Campaigns and Elections on Townhall

Santorum's Loose Lips Can Turn Convictions to Controversy Thu Feb 23

Michael Barone

A candidate's strengths can also be his weaknesses. Take the case of Rick Santorum. ... more
After Mardi Gras: a Time for Reflection, Reconnection and Humility Thu Feb 23

Jackie Gingrich Cushman

Lent began this week on Feb. 22. It ends April 8 with the celebration of Easter. In the Christian tradition, the Lenten period is a time of fasting and prayer, preparation and reflection in anticipation of Easter, which commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. ... more
Dare to Dream Wed Feb 22

Ken Connor

During the presidential contest of 2008, Barack Obama inspired millions of followers with his trademark slogan "Yes we can!" Against the odds, the little known Senator from Illinois went on to defeat the 600 pound gorilla in the 2008 Democrat primary – Hillary Clinton – and to capture the White House as America's first African American president. ... more
Why Did Santorum Lose in 2006 Wed Feb 22

Byron York

"Rick Santorum was a sitting senator who, in re-election, lost by 19 points,"; Donald Trump, a Mitt Romney supporter, said recently. Then he goes out and says, 'Oh, OK, I just lost by the biggest margin in history, now I'm going to run for president.' Tell me, how does that work? ... more
For GOP Contenders, Out of Office Means Out of Touch Wed Feb 22

Michael Medved

Recent history shows that none of the three Republican frontrunners—not Mitt Romney, not Rick Santorum, and certainly not Newt Gingrich—can possibly win the GOP nomination, let alone defeat Barack Obama in November. ... more
Chris Matthews' Strategizing Wed Feb 22

Ken Blackwell

My longtime friend Chris Matthews was at Ford’s Theater in Washington recently. He appeared to have maligned his own Catholic Church by saying that many of the new converts to Catholicism are motivated by anti-gay bigotry. But he went further, alleging that conservatives have a “Southern Strategy.” ... more
Mr. Right Eludes the GOP Wed Feb 22

Jonah Goldberg

"If we could just take a little bit from each of them." I've lost track of how many people I have heard say some version of this in the last couple of months. The "each of them" refers to the final four combatants for the Republican nomination. ... more
Another GOP Showdown This Week Wed Feb 22

Los Angeles, CA

Debates, primaries and polls- O'Reilly covers where the candidates stand. ... more
Is a Brokered Convention on the Horizon for Republicans? Tue Feb 21

New York, USA

No clear frontrunner could lead to brokered convention. ... more
Prudence Is Key to Reversing Obama's 'Soft Despotism' Mon Feb 20

Michael Barone

Many Republican House members, and the bloggers and tea partiers who cheered their victory in gaining a majority in November 2010, seem to be seething with discontent and eager for confrontation. ... more
The Left Fuels Santorum Surge Mon Feb 20

Star Parker

A succession of high profile left wing decisions and initiatives of recent weeks drive home the extent to which the left is changing the face of America. ... more
Could Next Tie Doom Electoral College? Sun Feb 19

Salena Zito

WASHINGTON – The politics behind who governs here dabbles in the absurd so often that absurdity is practically normal. So it is not ridiculous to consider that the next presidential election could end in an electoral tie. ... more
Newt's Honorable Option Sun Feb 19

Kevin McCullough

Just after the South Carolina primary, Newt Gingrich--or his minions--put considerable public pressure upon Rick Santorum to stand down, to get out, to leave the race. ... more
Michigan: Mitt Romney's Waterloo? Sat Feb 18

Steve Deace

The road to underdog Rick Santorum’s improbable journey to becoming the Republican nominee for President of the United States runs right through favorite Mitt Romney’s “home” state. ... more
Rick Santorum's Willful Ascent Sat Feb 18

Matt Mackowiak

Rick Santorum was the longest of long shots when, five years after losing his bid for reelection to the Senate by 18 points, he spent much of 2011 campaigning for president in three early-primary states. But he campaigned longer and harder - albeit with less media attention, money, and staff - than any other Republican candidate. By the time Santorum barely won Iowa (as we belatedly learned), he had held nearly 400 town-hall meetings. ... more
Gingrich Campaign Gets Another $10 Million Fri Feb 17

Helen Whalen Cohen
Rick Santorum's Baggage: Loaded with Hypocrisy and Moral Perfection Fri Feb 17

Crystal Wright

Rick Santorum may be riding high in the polls of late, running neck in neck with Romney, but he’s not the Mr. Clean picture of social conservative perfection he wants everyone to believe. ... more
Jerry McNerney's Uphill Battle for Re-election Fri Feb 17

Mike Shields

Following a razor-thin victory in 2010, Liberal California Democrat Jerry McNerney faces an uphill battle in his quest to stay in office. ... more
Obama's Cynicism For Me, Not For Thee Fri Feb 17

Jonah Goldberg

"My rival in this race," President Obama announced early in 2007, "is not other candidates. It's cynicism." It's now clear that what he meant by this was other people's cynicism -- not his own. ... more
Time to Tame the Federal Beast Thu Feb 16

Judge Andrew Napolitano

When the federal government was created, those who risked their lives and their fortunes and their scared honors to secede from England were animated by recent events. The government did not come into existence in a vacuum. Rather, those who led the Revolutionary War joined those who fought and financed it to create a central government that would be constitutionally incapable of doing to Americans what King George III and Parliament did to the colonists. ... more
The Perfect Candidate Wed Feb 15

Michael Prell

Are you happy with the remaining Republican candidates? Or the current occupant of the White House? Or Congress? If your answer is “no,” don’t worry. You are not alone. In fact, you are in the majority. ... more
Sal Pace Trusts Government While Congressman Tipton Trusts You Wed Feb 15

Mike Shields

Colorado’s 3rd District, currently represented by Republican Congressman Scott Tipton, runs along the Western Slope of Colorado and includes Durango, Grand Junction and Pueblo. Under the newly drawn lines, both Bush and McCain won the district in their respective races. ... more
A Tea Party Senate Takeover Wed Feb 15

Michelle Malkin

The tea party isn't dead. It's just looking down ballot. While fiscal conservatives remain split over the GOP presidential candidates, grassroots activists are coalescing around a stellar slate of limited-government candidates looking to reinforce and reenergize the right in Washington. ... more
Palin and Romney, Romance and Resignation, at CPAC Wed Feb 15

Michael Medved

Mitt Romney may have won the straw poll but Sarah Palin won CPAC's heart—electrifying the Conservative Political Action Conference with one of the most rousing and effective political speeches of recent years. Both winners managed to advance the cause of conservative unity and raised the prospects for a competitive and formidable Republican challenge to Barack Obama's re-election. ... more
After Wins, Santorum Targets Romney's Native State Tue Feb 14

Byron York

Thursday, Feb. 9 was just the second time Rick Santorum's campaign has raised more than a million dollars in a single day. The first was the day before, immediately after Santorum swept GOP contests in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri. That's what winning will do. Santorum is now enjoying the bounce he never got after his belated victory in Iowa. The question is, what is he going to do with it? ... more