From Eric Dondero:

Please note, I have an article featured today at Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com. It's on the rally last Sunday held here in Houston, featuring Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent for the reelection campaign of Governor Rick Perry. It's titled: "Palin, Perry, a new breed of Western-style Conservatism."

Excerpt:

And then he welcomed Sarah Palin to thunderous applause as George Straight played in the background. Decked out in a wild almost shiny black fur skirt and boots, Palin with her daughter Piper at her side, took the stage.

Looking in her direction Perry said: “Washington would be a lot better off if they did things the Texas way. They’d be a lot better off if they had Sarah Palin running things too.”

If you're a regular Libertarian Republican reader please check it out. And as always, a big thank you to my editor-in-chief Andrew Breitbart.

Warren Redlich, Guiderland City Councilman and current candidate for the Republican Party and Libertarian Party nominations for Governor of New York, is taking a hard-line approach to state budgeting. Redlich vows if elected he'll put an immediate cap on salaries for some of New York's top public employee positions.

From the (Oneonta) Daily Star:

Serving on the town board made him more aware of the problems facing the state, he said. This includes declining revenue and spending that was out of control, he said.

This includes public sector salaries that were out of line, he said.

For instance, the president of the State University College at Albany makes $280,000, gets a $261,000 pension from another job and earns $100,000 as a consultant for the state teachers retirement system, Redlich noted.

Redlich's platform includes capping most public sector salaries at $100,000 and eliminating unnecessary state agencies, such as the Commission of Corrections and the Thruway Authority.

He said he hopes his message of cutting corporate welfare and government spending appeals to the Tea Party movement.

Redlich faces former Congressman Rick Lazio for the GOP nomination and on the Libertarian side, former Escort Service CEO Kristin Davis.

The State Budget came in less than anticipated, with a serious budget shortfall. The solution according to embattled New York Governor David Paterson: Raise Taxes.

From CBS 6:

ALBANY -- As revenue comes in short of projections, Gov. David Paterson has revised his budget proposal to include higher taxes on the payrolls of New York City businesses and selling wine in grocery stores...

He also wants to boost the payroll tax in New York City to 0.54 percent, up from 0.34 percent.

John "Ringo" Hinz is a longtime libertarian Republican in upper Wisconsin. He's a self-described "conservative on foreign policy and fighting terrorism," and a "libertarian on domestic issues." He's one of 6 candidates running in municipal elections for an at-large city council seat. Hinz ran for the same position in 2009. Results:

Tony Palmeri(I) 6633 votes 23.53%
Jessica King(I) 5195 votes 18.43%
Bob Poeschl 4717 votes 16.73%
Steve Cummings 4136 votes 14.67%
John Hinz(me) 4112 votes 14.59%
Richard O'Day 3323 votes 11.79%

He explains:

I only raised 1/3 of the money of Mr. Cummings, did not receive the endorsement of the local newspaper and realtors association, and had ZERO name recognition.. yet I virtually tied with him for fourth. I was "the nobody" last year. I had no radio or print ads... it was all word of mouth. This year I hope to at least have radio and newspaper ads, as well as personally going door to door to a large amount of the city. Without even trying I should raise well over $1500 this year.

Hinz's platform is simply jobs through economic growth for the local economy:

To increase our budget we need to grow our tax base, and to do that we need to talk with the businesses here who are doing well in this economy. Let's find out what we can do to bring in more business. Let's get creative and provide tax breaks and incentives to businesses who potentially would want to move here. We have two very large businesses who are thriving in a down economy...

The first round of elections is Feb. 16. The run-off is scheduled for April 6. There are 7 candidates filed, and the top 6 will make it to the general election.

UPDATE!

From the Editor - We received this nice note from John:

Thanks! I know it [this article] probably won't get me any more votes, but it's my sincere hope that in pursuing this seat I inspire other libertarian republicans around the country to do the same thing.

From Eric Dondero:

Two very interesting findings in a new poll released by liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling for the Texas Republican Primary for Governor. First, the overall numbers, 39% for Rick Perry, 28% for Kay B. Hutchison and 24% for Debra Medina.

But it seems Hutchison's main problem is covincing Texas Republicans that's she's conservative enough. From PPP:

while Hutchison has a commanding 49-29 lead over Perry with moderate voters, she is in last place with conservatives. Perry leads the pack at 42% followed by Medina at 25% and Hutchison at 23%. 76% of likely primary voters are conservatives to only 20% who are moderates.

While a run-off appears increasingly likely, by these numbers it's clear Medina's mostly hardline Ron Paul-style Constitutionalist supporters would deliver the win to Rick Perry. Continuing:

Medina supporters say their second choice is Perry by a 43-39 margin over Hutchison, suggesting that if Perry does win by ten points but still end up in a runoff Hutchison's prospects for gaining ground on him are not that strong.

Illinois 11th District

A Pro-Defense libertarian, Air Force Veteran and Tea Party supporter. Kinzinger is now the Republican nominee for Congress, South Central Illinois (Bloomington, Ottawa, and Joliet).

ElectAdam.com

Congratulates Laura Chinchilla, "our president"

Libertarian Presidential candidate Otto Guevara was quick to concede to winner Laura Chinchilla of the centrist National Liberation Party last night, as election returns continued to come in. Ms. Chinchilla won with 47% of the vote. Second place finisher, center-left Otto Solis received 25%. Guevara received 21% which guarantees Movimiento Libertario (Libertarian Party) an increased number of seats in the Costa Rica Congress.

From the UK Guardian, "Costa Rica elects first female President":

Costa Ricans have elected their first female president as the ruling party candidate won in a landslide after campaigning to continue free market policies in Central America's most stable nation.

The 50-year-old protege of the current president, Nobel peace prize laureate Óscar Arias, promised to pursue the same economic policies that recently brought the country into a trade pact with the US and opened commerce with China.

The third-place candidate, Guevara, congratulated Chinchilla as "our president", but he also pointed out the new political muscle of his tax-bashing Libertarian Movement Party. He won 21% of the vote.

But it is not yet known if Chinchilla's party will have a full majority in the Costa Rica Congress.

A "libertarian Rocky Mountain western-type of Republican" City

Colorado Springs, the second largest city in Colorado, with a population of 380,000 has taken a radical step towards privatization of many municipal services.

The progressive-controlled city council and government became increasingly out-of-touch with Colorado Springs constituents. The council proposed one property tax hike after another.

Republican State Rep. Douglas Bruce, author of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) described the situation. From the Canadian Globe & Mail, Feb. 7::

“In a super-conservative community,” he says, “they have amassed a socialist empire.”

The tax, which would have added $27.6-million to city coffers, was rejected by more than 65 per cent of voters.

“We called their bluff,” resident Douglas Bruce says. “They need to downsize. It's a good thing.”

Now the city has drastically cut back. Continuing:

Tired of indiscriminate spending, questionable officials and unnecessary expenditures, the residents of one Colorado city have decided to end the era of big government in their municipality, even if it means mowing the grass at the local park themselves... one-third of the city's 24,000 streetlights will remain dark. Two police helicopters are listed for sale on the government website. Trash cans have been removed from city streets, replaced with signs asking residents to dispose of their trash at home.

Park workers will only mow local green spaces sporadically, and flowers will go unwatered.

The city recreation centres, indoor and outdoor pools and several museums will close permanently on March 31 unless private donors step in. More than 63,000 hours of bus service have been slashed and law-enforcement jobs have been left unfilled.

Many are blaming it on the increasing libertarian attitude of local residents.

Joshua Dunn, a political science professor at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, says there is widespread distrust of government in the city, which has long been tax averse.

The city demographics are almost evenly divided between evangelical Christians, members of the armed forces stationed at the local Fort Carson, and “your more libertarian Rocky Mountain western-type of Republican,” he says.

The end result?

Many residents have said they will step forward to fill the void left by municipal services, opening recreation centres themselves, tending to the shared park land and disposing of their own garbage.

According to Rep. Bruce:

“The government should stick to its traditional municipal role, which is police and fire services, road repair and very little else."

From Eric Dondero:

We just received word from our source in D.C. that three libertarian-leaning Republicans, and a number of other friends of liberty, have been chosen as targetted campaigns by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

As described by an NRCC release:

Originally founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) as a member-driven organization, the Young Guns program has become an official NRCC effort dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide.

A total of 15 candidates qualified for "Contender" status, while another 13 are officially "On the Radar."

Of special note for Libertarian Republicans, three candidates who are libertarian-leaners qualified as Contenders: Adam Kinzinger IL-11 (photo-left), Ryan Frazier CO-7 (photo-right), and Sean Duffy WI-7. All three are affiliated with the Tea Party movement. Kinzinger is an Iraq War Vet, Air Force Special Ops. Illinois Libertarian activist Jeff Wartman is involved with his campaign. Frazier is a self-described "libertarian," and is closely associated with the Colorado Independence Inst. Duffy, a staunch economic conservative and "social libertarian," is best known for having been a regular on MTV's Real World. He's challening entrenched incumbent Democrat Rep. David Obey.

A fourth who made the Contender list, not quite a libertarian Republican, but a definite Tea Party-oriented Friend of Liberty is Charles Djou of Hawaii's 1st CD.

Contribute: NRCC.org

JUST BREAKING...

Guevara's Party gains Four seats in Congress

From Eric Dondero:

Final totals from Costa Rica are now starting to come in. And although the Libertarian Party (Movimiento Libertario) lost the Presidential race, with a vote total less than expected, 21% to winner Laura Chinchilla's 47%, they now appear to be the biggest winners in Deputy races for the Costa Rican Congress.

Already there's talk that President Chincilla of a center-right party, will have to "deal with the rightist" Libertarians to form a working majority in the congress.

From Raw Story:

Chinchilla... won 47 percent of the votes counted late Sunday... However, deputies from her ruling National Liberation Party (PLN) won barely 38 percent, as voting here increasingly favors political minorities.

Otton Solis [leftist party] lagged more than 20 points behind Chinchilla.

Chinchilla's other main opponent, Otto Guevara, only reached third place but his pro-business Libertarian Movement Party was set to increase its seats from six to 10.

And a Costa Rica blog that covers the elections Partidos Politicos confirms that Movimiento Libertario has indeed gained seats, but gives a slightly different figure saying that they actually went up from 5 seats to 10.

Dos partidos de oposición aumentaron su presencia parlamentaria: el derechista Movimiento Libertario, que tendría diez representantes, el doble de los que logró elegir en las elecciones de 2006...

Translation: Two opposition parties raised their presence in parliament: The rightist Libertarian Movement, who will have 10 representatives, double that of what they gained in the elections of 2006.

Noted Scholar on Islam and Western Civilization, Daniel Pipes recently wrote a column for the Jerusalem Post, in which he praised Dutch Member of Parliament and current Presidential candidate Geert Wilders. Pipes compared the "libertarian-conservative" to American President Ronald Reagan.

From DanielPipes.com, Jan. 19:

The PVV [Party for Freedom] is libertarian and mainstream conservative, without roots in neo-Fascism, nativism, conspiricism, antisemitism, or other forms of extremism. (Wilders publicly emulates Ronald Reagan.) Indicative of this moderation is Wilders' long-standing affection for Israel that includes two years' residence in the Jewish state, dozens of visits, and his advocating the transfer of the Dutch embassy to Jerusalem.

In addition, Wilders is a charismatic, savvy, principled, and outspoken leader who has rapidly become the most dynamic political force in the Netherlands.

Wilders is currently on trial in the Netherlands for insulting Islam through production of his 2008 film "Fitna."

1:20 pm - We have arrived. About 10 of us Texas Bloggers are positioned on Blog Row one level up from the floor, up front, close to the stage.

The Perry Campaign folks have been very accomodating and quite professional.

Lots of bands, flag holders, inside the Berry Arena (northwest Houston) warming up for the event. Looks like the Arena could seat 8 to 10,000.

Line out front is already around the Arena. Festive atmosphere. One very tall gentleman decked out in full Uncle Sam costume.

2:03 pm

The hall is starting to fill up. Lots of homemade "Perry for Texas," and "Houston luvs Perry," signs. The media area down below is full. 8 to 10 television news cameras. Word is Fox News (national) is here.

2:11 pm

Starting to get a Tea Party feel. Same type crowd. More signs: "Stop the Bailouts," "Washington is Broken," and "Hands off my Pistol."

2:23 pm

Things getting underway. Band playing Texas music.

2:34 pm

Dan Patrick, State Senator from Northside Houston is emceeing. Talking Twitter - RickPerry.com.

Crowd could be 3,000 to 5,000?

2:47 pm

Patrick: "We've got the strongest economy in the United States!" Crowd roars.

3:01 pm

Patrick: "He believes in the capitalist system... he believes in the 10th Amendment..."

3:02 pm

Ted has arrived on stage!

3:03 pm

Ted: "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could... Texas is the Number One State in the Nation..."

Star Spangled Banner...

"God Bless Texas, God Bless Governor Perry and God Bless Sarah Palin"

3:10 pm

Sarah and Rick arrive. George Straight blaring...

Folks, it doesn't get any better than this. I am literally in tears.

Oh my, her outfit is wild! Piper w/Sarah. Both standing right next to Ted. Rick speaking. "There's a game going on today, but the real action is here..."

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Michael Williams, Texas Railroad Commissioner is here! He is heavily rumored replacement for US Senate seat of Kay B. Hutchison, if she resigns. A good friend of the Governor.

The Gov. just recognized Williams on the stage.

3:21 pm

Gov: 2/3rds supermajority of the legislature for any tax increase.

Balanced Budget Amendment for the entire country.

"Washington would be a lot better off if they did things the Texas way...

They'd be a lot better off if Sarah Palin was running things too."

Sarah speaking...

Takes a little jab at Texas: Piper, "we're going to visit Alaska's little sister state..."

In Alaska, "we proudly cling to our guns and religion."

Salute to our Veterans.

Makes a little joke about seccession.

Mentions Glenn Beck.

TWEAK OF THE DAY FROM SARAH PALIN

"That government is best, which governs least"

"Rick and I believe in what Ronald Reagan believed, and it's all about American success."

Another Sign: "Keep Washington out of Texas"

Rick gives Sarah proclamation as honorary Texan.

Thunderous Applause

Rick Perry signs off, "Let's keep moving Texas forward, and may God continue to bless the great State of Texas..."

Democrat strategist Bob Schrum attacked Sarah Palin's speech as sounding like a "Merchant of Hate."

Boortz wastes no time, going right after Schrum over his remark.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Calls Taxation "confiscation"

From Eric Dondero:

Now it's Rick Lazio and Warren Redlich on the Republican side, incumbent Gov. David Paterson vs. Andre Cuomo for the Democrats, and for the Libertarian Party Kristin Davis may be the nominee. The campaign officially announced her candidacy today, which got picked up by major NY media.

The NY Daily News out of Long Island is breaking the story...

"Manhattan Madam" Kristin Davis is tossing her lacy brassiere into the political ring - with the help of one of the GOP's most fearsome strategists.

Though he's often labeled a "trickster," former Nixon, Reagan and Bushes operative Roger Stone tells us he's dead serious about getting Davis on the ballot.

"This is not a hoax, a prank or a publicity stunt," said Stone, who has been quietly huddling with Davis for months. "I want to get her a half-million votes."

Davis is then quoted as taking hardline libertarian stances. Continuing:

While branding "taxation as confiscation," the former escort empress said the legalization of prostitution and marijuana could provide $2.5 billion in revenue to help close the budget gap.

"I'm a natural Libertarian," said Davis, who also embraces gay marriage and the views of the National Rifle Association.

Davis goes on to hint that the campaign will be well-funded with contributions from her former Escort Service clients, and even Pot Growers from California.

Meanwhile The Gothamist adds more details about the coming campaign:

What kind of reform? Well, Davis calls herself a "natural Libertarian," hates taxes, wants to legalize prostitution and marijuana (hello, revenue), and supports gay marriage while being a card-carrying member of the NRA! Stone, who says GOP candidate Rick Lazio is "a turkey," is also plotting to get Davis's Penthouse Pet friends involved, "We'll get four, make them notary publics and have them, suitably attired, collecting signatures [for Davis to get on the ballot] at Grand Central Station during rush hour."

RELATED NEWS

There are heavy rumors of a celebrity candidate about to announce for the US Senate seat in New York of Democrat Chuck Schumer, on the Libertarian ticket.

Stay tuned for more developments...

From the Editor:

First, a special thank you to two Republican websites for picking up and running in full a couple recent articles from Libertarian Republican.

First, Lean Red, a site that prides itself as a home for moderates, conservatives, independents, libertarians and others who have: "a desire for more liberty and personal freedom for Americans." Lean Red is featuring our recent article on New York's "wild and crazy" elections, Larry Kudlow jumping in against Chuck Schumer.

And more New Yorker stuff; The Suffolk County (Long Island) Liberty Report by Frank Seabrook ran our piece from yesterday, in full, on Christopher Nixon Cox running for US Congress.

Especially if you live in New York, please add Frank's fine blog to your daily favorites.

Nugent, Palin & Perry Rally today here in Houston!

I will be attending the big rally today to show my support for Governor Rick Perry. I hope to be able to live blog the event. So, check in here at the blog this afternoon.

At the very least I'll provide a rally wrap-up later this evening.

by Eric Dondero

Naples is a city of about 80,000 on the southwest Florida Coast. It is most certainly an upscale community, mainly of wealthy retirees from New York, and other northeastern states. There's a golf course on every corner, literally.

In the early 1990s, during the first years of the Republican Liberty Caucus, Naples was a hub of sorts for Libertarian Republicans. 1976 Libertarian Party Presidential candidate and RLC National Chairman Roger MacBride lived there in a posh condo overlooking the water. He would host many early RLC meetings and weekend get-togethers.

I was living in Tallahassee at the time, and running the national RLC from there. Though, in its first couple years, the RLC was a very Florida-focused organization. No accident that today, the Florida RLC is without doubt the most organized and active of all RLC affiliates nationwide.

A Refugee from the Ross Perot Movement

A local real estate agent in Naples named Scott LePore got active with us in the RLC. He came from the Ross Perot and Term Limits movements; not quite a libertarian, but a reformer "fiscally conservative/socially moderate" sort. Scott soon became very active with us movement libertarians, and even served on the Florida RLC board. He also became friends with Roger MacBride.

I eventually lost touch with Scott, but it appears he stayed active all these years, and stuck with the GOP. So much so, in fact, that he's now got a promotion.

For Youth, Social Networking the key to growing the GOP

From NaplesNew.com, "Collier’s new GOP leadership sees exciting future for Republican Party" Feb. 6:

Schwerin and Collier County Republican Club President Scott Lepore, 43, hope to breathe new life into the local party, an effort under way in every town around the nation.

[Frank] Schwerin, a cardiologist, and Lepore, a Realtor, may have different styles but believe they will work well together.

“It’s going to be a hand-in-hand partnership,” Lepore said. “It’s two different formats for two different purposes (but) when I met Frank, I felt here (we) are two people who think the same. Now, I’m a member of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee, and, as far as I’m concerned, everybody’s on the same page.”

Lepore took over as club president in January 2009. Since then, membership has increased and the club has banked twice its previous take.

Lepore brings verbal energy and new ideas for socializing to the mix.

He moved club meetings to the Bellasera Hotel in downtown Naples, reduced admission from $20 to $10, and kept the socials going through the summer. He brought in exciting young speakers, such as U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio.

It's a little ironic that my old friend Scott is now helping to run the Collier County Republican Committee. Back in the old days, he was a bit of an outcast, barely let inside the door of the local GOP. He was seen as brash, and a bit too over-energetic for the staid establishment oldtimers.

Republicans now a "Scott Brown/Marco Rubio Party"

“These are very exciting times,” Lepore said, noting that 161 people came out to hear Rubio speak.

Rejuvenation of the party is the key, Lepore said. One of the reasons the Republicans took such a beating in the 2008 presidential election was because the party didn’t inspire the youth of the nation, Lepore said.

That is changing with the recent election of Scott Brown, a young Massachusetts Republican who won the U.S. Senate seat traditionally held by a Democrat; and the energy of Rubio, who is capturing national attention, Lepore said.

Pro-Military Libertarian now Chairs Collier County GOP

But it gets even better. Seems that the newly appointed Chairman of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee is also a Libertarian Republican. Continuing:

Both Lepore and Schwerin stress the necessity for involvement of youth, coupled with traditional conservative Republican values.

“I have a passion about America and freedom,” Schwerin said. “I’m pretty Libertarian except that I’m pro-life and believe in a strong military.”

“My skill set is that I don’t pull punches,” Schwerin said.

Schwering goes on to account that he's been active with the GOP ever since the days of Nixon. And was even taken to the White House as a young child to meet President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He also ran against current GOP Congressman Connie Mack in 2004.

Photo - Collier County GOP Exec. Comm., Chairman Schwerin far leftside.

Peter Schiff, candidate for US Senate in Connecticut, recently spoke to a gathering of about 70 students at Yale. His speech focused mainly on economic topics. During the speech, Schiff bluntly remarked that Obama's "stimulus" policies may in fact be having the exact reverse effect.

From the Yale Daily News "Republican Senate longshot talks economy":

Likening the Federal Reserve’s behavior and the federal stimulus package plans to drugs meant to mask the pain of recession, Schiff warned that the economy could soon go through even more painful withdrawals.

“The government pretends to have a magic elixir that makes the pain go away,” said Schiff, a self-described Republican with libertarian sympathies.

“Jobs aren’t created because the government passed bills,” he said. “They are lost when the government passes bills. The economy is getting starved for capital because the government is spending so much.”

According to the latest polls, Schiff is currently running behind frontrunners Rob Simmons and Linda McMahon for the GOP nomination.

New Video by George Mason Univ. Eco Undergrads

"Sarah" turns into a free market extremist. Her friends ask why, and plot ways to win her back to progressivism.

Hat tip Cafe Hayek.

Tan, Rested & Ready...

Not quite the former President, but his grandson, Christopher Nixon Cox had declared his candidacy for the Republican primary for US Congress, New York's 1st CD (eastern Long Island). The junior Cox will face a field of 6 other candidates, but is already considered to be in the lead pack given his famous lineage.

Nixon Cox would face incumbent Democrat Rep. Tim Bishop. The District has a history of swinging back and forth from Democrat to Republican.

Of note, Cox is also the son of current NY Republican Party Chair Ed Cox. He's a graduate of Princeton, and received his law degree from NYU. He also served as McCain for President E.D. for New York in 2008.

His bio states that he: "is a fiscal conservative who will fight for limited government and lower taxes and is committed to defending the values and liberties in our constitution."

Frank Seabrook of the libertarian-leaning (Goldwater/Reagan/Ron Paul) Suffolk County Liberty Report wrote that Cox: "is a formidable candidate and has hit the ground running." Seabrook, who has highlighed the Libertarian-Republican campaign of Warren Redlich for Governor, has also been featuring Cox's campaign on his blog.

There's also video footage of Cox being a featured speaker at a Tea Party-like rally in Haupage, NY last July.

Nixon family photo above of young Christopher Nixon Cox - lower right.