Caffeinated Thoughts

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• Iowa GOP Primary Results
• Walker Wins (Again)
• Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally–Stop the HHS Mandate
• Milwaukee Teachers Union President Brags About Pushing Walker Recall in Schools
• Badger High School Students Stand for Walker and Kleefisch

Iowa GOP Primary Results Posted: 05 Jun 2012 09:30 PM PDT I'm just covering contested primaries (check back for updates) Leaders/Winners in bold: Congressional District GOP Primary Races Iowa 1st Congressional District 436/437 (precincts reporting) Rod Blum – 46.63% Ben Lange – 52.84% (I endorsed) Iowa 2nd Congressional District 370/425 John Archer – 60.53% Dan Dolan – 39.26% State Senate GOP Primary Races State Senate District 4 – 55/66 James Black – 50.56% Dennis Guth – 49.41% State Senate District 6 – 40/41 Matthew Biede – 13.05% Adam Schweers – 40.17% Mark Segebart – 46.66% State Senate District 10 – 47/47 Jake Chapman – 65.37% Matthew Mardesen – 34.38% State Senate District 14 – 44/46 Steven Everly – 27.34% Stephanie Jones – 5.89% Amy Sinclair – 66.71% (I endorsed) Senate Senate District 22 –30/30 Jeff Mullen – 41.84% (I endorsed) Pat Ward – 58.00% State Senate District 36 – 40/40 – McKibben was a former State Senator and was backed by Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds.  The FAMiLY Leader and Iowa Right to Life (and myself) supported Jech. Jane Jech – 58.77% (I endorsed) Larry McKibben – 41.11% State Senate District 42 – 35/38 Lee Harder – 28.31% Larry Kruse – 71.34% State Senate District 46 – 29/29 – both were incumbents forced in the same district. Jim Hahn  -39.04% Shawn Hamerlinck – 60.84% State Senate District 48 – 48/48 Brian Cook – 21.20% Dan Zumbach – 78.69% State Senate District 50 – 22/22 William Johnson – 56.15% John Hulsizer – 43.85% State House GOP Primary Races House District 1 – 30/30 Jeff Smith – 54.89% Kevin Wolfwinkel – 44.97% House District 2 – 24/25 Josh Davenport – 46.18% Megan Hess – 53.73% House District 6 – 12/12 – Jorgensen the incumbent survives challenge by only 262 votes. Ron Jorgensen – 55.70% Matthew Ung – 44.26% House District 7 – 22/33 Mark Frakes – 31.99% Tedd Gassman – 68.01% House District 8 – 34/34 Bob Dishman – 41.51% Henry Rayhons – 58.36% House District 10 – 34/35 Maison Bleam – 35.59% Tom Shaw – 64.36% House District 22 – 17/17 Clint Fichter – 38.90% Greg Forristall – 61.00% House District 23 – 26/26 Raymond Chase – 33.52% Mark Costello – 66.32% House District 24 – 30/31 Cecil Dolecheck – 58.94% Jane Jensen – 41.02% House District 25 – 21/21 Joan Acela – 40.38% Julian Garrett – 59.35% House District 26 – 23/23 Steve McCoy – 55.87% Ruth Randleman – 44.07% House District 27 – 24/26 James Demichelis, Jr. – 14.57% Joel Fry – 85.43% House District 28 – 21/21 Len Gosselink – 23.71% Greg Heartsill – 76.24% House District 30 – 18/18 Jim Carley – 72.65% (I endorsed) Carol Miller – 26.77% House District 34 – 13/13 Patti Branco – 58.30% David Leach – 40.15% House District 36 – 14/14 Jeff Ibbotson – 46.72% Tony Seliquini – 23.04% Larry Steele – 29.18% House District 37 – 13/13 – this contest will be decided by convention since the top vote getter failed to reach the 35% required threshold. Matt DeVries – 29.71% John Landon – 17.33% Jacob Mason – 1.69% Jim Robidoux – 34.38% Stacey Rogers – 1.44% Jeffery Wright – 15.41% House District 38 – 14/14 Kevin Koester – 84.70% Brett Nelson – 14.93% House District 39 – 13/13 – the incumbent, Erik Helland the House Majority Whip loses his primary. Erik Helland – 47.63% Jake Highfill – 51.79% House District 50 – 19/19 – both were incumbents placed in the same district due to redistricting. Pat Grassley – 61.21% Annette Sweeney – 38.76% (I endorsed) House District 55 – 27/27 Michael Klimesh – 47.35% Marshall Nessa – 21.18% Dustin Noble – 31.48% House District 59 – 13/13 James Kenyon – 72.69% Howard Lyon – 27.31% House District 76 – 20/20 David Maxwell – 67.08% Larry Wilson – 32.84% House District 78 – 26/26 Jarad Klein – 81.71% Priscilla Marlar – 18.05% House District 81 – 17/17 Rick McClure – 24.77% Blake Smith – 75.11% Just an interesting note… Terry Branstad/Kim Reynolds went 3-4 in their endorsements.  The FAMiLY Leader went 7-2.  I went 4-2.  Liberty Iowa PAC went 4-4 in contested primaries tonight.  House District 37 they picked Matt DeVries and he was the 2nd highest vote getter.  Since the top vote getter, Jim Robidoux didn't reach 35% this nomination will be decided in convention by the members of the Polk County Republican Central Committee who reside in that House District.  Basically Governor Branstad has demonstrated that his endorsement doesn't carry much weight. Link to this post!

Walker Wins (Again) Posted: 05 Jun 2012 07:51 PM PDT Fox News called the Wisconsin Gubernatorial recall election for Governor Scott Walker.  Currently with 56% precincts reporting in Walker has a commanding lead over Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett with 57% (705,864) to 42% (518,751). Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch also survived her recall challenge defeating Mahlon Mitchell 57% to 43%.  Not only that but every single Wisconsin State Senate recall election has the GOP incumbent in the lead currently.  This is a voter endorsement of Governor Walker's efforts to curb state spending. This also puts public sector unions in a precarious position: In 1959 Wisconsin became the first state to allow collective bargaining by government employees. The projected cost of supporting Baby Boomer union retirees now threatens to bankrupt the state, as it does many others. Scott Walker ran for office promising change. The fiscal medicine he is administering may be bitter, but it looks like it is starting to work.  The state budget has been balanced.  The unemployment rate has been dropping and is now below the national average. Property taxes are down. Fraudulent sick leave policies—which allowed employees to call in sick and then work the next shift for overtime pay—have been ended. The government has stopped forcibly collecting union dues from workers' paychecks. Best of all, the myth that union bosses represent their members' interests has been exposed as a lie. Now that union dues are voluntary, tens of thousands of union members have stopped paying them.  Membership in the Wisconsin chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union (AFSCME) has dropped by half. Membership in the stat's American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is down by over a third. Given unions' influential role in most elections, the national implications of this trend are staggering. Walker's message is clear: The key to bringing balance back to public sector labor relations and balance state budgets is to break the iron triangle of closed-shop mandatory unionization, compulsory dues collection, and oversized campaign donations to politicians that promise to do the unions' bidding. If other governors take his cue and take up the cause, that giant sucking sound you hear will be the air coming out of union bosses' bloated political action budgets. So great news out of Wisconsin! Update:  Responses… Sarah Palin: Congratulations to the people of Wisconsin for standing by strong leaders who made tough decisions in dire circumstances that have begun to turn their great state back to prosperity. Leadership is doing what is right, not what is popular. Both Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch are shining examples of this ideal. Elected leaders must do what we elect them to do – lead! – not follow polls or focus on only re-election. A special congratulations to Lt. Gov. Kleefisch who overcame much personal adversity, stood by her governor, and embraced her Tea Party roots. Mitt Romney: I congratulate Scott Walker on his victory in Wisconsin. Governor Walker has demonstrated over the past year what sound fiscal policies can do to turn an economy around, and I believe that in November voters across the country will demonstrate that they want the same in Washington, D.C. Tonight's results will echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin. Governor Walker has shown that citizens and taxpayers can fight back – and prevail – against the runaway government costs imposed by labor bosses. Tonight voters said 'no' to the tired, liberal ideas of yesterday, and 'yes' to fiscal responsibility and a new direction. I look forward to working with Governor Walker to help build a better, brighter future for all Americans. Link to this post!

Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally–Stop the HHS Mandate Posted: 05 Jun 2012 04:45 PM PDT From Iowa Right to Life: Make your voice heard in Des Moines, IA! On June 8, tens of thousands of faithful citizens will gather in prayer and public witness in cities and towns all across the United States to oppose the HHS Mandate and stand up in defense of our religious freedoms. Rally for Religious Freedom Friday, June 8 at Noon Iowa State Capitol, West Terrace 1007 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines Special Speakers Already Include: Monsignor Frank Bognanno, Christ the King Parish Rev. Mr. Rick Condon, Rally Emcee Tamara Scott, Concerned Women for America Patti Branco of Des Moines Jenifer Bowen, Iowa Right to Life Download the Rally Flyer here: Rally Flyer For more information, contact the Rally Captain, Paula Brown, at outreach@iowaRTL.org or via phone 515.244.1012. Not in Des Moines? Visit www.StandUpForReligiousFreedom.com/locations for Rallies in: Cedar Rapids Council Bluffs/Omaha Davenport Fairfield Fort Madison Link to this post!

Milwaukee Teachers Union President Brags About Pushing Walker Recall in Schools Posted: 05 Jun 2012 11:54 AM PDT Absolutely disgusting and something that should be absolutely illegal.  Teachers should not be pushing a political agenda on students – period. And yet this is what we're seeing in Milwaukee.  Below is video of Bob Peterson, the president of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, bragging about his union's effort to convince voters to vote against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in today's recall election.  They even targeted high school students that is if they weren't busy badgering them and tearing down their signs. Here is a transcript of part of his speech. We are, as a union, making some changes. We're talking about reinventing ourselves and one of the things we've done this year is put full effort into changing the political process. … We got the district to pass out flyers to every K-8 student – the backpack flyer – to go home that says 'go vote.' We have teachers that organized buses at schools to bring parents out, high school students out. And finally, for the next 48 hours, that's what we're going to be doing – just get out to vote. Since they have campaigned against Walker for months when they say "get out to vote."  We know who they are pushing voters to get out and vote for. HT: EAGnews.org Link to this post!

Badger High School Students Stand for Walker and Kleefisch Posted: 05 Jun 2012 08:45 AM PDT Wisconsin is having their recall election today… if you live in Wisconsin please be sure to get out and vote for Governor Scott Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.  I have received a couple of emails in the last couple of days from the Walworth County Young Patriots.  Even though the teachers' unions have been in the bag for Tom Barett, high school students at Badger High School in Lake Geneva, WI have been standing up for Walker. I was told the trailer sign below was torn down by angry teachers minutes after it was posted.  They even tried to prevent students who owned the trailer from walking at graduation. Have to love the political advertising on the graduation caps. They even had a caravan/parade to school today and wore blue in support of Governor Walker.   So if these students can do it, so can you!  Do what is right, Walker and Kleefisch are duly elected officials and it is horrible precedent to do a recall election simply because you disagree with their policies.  They should be allowed to serve out their terms and then if the voters of Wisconsin want to remove them they can prevent them from being reelected.  This is simply a union power grab, in particular a public employee power grab. Link to this post!

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