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If you dont believe the Republicans can blow their chances of winning majorities in the House and Senate midterms this year, then you have not paid attention to the past five years of U.S. politics.

At least three factors could reverse the predicted fortune for the GOP. The first would be voter apathy by traditional Republicans, conservatives and people of faith. The second would be drum roll, please potential fallout from anything Donald Trump says, does or hints. And the third would be a full-court press by Democrats, aided by some in the mainstream media, to come across as suddenly moderate while metaphorically throwing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as far overboard as possible.

All three factors will happen to some extent. The question is, will some combination of them be enough to hold the Democratic majority in Congress after November?

Apparently Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnells (R-Ky.) main strategy for winning is to avoid mentioning anything that Republicans would do if they regained majority control.

The quote sometimes attributed to Napoleon Never interfere with an enemy while hes in the process of destroying himself makes sense if one believes the Democrats are failing across the board, but many Republican voters who have been burned before by the GOP leadership still want to hear a plan.

Polls indicate a red wave in November. Maybe so, but what if a substantial number of Republican voters adopt the unyielding position of Fool me 10 times, shame on you. Try to fool me again and Im not going to vote.

Impossible? Trumps election to the White House in 2016 should remind us all to expect the unexpected. McConnell and other entrenched elites of the Republican Party may think the partys more traditional voting bloc will never desert them, but they rarely walk in the shoes of working-class Republicans who, like everyone else, are feeling the brutal effects of the pandemic topped by skyrocketing inflation.

Just like the entrenched Democratic Party elites, these Republicans live in a bubble of favors, luxury, security, wealth and gold-plated health care plans. Theyre used to extravagant fundraisers, five-star resorts and the vacation homes of billionaire donors.

As the election draws nearer, we can assume that many of these voters who have been taken for granted by party leaders will have reached their saturation point regarding empty promises. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), spoke directly to the frustration of conservative voters when he released his 11-Point Plan to Rescue America.

Some believe the plan needed more editing and was released too soon, but its rally around conservative principles theme, much of it echoed by Trump, managed to elicit the wrath of McConnell and the small army of consultants who are loyal to him. In response to that noise, NRSC communications director and Scott campaign aide Chris Hartline said: We dont spend much time worrying about criticisms from anonymous Republican consultants who lost the Senate last cycle and who have gotten rich off maintaining the status quo.

Indeed, the McConnell wing of the GOP might be shocked by how many traditional voters stay home in November if they dont start seeing conservative planks actually nailed into the foundation of the party.

Next, regarding Trump, as Republicans have witnessed the past few years: The Don giveth, but the Don also taketh away big time. Will Trumps cult of personality bring more Republicans and independents into the voting booth, or will it drive them away (as he did in the 2020 Georgia runoff election and Arizonas general election by bashing Georgia Republicans, the voting process and the memory of the late John McCain)?

And then we come to what the Democrats can do to try to salvage victory. Some candidates, of course, will try to put as much distance as possible between them and the Biden administrations failing policies. Biden is flirting with the lowest approval ratings in history, and some see Harris as more out of touch with each passing day.

If calling out Biden and Harris, or making fun of them as we saw with the viral video in which Biden turned to shake hands with an invisible person and with Saturday Night Live mocking Harris can save the Democrats majority in Congress, you can bet that more liberal pundits and others will be willing to do so as the midterms approach.

Will the Democrats defy the odds and pull off an upset this fall? With 28 weeks to go, it would be delusional to think that a Republican victory is fait accompli.

Douglas MacKinnon, a political and communications consultant, was a writer in the White House for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and former special assistant for policy and communications at the Pentagon during the last three years of the Bush administration. His latest book is The 56: Liberty Lessons From Those Who Risked All to Sign the Declaration of Independence.

Original post:
Republicans are more than capable of blowing the 2022 midterms - The Hill

EDITORS NOTE: This is one of several stories in a regular series with a purpose of preparing voters for the May 17 primary election.

A pair of police officers from the same department are aiming for the chance to go toe to toe with the current Boyd County sheriff in the 2022 general election.

Theres only room for one Republican.

May 17s primary election will determine if Catlettsburg PDs Terry Clark or Jamie Reihs will represent the R party against Democrat Bobby Jack Woods, the incumbent.

Clark, 65, and Reihs, 48, are slow to jab each other, which is why its been a clean race up to this point.

Clark complimented Reihs and Reihs reciprocated when given the chance to describe what its like to duel each other for this position. But each still made his case as to why hes better suited to take on Woods come November.

Jamies a great guy; no complaints about him, Clark said. Ive known Jamie since he was a kid. His father (Jim) was on the Boyd County Police great guy. I cant stay anything bad against except I can throw in some Ronald Reagan comments, because who he ran against (Walter Mondale in 1984) was in his 50s and Reagan was in his 70s. He said he didnt want his age difference to be a factor. Ive got roughly twice the experience Jamie has.

Reihs and Clark work different shifts, so they dont cross each others paths often.

He and I are very professional, Reihs said. We dont bring (the election) up, and we just try to do whats right for the agency.

Clark ran four years ago in the Primary against Woods on the Democrat ticket.

Like many in the recent red-wave movement in this portion of the U.S., he hopped on the Republican train sometime in 2019.

One of my friends told me I was a closet Republican, and come to find out, she was right, Clark said.

Clarks career in law enforcement spans four-plus decades. He started with auxiliary police and then joined Ashland Police Department in 1980. He was with APD for 27 years. He worked with the late Chief Tom Kelley, and picked up a slew of wisdom from him, he said.

There are many times Ill ask, what would Tom do? Clark said.

Clark logged time in patrol, crime prevention, the drug program, as a drug liaison officer for FADE and detective. Clark retired from APD only to unretire about 30 days later, latching onto Catlettsburg PD as a part-timer. That lasted from October 2007 to March 2008, he said, and then he became full-time.

Engaged with no children, Clark said hes ready to devote his time to a new office if hes elected.

If he is named Sheriff, he said, he would sit down with local leaders and work toward the solution on drug issues.

We can come up with better answers than what weve got so far, Clark said.

Clark mentioned the Sanibel House in Catlettsburg as a positive tool for drug rehabilitation. He said CPD and that facility have a strong relationship.

Theyre cooperative about everything, Clark said. I told them, Were friends as long as we can work like this.

On the issue of drugs, just putting people in jail is not working, he said.

Clark is emphasizing getting back to community-oriented policing, he said.

We started that in the 1980s with (APD) Chief (Ron) McBride working on neighborhood problems and resolving issues, Clark said. We need to get back into the community and get the community to support policing again.

Clark is also the DARE officer at Catlettsburg Elementary.

If he is ultimately elected Sheriff, Clark said his door would always be open and would be receptive about any concerns.

Reihs said the same in his interview with The Daily Independent.

After 24 years with the Boyd County Sheriffs Department and two with Boyd County Police prior to that Reihs made one of the hardest decisions hes had to make in his law enforcement career, he said. He tendered his resignation with Boyd Sheriffs in May 2021.

In order to run for sheriff, Reihs had to resign, he said, because of the merit system former Sheriff Terry Keelin implemented in Boyd County.

It broke my heart to go in there and have to resign, said Reihs, who had worked his way up to Chief Deputy under Woods.

Reihs donned a different badge almost immediately, though, when Russell Police brought him on part time. Not long after, Catlettsburg had a full-time opening for Reihs.

Like Clark, Reihss motivation for running for sheriff is simple:People.

The biggest thing is interacting with people and trying to help them,Reihs said. (Law enforcement) has always been something Ive been interested in and passionate about. Idont think youre going to find anybody willing to put the hours and effort in like I am.

While Reihs knows hell have to log a good deal of desk time if hes elected Sheriff given hed be the countys chief tax collector hell still be right out there in the middle of them. I dont care to arrest somebody, I dont care to work a wreck. Its a good feeling to get out and work with (fellow police officers).

Reihs said his No. 1 objective is to continue to be aggressive against drugs.

We cant arrest our way out of it,he said.

He also said more training for the deputies is needed, and that a special response team is very much needed, and I know it costs money.

Reihs acknowledged APD and Kentucky State Police have been awesome, but Idont want to be in a situation where APD, KSPand us are working critical incidents at the same time. We need to get an SRTto handle certain incidents.

Reihs said having patrol cruisers continuously throughout areas of Boyd County is a must, too.

Married with three children, Reihs said campaigning on top of working midnight shift and detailing vehicles on the side has consumed a bunch of hours, but its all been worth it.

Ive missed some things, but Ive enjoyed the interaction, talking and meeting people,he said. I like to have that interaction and feedback.

(606) 326-2664 |

asnyder@dailyindependent.com

See the original post:
Battle of the C'burg badges: Clark, Reihs work to represent Republican Party in Sheriff's race - The Independent

In Britain, the Conservative government is in trouble. Boris Johnson has been dogged by domestic scandal of the kind that baffles foreigners. He has accepted responsibility for holding gatherings in 10 Downing Street that contravened Covid-19 restrictions. Each turn of this months long story incenses the public. The war in Ukraine has hardly affected the prime ministers polling.

This might pass, but Sir Keir Starmerleader of the opposition Labour partycould be prime minister soon if Conservative fortunes do not improve. Starmer is worth studying. In office, he would shape Britains relations with the rest of the world.

Akin to President Joe Biden, Starmer wishes to present his foreign policy as a return to normal. Starmer has characterized Johnson as Britains [Donald] Trump.

Starmers individual ideas have some merit, but his prospective foreign policy is still crude. Unlike Jeremy Corbyn, his predecessor, Starmer does not have a decades-long career filled with statements of belief. Starmer is a career lawyer and former director of public prosecutions. His foreign policy is cobbled together from recent history.

Since he was first elected to Parliament in 2015, Starmer has not covered himself in foreign policy glory. He notably opposed British jets fighting the Islamic State group (ISIS) in Syria as well as in Iraq.

Under Starmer, Britain would not lurch into a radical and untested departure from the mainstreamas it would have done had Corbyn been elected prime minister. But Starmers platform still has gaps which will need to be addressed.

Otherwise, Starmers party risks entering government unprepared and without the capacity to make significant decisions. The current UK government produced the Integrated Review, a strategy forGlobal Britain. Starmer has no strategy of similar depth.

Foreign policy is not an overriding concern for him. Most of Starmers day-to-day foreign policy pronouncements are dictated by the advantage they give in domestic politics.

In politics, Starmer emphasizes legalism: process and formality. He does this when addressing Brexit and recent foreign policy crises like the Iraq War and intervention against ISIS in Syria.

Since he became the leader of the Labour Party, Starmer has also shown examples of what I term strategic silence. This consists of saying the right things on international affairs, but proposing essentially no action.

Starmer favors maintaining Britains existing alliances and supports Bidens foreign policy and the European Union. Starmer opposes the revisionist illiberal powers in Europe, including Viktor Orbans Hungary and Vladimir Putins Russia. He wants continued international agreement on climate change.

These are more attitudes than concrete policies.

Starmer has been a consistent and vocal critic of Trump, and British politicians who dealt with Trump in office. His hostility to Trump and the U.S. Republican party might prove a problem. In government, Labour leaders have had to work with Republican presidents, and have found ways to form personal relationships with them. A Republican president in the mold of Trump, like Ron DeSantis, could offend Starmer personally and jeopardize British-American relations. Starmer must show that he is able and willing to work with whoever the American president is, from whichever party he comes.

In recent months, Starmer has become more focused and more activegalvanized by Russian aggression towards Ukraine. Starmers Labour party has become an advocate of arming Ukraine, sanctioning Russia, and revitalizing NATO and European self-defense.

In a speech given at Tufts in March, David Lammy, Starmers shadow foreign secretary, described Putin as taking advantage of the end of American hegemony to invade Georgia, annex Crimea, and keep Bashar al-Assad in power in Syria. Starmers foreign policy and defense team have been serious in relation to Ukraine. This has not yet been replicated in other areas. But it could still be.

But Britains allies must also wonder. Would Prime Minister Starmer help to contain Chinese expansionism, or join new a counterterrorism mission in the Middle East, or intervene to punish the use of chemical, radiological, biological or nuclear weapons? Labour is so far unwilling to be drawn.

There is still time for Starmer to develop a foreign policy. It can be both realistic and just, legalist and pragmatic. It could set up his party for an ambitious and fruitful time in government. But the work must begin now.

Dr. Azeem Ibrahim is a Director at the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington DC and Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute US Army War College.

Excerpt from:
Britain's Kier Starmer May Struggle to Work with a Republican Government - The National Interest Online

SHERIDAN Speaking at a Republican Women of Sheridan County meeting Tuesday, U.S. House challenger Harriet Hageman spoke of Wyoming as a shining city on a hill that needs to be protected.

Hageman said she worked to do this in her legal career and would do the same if elected to the House.

What we do, what were able to produce, what we believe in, our faith, our family, our community all those things are very important, and things that we need to protect, Hageman said.

Hageman has practiced law in the private sector across Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska, and ran in the 2018 Wyoming governors race. A former political ally of Rep. Liz Cheney, Hageman chose to run for the House seat following Cheneys public criticisms of former President Donald Trump.

Like many Wyomingites, I supported Liz Cheney when she ran for Congress, Hageman said in a statement announcing her bid last year. But then she betrayed Wyoming, she betrayed this country, and she betrayed me.

A February Wyoming Republican State Central Committee straw poll solidified Hageman as the candidate to beat in the House race this year. Hageman received 59 votes in the poll of Republican party activists. Cheney, her next closest competitor, had six.

Hageman has received Trumps endorsement for the position, and when asked during the meeting who she would support for president in 2024, Hageman spoke kindly of Trump, along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Donald Trump exposed the dark underbelly of Washington, D.C., and he did a huge public service by doing that, Hageman said. I had some criticism of President Trump when he was running, but Donald Trump did what he said he was going to do, especially on the big issues.

Hageman was critical of about current President Joseph Biden and his administrations energy policies, which she said has led to inflation of gas prices.

Hes destroyed everything hes touched, Hageman said. Ive never seen an administration where every decision they make is not only wrong, its catastrophicI believe, truly, there is a special place in hell for people who adopt policies intended to increase the costs of housing, food and energyand thats what theyve done.

Hageman also spoke critically of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 attack, and their investigations into the insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol in early 2021.

One of the important things that has always set our country apart is we believe in equal protection, Hageman said. It doesnt matter who youre connected to or who you are. What were seeing with this is they have selected this group of people and they are persecuting them. It is a tragedy, and when we retake the House and the Senate, I think there will hopefully be some changes with that.

Hageman was one of a long list of Republican political candidates who made an appearance at a Republican Women of Sheridan County meeting Monday.

Joining Hageman at the meeting was governor candidate Brent Bien; Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Tom Kelly; House District 29 challenger Ken Pendergraft; House District 30 incumbent Rep. Mark Jennings, R-Sheridan; Sheridan County sheriff candidates Zach McLain and Roger Miller; Sheridan County coroner candidate Dr. Robert Byrd; Sheridan City Council candidate Andrew Patceg; and Sheridan County School District 1 board member candidate Bill Adsit.

While the offices the candidates were running for were diverse, all candidates expressed a desire to protect their constituents freedoms and protect Wyoming from the influences of the political left and others who might not have the states best interests at heart.

I feel like city councils job is to stand strong against the constant attempts to import ideas and culture that is contrary to Sheridans history and values, Patceg said. This is the arena I feel called to and where I can make a difference.

I am not running for state superintendent because I am an educational professional, which I am, Kelly said. Im running because this is my home, and I have come from places where the threats to our children have already won. Illinois. Colorado. Its not going to happen here, and thats why Im running.

Like many of the candidates at the meeting, Hageman promised that, if elected, she would fight what she sees as the federal governments efforts to limit citizens constitutional rights.

I never in a million years thought my country would do what my country has done in the last two years, Hageman said. And Im going to tell you right now, we cant tolerate it at all. We have to fight back. We have to fight back in Wyoming. We have to fight back across this country.

The candidate filing period for public office opens May 12 and will continue through May 27.

Continued here:
Hageman, other Republican candidates hope to preserve Wyoming's freedoms - The Sheridan Press

Wilson County residents who want to vote in their county mayors race and a number of other seats will need to cast Republican ballots in the May 3 primary.

Incumbent Randall Hutto and challenger Phillip Warren are running for mayor, both as Republicanswith no Democratic or independent challenger.

Circuit court clerk and several county commission seats are among other contests with only GOP candidates as early voting for the primary begins Wednesday and continues through April 28.

There is only oneDemocratic candidate in the local primary, Belita McMurray-Fite, who is running for an at-large Lebanon Special School District seat.

Wilson County has a handful of independent candidates qualifying for select seats. Independents are not part of the May 3 ballot but will face Republican and Democratic nominees for those respective seats on Aug. 4.

More: Meet the Wilson County primary candidates and your vote now is vital. Early voting starts April 13

The primary leaves area Democrats in an odd place, Bobby Francis of the Wilson County Democratic Party Executive Committee Chair said. I only vote Democrat.

Tennessee is an open primary state.

State law to vote in the primary includes:

Or:

Closed primaries, which require a voter to be a registered party member, would needlegislative action.

We encourage all citizens to exercise their right to vote at every possible opportunity, including the Republican Primary on May 3, Wilson County Republican Party Chair Brad Lytle said. We do have concerns about illicit crossover voting in our open primaries, and we encourage our legislators to consider closed primaries, limiting them to only those who are registered in the appropriate party.

Both Wilson Countys Democratic and Republican parties called for primaries to precede the county general election in August. Primaries have occurred in Wilson County, but have been infrequent overseveral decades in the county.

Francis believes intimidation stopped potential Democratic candidates from running for local seats.Francis believes the landscape under Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus is changing.

Early voting and election day voting centers will have signs and poll workers to guide voters to look at the sample ballots, Wilson County Administrator of Elections Tammy Smith said.

Voters can change their mind on party affiliation after they request a ballot, but the ballot is final once it goes through the tabulator, Smith said.

The primary has no certified write-in candidates eligible to be counted in the upcoming primary, Smith said. Write-in candidates had to be certified by noon, March 14.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

See the article here:
Is voting for Wilson County mayor and multiple other races for Republicans only? - Tennessean