Tea party movement sets record straight: They #StandWithSandy

The District 7 Republican primary continues to be a roller coaster. The infamous troublemaker Doug Guetzloe sent out a mailer through his "Ax the Tax" organization in support of John Mica, falsely claiming that he had tea party support. Guetzloe made headlines in 2010 for his creation of a third party political party using the name "Florida Tea Party," that was frequently accused of being a plot to divide conservative votes and assist in the reelection of Alan Grayson and other liberal Democrats.

Despite Guetzloe's best efforts, the hard working conservative activists who are actually part of Central Florida's tea party movement know the truth, and aren't going to sit silently while he attempt to peddle this nonsense. Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer came back to Orlando today to counter this story, emphasize that the Tea Party Express organization did indeed endorse Sandy Adams, and state clearly the conservative principles that inspired their endorsement.

Here is the video from the press conference earlier today:

Sarah Palin robocall urges voters to support "conservative reformer" Sandy Adams

Sarah Palin, who endorsed Sandy Adams in the Republican primary for Florida's Seventh Congressional District, recorded a robocall in support of her campaign:

John Mica: Obama's best cheerleader [VIDEO]

In case you missed it, the Sandy Adams campaign released a hard-hitting ad that highlights comments that her Republican primary opponent, John Mica, made recently, calling himself Obama's "best cheerleader," in addition to Mica's role in passing the recent transportation bill that Obama supported:

Join Sandy Adams tomorrow for a major endorsement

Sandy Adams' campaign sent out a press release earlier today about an event tomorrow in Winter Park hosted by Tea Party Express, and Amy Kremer, the Chair, will be in attendance to announce the organization's latest Congressional endorsement.

I don't think this is really revealing anything, but it is safe to assume that if the announcement is being sent on Adams' campaign email, that the endorsement is for her. Tea Party Express will be joining Sarah Palin, Allen West, RedState's Erick Erickson, and many other conservative leaders and organizations in supporting Sandy Adams in the District 7 Republican primary.

I'll be there in Winter Park tomorrow. Hope you can join us! Here is the announcement:

BREAKING: Allen West endorses Sandy Adams

"I fully endorse Sandy Adams...she represents a new generation of Republican
Conservatives who have come to the Halls of Congress to find solutions..."

Sandy Adams locked in another powerful endorsement for her reelection campaign today from one of her fellow freshmen members of Congress, Allen West.

RedState is coming to the Sunshine State!

The annual RedState Gathering is coming to the Sunshine State next month, and you won't want to miss it.

Check out www.RedStateGathering.com for all the details, including information on registration (Note: TODAY is the last day for the early-bird price!) and discounted hotel reservations.

FL-7 Update: Soul Mates, Fact Checks, and Art Museums

If you're not following the Republican primary for Florida's Seventh Congressional District, you're missing one of the most interesting races in recent political history. This is my home district in Orlando, and I have a personal interest in this race, so I've been writing a lot about it (see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for starters).

Here are some of the latest updates from the campaign:

Being a Congressman has its perks - ask John Mica!

Congress is awesome! Why do
 you think I stayed for 20 years?

Getting elected to Congress brings a lot of really cool perks. Besides having people address you as Representative and getting to shape the future of our country, there's the salary, excellent health insurance, multi-million dollar international vacations...

Wait, what? Multi-million dollar international vacations?

Sandy Adams: Winner of the Week in Florida Politics

In case you missed it, the Tampa Bay Times posted their regular blog feature, "Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida Politics," yesterday afternoon, and they named Congresswoman Sandy Adams as the Winner for last week:

Now Mica is calling for tax increases. Please, just go away.

"There's no way in hell I would support banning earmarks" ~ John Mica

Well, I guess we now know how John Mica plans on paying for those earmarks and pet projects he loves so much: tax increases! 

Despite the fact that the 20-year incumbent has been desperately trying to re-brand himself as a fiscal conservative in his primary battle with Sandy Adams, Mica was in Atlanta on Friday and did his best to talk the locals into voting for a tax increase. Yes, really. 

Sandy Adams on Greta: "Washington as Usual Has Got to Stop."

Freshman Congresswoman Sandy Adams was on Fox News Channel's "On The Record" with Greta Van Susteren last night regarding her calls for a Congressional investigation into a multi-million dollar conference held by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership at a resort near Walt Disney World in Orlando:

BREAKING: Sarah Palin endorses Sandy Adams for Congress!

BREAKING NEWS: Sarah Palin has endorsed Sandy Adams in the Republican primary for Florida's Seventh Congressional District.

Palin's endorsement follows a series of conservative endorsements for Adams such as National Right to Life, Concerned Women for America, Maggie's List, the SBA List, the Central Florida Tea Party Council, David Barton, Sheriff Joe Arapaio, RedState's Erick Erickson (and yours truly!).

Here is the press release from Sandy Adams' campaign:

John Mica Won't Sign Letter Calling for Earmark Ban

Here we go again. Following his refusal a few weeks ago to sign a letter calling for the Department of Justice to investigate attempts to intimidate conservative bloggers, twenty-year incumbent Congressman John Mica has once again failed to sign a letter that should be a no-brainer for a Republican.

Outrage of the Day: Our border agents were firing beanbags at the drug cartel members who shot Brian Terry

Saw this at Gateway Pundit earlier this afternoon:

Gateway Pundit | White House Finally Admits Brian Terry Was Shooting Beanbags Against Cartel Assault Rifles

US Border Agent Brian Terry was shooting beanbags at cartel members before they shot him dead with assault rifles...

For the first time the Obama Administration today admitted that Brian Terry and fellow border agents were firing beanbags and not bullets during their shootout with armed cartel members.

Sandy Adams defends bloggers, leads effort to ask DOJ to investigate SWATting

We should be clapping for her.

I am just so darn proud of the Republican freshmen that Florida sent to Congress in 2010. They are a tough, feisty bunch who are dedicated to making the tough choices to get our government back on track.

Congresswoman Sandy Adams fits in well with this group, making a name for herself for her perfect attendance record and for taking a lead role in legislation like the Violence Against Women Act.

This past Monday, Adams again took a lead role on an important issue, sending a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, encouraging the Department of Justice to investigate recent SWAT-tings of conservative bloggers. "SWAT-ting" is when someone calls 911 (often using VOIP or other technology to spoof the name and number that is calling), claiming that a violent crime has been committed at their target's address, with the goal of sending law enforcement to the location and inciting a dangerous confrontation. Fortunately, the bloggers who have been targeted recently, including RedState's Erick Erickson and Patterico, were not harmed, but the potential is definitely there.

Morning Coffee Reading for April 17, 2012 (Yep, I'm Still Here)

OK, I have been a ridiculous slacker in posting here for the past two weeks. No, the blog isn't going away (as much as a few chuckleheads out there might wish that it might), I've just needed a little time to take care that whole "pack up my entire house, spend three and a half days driving to Massachusetts, and hit the ground running with a new campaign" thing.

Adams vs. Mica race heats up

Rep. Sandy Adams
(FL-24...soon to be FL-7?)

The battle royale for Florida's Seventh Congressional District continues to intensify as long-time incumbent and Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica works to build an immense war chest, and first-term Congresswoman Sandy Adams reaches out to her conservative base. The redistricting process left both Republicans living in the same district, as well as creating a new district to the north.

The race is drawing comparisons to 2010's race between Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio, with Mica viewed as more of a big government moderate and Adams attracting support from staunch fiscal conservatives and tea partiers.

Jason Chaffetz: Rimshots, Romney, & Doing What's Right

After last Thursday's CNN debate in Jacksonville, I caught up with Jason Chaffetz, Republican Congressman from Utah's 3rd District, in the spin room. Here's a video of the interview:

Fast and Furious: I don't want resignations, I want handcuffs

The more I learn about Fast and Furious, the angrier I get. Recent congressional testimony by Attorney General Eric Holder and his subordinates is making it clear that the entire AG's office is infected with epidemic-level incompetence, stupidity, corruption, or a combination of the three.

Free advice for Eric Holder: your goal should be to appear incompetent, because the alternative (liar) makes prison a solid possibility.Thu Dec 08 18:11:39 via EchofonSarah Rumpf
rumpfshaker

May your Thanksgiving be full of Sunshine

In preparation for this post, I spent some time this week looking up past Thanksgiving presidential proclamations and quotes, collected statements from some politicians (at least those who were smart enough to not ask for campaign donations in their Thanksgiving messages. You know who you are. Tsk tsk!), and some other fun stuff. Enjoy: