2016 Liberty Candidates

[William Tell]

C4L is looking for county coordinators, they have the old lists of Paul people.

[jeffro97]

Great idea!

Let's see what the general public would think about this.

[Southron]

Been saying this since 2007.

Are you going to run again?

[invisible]

Are you going to run again?

Let's hope so! It would be great to see Gunny back in office!

[gnuschler]

It really doesn't have to be formal, but we need a person willing to take on every task and be that person for their state or effort. If you don't take it on, then that role remains vacant. If you do, know there are people willing to coordinate and do what it takes to help.

We are really an organization that works by volunteerism. People are as good as their effort. Our only uniting thread is our common cause. My suggestion is do it if you can, and take on what you are willing to continuously contribute to. If you step up and coordinate your intentions (and of course they adhere to liberty), we will work to step up to help and recruit others to do the same. We have the combination of intelligence, resources, and coordination that we can definitely influence a state race. We may even be able to tip the balance in a Federal House race. We probably should not focus on U.S. Senate races unless we have a solid candidate like Greg Brannon who is worth supporting win or lose.

It sounds like folks are talking about a grassroots organization with real leadership who can recruit, train, and mobilize grassroots efforts on behalf of liberty candidates and legislation. The obvious choice would be Campaign For Liberty, who, at least in Texas, is looking for county and regional directors. I am considering taking on such a role. I was not really involved in the presidential runs … does anyone have any thoughts about C4L? As far as I can tell, they have been largely absent in the recent mid-term elections (especially in Texas).

[William Tell]

It sounds like folks are talking about a grassroots organization with real leadership who can recruit, train, and mobilize grassroots efforts on behalf of liberty candidates and legislation. The obvious choice would be Campaign For Liberty, who, at least in Texas, is looking for county and regional directors. I am considering taking on such a role. I was not really involved in the presidential runs … does anyone have any thoughts about C4L? As far as I can tell, they have been largely absent in the recent mid-term elections (especially in Texas).

Yeah, my understanding is that C4L cannot endorse candidates. However, they do give them surveys and such. Example here:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...to-C4L-surveys
But you can meet members of C4L and get them involved directly in politics outside of the organization. While using C4L to educate and inform.

[philipped]

This effort needs to be duplicated across all 50 states: Identify seats becoming open as early on as possible. Identify Ron Paul supporters in those districts, and recruit them to run. Then teach those candidates how to run, and polish them while there is plenty of time to do so.

I am ready to start picking people to run around my area.

How about listing everyone who won their races this year for starters? I know they have not announced for reelection, but it will keep their names in everyone's minds. We can update with whoever seeks higher office or retires. I have yet to see a full list of our people who won this year in local races. I know the candidates in my state, Shem, Nisley, and that's about it.

This could at least be a Liberty Incumbent thread for starters. We can call out 'our guys' if they vote contrary to their promises.

This thread needs to take place immediately.

[jurgs01]

Federal liberty candidates is up on the original post. We have two senate members and 13 house members that met our criteria for liberty candidate.

[William Tell]

Federal liberty candidates is up on the original post. We have two senate members and 13 house members that met our criteria for liberty candidate.

Are you going to paste their names into the thread at some point, or just leave the link?

[jurgs01]

Are you going to paste their names into the thread at some point, or just leave the link?

No way I'm updating multiple places again! Last time I tried that I had to have four windows open every time I made a change.

Oh, and Federal Fellow Travelers is up. Four senate members and seven house members made the cut. I have a few more on the pending list from the election, but we'll have to give them a few months to see their voting record as they left quite a few positions in question.

[jurgs01]

Alright, the incumbents are listed in the top four links for the federal and state level. Still working on the state specific pages. Let's make the list better and find every liberty candidate around the country and ensure they get the proper support!

I am still working on going through a couple of submissions from invisible and others too. Will try and do another scrub of incumbents before the candidates start declaring (and also give some time for some of the borderline ones to get voting records)

[Gage]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/azdc/...mary/19562273/ Just throwing this out there.

[jurgs01]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/azdc/...mary/19562273/ Just throwing this out there.

We had chances to throw out Cochran, Graham, Alexander, McConnell, and Roberts this year. We failed in all of those. In order to take out a sitting senator, you need a massive grassroots effort throughout the state. These incumbents have millions upon millions to throw at the problem.

[jeffro97]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/azdc/...mary/19562273/ Just throwing this out there.

There definitely needs to be a good liberty candidate in that race. An opposition to McCain neo-con ways is almost a must.

That being said, I know nothing of Schweikert nor Jones. I'd need to do me some research.

[invisible]

We had chances to throw out Cochran, Graham, Alexander, McConnell, and Roberts this year. We failed in all of those. In order to take out a sitting senator, you need a massive grassroots effort throughout the state. These incumbents have millions upon millions to throw at the problem.

Not only that, we also failed to get a Liberty Candidate into the open US Senate seat in OK. There was a pretty massive grassroots effort behind Randy Brogdon, and yet we still ended up with Senator wankford. Overcoming a media blackout and out of state PAC money pouring into a statewide race is difficult. Maybe we'll have better luck in two years, but it'll be more difficult to get wankford out, now that he's there. Not to mention insult added to injury by wankford's open CD5 seat being taken by warmonger russell, the biggest missed opportunity for a Liberty Candidate in 2014.

[jurgs01]

Not only that, we also failed to get a Liberty Candidate into the open US Senate seat in OK. There was a pretty massive grassroots effort behind Randy Brogdon, and yet we still ended up with Senator wankford. Overcoming a media blackout and out of state PAC money pouring into a statewide race is difficult. Maybe we'll have better luck in two years, but it'll be more difficult to get wankford out, now that he's there. Not to mention insult added to injury by wankford's open CD5 seat being taken by warmonger russell, the biggest missed opportunity for a Liberty Candidate in 2014.

You are the grassroots in OK. Keep building your organization so you can pull a Dave Brat upset there soon!

[Brian4Liberty]

There definitely needs to be a good liberty candidate in that race. An opposition to McCain neo-con ways is almost a must.

That being said, I know nothing of Schweikert nor Jones. I'd need to do me some research.

Schweikert hinted the timing might not be right for a Senate run, noting that he just got back on the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, which allows him to "go back to much of the work that I really enjoy doing." Schweikert lost the prestigious committee assignment in 2012, shortly after defeating fellow incumbent U.S. Rep. Ben Quayle, R-Ariz., in his primary. At the time two other fiscal conservatives were similarly rebuked by House Republican leaders.

Schweikert seems good on some issues. As stated above, he stood up to the "establishment".

[Brian4Liberty]

Remember, we have a sub-forum that serves as a list of liberty candidates, where every candidate has their own thread:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/forumdi...ign-Evaluation

We may need to create a single summary thread for all candidates related to those individual threads.

[jurgs01]

Remember, we have a sub-forum that serves as a list of liberty candidates, where every candidate has their own thread:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/forumdi...ign-Evaluation

We may need to create a single summary thread for all candidates related to those individual threads.

If it had a current and archived version and was constantly kept up to date it would be useful for that purpose.

I deal with a lot of people asking me questions, and most people aren't tuned in to politics like we are. They don't have time to sift through a lot of information and need consolidated info. My whole goal was to provide that to people who have had to piece together information in the past. On the federal level it's manageable. Believe me, when you start getting down to the state level it is difficult to keep up and maintain a steady standard.

[invisible]

If it had a current and archived version and was constantly kept up to date it would be useful for that purpose.

I deal with a lot of people asking me questions, and most people aren't tuned in to politics like we are. They don't have time to sift through a lot of information and need consolidated info. My whole goal was to provide that to people who have had to piece together information in the past. On the federal level it's manageable. Believe me, when you start getting down to the state level it is difficult to keep up and maintain a steady standard.

Hopefully the info I've provided has helped. Your last sentence raises an interesting point. How exactly do we measure this at the state level? Different states have different issues and problems. Sure we can see how legislators vote on issues such as gun control, taxes, education, abortion, etc. But those issues aren't necessarily the best for determining true Liberty Candidate status, you have to look beyond standard party line type of votes for that. Another problem is lots of good legislation gets killed in committee, and never makes it to a floor vote. It takes a lot more research to see who actually introduces good legislation. Measuring Liberty Candidate status at the state level is much more difficult, there isn't a one size fits all solution that can universally be applied.

[William Tell]

Hopefully the info I've provided has helped. Your last sentence raises an interesting point. How exactly do we measure this at the state level? Different states have different issues and problems. Sure we can see how legislators vote on issues such as gun control, taxes, education, abortion, etc. But those issues aren't necessarily the best for determining true Liberty Candidate status, you have to look beyond standard party line type of votes for that. Another problem is lots of good legislation gets killed in committee, and never makes it to a floor vote. It takes a lot more research to see who actually introduces good legislation. Measuring Liberty Candidate status at the state level is much more difficult, there isn't a one size fits all solution that can universally be applied.

If they vote no on all the bad stuff, they are generally liberty candidates.

[jurgs01]

Hopefully the info I've provided has helped. Your last sentence raises an interesting point. How exactly do we measure this at the state level? Different states have different issues and problems. Sure we can see how legislators vote on issues such as gun control, taxes, education, abortion, etc. But those issues aren't necessarily the best for determining true Liberty Candidate status, you have to look beyond standard party line type of votes for that. Another problem is lots of good legislation gets killed in committee, and never makes it to a floor vote. It takes a lot more research to see who actually introduces good legislation. Measuring Liberty Candidate status at the state level is much more difficult, there isn't a one size fits all solution that can universally be applied.

All very true. It's easier for me if they have a voting record. What takes me a ton of time is reviewing candidates vying for office at the state level. Combing through speeches, public statements, social media, etc. is difficult. They get a boost when you find out that they were a Ron Paul delegate in 2008 or something similar, but it's not always easy to differentiate the liberty candidate from the cookie-cutter Republican saying things to get elected.

It's all worth it though if a few people notice a good candidate and help to get them elected. Just as the effort you are making to build a network in OK will pay off. Take over all of the local politics with liberty lovers and the bigger fish will follow!

[invisible]

If they vote no on all the bad stuff, they are generally liberty candidates.

But that's not always a true measure of a Liberty Candidate. The generic Republican can vote against just about all of the bad stuff, but if no legislation genuinely advancing liberty makes it to a floor vote, then it's much more difficult to separate the generic Republican legislator from real Liberty Candidates.

[invisible]

All very true. It's easier for me if they have a voting record. What takes me a ton of time is reviewing candidates vying for office at the state level. Combing through speeches, public statements, social media, etc. is difficult. They get a boost when you find out that they were a Ron Paul delegate in 2008 or something similar, but it's not always easy to differentiate the liberty candidate from the cookie-cutter Republican saying things to get elected.

It's all worth it though if a few people notice a good candidate and help to get them elected. Just as the effort you are making to build a network in OK will pay off. Take over all of the local politics with liberty lovers and the bigger fish will follow!

The network here in OK was already well built before I got here, I just pretty much joined it.
Aside from any online evidence of being a Ron Paul supporter, I've found that one of the best measurements has been looking at legislation that has been introduced, but got killed off in committee. Some great legislation gets written here in OK, but only a tiny fraction of it ever actually makes it to a floor vote. The statists who are chairing the committees kill it all off, so there is no choice but to look at who authored what, and who cosponsored before it got killed off.

[mosquitobite]

C4L is looking for county coordinators, they have the old lists of Paul people.

I'm torn on C4L.

[William Tell]

I'm torn on C4L.

Yeah, but they have the lists of supporters by county. If you can use that to meet local people...

[mosquitobite]

Yeah, but they have the lists of supporters by county. If you can use that...

I've made my own lists by now.
Most of us in this state have figured out if we don't lead, ain't no one gonna... Time to stop waiting for "someone else"

[William Tell]

How bout Jason Overstreet, Jurgs?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=1#post5717936

[jurgs01]

How bout Jason Overstreet, Jurgs?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=1#post5717936

He looked like he would be, but he didn't run for reelection in 2014.
http://ballotpedia.org/Jason_Overstreet

[mosquitobite]

He looked like he would be, but he didn't run for reelection in 2014.
http://ballotpedia.org/Jason_Overstreet

this is who took his place: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014...will.html?rh=1

VanWerven, vice chairwoman of the Washington State Republican Party, appears likely to take over the seat in a Republican-leaning district. She is also a former chairwoman of Whatcom County Republicans.

During his two terms in Olympia, Overstreet staked out political territory on the right wing of a conservative party. Among other things, he endorsed Sharam Hadian for governor instead of then-Attorney General Rob McKenna, the candidate favored by the party mainstream. He also endorsed Ron Paul's presidential bid.