Maybe Newt Should Start Working The Tennessee GOP Instead…
by Bill Simon
What happens when you combine an ever- strengthening grassroots army with a phalanx of elected leaders…and both sets of individuals armed to the teeth in basic, conservative Republican principles?
Well, before you ponder the answer to that question for too long, consider this one more piece of the puzzle: both armies are combined into one team to move the football down the field to the goal line. The only person missing is the quarterback for this team. That quarterback’s name? Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson.
One of the primary grassroots members to initiate the “Team Georgia for Fred” is Chris Farris, a resident of Gwinnett County and Chairman of the Georgia Republican Liberty Caucus.
Farris, like many others who are on Fred’s Georgia team, recognized early on that the announced field of Republican candidates for the 2008 presidential election left him feeling…uninspired, for lack of a better term at the moment.
So, what does Farris do? He starts an online registration list for people just like him to sign-up for a “Draft Fred Thompson for President” campaign.
This one act was the genesis of the grassroots effort in Georgia to get others who were as uninspired (and, unexcited…and, uneasy…and…) about ANY of the announced (or other unannounced candidates…See Gingrich, Newt) for president.
Julianne Thompson, another Gwinnett county Republican activist has also become an integral part of the Georgians for Fred Team. At this weekend’s Georgia Republican Party Convention, she is in charge of the booth for the Draft Fred initiative in Georgia. Make sure you come by for stickers and other info on joining the team.
Now, I mentioned a “phalanx of elected leaders” in my opening paragraph. That phalanx is made-up of a bunch of independent-minded Georgia elected officials who also made their intentions known by signing-up on Farris’s website. That list (to this day) is as follows:
Former US Senator Mack & Leslie Mattingly
Sen. Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore
Sen. Tommie Williams, Majority Leader
Sen. Chip Rogers
Sen. David Shafer
Sen. Don Thomas
Sen. Jack Murphy
Sen. John Douglas
Sen. Cecil Staton
Sen. Preston Smith
Sen. Greg Goggans
Sen. Lee Hawkins
Sen. Bill Heath
Sen. Bill Hamrick
Sen. Don Thomas
Rep. Earl Ehrhart
Rep. Ron Stephens
Rep. Ron Forster
Rep. Buddy Carter
Rep. Burke Day
Rep. Jim Cole
Rep. Doug Collins
Rep. Mark Butler
Rep. Clay Cox
Rep. Jay Neal
Rep. Sean Jerguson
Rep. Tom Dickson
Rep. Calvin Hill
Rep. James Mills
Rep. Doug Holt
Rep. John Meadows
Rep. Tom Knox
Rep. John Heard
Rep. Tom Graves
Commissioner Esther Fleming (Newton)
Commissioner Pat Farrell (Chatham)
Commissioner Jerry Brigham (Augusta-Richmond)
Councilwoman Liz Hausmann (Johns Creek)
Fmr. Sen. Brian Kemp
Fmr. Rep. Chuck Harper
Fmr. Rep. Barbara Bunn
What will be most interesting is what will Georgia’s “hometown boy” Newt Gingrich think about this growing army of supporters for a guy who, like him, is unannounced for President, and who doesn’t actually live in this state?
Speaking as a longtime political activist myself (and, for full disclosure purposes, a signed-on member of the Draft Fred Thompson Georgia Team), Newt Gingrich might have to go to Tennessee to find stronger support for his candidacy…’cause it’s looking like he sure isn’t going to find too much support for his candidacy in THIS state.
– Bill Simon
PoliticalVine.com
May 20th, 2007 at 7:34 am
While I take issue with your description of Cecil Staton and Earl Ehrhart as independent-minded, the number of elected Repubs rallying around Thompson is not surprising. Newt is a loser, and every sentient being in the galaxy knows it. Giuliani, McCain, and Romney cannot be trusted by orthodox conservatives. No one else is raising any money. That leaves the ‘Big Straw’ at which to grasp, which currently is Fred Thompson.
It remains to be seen, however, if even Thompson would be immune to the undertow of Dubya’s 32% approval rating in a general election.
May 20th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I personally think Earl Ehrhart is a jackass (of course, that may insult your politics), while Cecil Staton is a clone of Ralphie Reed.
But, my personal opinions aside, please tell me what you mean when you state “I take issue with your description of Cecil Staton and Earl Ehrhart as independent-minded…”
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Fred Thompson only looks good because to some because the others look so bad. I saw his speech to the Orange County Republicans and even they didn’t seem too excited. The guy spend 20 years as a lobbyist and registered foreign agent. Looks like a good candidate for today’s GOP.
June 5th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Newest Rasmussen Poll:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/2008_republican_presidential_primary
2008 Republican Presidential Primary
GOP Nomination: Rudy Down, Thompson in Second, McCain Falls to Fourth
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
With former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson taking his first formal steps towards a Presidential run and the immigration debate creating challenges for Arizona Senator John McCain, the race for the Republican Presidential nomination has an entirely different look this week.
June 7th, 2007 at 6:21 am
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=12993
Fred Thompson to visit Israel.