New Hope for the Freedom Caucus in Tuesday's Primaries, Plus Trump Endorsements and Mitt Romney

A handful of primary races and runoffs in seven states hold a national significance.

Americans in five states are heading to the polls on Tuesday to vote in primary elections. A handful of races in Colorado, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, and Utah, as well as a few primary runoffs in Mississippi and South Carolina, carry a national weight.

A Candidate for the House Freedom Caucus

The House Freedom Caucus suffered a noticeable loss earlier in the month after Rep. Mark Sanford (R–S.C.) was defeated by state Rep. Katie Arrington in the Republican primary for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. In the face of this loss, a challenger in the state's 4th Congressional District is offering to take Sanford's place.

Former state Sen. Lee Bright is competing against state Sen. William Timmons in a primary runoff for Rep. Trey Gowdy's (R–S.C.) soon-to-be vacant seat. Gowdy announced at the beginning of the year that he would neither seek reelection nor "any other political or elected office." Gowdy, who worked as a federal prosecutor before his time as a politician, said his skills "are better utilized in a courtroom than in Congress."

Upon announcing his run, former State Sen. Lee Bright promised that his first action in the House would be joining the Freedom Caucus. Bright said he "would be honored to join" just before touting support for legislation that would introduce congressional term limits.

Bright has received endorsements from members of the Freedom Caucus as well as from conservative and libertarian organizations such as the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks, and the National Association of Gun Rights. Timmons has also received significant endorsements, ranging from Sen. Marco Rubio (R–Fla.) to several South Carolina politicians.

Mitt Romney Seeks a Comeback

Mitt Romney and Utah state Rep. Mike Kennedy are facing off to see who will take over Sen. Orrin Hatch's (R–Utah) Senate seat. Hatch (R–Utah) announced his retirement in January after spending over 40 years on Capitol Hill. Hatch promised in 2012 that his seventh term would be his last, but a few of his comments regarding an eighth term led to speculation over whether or not the sentiment was sincere. Hatch ultimately made his decision, but not without dropping Romney's name first.

"I can see why he might not want to do it, but I can also see why if he did it, it would be a great thing for America," Hatch said earlier in the year, as reported by the Deseret News.

For the past year, Romney, who was previously a Massachusetts governor and the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, made himself clear that he wasn't finished with politics just yet. Should he win Tuesday's primary against Kennedy, he's expected to beat Salt Lake County Councilmember Jenny Wilson, the Democratic nominee.

President Trump Makes His Endorsements

President Trump gave his "full endorsement" to Rep. Dan Donovan (R–N.Y.), the incumbent in the race for New York's 11th Congressional District. Donovan faces former Rep. Michael Grimm (R–N.Y.), who held the seat before pleading guilty to tax evasion in 2014.

While Grimm's prison time and felony conviction followed him on the campaign trail, Donovan's campaign enjoyed a tweet published by Trump in May.

There is no one better to represent the people of N.Y. and Staten Island (a place I know very well) than @RepDanDonovan, who is strong on Borders & Crime, loves our Military & our Vets, voted for Tax Cuts and is helping me to Make America Great Again. Dan has my full endorsement!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2018

Donald Trump, Jr. and Rudy Giuliani, who is currently fulfilling a role as Trump's lawyer, followed suit by recording robocalls for Donovan.

Trump also endorsed Romney back in February, despite a history of personal disagreements between the two. Still, the president called Romney a "great Senator" on Twitter.

.@MittRomney has announced he is running for the Senate from the wonderful State of Utah. He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2018

Comments

[Iheartskeet]

Wait, where is the D version of the House Freedom caucus ? I have been assured that Rs are just like Ds. No difference really.

Oh, there isn't anything like the HFC. Hmm. I see.

[General Skarr's Prize Petunias]

Politifact rates this statement mostly false: fuck you, Democrats are fantastic and Republicans are Nazis.

[Citizen X]

Plenty of Republicans seem to think the GOP shouldn't have a Freedom Caucus either.

[John]

But they have one. Why isn't there something similar on the D side? That is a fair question I think.

[Just Say'n]

There is a Democratic version and they have exactly zero members. I'm not even kidding. Look it up

[Just Say'n]

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demo.....dom_Caucus

Read and laugh

[Citizen X]

This site can't be reached
http://www.en.wikipedia.org's server IP address could not be found.
Try running Windows Network Diagnostics.
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Boy, you weren't joking.

[BestUsedCarSales]

This is the future we chose when we rejected Net Neutrality

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Correct Link

There are still the blue dog dems which is funny since Trump is one of the biggest Blue Dogs around.

Blue Dog Dems

[Citizen X]

Because the Republican party, not yet totally comfortable in populist authoritarianism, still has a bit of wiggle room where, by certain stretches of interpretation, libertarian-minded folks can feel that maybe they'll be listened to. The Democratic party dove deep into technocratic authoritarianism decades ago and has no such ideological space.

[Just Say'n]

The Republican Party is still a "national party" so they have numerous factions fighting among each other. The libertarian group has always had the bottom end of the totem poll, while right-wing populism is in control and neoconservatism has been knocked from its perch.

The Democratic Party is not really a "national party" anymore. It's a regional party and its ranks are getting smaller and more insular. The only fight that occurs in the Democratic Party is between progressives and the rump that remains of old school liberals that are quickly becoming an endangered species.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

The Republican and Democratic parties are both regional parties.

Republicans rule the left-behind, shambling, uneducated, superstitious, intolerant regions. They dominate areas marked by parasitic populations, downscale religious schools, lack of ambition, and pining for illusory good old days.

Democrats prevail in the accomplished, educated, modern regions, home to our strong universities, our best research facilities, our strong economies, our cultural treasures.

Our system provides structural amplification to the yahoo votes in several ways, which is the primary reason the Republican Party will continue to be relevant for a few more election cycles.

[John]

The Democrats rule virtually no one outside of a few select states that bleed population every year. The world passes you and your ignorant ilk by more every day.

[BestUsedCarSales]

And let's be honest. Even the the absurd blue enclaves you tend to have 20-30% of the population who are Red. Which does not win elections, but is still millions of people.

The biggest dumb shit mistake I see in politics is that someone winning an election means unanimous agreement from their constituency.

[Just Say'n]

There was also a major free speech win at the Supreme Court today.

[John]

Yes there was. I have been kind of looking forward the ENB's tears over California no longer being able to force everyone to become abortion promoters. Sadly, we have been deprived of them.

[Just Say'n]

Compelled speech is probably the biggest threat to free speech today and it's disappointing that the ruling may be avoided because of the principals involved

[John]

I agree

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

You goobers understand that Republican judges have repeatedly approved compelled (and misleading) anti-abortion speech, right? You are smart enough to recognize that these unprincipled, partisan, right-wing decisions will last only so long as there is a Republican majority on the court, right?

On second thought, maybe not.

[John]

You need to see someone about the voices in your head. LIfe has to be hard enough being as stupid and angry as you are. But, your constant delusions about shit like this doesn't help. They have drugs that can stop that and bring you back to some contact with reality. Try them.

In the meantime, courts are not compelling pro life speech. Go peddle that lie somewhere where people are dumb enough to believe it.

[loveconstitution1789]

For the past year, Romney, who was previously a Massachusetts governor and the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, made himself clear that he wasn't finished with politics just yet.

Politics has finished with him though.

[creech]

The House Freedom Caucus was described as "hard right" in an article by Associated Press today. WTF?

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

Q:"The House Freedom Caucus was described as "hard right" in an article by Associated Press today. WTF?"

A: SPLC

[Ornithorhynchus]

Here in Oklahoma, we're also voting on a medical marijuana law, a very open one with very few state controls. Similar to what California and Colorado had before they went for wider legalisation-- any doctor can prescribe it for anyone for any reason. I assume the people in charge of state elections scheduled it for a June primary in order to reduce the chance of it passing.

Lots of people I know have been talking for weeks about how important it is for everybody to go out and vote for it, but I'm wondering how many of them are actually going to show up. When I went to vote today, very few people seemed to be there.

[General Skarr's Prize Petunias]

Past Me forgot to vote, but I didn't.

[Ornithorhynchus]

Woo Hoo!!!! Looks like it passed. Mary Fallon is all upset, apparently.

When I looked up the vote counts I saw a Libertarian primary for Governor listed. Why had I not heard of this? When I voted today, they gave me the option to vote in the Democrat primary if I wanted. The Republican primary is closed-- Republicans only, which used to be the case here for Democrats, too, until two years ago. But there was no mention of a Libertarian ballot. Oklahoma only allows you to register as Republican, Democrat, or Independent, and I'm Independent. At least, that's how it was when I registered. They might have added a Libertarian category after Gary Johnson got over 5% last time. It would've been nice if they told people about it.

[Tom Bombadil]

"Americans in five states"

Plus an assortment of other voters.