Young Republicans Reject Current Texas GOP Platform

I just started writing a few articles for Breitbart Texas, and my first byline appeared this afternoon. Check it out:

Guest post: Progressivism - The Mentality of "More"

Here is a guest column submitted by my friend Jeff Semon, who ran for Congress last year in Massachusetts' Fifth District. Jeff is the Director of Communications for the Massachusetts Federation of Young Republicans, and you can follow him on Twitter at @JeffSemonMA.

In Winter Garden, Nice Guys Finish First: Bobby Olszewski Wins Commission Race

Winter Garden's newest
commissioner

In the middle of all the hullabaloo about the Alabama, Mississippi, and Hawaiian primaries (and also American Samoa, don't forget, ha), you might have missed a little municipal election in Winter Garden, but I was very glad to see the results.

My friend and fellow Orange County Young Republican, Bobby Olszewski, was elected to the District 3 Commission seat, winning an impressive 70.17% of the vote against incumbent Harold Bouler.

On the campaign trail with Adam Hasner

Here's the latest update from the campaign trail from Florida Senate candidate Adam Hasner:

More thoughts on the day

I've been spending the day like many of you probably have - quietly reading articles and blog posts online and watching the news coverage. As I posted earlier this morning, it seems surreal that it's been a decade since that awful day that changed America forever.

I thought I'd share with you some of what I've been reading and watching today:

Reactions to Obama's Jobs Speech

Last night, President Zero gave a campaign speech jobs speech. I've collected the reactions of several Republicans to our Teleprompter-Reader-in-Chief ordering Congress to "pass this bill right away!" 

Read and watch the videos, after the jump:

What did YOU do this weekend?

It's easy to say you're a Republican, to claim you're a conservative, to promise to uphold the ideals of the tea party movement.

Yes, like most other things in life, talk is cheap. It's far easier to talk the talk than actually get out there and walk the walk. 

That's why I'm impressed with how Adam Hasner spent his weekend. While the other Republican Senate candidates have been tying themselves in knots to trying to convince anyone who will listen that they are the "true conservative"  and "solid Republican" in the race, Adam Hasner just went out there and actually was a Republican.

Adam started on Friday at the Republican Party of Florida's Quarterly meeting at the Rosen Plaza in Orlando, where he met with leaders from the county party committees from around the state. I personally saw how many people were interested in what Adam had to say and were excited about his message.

RPOF Quarterly meeting in Orlando

Saturday, Adam drove to Jacksonville to attend the Florida Federation of Young Republicans' annual meeting, where he made a speech to the attendees. I wasn't able to go to the FFYR meeting, but from the comments I saw on Twitter, Adam was very warmly and enthusiastically received. You can watch his FFYR speech on YouTube. Here's a highlight:

While I may not be young enough anymore to be a Young Republican, during my time in Tallahassee while I was in law school, I actually served as the President of the Tallahassee Young Republicans...

The one thing I would tell you is that, more and more, speakers would come before us, at YRs or the YR state convention, they would always tell us, "You're the future of the Republican Party." Well, I have a message. And it is, this is your party today. You have more at stake in the future of this country. This is your fight, and you need to be engaged because you are going to make a difference in 2012 and beyond and we need your help and we need you involved today. You are not just the future of the Republican Party.

RT @RealMichaelW: @AdamHasner currently speaking to the @FFYRAnnual2011. Good things come out of the @tallyyrsSat May 14 17:56:07 via ÜberSocialTallahassee YR
TallyYRs

Adam had a similar message when he came to our Orange County Young Republicans meeting last week; that as YRs, we need not wait "our turn" to be leaders in the Republican party, we were more than just "the future," we should find ways to get involved and contribute now.

"This is your party today!" @AdamHasner #ffyr #flsenSat May 14 17:45:53 via ÜberSocialPalm Beach YR's
PBCYR

This is an important message that all Young Republican groups need to hear, but sadly, I have rarely heard anyone other than Adam Hasner say it. As YRs, we need to take a strong and active role in our party, run for office within our county executive committees and local and state governments, volunteer on planning committees for Lincoln Day dinners and big events like Presidency 5, and be confident in voicing our concerns and priorities to Republican candidates and elected officials.

Thank you @AdamHasner for your remarks to #ffyr annual convention. Hope to see you soon in Miami!Sat May 14 18:46:44 via Twitter for iPhoneMiami YRs
miamiyrs

After the FFYR meeting, Adam stayed in town the next day to help fellow Republican Mike Hogan in the Jacksonville Mayor's race. Sunday was the last day of early voting, and Adam and his wife Jillian joined other Hogan supporters in sign waving and phone banking.

 

There's not too many Senate candidates who would take time off from their own campaigns in a highly contested primary to campaign for a city mayor's race, and Hogan definitely appreciated Adam and Jillian's help:

many thanks! “@AdamHasner: Working the phones to get out the vote for @hoganformayor in #jaxmayor race. http://t.co/LTZY30j”Sun May 15 18:10:19 via Twitter for iPhoneMike Hogan
HoganForMayor

It's no wonder that Adam Hasner is continuing to gain the support of grassroots conservatives around the state.

Here's more background on why I am on Team Hasner.

For more information about Adam Hasner:

Adam Hasner website
Adam Hasner on Facebook
Twitter: @AdamHasner

UPDATE: This is exactly what I'm talking about: while Adam and Jillian Hasner gave up personal and campaign time to stay in Jacksonville and campaign for Mike Hogan, how did Mike Haridopolos contribute?

By sending a tweet...and he didn't even write it, just retweeted what someone else wrote:

RT @RMFosterJr: So excited to see Jax elect @HoganForMayor tomorrow!Mon May 16 23:27:11 via TweetDeckMike Haridopolos
MikeHaridopolos

 
Wow. That's really gonna sway the results of tomorrow's election. Way to go.

Adam Hasner addresses the Orange County Young Republicans [VIDEO]

Here's my video from Adam Hasner's speech at our Orange County Young Republicans meeting last night:


YouTube | SarahRumpfFL | Adam Hasner addresses the Orange County Young Republicans - Part 1


YouTube | SarahRumpfFL | Adam Hasner addresses the Orange County Young Republicans - Part 2

See why I like this guy?

For more information about Adam Hasner:

Adam Hasner website
Adam Hasner on Facebook
Twitter: @AdamHasner

Come meet Adam Hasner tonight

U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hasner will be our guest speaker at the Orange County Young Republicans meeting tonight, so if you're in the Orlando area, come on by. I strongly believe you'll like what he has to say.

Orange County Young Republicans

Special Guest: Adam Hasner

GrayRobinson offices

301 E. Pine Street, Orlando, 14th floor

Social at 6 pm, Meeting at 6:30 pm

Free to attend

ICYMI, check out my post from last month about Adam Hasner.

Also, check out Adam's Pledge to Floridians on his Facebook page, with his top ten commitments if he's elected, addressing important issues like national security, immigration, repealing ObamaCare, taxes, and term limits.

Here's endorsements of Adam Hasner from Erick Erickson and Mark Levin:

YouTube | Erick Erickson Endorses Adam Hasner

YouTube | Mark Levin Endorses Adam Hasner

Bill Segal's partisan problem

Bill Segal has been running a very confusing campaign for awhile now.  I have always thought he was a nice guy, and he has not governed as any sort of partisan extremist, but his campaign has seemed like one partisan attack after another, especially after the primary election results showed Teresa Jacobs so far ahead.

For some reason, Segal decided to come by our Orange County Young Republican meeting last night.  Most of the membership did not know he was coming and I think a lot of people were shocked that he was there.  I give him credit for being willing to take the heat and answer a lot of tough questions, but I have to question the campaign strategy here.  

Segal tried to claim he had run a nonpartisan campaign, but the Sentinel has diligently tracked down all of the Segal campaign's clumsy attempts to tie Jacobs to Sarah Palin and call her a right-wing extremist (See Sentinel blog posts here and here).  He admitted he was a Democrat and then claimed that he had "supported McCain eight years ago."  I assume he meant to say ten years ago, in 2000, but I don't see how he could have supported McCain against Bush in 2000, when he would have been unable to vote for a Republican in Florida's closed primaries as a Democrat.  

Segal then was asked if he had supported Obama, and he said yes, and continued on with something about how he thought Obama had a great message of hope, good ideas, etc.  Ummm, what was he thinking?  The average independent voter on the street is not excited about Obama right now, and you are in a room of Republican activists, campaign workers, RPOF staffers, and volunteers.  Understanding your audience FAIL.

Frank Torres was at last night's meeting too and has a great blog post on his take on all this.  You really should be reading Frank's blog anyway, he's got a great take on Central Florida Politics:

Frank Torres | Central Florida Politics | Bill Segal's clumsy pandering crosses party lines

...and I have to agree with Frank, I was a bit shocked when Segal called Frank an "entertainer."  I don't know what Segal's intentions were, I can't read minds, but it sounded condescending and dismissive to me, and I heard a number of other people in the room sharply draw in a breath or say "Oh!" at that little comment.

Again, I have to just question the strategy of the Segal campaign.   It's like the campaign is being run by Tweedledee and Tweedledum Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber.

This whole visit was nothing more than a big waste of time for them.  Segal and two of his top campaign staffers spent almost three hours at GrayRobinson (most of it sitting in the lobby), they didn't raise a dime in campaign contributions, didn't win a single vote, and managed to anger a lot of the OCYR membership.  If the group wasn't already firmly on Team Teresa, they sure are now.  Plus, I'm pretty sure the multiple people in the room that pulled out video phones and cameras when Segal popped in, now have some sound bites that will not help Segal win votes with Republicans, or Democrats for that matter.

 

Come meet my friend Eric Eisnaugle

State Representative Eric Eisnaugle (House District 40) and his wife Carrie have been friends of mine since we were all law students clerking at firms here in Orlando in the summer of 2002.  Eric and Carrie were the ones who invited me to join the Orange County Young Republicans, and I've really enjoyed being involved with the OCYRs these past few years.

I was proud to endorse Eric in 2008 when he first ran for office, and I've been proud of the solid conservative track record he's established while in Tallahassee. He's a great representative for Central Florida.

Come meet my friend Eric for yourself this Thursday, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Winter Park at the law firm of Swann & Hadley, 1031 West Morse Blvd., Suite 350.

Here's the official invite to the event (click to enlarge): 

If you can't stop by on Thursday, then you can learn more about Eric at his website, his campaign Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter at @EricEisnaugle.

Thanks!

Orange County Young Republicans HobNob

We're down at the Citrus Bowl hanging out with some fantastic Republican candidates. 

Above is Karen Diebel, congressional candidate in FL-24, voting in the straw poll. 

Follow me on twitter @rumpfshaker for more updates and photos.

UPDATED: Here is a link to the OCYR page with the straw poll results.  Congrats to Marco Rubio, Bill McCollum, Kurt Kelly, Karen Diebel, Teresa Jacobs, Jason Brodeur, Greg Reynolds, Bill Sublette, and Jennifer Thompson!

...and some more photos...

Teresa Jacobs with supporters, happy about winning the straw poll

OCYR Exec Board, who did an awesome, awesome job on this year's event

Enjoyed hanging out at Fiddler's after the HobNob was over