third “you’re not supposed to be soliciting here” comment from a senior citizen, we took the hint and opted to leave the neighborhood and help another GOTV team finish up their walk list. Overall the response was very encouraging. One gentlemen told me he had patiently waited three years to vote against Obama. Another lady said she was very enthusiastic about voting for Romney and still working on her college-age son. We coached her a little on breaking through to him. Another couple said we could put a Romney sign in the yard and an empty chair if we had one (a Clint Eastwood reference to Obama’s empty chair Presidency). We laughed at that one. As we walked alongside a narrow busy two lane highway, a SUV pulled up to us. The driver rolled down the window and said, “Just want to say we appreciate what you guys are doing.” Then he took off.

After returning to Tennessee, friends and family asked for my gut feeling on the election. I agree with the estimable Michael Barone, although I’m sure I’ve examined far less data than he has. Romney is going to win. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him end up with 300+ electoral votes. My Ohio anecdotes were great, but I attempt to numbers crunch when it comes to publicly telling people where I think an election is headed. I spent several hours Friday night studying Ohio’s previous elections and trends in Ohio. Voter registration amongst Democrats is down significantly (almost 500,000), particularly in the Ohio’s most populous counties: Hamilton, Cuyahoga and Franklin. Meanwhile the number of independents has surged by nearly 500,000.  The University of Akron study on early voting in Ohio reveals that most early voters (roughly 50%) wait until the final two weeks of early voting to cast their ballots. This figure would not seem to bode well for the President, especially with how fast Obama’s job approval rating plunging 7 points in a 3 day period in light of the Benghazi scandal. Josh Jordan at National Review recently provided an excellent analysis explaining how the Ohio polling methodology shows a heavily inflated early voting component. Dan McLaughlin at RedState also eloquently explains how Romney’s double-digit dominance with independents will likely translate into a solid win for the former Massachusetts governor. I find no fault in either argument.

In closing, I found the RNC/Romney GOTV effort quite dazzling. The rapid advance of technology meant our volunteers enjoyed solid, up-to-date walk and phone lists. The phone numbers were already programmed in the phones. Quite extraordinary. All a volunteer had to do was push a couple of buttons to go to the next call or leave an automated voice mail. Our volunteers knocked on 5,000 doors and made over 10,000 phone calls over a 1.5 day period. The same 2012 GOTV ground game that delivered a decisive win for Gov. Walker in Wisconsin is for real folks.

So what should conservatives look for in Ohio on election night? According to the Wall Street Journal, Hamilton County (southwest Ohio–home of Cincinnati),  Wood and Ottawa Counties (between Toledo and Cleveland in northern Ohio) and Tuscarawas County (south of Akron in eastern Ohio) lay claim as the Buckeye bellweathers, having voted for the Presidential winner every time since 1992. Sandusky County, next to Wood and Ottawa Counties has picked the winner in 4 of the last 5 elections. If Romney wins these swing counties, he will be the 45th President.

Upon our arrival to Safety Harbor, we checked into our hotel and then walked across the street to the Safety Harbor downtown area. Safety Harbor is a quaint and friendly town, and tourism drives the local economy. In some ways, it is a Mayberry style community where just about everything is in easy walking distance. Clearwater is the nearest mid-size town, and my wife and I enjoyed a casual stroll to Clearwater from Safety Harbor. We also walked to First Baptist, Safety Harbor the following day and worshiped with the local body of Christ.

One of my favorite aspects of the convention was the opportunity to strengthen and develop friendships. I was by far the youngest delegate from Tennessee (I am twenty-eight), so my wife and I struck up quite a few friendships with seasoned Republicans and staffers who were closer in age. We appreciated listening to great stories of Tennessee’s GOP resurgence during delegation breakfasts and dinners. Particularly interesting were stories recounted by our Lieutenant Governor, Ron Ramsey, explaining how the GOP took control of the Tennessee legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. Ramsey’s strategy included recruiting solid Republicans for races no one thought they could win. Ramsey along with the party chairman at that time, Bob Davis, (former advisor and campaign chairman to Fred Thompson) opted not to show these particular GOP candidates horrific poll numbers during the campaign. The Republican candidates pulled off big upsets and the GOP gained enough seats to realize a one vote majority in the Senate. However, one GOP Senator sold out conservatives and expressed his intention to caucus with Democrats to gain a committee chairmanship. Instead of dwelling over his imminent misfortune, Ramsey launched a stealth campaign to persuade a disaffected Democratic senator to break ranks with her colleagues and support the GOP leadership. The successful result of that effort launched the beginning of the Republican tsunami in Tennessee politics. The GOP captured the Senate and within four years controlled the House and Governor’s mansion also. The funniest vignette was recounted by a long-time party operative reminiscing the 1980 convention in Detroit. At a party function in Detroit, a gigantic Tennessee-shaped ice sculpture, slid off a table, crashed through a high rise hotel window and (fortunately) smashed into a lower part of the building.

Occupiers a Non-factor

While the media loves spotlighting leftist protestors, I did not actually see a single protester until the last night of the convention. Three left wing radicals dressed as female genitalia held signs with leftist slogans. Though we often walked several blocks to the convention, I never saw or had any interaction with any other protesters. The protestors were a non-factor, and several protestors finally accepted this reality.

En route to the convention from Safety Harbor a massive Romney “Believe in America” flag flew outside a small business in Tampa. I remember thinking that a) over the last four years, I had never seen anything like that displayed for Obama and b) America would never see or hear anything about it from the mainstream media. But the flag, along with conservative billboards strategically located along the interstate definitely stood out and seemed much more effective to me than two or three college kids modeling bizarre costumes as a protest.

The Paulbots

The first day of the Convention the RNC held its roll call of state delegation vote totals. During the Presidential campaign, Ron Paul opted to suspend his campaign but announced he would try to win as many delegates as possible. This savvy strategy enabled Paul to increase his delegates at the RNC and influence and steer the party platform. In the future, I expect other GOP candidates to adopt this tactic. This development resulted in a large number of delusional Paul supporters arriving at the convention foolishly convinced they could pull of a miracle and nominate Ron Paul. I had gotten to know some Paulites while campaigning in Iowa in January. I admired many of their libertarian ideals including their tenacity and admiration for the Constitution, and I shared many of their concerns regarding our fiscal and economic crisis. However, many of them struck me as young, ignorant and lacking real-world understanding of global politics and international relations. They reminded me of the lost boys from Peter Pan: enthusiastic, energetic but not particularly bright. Many youthful supporters view Paul as some sort of a father figure (not necessarily a bad thing in itself), and their devotion is truly cult-like. To some Paulites, the man is a demigod deserving founding father status. This ridiculous notion demonstrates how little some Paulites truly understand our founding fathers and how much disregard (or ignorance) they have for modern-day conservatives who devotedly uphold and defend the Constitution. Regrettably, the obnoxiousness and juvenile behavior of the Paulites were loudly displayed during the first day of the convention during the role call. While Santorum and Newt delegates decisively unified and backed Romney, Paulites never outwardly demonstrated any party unity even while the RNC went to great lengths to ameliorate their grievances by generously extending an invitation for Sen. Rand Paul to speak (Rand delivered an excellent speech by the way) and by playing a Ron Paul tribute video. Several Paulites demonstrated an intense desire to be heard but no desire to listen to opposing conservative viewpoints or find common ground. For the libertarian movement to have a significant impact on the GOP, they are going to have to engage in constructive dialogue with Republicans and find common ground. In essence, they need to follow the younger Paul’s leadership and example.

Noteworthy Speeches

I didn’t actually get to hear Ann Romney or Chris Christie’s speech live as I left the convention that night to help work an after-party event. However, I watched Ann Romney’s speech later that night on Right Scoop, and it was outstanding. Several GOP women who watched the speech thought it was very effective and would resonate with women voters.

In addition to Ryan and Romney, Mia Love, Secretary Condi Rice, Gov. Susanna Martinez and Sen. Marco Rubio gave particularly noteworthy speeches. Their stories were truly American and showed the promise of America available to those willing to work hard and overcome obstacles. Rice’s argument that education is the civil rights issue of our day was right on target. In Tennessee with strong Republican majorities, we have a great opportunity to lead the nation in reforming education and making school choice available to students and parents. I am optimistic we will make school choice available to lower AND middle income families. I loved how Martinez explained the moment she realized she was a Republican. If Romney wins in November, it will result from many Americans realizing they are Republicans and understanding that the Democratic party has failed the country. Rubio’s life story is all-American, and few Republicans can articulate conservatism better than he can. I am optimistic that the responsibility of Senate Majority Leader lies ahead for Marco Rubio.

Watching Paul Ryan deliver his convention speech, I couldn’t resist thinking I was watching a young Ronald Reagan circa 1965. He embodies Reagan’s conservatism, charisma, passion for America, powerful intellect, Midwestern roots, optimism and smooth speaking style. Ryan eloquently articulated that Obama had failed and announced the moment to elect the adults in the room had arrived. He convincingly argued Americans ought to choose a leader who had actually turned disastrous organizations around and developed a proven record of accomplishment. One of his most memorable lines compared Obama’s presidency to a faded Obama poster belonging to a kid who can’t find a job and move on from living with his parents. The line spawned an excellent ad by Crossroads.

I’ve seen several media reports that viewership of the RNC plunged 31% in comparison to 2008. These reports are very misleading. They fail to take into account that many people watch the news online far more than they did four years ago, and this is especially true for younger Americans. My wife and I fall into that category. We don’t have cable or even local news. We watch virtually everything from our computer (which we can run through our tv). My wife and I now watch our favorite shows online, and we watched several of the convention speeches again on Right Scoop. With less household income, many Americans are abandoning cable and finding alternative methods to access media. Pew Research reported in January 2011, that 41% of Americans rely on the internet as their primary news source. This is 17 points higher than 2007. Does anyone seriously think this trend has actually declined over the last 19 months? With the introduction of tablets and more Americans switching to iPhones and Android smart phones, it seems very unlikely. In fact, I’d be willing to bet the trend has accelerated. The trend is cross-generational. For example, my 70 year old grandmother and 53 year-old father have tablets, while I do not. Suffice it to say, the drive-by media narrative that RNC viewership has plunged is likely a farce or at least grossly exaggerated. If anything, the media completely ignores the complexity of Americans relying more on the internet and new technology for their news.

The Clint

Full disclosure: I am a huge Eastwood fan. While I love his westerns, my favorite Eastwood movie is “Where Eagles Dare.” His “conversation” with America will go down in history as either amazingly brilliant and effective or hopelessly inept depending on the Presidential outcome. His dialogue was very intentional, pointed and quite hilarious at times. He had the audience eating out of his hand. The chair prop completely surprised Team Romney, but Mitt watched it backstage and apparently thought it was funny. Eastwood primarily wanted to talk to independents and Obama 2008 voters, and he dropped some serious bombs on Obama. The way he entered the stage even looked intentional. I cannot believe no one else has noticed or commented on his entrance. Every other RNC speaker I remember seeing walked on stage from a particular side. Not Clint. He centered himself backstage and walked directly forward. This added several steps to his entrance, and it looked like he was walking into a town ready for a gunfight. Simply put, his entrance itself was epic. His line “When someone isn’t doing the job, we’ve got to let [him] go” struck me as poignant and essentially summed up the election. Whatever one thinks of Eastwood’s performance, the fact that Obama hastily fired off a 12:30 AM tweet in reply signaled he thought Eastwood’s message resonated with Americans and merited a response. As Legal Insurrection aptly pointed out, that was not a tweet from a confident man. One observer from the American Thinker correctly compared Eastwood to an old respected Grandpa that says things no one else in the family wants to say but probably needs to say. You really just need to read the American Thinker analysis, because it is very convincing. I also think Mark Steyn at National Review sums up Eastwood’s performance quite well.

Romney’s Acceptance Speech

Mitt Romney gave a terrific speech. His non-standard entrance into the arena reflected outside-the-box thinking. Instead of entering the stage from behind a curtain like a movie star, Romney emerged from a tunnel, gave hugs and shook a lot of hands as he made his way to the podium. The entrance conjured up images of a President about to give the State of the Union address. Romney appeared simultaneously Presidential and populist. He gave a easy to understand conservative comeback plan which included lowering the tax burden on families and small businesses, repealing and replacing Obamacare and moving America to complete energy independence to jump start the economy. The liberal media immediately attacked the plan as vague and short on specifics. This attack line is standard operating procedure when liberals find themselves unable to argue against conservatism or point out any inaccuracies. Remember this criticism originated from the same liberal media which expressed endless news stories of praise, admiration and love for Obama, the man who inexplicably promised to lower the sea levels and heal the planet. I never remember hearing demands for specifics from the media sycophants after Obama delivered that speech riddled with absurdity and empty promises. After pointing out that every American president (with the exceptions of Carter and Obama) over the last several decades could accurately argue that life was better for Americans than when they’d assumed office, Romney made a very simple, reachable, and in light of his record, a reliable promise: he would make life better for Americans and their families.

A Night to Remember

One particular exciting memory in Tampa occurred Wednesday night. As an alternate delegate, I had a great seat about 15-20 rows almost directly from the stage. Only primary delegates sit on the floor. The pros are that primary delegates are closer to the stage and are afforded more opportunities to meet VIPs. It’s unquestionably the most exciting place to watch the convention. The down side is that the seating isn’t layered, so you may see an awful lot of the back of people’s heads. However, the camera guys are always working the delegate floor, so delegates usually appear on national television for reaction shots. Most delegates are older, distinguished party and elected officials. Wednesday night, I was sitting in the nosebleeds (spouses of alternates and guests are assigned the worst seats) with my wife minding my own business when I received an urgent text instructing us to get down to the delegate section ASAP for a photo op by the Tennessee sign with our local county delegation. We hustled down for the photo op and some of the primary delegates and our Tennessee liaison on the floor devised a strategy to get us past the ushers on the floor. The scheme worked masterfully. Amazingly, the ushers let us through. After our photo op, it suddenly dawned on us. We’re already on the floor. Why in the world would we go back to the nosebleeds? While the ushers stringently enforced access to the floor, they didn’t police the delegates already on the floor. Also to our good fortunate, many Tennessee delegates did not attend Wednesday nite (Thursday night is a different story—everybody and their mom showed up for Romney’s speech). So my wife and I sat in the very back section of our delegation area on the floor and watched Paul Ryan deliver a fabulous speech. I fired off a text to my family informing them we’d made it to the floor. If they were going to see us on national television, this was the night. To our surprise, we appeared not once, but twice on national television. My twitter, facebook and cell phone began blowing up almost immediately. Several friends photographed screenshots on their television and posted it to facebook and twitter. In a way, we shared the experience with them, and it became a very special night.

VIP Encounters

Tuesday night, my wife and I helped with an after-party for Tennessee delegates honoring our excellent Lieutenant Governor, Ron Ramsey. Gov. Rick Perry stopped by for about 30 minutes to express his thanks for Ramsey’s strong support during the primary. The opportunity to meet and grab a photo with Perry was memorable. In January, I campaigned for him in Iowa, and I was in the same room in Charleston, South Carolina when he announced his withdrawal from the race. Perry built an exceptional record of accomplishment in Texas, and I’m hopeful he will re-emerge onto the national stage and helped steer the country toward conservatism.

The day Perry announced his withdrawal from the campaign, I became an undecided GOP voter. That night, the GOP hosted its umpteenth Presidential debate in Charleston, and I managed to gobble up some tickets for me and my wife and parents who had arrived in the Columbia area earlier in the day to campaign for Perry prior to his announced withdrawal. We all entered the debate as undecideds, but we left as Santorum fans. We thought Santorum dominated the debate, and that may have been another pivotal moment that he solidified support among a large bloc of conservatives. After returning to Tennessee, I contacted our party chairman (who is a friend) and informed him I was backing Santorum and willing to serve as a delegate for him should the need arrive. Santorum later won Tennessee comfortably. On Thursday morning, Rick Santorum stopped by our delegation breakfast and gave a stirring speech explaining the stakes of this election for America. He declared America was about to have the most important elections of our lifetimes, and I could tell he truly meant it. Santorum showed great kindness patiently meeting with delegates and posing for pictures. I appreciated the opportunity to snap a picture with him.

Here’s a good reason why you always should be kind to staffers and party planners: they have the power to arrange memorable opportunities for you if they like you. Thursday morning, our delegation held a luncheon recognizing our Governor (Bill Haslam). Senator Lamar Alexander (a legend in Tennessee politics) was sitting near the front of the room at one of the VIP tables. Apparently, not all seats were going to be filled at his table, so a friend working the event asked us to sit at his table. I ended up sitting next to Alexander and thoroughly enjoyed conversing with him. We talked quite a bit about school choice (an issue near and dear to my heart as I have two young children), and I asked him about the back story of his unusual swearing in as governor (Alexander was sworn in three days early to replaced a notably corrupt Ray Blanton who incidentally landed on RealClearPolitics Ten Most Corrupt Politician’s List for accepting bribes to pardon vicious murderers. Alexander developed an excellent reputation as governor (brought Nissan and GM to our state) and took many steps to move Tennessee in a positive, conservative direction (although I wish he would lead as a solid conservative in the US Senate).As we prepared to fly back to Nashville, a friend informed me he had just met Karl Rove. I turned around and sure enough there he was. I walked over to “the Architect,” shook his hand and told him I enjoyed his book Courage & Consequence. Spotting my Army National Guard computer bag, Rove told me he appreciated me also. While Rove’s political analysis and commentary often drives me crazy, I deeply respect and appreciate him for the daily beatings by the drive-by media he absorbed on behalf of President Bush and conservatives for the years he worked in the White House. Many conservatives fail to realize the toll that takes on our leaders and their families.

Parting Thoughts

These experiences just don’t present themselves very often in normal, everyday life, but they occurred almost routinely in Tampa. I’m hopeful that, looking back, Tampa 2012 will mirror Detroit 1980. America desperately needs competent, principled leadership. I’m praying God will extend his mercy on our nation and allow us to end the Obama malaise in November. But I’m confident we will have to work very hard to accomplish this objective. My family and I are planning to campaign in a swing state for Romney. This election may be decided by a razor thin margin analogous to Bush-Gore in 2000. I agree completely with the sentiment Santorum expressed earlier in the week: our children will look back at this election and ask us what we did on behalf of our country. I hope to answer we worked as hard as possible to impact the outcome to preserve life, liberty and the pursuit.

No one grasps the  budget crisis better than Paul Ryan. And no one has had the guts to tackle medicare reform head on as Ryan has. He’s called out the elephant in the room, explaining the impending debt disaster we face eloquently, sincerely and convincingly. As Rich Lowry pointed out today, he is charming, persuasive and driven by ideas. He remains entirely composed under liberal interrogation. Ryan appeared completely unruffled when a liberal drive-by-media babe lost her mind on air and laughed in his face.

This kind of conservative scares the you- know-what out of liberals. Naturally, a conservative who makes liberals lose their minds is probably a great pick for Romney. Let’s not pretend the media is going to like any GOP Veep pick. Romney’s pick will enjoy two nanoseconds of positive press (if that) and then will instantly be demonized and characterized as enemy #2 and subjected to intense MSM hatred and slander. So I say why not pick a conservative who connects with the American people and causes liberals to lose their minds? It will be endlessly entertaining to watch liberals unravel on a near daily basis. Does anyone remember another famous mid-western conservative with this gift (connecting with American voters while simultaneously driving liberals nuts) from the not too distant past?

Ryan has many excellent attributes. He’s brilliant. He’s a mid-westerner and could help Romney carry the rust belt. He could be President in a heartbeat, and be a very effective President at that. He understands the greatest threat facing the US–our debt–and he’s proposed serious reforms to tackle it head on.

In his book, Wisdom of the Generals, former Clinton Secretary of Defense Major General (ret) William Cohen describes a conversation between Generals Robert E. Lee and James “Pete” Longstreet, Lee’s closest military confidant. Lee questioned Longstreet about President Lincoln’s decision to promote Ulysses S. Grant to General-in-Chief. Longstreet and Grant had attended West Point together and became close friends, with Longstreet even serving as Grant’s best man at his wedding. “Tell me about this new fellow,” Lee asked. “You knew him well, and to tell the truth, I cannot even remember what he looks like from the Mexican War.” Cohen writes that Longstreet’s response to Lee was essentially, “Boss, we’ve got big troubles.’ Cohen explained that “Longstreet knew that Grant simply wouldn’t quit.”

A Ryan pick would be a disaster for Obama. Ryan would mop the floor with Joe Biden’s hair plugs in the Veep debate. He is a GOP street fighter with a smile. His winsome personality is endearing. He went looking for the entitlement reform fight to preserve America for future generations, and he got it. Instead of running away, playing it safe or sucking up to the drive by media, he marched to the sound of the gunfire  into a hail of bullets. He demonstrated extraordinary commitment to advancing conservatism and restoring American greatness. And he’s not giving up.

Ryan would embolden fellow elected conservatives to rise up and fight, and he would spearhead the conservative agenda in Congress. He’s no stranger to controversy, but he has the uncanny ability to remain above the fray and avoid delving into personal insults and sniping. In Wisdom of the Generals, Cohen recounted Lincoln’s admiration for Grant’s resolve and tenacity. “When someone pointed out that Grant drank, Lincoln retorted, ‘Tell me his brand, so that I may send the same to all my generals.’” Lincoln also said of Grant, “I cannot spare this man…he fights.”

In sum, Ryan would be a fabulous Vice-Presidential pick for Romney, because Paul Ryan fights.

To his credit, Portman earns favorable ratings from Club for Growth, American Conservative Union and Eagle Forum, yet Marco Rubio soundly beats Portman’s scores from all three of these conservative organizations. Further, Rubio earns praise as a “Senate standout” from the ACU; Portman, on the other hand, fails to achieve “Senate Conservative” status with the ACU in 2011. 

Interestingly, National Journal ranked Rubio the 13th most conservative Senator in 2011, while Portman ranked a distant 35th, edged out by Mississippi’s Roger Wicker. While the National Journal rankings presented some puzzling findings (Rand Paul ranked 32nd; Mitch McConnell ranked 11th), overall the NJ results are pretty reasonable. For instance, Sens Murkowski and Snowe ranked 44th and 46th respectively, while Tom Coburn earned the #1 spot.

The Veep choice is always critical, because it tells Americans a lot about the thought process of a Presidential candidate, and it is really the first consequential decision a President makes. When George W. Bush selected Dick Cheney as his running mate, conservatives perceived that Bush possessed a great deal of confidence in his electoral chances and that he placed a high premium on loyalty and experience. The Cheney selection was a brilliant choice in many respects. Cheney had congressional experience (10 years as the “Gentleman from Wyoming”), cabinet level experience (Defense Secretary) and business and managerial experience (CEO of Halliburton and President Ford’s Chief of Staff). With Cheney, Bush chose an able leader who could articulate conservatism eloquently, and by having no presidential ambitions of his own, eliminated the likelihood of bloody turf wars between the President’s staff and VP’s staff.

Sen. John McCain generally ran a poor Presidential campaign (e.g. deciding to suspend his campaign to deal with the TARP talks among several other missteps), but he made a good decision in choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his veep nominee. The Palin pick was truly a game changer, breathing new life into McCain’s candidacy by galvanizing conservatives. Palin possessed all of the conservative street cred that McCain did not. McCain essentially tipped his hat to the conservative base by choosing Palin. However, the McCain campaign, plagued with indecisive, immature and insecure moderates resorted to micromanaging and muzzling the Alaska Governor, and this unfortunate development created a dysfunctional campaign environment with disastrous results.

Portman backers for the veepstakes argue he will secure Ohio for Romney. On the contrary, Romney will be poised to win both Ohio and Florida only  if he chooses a solid conservative  nominee and frames the election as a referendum on Obama. In short, Romney’s not going to win by playing defense. He must go on the attack and keep the focus on Obama’s failed presidency.

Both Ohio and Florida have tightened voter ID laws since 2008 which will reduce fraud and strengthen the integrity of the ballot box. Further, both are trending GOP. After taking a chance on Obama in 2008, Ohioans and Floridians delivered decisive wins statewide for the GOP. Look for these states to wander back into the GOP fold in November. More difficult battles for Romney likely lie in Wisconsin, Colorado and Pennsylvania.

A Rubio pick offers Mitt Romney significant advantages over a Portman selection. While Portman is an older, country-club, establishment Republican made in the image of Mitt Romney, Rubio is youthful, energetic, possesses solid conservative tea-party credentials, and he is fluent in articulating conservatism. Could Romney pick a better standard bearer for his campaign theme  ”Believe in America” than Rubio? His life story is deeply moving and would be a fitting, humanizing centerpiece to the Romney narrative. While Florida is more likely to swing back to the red state column than Ohio, a Romney/Portman ticket does not guarantee Ohio moves into the win column for Romney. However, Romney/Rubio guarantees conservative enthusiasm, which is essential to Romney’s GOTV effort needed to win the Presidency. Romney could do a lot worse than Portman for veep, but he could do a lot better by selecting Marco Rubio.

While I’m no political genius, I am something of a student of politics. I’ve volunteered on multiple GOP national presidential campaigns including campaigning for Bush in Florida in 2004, and I have a degree in political science and history. Here’s some keys I think Gov. Romney needs to utilize in order to win this fall.

1) Romney must frame the debate by relentlessly going on offense against Barack Obama. Romney held nothing back in attacking his GOP opponents. He needs to follow the same guidelines in going after Obama. Romney would be wise to study Ronald Reagan’s speech at Liberty State Park, NJ in 1980. Reagan opened his presidential campaign on Democratic turf, and he delivered a speech for the ages holding nothing back against Jimmy Carter. Romney’s speech following his Illinois primary victory is precisely the kind of speech he needs to deliver day in and day out through November. I encourage you to watch the speech in its entirety. It is one of Romney’s finest moments of the campaign.

Obama will attempt to make Romney a villain, so Romney must turn the tables and consistently pound Obama’s disgraceful economic record (sky high unemployment, blocking energy development and the 100% increase in gas prices since Obama took office, drunken deficit spending, etc), shameless identity politics (war on women) and socialist rhetoric and policies (e.g. class warfare, Obamacare, etc). Let’s face it: the GOP primary was primarily white noise to Democrats and Independents, so any prior Romney attacks on Obama have not really been heard by swing voters.

Romney will be outspent and outgunned financially by Obama, so Romney must introduce bold arguments and bold ideas (continue to embrace Paul Ryan’s economic reform ideas and develop a few good ones—bring back drill baby drill, introduce a flat tax, etc) to steer the national debate to the right. All Romney has to do is talk about North Dakota. They’re drilling their socks off up there, and unemployment is under 4%.

2) Deploy Ann Romney. She has the star power potential of Sarah Palin. Just unleash her. She has a compelling life story to tell—of overcoming cancer and fighting MS. It takes a woman of strength to raise 5 boys as successfully as she has. The American people will grow to love her. Ann Romney has the potential to be a better spokesman than Romney’s VP nominee. Send Ann to swing states where women can sway the election. She will do nothing but help Mitt Romney. Just look how the Hilary Rosen attack backfired. Hilary Rosen, Obama loyalist and White House guest on 35 occasions over the last three years, pulled off a seemingly unimaginable task—uniting the right behind Mitt Romney. On the down side, Rosen’s White House pass has likely been revoked through the election.

3) Select a solid VP nominee. Attention team Romney: take all that charming stuff you keep reading about Rob Portman in the WaPost and NY Times, and get it out of your heads. Portman would be a very bad VP nominee, although I think he’d potentially be a great Chief of Staff or Commerce Secretary. Portman is Mr. Establishment, and he is far from youthful. He’s like an Ohio version of Mitt Romney. Portman would bring about as much enthusiasm to the ticket as a Joe Biden cameo at a Pittsburg St. Patty’s Day parade. A Portman VP selection does not compute. Romney doesn’t need to doubledown on country-club Republicans. He needs some conservative bona fides. At the same time, Romney doesn’t need somebody who would overshadow him (goodbye Newt and Santorum from the veepstates). However, he solidifies his candidacy if he selects someone who passionately articulates conservatism and lives it. This winnows the field to a few excellent VP choices: Allen West (articulates conservatism fluently, is youthful, represents a must-win swing state, brings military experience to the ticket, generates enthusiasm among conservatives and potentially cuts into Obama’s African American support), Marco Rubio (also a great conservative spokesman, has won a statewide election in a must-win swing state, is youthful and has the potential to help the GOP win the Hispanic vote), Paul Ryan (a policy genius, has a youthful and winsome personality, is eloquent in arguing conservatism, represents a swing state, has routinely taken on Obama) and Rick Perry (brings military experience to the ticket, has an outstanding record as governor, was firing on all cylinders at the end of his Presidential candidacy (unfortunately it was too late for him to make a comeback) following his recovery from back surgery. Perry also would help Romney shore up the conservative base and be a stark contrast to Obama. I think Gov. Bobby Jindal would be a formidable VP choice, but I’m uncertain he has the charisma of West, Rubio, Ryan or Perry. Rubio arguably offers Romney the most upside potential. He possesses some executive experience as Speaker of the Florida House, represents a crucial swing state and is a rising star in the GOP.

The bottom line for Romney is that the failed socialist policies of the Obama presidency have made 2012 a year ripe for a Republican resurgence. That’s not to say Romney won’t face some sizeable challenges: namely a hostile media bent on destroying him, a wary conservative base and a cash-rich Chicago political machine. Winning will require taking the gloves off and going full throttle after Obama. For Romney to win, he must frame the debate as a recall election on Obama—and he needs to deploy his best weapons from his arsenal: his wife and his veep nominee.

I attended the debate in North Charleston Thursday night an undecided conservative voter. I arrived in South Carolina the previous night ready to campaign for Gov. Rick Perry, who at the time, was still the best and most principled conservative in the race. With Perry’s withdrawal earlier in the day, my wife and I walked into the debate open-minded but leaning toward Newt.

Ironically, on the way to the debate, my wife and I ran into Jim Bob Duggar and a few of his kids. We told him we had been Perry supporters. Jim Bob Duggar had said it had been a tough choice between Perry and Santorum for who he endorsed. To my surprise, he asked us if we thought most Perry supporters would now back Santorum. I told him I thought it would fracture, with most Perry backers moving toward Newt and then Santorum.

I am very familiar with both yours and Newt’s strengths and weaknesses. I’ve articulated them on this forum at RedState multiple times. I am most concerned with your failure to pull the plug on wasteful spending and raising the debt ceiling multiple times. I expect you to strongly support right to work, cut spending and balance the budget if you are elected. The zero percent tax rate for manufacturing is not a good idea. Government should not favor one sector of the economy over another. That’s not free-market capitalism. Embrace a low flat tax for all businesses similar to Perry and Newt’s plans, and the economy will come roaring back, because we will once again be competitive internationally. Our current corporate tax rate, as you well know,  is second highest in the world. Your economic plan can definitely be improved, and I think you will be open to revisions. I believe you’ll reign in spending and thereby honor your word if you become President.

I appreciate your staunch pro-life support and your passion to promote the family in America. Your willingness to tell the truth about Iran and take steps to counter that evil regime’s rising influence. I served as an Army intelligence officer in Iraq in 2010, and I completely agree with your analysis on Iran. That government has much American blood on its hands, and Iran is the greatest threat we face as a nation. We are on a full-speed collision course with that country toward full scale war, unless we think outside the box in how we deal that regime.

Your debate performance Thursday night won us over. Newt definitely gained the momentum early on after soul-crushing John King. Newt quickly gained empathy from the audience for CNN’s opening full-scale attack. But you reversed Newt’s momentum by defending and promoting conservatism better than any other candidate on that stage. Further, you effectively exposed both Newt’s and Mitt’s glaring anti-conservative (and anti-constitutional) healthcare positions. You came out swinging in that debate, and you convinced me you are most in tune with conservative thought and philosophy. You come across much better in a live setting then you do on television. I do not know why, but on tv you seem a little over the top emotionally. However, in person, you seemed passionate about conservatism.

One last piece of advice: lose the vest. The vest was all well and good and endearing in Iowa, but you’re running for President of the United States now, not President of Iowa anymore. When Piers Morgan dresses more Presidential then you in a national interview, something is wrong. By Providence, you somehow made it to the top 4. So please always dress like a top tier Presidential candidate.

You have our prayers and support. I think it is only by Providence that you’ve made it this far. Now go forth and win this thing.

Cheering for You,

Justin Wax

@JustinWax on Twitter

Obama will run rings around former Gov. Mitt Romney on Romneycare and his pathetic 47th place finish in job creation as governor of Massachusetts. With former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the nominee, the general election campaign would morph into a media circus on his Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac ties and why American women just don’t trust the guy. Because Gingrich plans to go Newtular on Mitt, I believe Newt’s tactics will resemble a scorched earth campaign and could procure a pyrrhic victory. Santorum will not win the nomination because he lacks executive experience and his national organization is akin to an impending train wreck. Santorum’s organization problem directly stems from his lack of executive experience problem. So Mitt will probably wind up winning the nomination and subsequently subject the Republican party to another butt-kicking in November, unless one thing happens: Perry becomes a phoenix, rises from the ashes and breathes new life into his campaign. For those fuzzy on greek mythology, the Phoenix was a supernatural creature who lived 1,000 years, then hurled itself into the flames and was reborn to live another 1,000 years. Perry’s fundraising prowess and decent national organization present some opportunities for a comeback.

If Perry is able to resurrect his campaign, it will arguably be the greatest comeback in Presidential politics and probably, like the Phoenix, involve the supernatural. I largely agree with Erick’s analysis that there needs to be some internal shakeup with the campaign staff. Regrettably good people will get burned. But I can assure you, if Team Perry doesn’t get back into the game, the entire  nation will continue to get burned for the next four years and probably beyond.

In order for Perry to mount a comeback, three things need to happen:

1) Perry needs to put in some great debate performances.

Perry needs to string together some solid debate performances, but he doesn’t just need to avoid gaffes. He needs to hijack some serious debate time away from the other candidates and begin to dominate the discussion. He must relentlessly expose the other GOP contenders as counterfeit conservatives, particularly Santorum and Mitt. Yet he must do this tactfully and effectively while simultaneously establishing his bona fides as a true conservative.

Conservatism is analogous to a three legged stool. One leg is fiscal conservatism and limited government in economic terms, and government has a responsibility to promote liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Another leg is a realistic view and adherence to sound foreign policy and national security which enables our citizens to pursue life, liberty and happiness. The last leg is social conservatism: recognizing that government has an obligation to protect innocent life and promote the family and realizing the best way for our citizens to experience life, freedom and happiness requires promoting Judeo-Christian precepts and morality.

Ronald Reagan understood genuine conservatism and that Americans yearned for it, especially after years of malaise. That’s why Reagan cleaned his opponents’ clocks in two national elections. He was able to articulate conservatism, prove his conservative credentials and enact a conservative agenda. In our current race, every GOP candidate in the race is missing at least one or two legs on the stool, except for Perry. He must doggedly explain this reality to voters that they must elect a true, consistent conservative to take on Obama.

2) Perry needs to speak directly to conservatives, bypassing the media blackout, and he needs to hone the right message.

Due to Perry’s dismal poll numbers in South Carolina and nationally, the drive by media is ignoring him. So Perry must go rogue and begin a direct conversation with conservative voters. To some extent, he’s already doing this by his recent articles on RedState and Townhall. He is on the right track. But his team must find creative ways to engage tea party and evangelical leaders in South Carolina and begin reaching out to them. There are 450,000 veterans in South Carolina. The campaign needs to engage and capture this conservative base also.

3) Conservatives across the country need to wake up, get into the game and flood the zone in South Carolina for the upcoming primary.

For those unfamiliar with the term “flood the zone,” it occurs when an offense sends more players to a part of a field than the defense can adequately defend with personnel. It’s a mismatch. In military terms, it would be similar to using overwhelming force against an adversary.

If you have friends and relatives in SC, you need to start introducing them to Rick Perry today. Before they vote in the primary, you must extract from them a blood oath that they will vote for Rick Perry and tell their friends and neighbors to do likewise. The strike force in Iowa was respectable, but it was not enough. Iowans chose Santorum because they didn’t want Romney to win their state. Santorum benefited from not having undergone a proper vetting process and surged at the right moment. Many Iowan voters told me they would enthusiastically support Perry if he could mount a comeback. There were nearly a 1,000 strike force volunteers in Iowa working on Perry’s behalf. But this is SC we’re talking about now. I believe 2,000 conservatives could realistically respond and descend on SC to get this done for Perry and our nation’s future. These volunteers will be instrumental in working a ground game of phone banking, block-walking, sign-waving and manning precincts across SC.

Think about it. We are either in 1976 or 1980. Perry is the most Reaganesque GOP Presidential candidate to come along in 30 years, and we’re on the verge of screwing it up. Romney is Gerald Ford–timid and moderate. Either we unite behind Perry or we send Romney to be the sacrificial lamb.

We are rapidly coming to the decisive point in the Republican primary battle. Conservatives must unite and make a stand in SC or all is probably lost. A SC Strike force is forming for Gov. Perry. Volunteers will arrive in the Palmetto state beginning January 15.

Volunteers have been pouring in over the last few days. I arrived in Des Moines Friday night, and following a training session, I  immediately began phone banking, going door to door and sign waving.

http://twitter.com/texasgalt/status/153872641596469248/photo/1/large

I believe the reports of actual strike force participants are probably low. There are multiple Strike Force rally points (hubs) across Iowa, and there are several hundred volunteers at my hub alone in West Des Moines.

Morale is very high. The reports coming in are very positive in re to Gov. Perry’s bus tour. Perry offered an oustanding performance on Fox News Sunday yesterday also. Every venue is packed and the vast majority of attendees leaving Perry rally’s are firmly on board for the Governor which is in contrast to reports on Romney and Gingrich events. Many participants are still leaving these events for Mitt & Newt undecided. Perry staffers have been able to reassign volunteers to more door-to-door, phone banking, etc. due to the large number of local Perry supporters/volunteers/attendees flooding to each of his bus stop events.

One of the most underreported aspects of the Strike Force is the diversity of volunteers. For example, one day I went door to door w/ a Jewish guy from Florida who’s an IT guru back home. Another day I went door-to-door w/ a college student from Rhode Island who studies in NYC. Today I went sign-waving w/ a guy from Oklahoma who took vacation time to fly up here. Make no mistakes, the Texans are here, and there are a lot of them testifying on behalf of Gov. Perry’s leadership back home. But volunteers from 31 other states are here also, and they are making their presence felt.

The Perry ground game in Iowa is for real, and I think this could easily land him in the top 3 or better when all the dust settles on Caucus night. Many Iowans contacted via phone and door-to-door admit they are still undecided. So we’ve been able to sell a lot of them on Gov. Perry’s strong leadership and record in Texas.

One other advantage of the Strike Force is the sheer organization of the staff. I was a foot solider for Bush in 2004. Bush had the power, organization and war chest of the incumbency at his disposal. The campaign’s organization, unsurprisingly, was exceptional. So I’ve pleasantly surprised how organized Perry’s campaign has been here in Iowa despite not having the advantages Bush enjoyed.

One final thought: I think obsession with the latest polling numbers are overemphasized. The Caucus procedure is vastly different than a primary. Consequently, I think the polling would be much more accurate if Iowa were a primary state. But it’s not. As a result, organization is going to be critical and worth several percentage points in my view. People supporting Newt, Mitt and Santorum on the phone aren’t necessarily going to show up for the Caucus. There is no absentee or early voting in Iowa. Turnout is key. I really have not seen or read any reports of any significant ground effort on behalf of Bachmann, Newt, Santorum, Mitt and he who shall not be named. I may be too insulated, but I honestly don’t think they have anything close to the level of enthusiasm, volunteers and organization that Perry enjoys. Responses going to door-to-door, phone banking and sign waving have generally been positive and encouraging, as most Republicans are generally nice, courteous and open-minded.

The Perry campaign is still recruiting volunteers and needs your help. Join the Perry Strike Force from wherever you are by emailing: phonebank@rickperry.org

Talk soon!

@JustinWax

Tennessee Volunteer for Rick Perry

As I write this letter, I’m sitting in the Nashville, Tennessee airport preparing to come visit you. I just kissed my beautiful wife of 7 years and 2 small children goodbye. I won’t get to spend the next few days or celebrate the New Year with them this year.  I’m OK with that, because I have some things I need to tell you and get off my chest. I intend to say these things not only through this letter but in person.

The upcoming Presidential election has very much been on my mind. For the last few years, I’ve witnessed the rapid decline of our country. It’s been intensely painful and deeply unsettling to watch and experience. Our elected representatives in Washington, DC continue to spend money like drunken sailors and add trillions to our deficit. Our President provides no leadership and demands no fiscal discipline of Congress. He’s showed tremendous naivete, incompetence and weakness when it comes to our enemies, particularly Iran. President Obama has undercut our greatest ally and friend of liberty in the Middle East. Instead of promoting real economic reforms that could jump start our economy, lower unemployment and reduce our nation’s debt, our President is off on a $4M, 17 day vacation in Hawaii. Could he be more disconnected from reality and the crisis our people face each day?

America needs dramatically different leadership in our President. We need a new President with a vision to reverse the disastrous course we are on. May I digress and elaborate on a moment that had a big impact on me ten years ago?

I remember watching the attacks on 9/11 as a high school senior. I was dumbfounded and then angry at the horrific evil I witnessed. I was speechless and shocked watching some of my fellow countrymen jump out of burning buildings to their deaths that day. I remember telling my high school girlfriend (now my wife) that my life would take a different course due to the events of that day. I resolved to do something for my country, defend her and be an instrument of her justice. So I did. A few years later, I became a Tennessee Volunteer, and eventually, I deployed to Iraq as an Army officer. My most important tasks were to place the mission first and do everything in my power to ensure as many of my fellow soldiers returned home. God answered our prayers and every single soldier in my unit made it home. I now work as a businessman and continue to be a citizen soldier. I’m also a husband and father of two wonderful kids.

Since September 11^th, I have not been as unsettled about our nation’s future as I am now. I am still resolved to fight for my country. Because of my continued resolve, I wholeheartedly believe the first significant battlefront to reverse our country’s decline will occur all across your state on January 3 when you hold your Caucus. Your people will choose between several different accomplished individuals for President, but before they do I would appreciate the opportunity to offer them some thoughts on the top contenders in no particular order. There are some decent and good Americans running for President, but only one of them should be President.

Rep. Ron Paul is a poster child of the problems in Washington, D.C. He sharply criticizes pork barrel spending by DC insiders, then he loads congressional bills with pork for his home district. He provides a clear example of unprincipled leadership. Unable to convince enough of his colleagues to abolish wasteful spending, he joins the earmark club. Paul has proved almost entirely incapable of convincing his colleagues to go along with just about any of his ideas. Congress passed just one bill Paul sponsored over his 30 year tenure. He’s been exceptionally ineffective in Washington. So I find it astonishing why anyone believes he deserves a promotion. The other disqualifying factor for Paul is his views on foreign policy, particularly the threat of a nuclear Iran. When I served in Iraq, my greatest concern was the threat of Iranian made IEDs. Iran has waged a proxy war with the US for decades. Their radical government has American blood on his hands through its attacks on US personnel in Iraq and its bombings of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania among other terrorist ventures. Yet Paul, inexplicably wants to extend the hand of friendship to a vicious government that enslaves its own people and is soaked and dripping with American blood. In summary, Paul’s foreign policy views mirror those of Neville Chamberlain at best and a lunatic at worst.

Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has risen in the polls lately. Similar to Santorum, I am an evangelical Christian. I am passionate about my faith and seek to be more like Christ each day I’m given. I share Santorum’s strong stance on social issues and want our nation to protect the lives of the unborn. Santorum (like Paul) lacks executive experience. When choosing a chief executive, wouldn’t it make sense to choose someone with requisite experience? Santorum’s organization woes are increasingly apparent. For example, Santorum failed to qualify a single delegate in my home state of Tennessee. Organizationally, he cannot go the distance. Further, Mr. Santorum had a spending problem when he was in Washington. He inexplicably supported outrageous earmarks, including “the Bridge to Nowhere” and the “Teapot Museum” among other egregious wasteful projects. During his 16 years as a Washington insider, he sought over 1 BILLION dollars in earmarks. Yes, you did read that correctly–Santorum wanted $1 BILLION dollars for earmarks. Santorum possesses no moral high ground when it comes to fiscal restraint and failed miserably to be a good steward of the people’s money. The people of Pennsylvania grew so disgusted with Santorum’s spending spree in Washington that they kicked him to the curb, firing the pork-loving Senator with an 18% loss (or butt-kicking to be more precise) at the polls.

Plummeting in the polls is Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. While I deeply admire her conservative credentials, tenacity and fight, Bachmann, like Santorum, suffers from a fatal organizational problem and would never be able to make it to the finish line in the primary contest. Bachmann also failed to field a single delegate in my home state and lacks executive political experience. America needs her principled voice to remain in Congress. She is just not ready to be President.

Also fading fast is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Newt did some great things when he was in power. He helped bring about welfare reform and balanced the budget. However, Newt has a 200 lb ruck sack of personal baggage he carries. No wonder he’s always sitting down. He will have a hard time making it to the finish line. Newt has never proven himself particularly trustworthy. If Newt won the nomination, he’d be the first GOP nominee with two ex-wives, who don’t particularly have nice things to say about him. If two spouses couldn’t trust Newt, why should the American people be expected to? Newt will have a hard sell convincing American women he deserves their trust. Personal life effects public life. Don’t believe me? Where are all the GOP congressmen from the class of 94? Well, they’re not lining up to endorse Newt. One distinguished member of that class, Senator Tom Coburn, a champion of fiscal conservatism made it clear he would not support Newt’s candidacy, citing his poor leadership. Critics love to lampoon Gov. Rick Perry’s memory lapse during a debate performance, but Newt has on numerous occasions forgotten what it means to be a conservative. As House Speaker, he drastically increased the size of government. He praised Romneycare as recently as 2006 and continues to back the unconstitutional individual mandate. Newt excoriated politicians who benefited improperly from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Yet Newt received $1.6 million from the corrupt entities. Newt is a great debater, but his rhetoric too often fails to line up w/ his record.

Governor Mitt Romney is shaping up to be the potential Bob Dole of this election season. Romney’s crowning achievement as governor in Massachusetts was Romneycare, a forerunner for Obamacare. The single worst legislation of Obama’s first 3 years in office is Obamacare. It is a huge expansion of the federal government, and it will destroy America’s healthcare system by handing all the control over to government bureaucrats. America’s standing in the world as #1 in healthcare will be no more. Romneycare killed 18,000 jobs, increased healthcare costs by billions of dollars and mandated its citizens to purchase healthcare. Think about that for a moment. A government that forces its citizens to purchase something sets a dangerous precedent. What will it force us to buy next? There was nothing conservative about Romneycare. Not to mention it’s simply unconstitutional. Unsurprisingly, Obama loved it. So he requested help from Romney advisors when crafting Obamacare. And Romney’s record in job creation? Miserable. Romney-led Massachusetts placed 47^th in job creation. Someone please remind me why conservatives ought to elect Romney? Can someone name a reason he deserves our votes? Romney’s unceasing campaign for the Presidency over the last 6 years doesn’t count.

Governor Rick Perry’s record as governor of Texas, particularly his jobs record, is outstanding. Since June 2009, Texas has created 37% of the nation’s jobs. Some Perry critics argue Texas’ job growth is exclusively tied to its energy sector. If that’s the case, one could argue California, with Silicon Valley, and New York, with Wall Street, should be experiencing tremendous growth and prosperity. Yet New York lags far behind Texas in job growth and California continues to bleed jobs and opportunity at a fast clip. Right out of the gate, Perry sent a powerful message when he vetoed 79 bills after his first legislative session alone, breaking a Texas record for vetoes. With Perry at the helm, Texas has always balanced its budgets. While Romney balanced his state’s budget by punishing job creators with a 20% tax hike, Perry balanced budgets as an authentic conservative would, reducing state spending for the first time since World War II. Perry’s leadership in implementing tort reform, instilling fair regulatory policies and attracting investment is truly exceptional. Executive experience (namely executive political experience) and executive records matter a great deal. Character and integrity also should rank highly when choosing leaders. Perry lacks nothing in these areas, while several of his Republican colleagues leave much to be desired. Solid on social issues, Perry is a strong pro-life advocate, signing into law a parental notification requirement and defunding Planned Parenthood. Further, every one of his judicial appointments adheres to a strict constructionist view of the Constitution. Perry’s outstanding leadership in Texas is why I am headed to Iowa. Did I mention Perry served honorably as an Air Force Pilot, achieving the rank of Captain, during the Cold War? It would be nice to have a Commander-in-Chief with military experience.

One final thought. What I love most about Iowa is that so many of you are God-fearing people, just like so many of us in Tennessee. Like many of you, I’m an evangelical Christian. I know you spend time on your knees praying and asking for guidance. I pray God gives you peace on Tuesday.

Will you support the consistent conservative on January 3^rd, who will provide a stark contrast to our failed President? Or will we continue full speed toward the precipice of national ruin. Iowa, you have a duty to weigh in on the electoral process and get it right. I, along with hundreds of volunteers from 30 states across the country, urge you to support Governor Rick Perry.

Happy New Year and see you soon!

Justin Wax

Tennessee Volunteer for Gov. Rick Perry

Twitter: @JustinWax

Full disclosure: I am a Rick Perry delegate representing the state of Tennessee.

Here are some musings on the Virginia ballot mess for what they’re worth. And yes, when 5  of 7 major GOP candidates are excluded from a state ballot, mess is an apt description of the situation. RedState contributor Neil Stevens tweeted that he hadn’t seen so many candidates tossed from a ballot since the Iranian Presidential election. Possibly true. Regardless, there is a certain absurdity to the whole episode, especially as the story continues to unfold.

My friends at Team Perry instructed me to gain well above the necessary signature threshold, as the Secretary of State’s office would inevitably disqualify some of the signatures. In fact, the Tennessee SoS disqualified roughly 20% of my signatures due to various signature infractions. I still managed to qualify. I mention this simply to elaborate and explain that capturing valid signatures isn’t as easy as it seems. In Tennessee, voters must print their name, sign their name and include their residence as it appeared on their registration card. Easy Peasy right? Wrong. Many seasoned citizens had a hard time reading the instructions without their reading glasses and left off a signature or complete address. Some voters included their business addresses. Disqualified. Some voters forgot to update their registration to their new address. Disqualified. Some people were embarrassed to admit they weren’t registered voters but signed my petition anyway. And since I didn’t slip any truth serum in their drinks…  Disqualified. Some signees were convicted felons. Dis–Okay. Just joking on that one (I hope). Others failed to realize their voter registration lapsed since they hadn’t voted in so long. Suffice it to say, it’s inevitable that many signatures will be thrown out during the validation process for various reasons.

Before delving deeper into this blog post, readers should first familiarize themselves with RedState contributor Moe Lane’s excellent points here.  All interested parties ought to review his analysis of the fiasco, as my reflections are based in large part on his latest assessment. If you are operating under the assumption that all you need is 10,000+ signatures and you are golden, it will change the way you play the game and use your resources. Keep in mind that Perry got into the game late and has had to play catchup w/ Mitt Romney who’s been running for President since he was in the first grade and amassing a fortune since then and Ron Paul who’s been running for President since television began appearing in color while inspiring millions of devoted followers across the fruited plain by promising to legalize pot.

All that being said, I think Newt and Perry deserve some more grace from GOP voters than Santorum, Bachmann and Huntsman, because both Newt and Perry actually organized in VA and turned in over 10,000 signatures. By all appearances, they attempted to play by the Virginia Republican Party’s rules and thought they made the ballot. The problem, it seems clear now, is that the rules changed late in the game. Whether the referees notified Perry and Newt of the rules change (or the fairness thereof) is an open question.

I contacted via Twitter a prominent political scientist familiar with Virginia politics that Virginia lawmakers ought to pass legislation enabling GOP contenders polling 5%+ an automatic ballot berth. To my surprise,  he responded to my tweet: “Something like that ought to be done. I doubt they’ll do it in time for March 6 primary–or much earlier ballot printing.” He has a good point. The logistics of conducting an election will work against Newt and Perry.

In the last 24 hours, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has called for Virginia lawmakers to reform Virginia’s burdensome ballot requirements in order to make Virginia relevant in primary contest. Although Republicans hold majorities in Virginia’s legislature, I am not optimistic they will be able to resolve this fiasco satisfactorily in time for the primary.

Alas, the only likely redress ending with Newt and Perry on the ballot involves a lawsuit. It is truly unfortunate that Virginia party leaders have mishandled this process so badly. They’ve effectively disenfranchised Virginians and reduced their primary Presidential choices to an ineffective RINO libertarian congressman who routinely dons a tin foil hat and a Massachusetts moderate who inspired Obamacare and raised taxes on businesses 20% during his one term.

One last thought: how candidates handle adversity reveals a lot about their leadership and character. Perry’s public response has essentially been muted. It remains to be seen if he will issue any more public utterances on the situation, although I think it likely he will be forced to address the dilemma sometime soon. This strategy is probably wise considering many voters haven’t been paying close attention to the Virginia ballot fiasco over the last few days. Further, it gives Team Perry time to work the VRP channels privately and see if anything can be done before issuing any additional remarks. Newt’s response, however, leaves much to be desired. Comparing the ballot snafu with Pearl Harbor is beyond ridiculous. Moreover, Newt has an unyielding proclivity to blow things out of proportion to include his opinion of himself (i.e. his comparing himself to Churchill, Thatcher and Reagan).

Headed to Iowa later this week. Talk soon!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Teddy Roosevelt

When Governor Rick Perry tossed his hat into the Presidential ring, he said he was joining the race at his wife, Anita Perry’s urging. Perry believed it was his duty to run and was answering the question President Kennedy had asked Americans 50 years prior in his inaugural address: “ask what you can do for your country.”

Was Perry ready to run for President? No. His stumbles on the campaign reflect that reality. Is he ready to be President? Yes. His impressive record of conservative governance and Texas’ dominating economic growth attest to his strong leadership. There is an important distinction between these two questions. When President Reagan ran for President in 1980, he took on the Republican establishment and the country-club wing of the party. And he won. Yet Reagan benefited from already having run for President in 1976.

There is a steep learning curve to running for President of the United States. Gov. Perry’s success in winning the nomination will in large part reflect how fast he adjusts to this curve. He is not a particularly skillful debater, but he is improving rapidly. Perry, like every candidate, has his critics and baggage (yes I know about gardasil and in state tuition for illegals), but unlike the other candidates, Perry possesses vast executive experience (sorry Ron, Michelle and Santorum), a consistently conservative record (sorry Mitt, Newt and Huntsman) and a genuinely enthusiastic persona and endearing and inspiring charisma.

Perry’s military experience is an important asset also. How refreshing it would be to have a commander-in-chief who has actually led American servicemen, understands military culture, knows the difference between Veteran’s day and Memorial Day and how to correctly pronounce the Marine “corps.” Perry ‘s experience leading airmen during the Cold War and commanding 20,000 troops as Commander-in-Chief of the Texas National Guard for the past decade will serve him well as President. Further, Perry has developed a good grasp of foreign policy.

Allow me to review Perry’s more serious GOP opponents by first examining the Hermanator. I like Herman Cain, but he is just not ready to be President. Just ask him about Libya, China’s nuclear capability or perhaps any other country for that matter. Having a political record can be a deal-killer, but in Cain’s case, the absence of policy experience is soul-crushing his candidacy. Cain has shown poor judgment by who he’s surrounded himself with on his senior staff. Mark Block anyone? This repeat DUI offender is managing (or mismanaging to be more accurate) his campaign by releasing the bizarre smoking ad, blaming the Perry campaign, then the DNC for the sexual harrassment leaks to the Politico all without providing a shred of evidence. Worst of all, illegally launching Cain’s campaign as a 501(c)(3). This egregious mistake raises an integrity flag (and stupidity flag quite frankly) for Cain and will permanently derail the Cain train provided it ever gets back on the track.

I like Newt also. He’s brilliant and can articulate conservatism probably better than anyone. But Newtapotamus has not walked the walk and been a consistent conservative. He was for the individual mandate before he was against it. He claims he is an agnostic when it comes to man-made climate change. Seriously man? Show some backbone! Newt is too intelligent not to see the man-made global warming hoax. He excoriated Paul Ryan’s medicare reform plan before backtracking and apologizing. That’s not principled leadership or being a team player for that matter. Newt has shown exceptionally poor judgment in his personal life. He has demonstrated through his adultery an integrity deficiency. I believe Newt when he says he sought repentance and forgiveness. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore his past. If multiple wives could not trust Newt, I’m not so certain the American people, particularly American women, will either.

Which brings me to Mitt. I cannot say I like Mittens. I sympathize that he governed a dark blue state, but Romneycare is just terrible, and we all know it was the prototype for Obamacare. The man has not shown that he’s learned from his mistakes. Mitt supported abortion on demand, yet now he’s pro-life. Like Newt, he’s flipped-flopped on climate change, had a lousy immigration record (free healthcare for illegals) and can’t tell the truth about his book (how he quietly removed a paragraph in favor of nationalizing Romneycare from one edition to the next). He’s displayed no desire to be a transformative leader or offer bold ideas. Romney can’t even find it within himself to support a flat tax. But he has said he wants the tax code to be flatter. Classic Mitt. Romney is an uninspiring, tune-up kind of politician. But Washington doesn’t need a tune up. It needs the wrecking ball that Perry has recognized and called for.

Which is easier to repair? Style or substance? A candidate’s ability to sell himself or his ability to be bought by the establishment wing of the party? I’ll take the guy with substance over style. Perry can and will continue to improve his debate performances. Rick Perry, having courageously entered the arena, has taken some shots and been bloodied by the drive-by media and by his own mistakes on the trail.

Now is the critical moment conservatives must rally around Rick Perry and jump into the arena to fight for him. This means all conservatives who have the ability and means should travel to Iowa and work to help Perry win the caucuses. Entering the arena means boldly proclaiming your support for Governor Perry and defending him through financial contributions, letters to the editor, call ins to talk radio, Facebook posts, political discussions at the office water cooler, etc. We have the opportunity to send a consistent, passionate conservative to the White House. But in order to do so, conservatives must exit the stands and enter the fray. Doing so will be difficult and will require sacrifice. But just about all things worthwhile in life are hard. Freedom isn’t free. I have a beautiful wife and two young children. God has blessed my family tremendously through this country. I’ve been privileged to serve in our armed forces and defend our freedom in Iraq as an Army officer. I am passionate about this country and our future. So what kind of country will we leave our children and grandchildren? I don’t want to look back at life and have any regrets.

As a result, I have bought an airline ticket to Des Moines and will be campaigning for Gov. Perry leading up the caucuses. If Perry is going to re-emerge and win the nomination, then he needs an early win in Iowa. He needs fellow conservatives fighting alongside him in the fray. Will you join me in entering the arena?

Alas, Politico’s embed link appears to be jacked up, along with most of their political analysis. So please oblige me by clicking the link below:

Watch Rove’s banal Perry analysis on Fox News.

Perry needs to fight the cowboy impression? Seriously Karl? You sure pulled that off with Dubya didn’t ya. Because nobody in America ever views  W. as a cowboy. Ever. Riiiiiiiighhhhht. Perry was (and is) a cowboy. He was a rancher. So what?

The current President was an Ivy Leaguer and a community organizer (although he never lived in the areas where he organized–he preferred the upscale, posh neighborhoods instead). Look where that guy’s gotten us.

Newsflash Karl: the two Presidents most ridiculed by the drive by media as “cowboys”  are 4-0 in presidential elections. Both of Reagan’s wins weren’t even close, especially that 49 state landslide. Suffice it to say America likes cowboys.

So Perry ought to fight the cowboy impression……………..why exactly? Help me out Karl. Will someone please punch this guy a ticket to real America? I’m getting concerned about the architect.

I’ll take the cowboy over the clueless Keynesian any day. Thanks.

Conservatives and Tea Partiers need to start calling for his resignation. Who should replace him?

I propose Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). He is leading the conservative movement in the Senate and could be the second coming of Ronald Reagan. It’s time he led Republicans from the Minority Leader position.

Over the last few days, it has become clear Sen. McConnell has gone wobbly. Sen. Rubio, in contrast, has strengthened his conservative bona fides and eloquently made the case for conservative solutions.

Who is more articulate or convincing  in presenting the conservative cause than Rubio in the Senate?  Is there a better face for the conservative movement going into the 2012 elections? I think not. Rubio is the embodiment of the American dream. Further, his leadership will be instrumental in winning the swing state of Florida in the 2012 Presidential elections and winning back the Senate for Republicans.

Congressmen Boehner and Cantor have shown fortitude in the debt negotiations. They need a firm and trusted ally in the Senate. It’s time we send them one.