On Thursday, July 8, Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-KS04) completed his tour of Southeast Kansas with multiple stops in Parsons, Oswego, and Pittsburg.
I caught up with the Congressman as he was touring downtown Oswego, KS, my hometown. Michelle Hucke, Tiahrt SEK Coordinator, and I (the lowly Labette County coordinator), along with Brie Bringle and Tom Bringle, Mayor of Oswego, introduced Todd to all of the local merchants and business owners in the community.
Mr. Tiahrt also toured one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in Oswego, the Boss Tank division of Tank Connections.
Later that afternoon, he held a town hall in Oswego – most likely the first event of this nature held in Oswego in at least a few decades. Even in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday, he still had almost 1.5% of the entire population of the city attend – that’s the same attendance, per capita, as the Karl Rove event in Wichita!
Voters in Oswego are very excited about Todd. In fact, as you drive through the community of roughly 2,000 inhabitants, you’ll see Tiahrt yard signs all over the place; there’s even a giant 4×8 sign downtown. As for Todd’s opponent, he’s never heard the term “SEK” and his travel (or lack thereof) to the area shows it.
That evening, the Congressman hosted a “meet and greet” and town hall in Pittsburg, KS with the Southeast Kansas Conservatives group. With only hours notice, people packed into the meeting room the organization had reserved on Broadway in Pittsburg.
The photograph above (I apologize for the poor quality) was taken at the very beginning of the Congressman’s speech and from the front of the crowd. If you could only see how every seat surrounding Todd was filled! In fact, as people continued to come in throughout the evening, they had to sit behind just to have a place to sit. That’s how excited we are in Southeast Kansas about Todd Tiahrt.
You could feel the electricity and excitement in the air as Todd spoke about our need to rid ourselves of unnecessary government involvement. He said, “If the cost of a regulation outweighs its benefit, let’s get rid of it!” He also talked about the urgency with which he fought against Obama’s health care plan, and how we must repeal the atrocity called Obamacare as soon as is humanly possible. Truly, the Congressman was on-fire last night.
One woman raised her hand and talked about how, as “embarrassed” as she was to admit it, she was a registered Democrat. She said that she was ashamed of what her party was doing to the nation, and that she had been planning on re-registering as a Republican. The woman said after hearing Todd speak, and seeing the integrity with which he conducted himself, she was convinced and that she’d be voting for him on August 3. Talk about awesomeness!
The excitement on the ground was palpable. Basically everywhere we went, if you mentioned the name “Tiahrt,” eyes lit up, and people were anxious to speak with Todd. If you have ever had any doubt about the winner of August’s primary, cast it out. Todd Tiahrt will be our next U.S. Senator from Kansas.
Tags: boss tank, brie bringle, columbus, kansas, Michelle Hucke, obamacare, Oswego, Pittsburg, sek, sek conservatives, Senate, southeast kansas, Southeast Kansas Conservatives, tank connections, Tiahrt, Todd Tiahrt, Tom Bringle, U.S. Senate
Posted by caleb on Jun 26, 2010 in
Election 2010,
Local and State Politics This weekend was a busy one for those of us volunteering for the Todd Tiahrt for Senate campaign. I took the two and a half hour trek up to the Kansas City Metro Friday night to help out with the numerous events the campaign had planned.
This morning, Michelle Hucke, George Weston, and a few others walked in the Edgerton parade. We met many families in Edgerton, and greatly enjoyed the time we spent there.
I’ll post a picture as soon as it comes up on Facebook
The biggest news of today, however, came out of Olathe, KS, where the Olathe Republican Party hosted their annual picnic and bell-weather straw poll. This yearly event has become a solid indicator of the end result of races in Kansas.
Today, in a stunning and thunderous victory, Congressman Todd Tiahrt won an incredible 73.6% of the straw poll vote, beating Congressman Moran’s lackluster 26% and leaving the other two candidates to mop up the rest.
This absolutely phenomenal outpouring of support by voters from all across Kansas is just another indication of the tidal wave of momentum that’s building in the Tiahrt campaign. We had supporters from as far away as Western Central Kansas, from Pittsburg in the South, from El Dorado, and, of course, the majority from the JoCO and KC Metro area – but even if you just included our KC Metro supporters, we still would’ve won over 69% of the vote. There were literally hundreds of “red shirt” Tiahrt supporters in the crowd!
Todd Speaking in Olathe
When Todd got up to give his speech during the candidate forum section of the event, he could barely get a word in edgewise over all of the screaming, cheering, and applause. In fact, the crowd was so thoroughly excited that he almost went over his allotted time trying to finish his speech! When he finished, we left the stage to a solid several minute refrain of “TIAHRT! TIAHRT! TIAHRT!” chanting coming from every “red shirt” Tiahrt supporter under the pavilion. Needless to say, the (very few) supporters of our opponent didn’t stay for very long afterward.
Kansas needs a conservative Republican representing them in the United States Senate, and that’s why I’m supporting Todd Tiahrt. That’s why Gov. Sarah Palin, Karl Rove, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Dr. James Dobson, and the Kansas Federation of College Republicans are, too. Won’t you join us?
The future of our nation literally depends on it.
Tags: Brandon West, George Weston, Hannity, Karl Rove, Michelle Hucke, Olathe, Olathe Straw Poll, Palin, Patrick Hefflinger, Rove, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Senate, Straw Poll, Tiahrt, Todd Tiahrt, U.S. Senate
Posted by caleb on Jun 26, 2010 in
Election 2010,
Local and State Politics What a week working on the Tiahrt campaign!
In the past few days, we’ve been given two huge endorsements, one by the Queen of Conservatism, Gov. Sarah Palin, and the other by the second-most listened to talk show host in the USA, Mr. Sean Hannity.
Said Gov. Palin:
I’m happy to endorse Todd Tiahrt’s campaign to be the next U.S Senator from Kansas. Todd is a protector of our Constitution, a pro-family, pro-Second Amendment Commonsense Conservative who has never voted for a tax increase and has fought to end the wasteful spending coming out of Washington. He didn’t just stand on the sidelines complacently, but instead actually battled against the bailouts, the debt-ridden stimulus spending, the cap-and-tax energy schemes, and Obamacare. In fact, remember on the day Obamacare was being debated, Todd Tiahrt was on the House floor all day working to defeat it, and he’s helped lead the charge to repeal and replace Obamacare the moment it was signed into law. We can count on Todd to take on the liberal spending agenda of the Obama administration and fight for lower taxes, more individual freedom, and less government intrusion.
Please join me in supporting Todd Tiahrt’s campaign by visiting his website atwww.ToddTiahrt.com and following him on Facebook and Twitter.
- Sarah Palin
Todd Tiahrt: Palin Approved!
Now, I have to be honest. When I heard this news, I literally began running, jumping, and screaming. Sarah Palin is my hero, and for her to give us the honor of recognizing Todd as the true conservative that he is – it was just almost too much!
Then, as if you could actually top the Palin endorsement, Sean Hannity followed her lead and jumped on board Team Tiahrt as well, offering what some have said was a nearly two minute endorsement on-air on Friday, June 25. How awesome is that!
Momentum is skyrocketing for the Tiahrt campaign! We are excited and THRILLED at these endorsements and glad to have both Gov. Palin and Mr. Hannity on board!
Tags: endorsements, Hannity, Palin, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Senate, Tiahrt, Todd Tiahrt, U.S. Senate
“It’s not so much how long you’ve been in Washington, but how much Washington is in you.”
There is a resounding theme within the far-reaching Tea Party movement: Kick Out the Bums! On the surface, this sounds great – let’s throw out the entire Congress and start fresh! A closer look, however, reveals this may not be the best plan.
Our Founders knew that there was a chance that turmoil and unrest would seize the nation, much as both do now. With freedom as rich as our founders intended, there are bound to be thousands of ideas, and many of them are probably not in the best interests of the nation. All, however, should be given a chance to stand on their own merit.
Therefore, they devised a plan:
a) The House of Representatives is where the sparks fly.
Representatives are elected to a two year term, providing a quick turnaround if constituents are unsatisfied.
b) The Senate is for “measured” discussion.
This is why our Senate is set up in three sections, each rotating out for election every two years, with six year terms. The upper chamber is (supposedly) where cooler heads prevail and ideas are (once again, supposedly) calmly discussed and debated. The bugs are worked out of tricky bills and real legislation is supposed to appear(s).
Of course, as we all know, it doesn’t always work that way.
However, remember when you were young, and you missed recess (again) because that one kid made the teacher so furious (s)he took recess away from everyone? It’s the same with Congressional elections.
Sure, there’s a ton of scoundrels; it’s politics, and we have our fair share of worthless, corrupt politicians that should be fired, but there is a measured number of real, honest people working to shape a better future for America. It’s not so much how long you’ve been in Washington, but how much Washington is in you.
As a voter, I value hard-earned experience. Indeed, career politicians are a major part of the problem, but what about the official who started out as a small business owner, worked his/her way up, realized s/he really had something to offer the public, worked tirelessly for a few terms, and made some real progress – in spite of the Harry Reids and Nancy Pelosis that surround them. Do we throw them out, too?
I say no.
Instead, let us emulate the design of the Senate and carefully consider who is worthy of holding the title of “Congressman”, “Congresswoman”, or “Senator“, and who deserves nothing more than a curt “Ma’am”.
I hope you join me in helping move the Tea Party from protest to true activism.
Tags: corruption, Harry Reid, house of representatives, Nancy Pelosi, politics, Senate, Tea Party
Yesterday, Former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for President George W. Bush, the “Architect”, “Boy Genius” Karl Rove visited the KC Metro Area and Wichita yesterday to announce his endorsement of Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) in his campaign for Kansas’s open U.S. Senate seat.
I caught up with both the Congressman and Mr. Rove at the rally at the Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita. As a volunteer for the Tiahrt campaign, I was asked to help with the book signing portion of the event.
Congressman Todd Tiahrt at Rove Rally in Wichita
Congressman Tiahrt spoke for about fifteen minutes to a very excited and fired-up crowd of over three hundred about his work to take Kansas conservative values to the U.S. Senate. The race in Kansas has been described as a campaign between two candidates with almost identical platforms, but that’s only because the other guy re-shapes the truth. The real truth couldn’t be more different: Kansas’s U.S. Senate race is between a true, honest, movement conservative, and a reluctant Republican.
Karl Rove sees this, too, and he said that’s why Rep. Tiahrt is one of only two Senate candidates he’s endorsing during the primary season (Marco Rubio of Florida is the other).
Karl Rove endorsing Rep. Todd Tiahrt
According to the Wichita Eagle, Mr. Rove said ”this guy here [Tiahrt]” is a “natural fit” for tea party supporters. Said the candidate himself, “‘If Kansas can’t send a conservative, who can?’ he said. ‘We can’t depend on Connecticut.’”
Kansas holds its primary election August 3. Residents can now add or update their registration online.
Tags: Conservatism, conservative, kansas, Karl Rove, Restoring the Conservative Movement, Senate, Tea Party, Tiahrt, Todd Tiahrt, U.S. Senate
On Saturday, May 1, 2010, the Pittsburg State University College Republicans hosted a forum in McCray Hall for candidates running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Invitations were sent to the two candidates considered viable in this race, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, and Rep. Jerry Moran, both sitting Congressman and from KS-04 and KS-01 Districts, respectively.
Following his pattern of well-documented avoidance of Southeast Kansas, Moran refused to show or even send a representative.
Congressman Tiahrt and his entire debate crew showed up and decorated the entire debate venue with Tiahrt Red signs and banners.
Nearly fifty people and students came to PSU to hear what the candidates had to say, and to personally ask questions. When the great “reluctant Republican” refused to show, Tiahrt was able to offer his plan for Kansas and the nation, unfiltered. As a hardcore Tiahrt supporter, that alone made me very happy.
In all, the event was a great success. The Congressman had a very successful discussion with everyone in the audience, displaying his firm support for fiscal conservatism, life, the War on Terror, immigration reform, and Israel, among others. Many took Tiahrt signs and signed up to support the Congressman in his run for Senate.
Rep. Todd Tiahrt in Pittsburg
The Pittsburg State University College Republicans and the Kansas Federation of College Republicans, along with four other Kansas chapters, have endorsed Todd Tiahrt for Senate.
Tags: College Republicans, jerry moran, kansas, Kansas Federation of College Republicans, KSFCR, Moran, Pitt State College Republicans, Pitt State CRs, Pittsburg, Senate, Tiahrt, Todd Tiahrt
For the sake of transparency, I wanted to let my readers know that I’m now volunteering with the Todd Tiahrt for Senate campaign as the Labette County coordinator and as part of the broader Southeast Kansas Power Team, headed by my good friend Michelle Hucke. I also wanted to say up front that I am receiving no financial or other compensation for this volunteer position or for any Tiahrt articles, images, or other items on my blog, Facebook, or Twitter.
But while we’re on the subject, I want to tell you why I support Todd.
I hope it’s become apparent to my longtime readers and Twitter followers that I’m not about furthering any one person’s agenda just because their rhetoric sweeps me off my feet. For me, it’s all about the conservative movement and how we, as citizens, can bring our government back inside the bounds we’ve set for it.
Every once in a great while, there comes about a candidate that truly has the ability and backbone to work for this same grand goal. In this Senate primary, that man is Todd Tiahrt.
As I hope you have seen, I don’t back candidates lightly. If you recall, it took me weeks to decide whether or not I would help the (pre-Palin) McCain campaign by doing anything besides voting for it. It wasn’t until after Palin was named VP nominee that I even campaigned for it instead of simply against Obama.
Once you meet Todd and his family, you instantly understand. Instead of the usual political garbage, you get authenticity and a feeling that you’re speaking with someone who’s actually listening, not just doing the head-bob that politicians are so good at. Fifteen seconds later, and after his surprisingly firm handshake, you realize he’s just like you; you come to understand that he could just as easily be your children’s football coach or the man who owns the local real estate agency. That’s because that’s who Todd is: a genuine, caring, and intelligent man who is one of us. Instead of D.C. changing Todd, Todd has changed D.C.
For me to support, endorse, and actually work for a candidate, I have to truly and wholeheartedly believe in them and what they stand for. #RealDeal is not just a Twitter slogan. I hope my support solidifies that idea for you, because it’s completely true.
Todd Tiahrt is that man, and he’s the real deal, Kansas.
Tags: #realdeal, Kansans for Tiahrt, kansas, Labette County, mccain, Michelle Hucke, obama, Palin, Presidential Election 2008, real deal, SEK Power Team, Senate, Southeast Kansas Power Team, Todd Tiahrt
Posted by caleb on Jan 31, 2010 in
Local and State Politics Before last year, I’d never heard of anything called “Kansas Days.” I’ve lived in our fair State since right after I turned eight, and think of myself as a Kansan, albeit with some experience in the “Outside.”
Then, when I started college in the fall of 2008 and decided to transform my TV-screaming into real action and became (heavily) involved in politics, I realized the school lunch theme week of “Bison Burgers” and “Sunflower Shortcake” and “Prairie Potatoes” wasn’t the only modern-day celebration of our Statehood. Thank goodness.
This year, thanks to my good friend and political mentor Virginia Crossland-Macha, I attended Kansas Days in Topeka for the first time this weekend. My fellow CR, President (and Vice Chair-elect of the Kansas Federation of CRs) Michelle Bringle-Hucke and her husband, Josh Hucke (of local fame) joined in for the fun, as well.
At the first annual Brownback Red Boots event (that thankfully pre-empted an event where that blasted former governor of Kansas was speaking), we heard a very enthusiastic Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels tell of how his state has managed to do relatively well through the current recession by using some financial common sense and spending less than they take in. Our group was the first to mob meet him after his speech.
George Weston, Sen. Sam Brownback, Michelle Hucke, Gov. Mitch Daniels, and Me
We attended the Second District Meeting the next morning with Virginia and my favorite former national delegate, Mary Alice Lair. It was relatively normal, until it wasn’t: our own Rep. Lynn Jenkins mistakenly said “Senator Tiahrt,” much to my pleasure, and much to the chagrin of Rep. Jerry Moran, who is Tiahrt’s primary challenger, and retiring Secy of State Ron Thornburgh endorsed my family reunion relative, Libby Ensley, to replace him (that’s more of a disclaimer than an endorsement. I’m only related by marriage).
Later on, at the tense KSGOP Winter Meeting, Moran didn’t even show.What DID show, though, was the complete lack of articulated direction. It’s not that the party doesn’t have direction; it’s that they have no way of getting their message out. Their idea of “new media” is a template website and rarely updated Facebook and Twitter pages. Their email newsletter was a great idea, until it died sometime over Christmas. It was recently resurrected, but apparently not as a daily, as before, since I’ve only gotten one this year. We also saw first hand the political might of the tea party movement in the state, as a one group is mounting a campaign against the current platform and, in reality, the process itself. Expect some terse words to fly.
My favorite event by far, though, had to be the Todd Tiahrt for Senate rally. As I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, I’ve chosen to personally endorse and support Todd in the race for Sen. Sam Brownback’s seat. You could positively FEEL the electricity and excitement in the air. Everyone in that room seemed to just know that we didn’t just have a shot at winning; we all knew we were going to.
These events are always filled with networking and new names. Many you leave feeling that the other person could really care less about who you are personally and instead only wants what you can give them. That’s to be expected, at least somewhat, since this is politics. That’s why I enjoy meeting other activists and why my favorite new activist acquaintance just happens to be Vicki Tiahrt. Both she and Todd and their family are some of the most genuine people I’ve ever met in politics. They’re no more assuming than my next-door neighbors. In fact, they could very well be my next-door neighbors. That’s how authentic they are. It was refreshing.
In all it was a great weekend. We made some new contacts for our organization and learned so much. Michelle gained a new position, and I met some very helpful and interesting people. I can’t wait to see what God does in 2010.
Tags: College Republicans, jerry moran, kansas, Kansas Days, KSGOP, Libby Ensley, Lynn Jenkins, Mary Alice Lair, Michelle Hucke, Mitch Daniels, Pitt State, Pitt State College Republicans, republican party, Ron Thornburgh, Sam Brownback, Senate, Todd Tiahrt, Vicki Tiahrt, Virginia Crossland
Tonight, the U.S. Senate will vote on Obama’s so-called “stimulus” plan, a bill that is really just a left wing wish list in disguise. Even though it passed the House, we as Conservatives one a sort of ideological victory: not a single Republican voted for H.R. 1. It looked like our stalwart opposition would continue in the Senate.
That is, until Sen. Collins (R-ME) decided for some reason that she would like to support such a spending bill, under the guise that she’d helped to trim off around $100 billion. While that’s a great feat, she’s missing the point. What’s occurring here isn’t stimulus, it’s generational theft. We are stealing from the younger generations, from our children’s and grandchildren’s generations. How will we ever pay this off?
Thanks to President Obama, and now Sens. Collins, Snowe (R-ME), and Specter (R-PA), we’re about to fall off the cliff into the cesspool of European-style socialism. So much for capitalism, free-markets, and plain ol’ American success.
Luckily, unlike what President Obama would have you believe, all is not lost; there is still hope (and I thought he was the one who owned that word!). The Senate will not vote on this bill until this evening, so we still have a few precious hours to stave this thing off.
Below is the entire text of the email I sent to the three fence-sitters, replacing “Maine” for “Pennsylvania” when necessary.
Dear Senator,
I am writing in complete disgust. While I appreciate your efforts to work with others, frankly, this is not the time for cooperation across the aisle, unless it means the defeat of this so-called stimulus package. I laud your efforts to cut spending from this spending bill; truly $100 billion is a large number. However, when you compare this figure to the monstrosity of spending that still exists, you can surely understand my frustration.
Senator, the future of this bill depends on you. If you support it, you will catapult our nation into a world of European-style big government socialism. If you oppose it, we may still fall off the deep end into the cesspool Obama is creating, but at least when it falls apart, the world will know you stood for what is right. On the other hand, with your opposition, we may very well defeat this so-called stimulus once and for all and save capitalism and our free-market system.
The voters have spoken. If you view the latest polls, you will see that you are not on the side of the American public, your bosses. If you do not stand for us now, why do you expect any of us to stand for you when you run for re-election? I don’t live in Maine, but I support out-of-state politicians running for national office. I don’t, however, support cowards.
The choice is yours.
Thank you,
Caleb Hays
#tcot Operation Fight the Stimulus
Please contact these Senators while there is still time! Feel free to use my email, above. Just make sure you replace my name with yours.
Contact information for the three fence-sitting Republicans.
If this passes, it will fail. I want to be able to tell my grandchildren I did everything I could to stop it. I pray you’ll do the same.
Tags: #TCOT, Arlen Specter, Maine, obama, Olympia Snowe, Pennsylvania, pork, Senate, Spending, stimulus, Susan Collins, Waste
It’s official, Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) has won re-election after a hard-fought general election campaign and subsequent run-off election, and hallelujah! But, that’s old news by now. What’s just emerging, however, is the reason for it: us. Dedicated, grassroots conservative Republicans are the reason Saxby won (not to mention a little help from Gov. Sarah Palin, one of my personal heros). You see, it wasn’t the powers that be that won this election as much as it was regular, everyday Americans like you and me who cared enough about their country to donate a few bucks or make a few calls (also not to mention a few concerned PACs: HuckPAC, National Republican Trust).
The point is, this is our strategy for 2010. It obviously does not involve putting up moderate or even liberal Republican candidates for election to any office. We’ve seen how that can go. Our plan for 2010 must be built from the bottom up, with the ideas and full-fledged support of committed Americans like us. No more of this “accept the bailouts and deal with it” mumbo jumbo. The conservative movement must be the steering wheel of the GOP, although we shouldn’t be married to it. (from our friends at The Next Right and Patrick Ruffini, author of RebuildtheParty.com).
We’ve got a lot of work in front of us, but the 2008 season isn’t even over yet. Louisiana’s Congressional elections are still later this week (Saturday, December 6). ) LA-06 (Joseph Cao, whom I’ve mentioned before) and LA-04 (John Fleming, whom I haven’t) are up for grabs. If you can make a last minute donation to either campaign (Cao, Fleming) or even just Twitter about them (including their links), it would help (while you’re at it, follow @calebhays for my updates).
In the end, congratulations to newly-reelected Senator Saxby Chambliss on a landslide of a victory. We need your voice in the U.S. Senate, but I urge everyone not to lose sight of our bigger goal: restoring America and the conservative movement in the GOP. Rebuilding isn’t a one day process. It’s a slow journey that happens every single day, with bumps in the road and harsh setbacks, but I believe we will prevail.
Tags: 2010, Congress, Congressional elections, Conservatism, election, Election 2008, GOP, HuckPAC, John Fleming, Joseph Cao, LA-04, LA-06, Louisiana, mccain, National Republican Trust, Palin, run-off election, Saxby Chambliss, Senate
