2016 Presidential Campaign Blog

The FAMiLY LEADER Announces The 3rd Annual Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa on August 9, 2014

The FAMiLY LEADER Announces The 3rd Annual Family Leadership Summit
TFL Announces The Family Research Council Action as National Partner

Urbandale, IOWA. – The FAMiLY LEADER announces The 3rd Annual Family Leadership Summit on Saturday, August 9, scheduled to take place at Stephens Auditorium, on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa.  

The FAMiLY LEADER is pleased to announce that our national partner in hosting the Summit is the Family Research Council Action based in Washington D.C. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council Action said, “It’s a genuine privilege to partner with The FAMiLY LEADER in Iowa to advance pro-family, pro-conservative, and pro-freedom conservative values through their Family Leadership Summit.  We value Iowa’s role in presidential politics and it’s an honor to join with Iowans for this most important Summit.”  

The purpose of The FAMiLY LEADERSHIP SUMMIT is to educate and mobilize the conservative base regarding worldview application and issues that impact the family.  The Summit will provide Iowans the opportunity to hear top conservative national leaders, gathered in one place, cast their leadership vision.  

Bob Vander Plaats, president & CEO of The FAMiLY LEADER, said, “One of the hopeful outcomes of the Summit is to bring conservatives together early and consistently in the process leading up to the 2016 elections.  We believe that by laying this foundation through an intentional leadership summit, the likelihood for conservatives to coalesce in a spirit of unity for impact and influence in 2014, 2016, and beyond will be greatly enhanced.”
    
Confirmed speakers include David and Jason Benham, Pastor Rafael Cruz, Governor Bobby Jindal, Governor Rick Perry, New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg, and former Senator Rick Santorum.  Invited speakers include Dr. Ben Carson, Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Trey Gowdy, former Governor Mike Huckabee, former Governor Sarah Palin, Star Parker, Senator Rand Paul, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Tim Scott, former Governor Jeb Bush, Governor Chris Christie, former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Eric Metaxas, Governor Mike Pence, and Governor Scott Walker.

Iowa Democratic Party to Induct Senator Tom Harkin into IDP Hall of Fame

Iowa Democratic Party to Induct Senator Tom Harkin into IDP Hall of Fame

Des Moines – The Iowa Democratic Party to induct U.S. Senator Tom Harkin into the Party’s Hall of Fame at the annual Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, June 20 at the Hy-Vee Hall, Ballroom A, in Des Moines.  

2014 Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Dinner Honoring Senator Tom Harkin

Friday, June 20, 2014

Main Program: 7:00pm

Hy-Vee Hall, Ballroom A
730 Third Street, Des Moines, IA  50309

Cerro Gordo Republicans Announce BBQ Fundraiser with Gov. Rick Perry on July 20, 2014

Cerro Gordo Republicans Announce BBQ Fundraiser with Gov. Rick Perry on July 20, 2014

It's summer in North Iowa and that means the Cerro Gordo County Republicans are glad to partner with Gov. Rick Perry (TX) for a BBQ fundraiser for the county party!  Please join Gov. Perry, Attorney General Candidate Adam Gregg, State Treasurer Candidate Sam Clovis, House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer and Iowa Senate District 27 Candidate Shawn Dietz for a great afternoon on the grounds of the Mason City Airport!

Join us for brats, burgers, ice cream and a chance to hear from one of the most successful Republican Governors in the United States on July 20 - Location: Hosted by Tom and Barbara Hovland in their building located on the Mason City Airport grounds.  9184A - 265th Street, Clear Lake, IA

Rick Santorum to Address Republican Party of Iowa's State Convention on Saturday 6/14/14

Santorum to Address Republican Party of Iowa's State Convention on Saturday 6/14

Verona, PA - Former U.S. Senator, former Republican presidential candidate, chairman of Patriot Voices and author of Blue Collar Conservatives Rick Santorum will travel to Iowa on Saturday, June 14 to address the Republican Party of Iowa's State Convention and hold a book signing.  
                  
Saturday, June 14, 2014

11:30 AM CT: Senator Santorum will address the convention.

Noon - 2PM CT: Senator Santorum will sign copies of Blue Collar Conservatives at the South Entrance of HyVee Hall.
 
2 - 2:30PM CT: Senator Santorum will visit Secretary of State and Congressional candidate Matt Schultz's Hospitality Suite (Room 105).

Senator Rand Paul to Address Iowa GOP Convention at the Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines on June 14, 2014

Senator Rand Paul to Address Iowa GOP Convention

WASHINGTON, DC – On June 14, 2014, Senator Rand Paul will travel to Des Moines, Iowa to address the attendees of the Iowa Republican State Convention.

“I am thrilled to be coming back to Iowa and to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. I look forward to meeting the countless enthusiastic convention attendees who will turn Iowa red in November.” said Senator Rand Paul.

The Iowa GOP Convention will be held at the Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Hires Hispanic State Directors and Hispanic Field Directors in Four Southwest States

RNC ROUNDS OUT SOUTHWEST HISPANIC FIELD TEAM
RNC Hires Hispanic State Directors and Hispanic Field Directors in Southwest
 
WASHINGTON –  In an ongoing effort to strengthen the Republican Party’s relationships in Hispanic communities across the country, the Republican National Committee (RNC) is announcing its Deputy Director of Hispanic Initiatives as well as its second wave of Hispanic engagement staff hires in four Southwest states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. The engagement staff is part of the RNC’s unparalleled commitment to engage voters year-round to build a permanent foundation for future campaigns. Over the past year, the Hispanic engagement team has attended over 600 events and  reached over 150,000 Hispanics across the country.
 
The new set of hires joins a growing Hispanic field team that is part of larger engagement effort which is active in 19 states.
 
“Today’s announcement strengthens our unprecedented efforts to ensure the Republican message of ‘opportunity for all’ reaches every voter,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.  “We have a growing ground game that will outlast any one cycle or campaign and will allow us to compete for every vote for years to come.  Our investment in Hispanic communities across the country provides us with a lasting presence in these communities and builds an infrastructure for more Republican victories at the local, state and national levels.”
 
“Long-term face-to-face contact between voters and volunteers from the same community is the best way to inform and motivate Hispanics voters to get to the polls,” said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval. “The RNC’s effort is extremely important and a step in the right direction to helping Republican candidates make gains in our communities.”
 
NATIONAL HIRE
 
Hannah Jane Nunez, Deputy Director of Hispanic Initiatives
Hannah Jane Nunez most recently served as the Hispanic Engagement Director for the Republican Party of Virginia. Last year, Hannah received the MLK Drum Major Service Award for her more than 10 years of volunteer service for children and teens. She is a native of Phoenix, Arizona, and graduated from The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
 
SOUTHWEST STATE STAFF HIRES
 
Sergio Arellano, Arizona Field Director for Hispanic Initiatives
Sergio Arellano is an Army combat veteran who also serves as Republican Party Chairman in Legislative District 2. He previously served as Outreach Director for the Arizona Attorney General, where he coordinated engagement events statewide and collaborated with city officials and community leaders to educate communities on different programs. He is a native of Tucson and attended the University of Arizona.
 
Will Batista, Nevada State Director for Hispanic Initiatives
Will Batista most recently served as a Regional Field Director in Fairfax, Virginia, for the Republican Party of Virginia. During the 2012 presidential campaign, he served as a Regional Field Representative for the RNC in Reno. Will is a veteran of the United States Air Force Reserve and served in Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a native of Miami, Florida, and attended Brigham Young University–Idaho.
 
Matt Morales, Arizona Field Director for Hispanic Initiatives
Matt Morales most recently served as Managing Principal of 5Thirty5 Public Affairs and brings 18 years of campaign experience. He previously served as Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs for Arizona’s government information technology agency. He is a native of Phoenix and attended Arizona State University.
 
Jose Orozco, New Mexico State Director for Hispanic Initiatives
Jose Orozco previously served in the United States Marine Corps. In 2012, he ran for the New Mexico House of Representatives District 13 and he brings four years of campaign experience. Jose is a native of Arizona and attended the University of New Mexico.
 
Paulo E. Sibaja, Colorado State Director for Hispanic Initiatives
Paulo E. Sibaja most recently served as Director of Coalitions for the Leadership Institute (LI). At LI, he spearheaded Issues That Unite: Latinos & Conservatism (ITU), an eight-city, seven-state national tour engaging America’s Latino community. He previously served as Deputy Director of Coalitions in Colorado in the 2012 presidential campaign, Hispanic Outreach Director in New Mexico for the RNC and also worked for the California state legislature. Paulo is a native of Costa Rica and attended the University of California, Riverside.
 
Oliver Riggle-Pérez, New Mexico Field Director for Hispanic Initiatives
Oliver Riggle-Pérez previously served as a production editor for Entravision Communications where he shot and edited commercials for broadcast, and later became an Account Executive. He brings over a year of campaign experience, is native of New Mexico and attended the University of New Mexico.

E-Mail From The Publisher of Hard Choices to Hillary Clinton 2008 Iowa Supporters

E-Mail From The Publisher of Hard Choices to Hillary Clinton 2008 Iowa Supporters

I thought you might want to know that Hillary Rodham Clinton writes about you in her new book, Hard Choices. She begins this deeply personal and fascinating memoir by describing the end of the 2008 campaign and her gratitude to all the friends and supporters who put 18 million cracks in the "highest, hardest glass ceiling."

As Secretary Clinton's publisher, I'm hoping you'll immediately want to buy a copy of this extraordinary book. Hard Choices is the best account I've read of what it's like to be in the room with the leaders who are confronting some of the most challenging and interesting issues of our time.

Order your copy today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple's iBooks, or from IndieBound.

I also hope you will forward this letter to your friends and family to let them know of this book's publication. Even though Hard Choices will be front page news, the best way to appreciate Hillary Clinton's story is to read it in her own words, unfiltered.

I wanted to convey the magnitude of publishing Hillary Clinton to my nine year-old daughter, so I sat her down at the computer with me, went to Google, and typed in the phrase, "Most Admired Woman in the World." You can imagine whose name was the first to appear on the screen, again and again and again.
One day, soon, my daughter will be reading Hard Choices and finding great inspiration in Hillary Clinton's work. I hope this remarkable book will have a similar impact on you and your loved ones.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Karp
President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster

Democratic National Committee Chair Wasserman Schultz Announces Bids for the 2016 Convention

Democratic National Committee Chair Wasserman Schultz Announces Bids for the 2016 Convention
 
WASHINGTON, DC – Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz today announced six cities have submitted bids to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Cities who submitted bids by the deadline are: Birmingham, Cleveland, Columbus, New York, Philadelphia and Phoenix.
 
“Hosting a party convention is a true honor and we’re thrilled with all the fantastic options that we have going into the next cycle,” said Wasserman Schultz. “We look forward to evaluating these bids and selecting a city to host this special gathering of Democrats.”
 
Over the coming months, convention bids will be evaluated by a Technical Advisory Committee, including site visits and other inquiries. A final decision will be announced by Wasserman Schultz in late 2014 or early 2015.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Statement on the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion

RNC Statement on the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chairman Sharon Day released the following message on the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion:

“Today we remember the soldiers who bravely stormed the beaches at Normandy to liberate a continent in the darkest hours of World War II. Their valour testifies to the courage of the Greatest Generation and stands as an example to all who fight for freedom and liberty,” said Chairman Priebus.

“On this 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, we honor those who fell, their families, and the veterans with us today. We remember in our thoughts and prayer the heroism of all who fought.”

“As time passes, we realize that fewer and fewer Americans know someone who fought on D-Day in 1944. So it’s up to us to ensure that future generations of Americans will always look back and remember the sacrifice of our soldiers and the price they paid to defend freedom.”

“Just before the invasion, General Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed the Allied troops and encouraged them saying, ‘The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you,’” said Co-Chairman Day. “Today, people from around the world still look to America for leadership and strength in the face of adversity. Our hopes and prayers should always be with our men and women in uniform. May we not forget the sacrifices that were made for each of us, and may we always be inspired to stand on the side of liberty wherever it is threatened.”

Ready for Hillary Announces The Hillary Bus

Ready for Hillary Announces The Hillary Bus

The Bus will travel from coast to coast, channeling the enthusiasm around a potential Hillary 2016 candidacy to activate supporters in the 2014 midterms, while further building a grassroots army of supporters who are encouraging her to run and ready to help her win.

Initially, the Bus will make a number of stops on Hillary's national tour unveiling her new book, Hard Choices.

Throughout the summer, the Bus will also visit Democratic events, state fairs and community festivals, followed by college campuses and key midterm states in the fall.

In addition to generating excitement among millions of individuals who are already signed up with Ready for Hillary, the Bus is a mobile advertisement allowing our organization to reach new supporters in every corner of America as Hillary backers who see the Bus are prompted to sign up at readyforhillary.com.

The Bus will also allow Ready for Hillary to dispatch volunteers and sign up new supporters at designated stops.