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Nikki Haley Teases a 2024 Presidential Primary Run vs. Trump

Matt OHern
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Nikki Haley Teases a 2024 Presidential Primary Run vs. Trump

Nikki Haley made national headlines again after she teased a potential 2024 presidential run during an interview with Brett Baier on Fox News.

During the interview, the two-time Governor of South Carolina and former United Nations

Ambassador touted her successful record in campaigns.

“We need to go in a new direction,” Haley added. “So do I think I could be that leader? Yes, But we are still working through things and we’ll figure it out. I’ve never lost a race. I said that then I still say that now. I’m not going to lose now, stay tuned,” she concluded.

Haley would appeal to Trump loyalists as well as establishment conservatives who weren’t enthusiastic supporters of Trump’s 2016 candidacy, nor his Presidency. Haley has occasionally expressed disagreements or disapproval of certain decisions and actions by Trump, she never strongly condemned Trump’s character or policies while she served as ambassador, but she used harsh words about her former boss after the January 6, 2021 incident at the U.S. Capitol.

“We need to acknowledge he (Trump) let us down,” Haley said back in February 2021, shortly after the Jan. 6 Capitol rioting. “He went down a path he shouldn’t have, and we shouldn’t have followed him, and we shouldn’t have listened to him. And we can’t let that ever happen again.”

Even in the 21st Century, Nikki Haley faced tough odds to getting elected as the first female Governor of South Carolina. As a female who was raised by immigrant Indian Punjabi Sikh parents in, Haley’s path to political prominence was far different than her rivals and predecessors in the Palmetto State. She is considered the third non-white person to have been elected as governor of a Southern state, after Virginia’s Douglas Wilder and Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal. As we learned from Barack Obama’s success in 2008, Americans enjoy an inspiring story that involves overcoming adversity.

Border Security Update: Rick Scott Visits Immigration Crisis Area in Marathon, Florida

Matt OHern
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Border Security Update: Rick Scott Visits Immigration Crisis Area in Marathon, Florida

MARATHON, FL – Senator Rick Scott (R – Fla) visited the Florida Keys, including the city of Marathon, where hundreds of Cuban refugees were recently detained and sent back to Cuba after they attempted illegal entry into the United States. During Scott’s survey of the area, he met with local, state and federal officials to learn more details about the challenges faced due to the influx of refugees in the region. Scott received a briefing from U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson, Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, and Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations on the local response to the migrant crisis in the Florida Keys.

“Right now, our country is experiencing record-high levels of illegal immigration,” Scott said in an official statement. “And what President Joe Biden has done is brought his illegal immigration crisis that he created on our southern border right to Florida’s front door. What I heard and saw during my briefing and tour with Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Admiral McPherson, and CBP in the Keys today makes me furious and is absolutely heartbreaking. Our brave law enforcement officers, including CBP agents and Coast Guard, are doing everything they can to keep our communities safe, but this administration has completely abandoned them and left them shorthanded. Every state is a border state, and we cannot allow the communist Cuban regime to weaponize our legal immigration system and take advantage. Florida is an immigration state, we encourage and welcome legal immigration—but it must be done legally. These evil regimes in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua cannot continue to be emboldened by Biden’s appeasement and wide open borders. Where is [Director of Homeland Security Alejandro] Mayorkas? Where is Joe Biden? They don’t care, but I won’t stop fighting to fix this. I’m going to keep showing up, keep holding them accountable and not let up until we secure the border.”

Scott’s tour of the area followed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ activation of the National Guard to address the surge of Cuban refugees since the start of 2023.

Brian Kemp on a Ticket with Trump or DeSantis Could Improve GOP Odds for Victory in 2024

Matt OHern
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Brian Kemp on a Ticket with Trump or DeSantis Could Improve GOP Odds for Victory in 2024

Whether the 2024 Republican nominee is Trump or DeSantis, they’ll need to retake Georgia in the win column for Republicans if they have any hope of winning enough electoral votes overall. Democratic voter registration has increased in Georgia, thanks in large part to a new generation of young, female suburban voters throughout the Atlanta Metro region. In 2020, Biden was able to build on Hillary Clinton’s vote shares in the densely-populated Metro Atlanta counties of Gwinnett, Cobb, and Henry, increasing her vote shares of 50%, 48%, and 50% to 58%, 56%, and 60%, respectively–in all three cases, the best showing for a non-Georgian Democrat since John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election. 

Kemp, who won re-election 7.5 against a well-known and extremely well-funded Stacey Abrams could improve the 2024 Republican nominee’s margin just enough among certain demographics to tip the state in the GOP’s favor. Adding Kemp to the ticket as a VP would likely bring an improved especially middle aged women, who went for Biden by a 16-point margin, and women under 20, who went for Biden by a 33-point margin. Kemp and Trump have had their fair share of differences over a variety of issues. In 2022, Kemp condemned Trump for hosting Kanye West and holocaust-denier Nick Fuentes. In 2020, Kemp drew the ire of Trump for not removing Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after the electoral vote count went unchanged. “Racism, antisemitism and denial of the Holocaust have no place in the Republican Party and are completely un-American.” nation’s most prominent white nationalist figure,” said Kemp.

One major area where Kemp gained favor with all Republicans was his pro-business stance during the COVID-19 crisis. Georgia was one of the earliest states to lift lockdown restrictions. Kemp’s outlook on COVID restrictions were extremely similar to DeSantis’, but Kemp didn’t make as much of a spectacle on cable television as DeSantis.

Kemp’s balance of business support with a low-key approach to his public appearances have limited his name recognition compared to governors such as DeSantis, but that personality difference could prove to be a positive counter-balance as a Vice President who would likely be paired with Trump or DeSantis at the top of the 2024 ticket.

Georgia political talk show host Ben Burnett is a believer in Kemp. 

“Brian Kemp knows how to build a ground game, is firm in his beliefs and mild-mannered enough to be likable,” said Burnett. “If you are a conservative who wants to win the Presidency, then you need somebody who can go to Davos and represent conservative principles in a likable way. He checks a ton of boxes.”

In 2020, exit polls revealed that Trump lost Georgia in large part to female voters, especially middle aged women, who went for Biden by a 16-point margin, and women under 20, who went for Biden by a 33-point margin. In 2022, Kemp easily won re-election despite Warnock defeating Walker. 2022 exit polls showed Kemp winning female voters aged 45-64, a group which Trump lost by one percent in 2020. Perhaps the most striking difference was with women aged 65+, where Kemp improved on Trump’s margin of victory by five percent, take 57 percent compared to Trump’s 52. Trump-protege and Senate candidate Herschel Walker Democratic voter registration gains in Georgia are directly attributable to the new generation of suburban voters throughout the Atlanta Metro region. Biden was able to build on Hillary Clinton’s vote shares in the densely-populated Metro Atlanta counties of Gwinnett, Cobb, and Henry, increasing her vote shares of 50%, 48%, and 50% to 58%, 56%, and 60%, respectively–in all three cases, the best showing for a non-Georgian Democrat since John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election. 

Who is Matt Gaetz? A Closer Look at the Trump Loyalist

Matt OHern
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Who is Matt Gaetz? A Closer Look at the Trump Loyalist

During the past decade, Matt Gaetz, Rep. Fl, has ascended the political latter at a remarkable pace and developed a national following among staunch supporters of former President Donald Trump. Much like Trump, Gaetz has displayed an undeniable mastery self-promotion. Whether you’re a supporter of Gaetz or a devoted opponent, there is no denying the fact that Gaetz has rapidly expanded his brand through controversial words and actions that have thrown his name into the national spotlight far more frequently than the average American congressman can tout.

Before Gaetz was making regular appearances on Fox News, joining President Trump at the World Series, and gaining national attention for performative political acts such as donning a gas mask during one of the first congressional meetings after the original COVID outbreak, Gaetz’ was making savvy career moves to complement his family ties to political power in Florida.Gaetz path to national recognition spans all the way back to his youth. He is the son of former Florida State Senate President Don Gaetz, and was raised in Niceville, FL, but also spent time in the family’s second home in Seaside, a planned community near Destin. That second home for the Gaetz family was also the primary home featured in “The Truman Show.”

While Gaetz was in his thirties, much of his time each spring was spent in Tallahassee as as state representative for the Fort Walton Beach area. During those years, Gaetz faced little to no opposition throughout each election cycle. He was unopposed for a full term in 2010, and in 2012. In 2014 while his father was Senate President, he built upon a relationship with one of the most powerful lobbyist families in Florida, as well as the nation. In 2016, Gaetz utilized those connections, combined with the contacts he already had as the son of a state senate president, to ride the coattails of Trump’s rise to the top of Republican Primary candidates and ultimately, the White House.

Business Background in the Marijuana Industry

In 2014 Gaetz saw a growing trend toward acceptance of marijuana legalization, even among fellow conservatives, and made investments in companies that were in the initial planning stages of becoming marijuana growers. In 2014, Gaetz ushered through the House version of the 2014 legislation that became Florida’s medical marijuana law: the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, initially only permitted low-THC varieties. The bill spurred what’s commonly known as a “green rush,” of marijuana-growing investors and entrepreneurs raced to grab a share of the fledgling market. At the federal level, Gaetz introduced legislation to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, and to loosen federal restrictions on the cultivation of cannabis for research purposes.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, on the day in January 2019 that Gov. Ron DeSantis had issued a directive to end a ban on marijuana, Gaetz appeared in a celebratory video with John Morgan, the patriarch of the Morgan & Morgan mega-law firm and prominent advocate for medical marijuana.

“Matt Gaetz is the father of marijuana in Florida,” Morgan said, cigar in hand, citing Gaetz’s support years earlier for legalizing the strain of marijuana known as “Charlotte’s Web.”

Opposed Resolution to Honor Police Who Defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021

In June 2021, Gaetz was one of 21 House Republicans to vote against a resolution to give the Congressional Gold Medal to police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6.[60]

Vocally Opposes the Power of Big Tech, but Married the Sibling of a Big Tech Leader

In December 2020, Gaetz announced his engagement to his girlfriend, Ginger Luckey, the sister of Oculus VR founder and major Republican donor Palmer Luckey.They married in August 2021. In 2022, Gaetz was one of 39 Republicans to vote for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.

In 2021, Gaetz joined Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene began on an “America First Tour” on May 7, in The Villages, Florida. During the tour, Gaetz and Greene repeated debunked claims of fraud in the 2020 election, attacked Big Tech and, at one event, claimed that the Second Amendment was for “maintaining, within the citizenry, the ability to maintain an armed rebellion against the government, if that becomes necessary.” As a consequence of the controversy the speakers had generated, their appearance at a conference site at Laguna Hills, in Orange County, California, was canceled.

Richard Nelson Becomes Fourth Louisiana Republican to Declare Candidacy for Governor

Matt OHern
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Richard Nelson Becomes Fourth Louisiana Republican to Declare Candidacy for Governor

BATON ROUGE, La. – With Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards unable to run for a third term, four Republicans have entered the 2023 race to replace the sitting Democrat.

Earlier this week, Louisiana State Rep. Richard Nelson announced his candidacy. Nelson, was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2019. As a legislator, Nelson is known for his efforts to eliminate the state’s income tax and to prioritizing local communities over the capital city for tax-funded projects. Prior to his election as a state rep, Nelson worked for seven years as a State Department Officer and diplomat, protecting American embassies overseas from terrorism and espionage. Below is Nelson’s statement on joining the 2023 Louisiana Gubernatorial race:

I have always been a servant, whether as a State Department Officer serving my country overseas, as an Eagle Scout, or as part of my church. I have always looked at the world and seen not what is, but what could be. In 2012, I was in Afghanistan when I first read George Washington’s Farewell Address, a moving reflection on the life he dedicated to his country and the challenges he saw ahead. I recognized then the dire need for principled statesmen to lead the state and the country. I promised my wife and God that when I got back to Louisiana, I would do my best to follow Washington’s example.

“Louisiana has so many advantages. We benefit from abundant oil and gas, timber, and seafood. The Louisiana stretch of the Mississippi River is a critical link in the country’s transportation of goods. The Mississippi and our energy resources support a vast chemical sector. Louisiana’s culture, fantastic food, and inviting people attract tourists from all over the world. However, instead of using these strengths to propel a diverse and thriving economy, we rely on them to prop up ineffective and inefficient government policies.

The challenges are everywhere: parents need better jobs, children need quality education, businesses need competitive taxes, and everyone needs better roads and bridges. The solutions, too, are everywhere. In areas where Louisiana comes up short, we should look to other states for successful policies. Innovative actions and policies, like fixing our broken tax system and improving K-12 education, will increase the quality of life and opportunity for our citizens.

I believe we have a golden opportunity to fundamentally change Louisiana into a diverse economy and ample opportunity for every citizen. I want parents in Houston and New York to be telling their friends that their kid just got a job in Louisiana, not the other way around. Many believe this is not possible because special interests control the votes in Baton Rouge. I understand the issues and how to fix them. That is why I will not just serve, but lead. Our forefathers once pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to achieve what seemed like an impossible dream. I am willing to do the same. I need your support.”

Other Republican candidates for Louisiana governor include State Treasurer John Schroder and state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, and the state’s attorney general, Jeff Landry, who is expected to draw some of the biggest fundraising support.

If Kamala Harris isn’t on Biden’s 2024 Ticket, Roy Cooper Should Be Considered

Matt OHern
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If Kamala Harris isn’t on Biden’s 2024 Ticket, Roy Cooper Should Be Considered

Vice Presidents typically don’t garner much attention during their time in office, but Kamala Harris’ approval rating has been remarkably low during her first, and perhaps only, term in President Joe Biden’s administration, and more than a dozen staffers have left since she took office in 2021. Those staff members including high ranking members such as Harris’ former chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, chief spokesperson Symone Sanders, deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, deputy chief of staff Michael Fuchs, and communications director Ashley Etienne. Others who have left Harris’ office include director of digital strategies Rajun Kaur, director of advance Karly Satkowiak, deputy director of advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi, director of press operations Peter Velz, deputy director of public engagement Vince Evans, speechwriting director Kate Childs Graham — who Groob was hired to replace — and national security adviser Nancy McEldowney.

On multiple occasions when Harris has made herself available to media for direct questioning, her comments have been met with harsh criticism, from American and foreign press, alike. Perhaps the most infamous appearance by Harris occurred last September, when Harris that described the United State’s southern border along Mexico as ‘secure’ on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, with Chuck Todd. Another incident that gained international attention occurred when Harris laughed during a press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda. The awkward moment came after a reporter asked her a question if U.S will take in Ukraine’s refugees, and Harris broke into laughter for several seconds.

Gaffes by U.S. Vice Presidents are nothing new. Former VP Dick Cheney accidentally shot Harry Whittington, a then-78-year-old Texas attorney, with a 28-gauge Perazzi shotgun while they were hunting quail. Bill Clinton’s second in command, Al Gore, claimed to invent the internet, but the stakes didn’t seem as high during that era as their bosses were in good health. Conversely, Harris’ performance and approval ratings carry extra weight due to the record-high age of President Joe Biden, who would 82 at a second inauguration if he were to be re-elected.

HARRIS IS NO LONGER NEEDED FOR DEMOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGES

Biden already has a strong base of support among black voters and female voters, but needs to improve his standing with white, blue collar and middle class males. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer would likely be a top-tier candidate among Biden’s short list, but Michigan returned to blue state status in 2020 and re-affirmed it when it re-elected Whitmer despite her heavy-handed, almost authoritarian-approach to COVID lockdown measures. Winning Michigan is all but expected, and wouldn’t bring a major net-gain in Biden’s formula for Electoral College victory.

A NORTH CAROLINA WIN IN 2024 WOULD DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE ELECTORAL MAP

Cooper, who was first elected in 2017, won two terms in office in a state that went red for Trump in 2016 and 2020. Tar Heel State voters went on to split the ticket in 2021, when they re-elected Cooper but also re-elected Republican Thom Tillis.

Retaking North Carolina in 2024 for Biden would give Democrats a major cushion to re-elect Biden even if Trump were to win Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia. In that scenario, assuming Michigan stayed blue from 2020, Biden would still win by an Electoral College count of 274 to 263.

COOPER WOULD PUT NORTH CAROLINA BACK INTO PLAY

While Cooper’s name may not spark much excitement or enthusiasm among party activists, many independent voters may value his experience in working across the aisle, which is virtually unmatched among fellow current governors. During Cooper’s second term as governor, he is juxtaposed against a Republican Party-controlled North Carolina State Legislature. Among statewide office holders, Cooper is flanked by a Republican Lt. Governor, Mark Robinson and a Democratic Attorney General, Josh Stein. Two Republicans, Thom Tillis and Ted Budd represent North Carolina at the U.S. Senate level.

The necessary bipartisan effort for Cooper’s career as governor could appeal to many of the middle class male voters Biden must win back if he is to be re-elected. While it’s true that Cooper isn’t a well-known political star, there’s also no denying the fact that he governs a state that reflects America’s current divide, as well as its current economic trends.

North Carolina is home to many of the nation’s most respected medical research centers, major banks and it is emerging as a hub for tech companies. The state’s economic vibrancy and growth is reflected in recent census data that shows the Tar Heel State touting some of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States. The “Research Triangle”, which includes Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Durham, was recently ranked as the fourth fastest-growing metro area of the United States.

“The region ranks particularly high due to its importance in the biotechnology and bio-manufacturing sectors, according to a statement from the Kenan Institute shared with WRAL TechWire.”

The same report ranked Charlotte as the eighth-fastest growing city in the United States. For the past several decades and in the 2022 Midterm election,

Biden and Cooper would enter 2024 with a built-in voter registration advantage. In North Carolina, the Republican Party has 2,222,180 registered voters, compared to 2,496,817 registered Democratic Party Voters, giving Democrats a significant lead of 274,637 voters. North Carolina’s 2,562,520 voters with no party affiliation, (major or minor), account for 35 percent of the overall vote in North Carolina, making them the a larger bloc in the state. Democrats relied on heavy turnout from young voters, college-educated married young females, and minorities residing throughout the metro areas of the largest cities. North Carolina could prove to be a promise land that Biden simply can’t resist as he contemplates his next moves heading into 2024.

Trump Could Improve His Chances for 2024 Success If He Picks Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin for VP

Matt OHern
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Trump Could Improve His Chances for 2024 Success If He Picks Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin for VP

After multiple key swing states in the northeast and midwest reverted to blue in the 2020 Presidential Election and the 2022 Mid-Term Election, former President Donald Trump’s path to victory in 2024 became more daunting, with much smaller margin for error. In order to avoid another loss in 2024, and with the prospects of Michigan and Pennsylvania diminishing, Trump can’t afford to lose Georgia, or any southeastern states, and he must flip a current blue state back to red.

Virginia is one swing state that has a Republican governor despite the fact that the majority of its voters supported Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. By selecting Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Trump could improve his odds of improving his electoral college count and the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

Youngkin has been mentioned as a potential 2024 Republican Primary candidate and potential rival to Trump. He hosted a retreat with mega donors back in October, and when he was asked about presidential aspirations, Youngkin told WABC: “I’m always humbled when folks have been asking me this. Forty years ago, I was washing dishes and taking out trash. And two years ago, I was stepping down from my dream job to go serve Virginians,’ the governor went on. It’s a remarkable honor and privilege when someone mentions my name in this context.”

Should Youngkin forego a 2024 bid, he could possibly win over Trump’s favor and earn a spot on the ticket as Trump’s VP choice. Youngkin would not only help Trump’s odds of winning a blue state, but could also broaden Trump’s appeal among suburban voters, who were a key factor in the ultimate outcome of the 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial election. Virginia Gubernatorial exit polls revealed that Youngkin won 53 percent of suburban voters across Virginia in 2021, which is roughly the opposite of what happened to Trump in Virginia in 2020 when Biden carried suburban voters in those areas with approximately 53 percent of the vote.

Despite the obvious advantages Youngkin would bring as a running mate, Trump has publicly mocked Youngkin in recent months, including a statement on Truth Social that compared Youngkin’s last name to a Chinese name. Virginia’s Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Sears said that she would never support Trump in the future.

North Carolina, Mississippi Governors Ban TikTok on Public Devices

Matt OHern
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North Carolina, Mississippi Governors Ban TikTok on Public Devices

As privacy breach concerns over TikTok’s parent company Bytedance continue to mount, two southern governors of different political parties have decided to ban the popular social media app on public devices.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) signed executive order 276 last Thursday. “Cybersecurity professionals have identified TikTok and WeChat as high-risk applications due to their lack of sufficient privacy controls and connections to countries that sponsor or support cyber-attacks against the United States,” Cooper said in a press release. “Several government entities in the United States, including multiple branches of the United States Military, the Transportation Security Administration, and other states, have banned TikTok, WeChat, and other applications on federal and state government information technology. It’s important for us to protect state information technology from foreign countries that have actively participated in cyber attacks against the United States, Protecting North Carolina from cyber threats is vital to ensuring the safety, security, privacy and success of our state.”

The executive order comes after two State House representatives, Jason Saine and Jon Hardister, penned a letter to the governor requesting the ban.

“The Governor’s Executive Order takes an important first step to ensure the privacy of our citizens and the security of North Carolina’s government networks,” Saine said.

In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves issued a directive to Mississippi departments and agencies banning TikTok from all state-issued government devices and the state’s network. The directive was announced in a letter from Governor Reeves to Mississippi department and agency heads. Governor Reeves issued the directive to better safeguard sensitive information and protect critical infrastructure from TikTok.

“It’s no secret that the Chinese Communist Party is actively trying to steal U.S. intellectual property and Americans’ personal information,” Reeves said in a press release. “It’s a major threat to our national security and critical infrastructure, costs the U.S. economy hundreds of billions annually, and jeopardizes American jobs,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “Mississippi isn’t going to sit around waiting for the Chinese Communist Party to steal our state government data, and that’s why I issued this directive. It will help us better protect our state’s sensitive information and critical infrastructure.”

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