U.S. Republican Party Politics

Planned Parenthood To Missouri Lawmakers: End The "Campaign Against Women's Health"

The Missouri legislative session ended last week and one of the many successes the state GOP is celebrating is the passage of a bill to add restrictions to the "abortion pill." It's one of several Republican initiatives that Planned Parenthood is now slamming in the aftermath of the session. It's no ... More >>

St. Louis Chef to Dana Loesch Fans: "Use Your Easily Purchased Firearm on Yourself"

File under: "If you can't stand the heat." Last night St. Louis' vociferous conservative talker/tweeter Dana Loesch called out the chef de cuisine of Clayton's Little Country Gentleman after he took to Twitter to take a shot at fans of her radio show. Won't be eating at @lcgentleman since it seems ... More >>

Mo. Attorney General to Republicans: Enough "Foolishness" on Contraception Coverage

In a scathing rebuke of conservative lawmakers, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster today called on Republicans to end their continued bickering over contraception coverage outlined in the federal Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. "The Republicans' attempt to deny contraceptive coverage to ... More >>

Ed Martin Becomes MO Republican Party Chairman; Everyone Makes Exact Same Joke

After failed attempts to become a Missouri (1) congressman, (2) senator, (3) congressman (again) and (4) attorney general, Ed Martin has at last found success. On Saturday he was elected as chairman of Missouri's Republican Party. It's considered a victory for the more extreme elements of the state ... More >>

Dave Spence Watch Party: At Least the Spread Was Top-Notch

It was never so much a victory party as it was a wake. A good wake, mind you. The kind with lots of drinks and a few hearty laughs. Still, the hint of death permeated the hotel ballroom at Dave Spence's watch party last night.

Todd Akin Finds His Own "Reverend Wright" In Radical Militia Leader

This week isn't the first time Todd Akin has had to answer questions about his relationship with Tim Dreste, one of the country's most infamous anti-abortion activists of the 1990s. But with election day just two weeks away, a national media that's always achin' for some Akin, and news that Akin was ... More >>

Republican State House Candidate Called Out for Support of Marijuana Legalization [UPDATE]

Update: We just heard back from Chairman of the Boone County Republican Central Committee C. Bruce Cornett. Meet Mitch Richards. He's the crazy young Republican candidate for the 47th House District in Columbia. He's pro-gun, he's pro-life, he thinks big government should butt out. But he also has ... More >>

Romney Calls on Akin to Drop Senate Bid, Akin Tells Romney to Mind His Own Damn Business

The Washington Post reports that Mitt Romney has joined the overwhelming chorus of Republicans calling on Todd Akin to drop out of the Senate race today. The Romney campaign reportedly released a statement from the presidential candidate: As I said yesterday, Todd Akin's comments were offensive a ... More >>

National GOP, Crossroads Abort Akin; Pregnancy Comment Caused Pull Out

The fallout continues for Congressman Todd Akin. Today the National Republican Senatorial Committee announced it was canceling $5 million in television spending it planned to purchase to help him defeat incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill in Missouri. Meanwhile, the right-wing PAC, Crossroads, also a ... More >>

Primary Results: Akin to Face McCaskill, Clay Trounces Carnahan, Jones Wins City Treasurer

Yesterday's Missouri primary resulted in a few surprises. The biggest, perhaps, was Congressman Lacy Clay's stunning victory over Congressman Russ Carnahan for Missouri's First Congressional District that includes all of St. Louis and much of the county. Clay garnered 63.2 percent of the vote to Car ... More >>

Brunner, Kinder and Martin Favored to Win GOP Primary Contests, Poll Finds

According to an automated phone poll over the weekend of nearly 600 people likely to vote in Missouri's GOP primary tomorrow, 35 percent said they'd pick John Brunner to take on incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill30 percent said they'd prefer Todd Akin25 percent went for Sarah SteelmanBrunner enjoys ... More >>

St. Charles GOP Holds a Caucus: Round Two

When last we left the St. Charles Republican Party, they were attempting to hold a caucus on St. Patrick's Day. That one ended in shouting, recriminations and a couple of arrests -- so it was more like Thanksgiving dinner than St. Pat's. Then David Cole, chairman of the state GOP, announced there wo ... More >>

Do-Over: State Republicans Plan Second St. Charles Caucus

​Following the St. Patrick's Day cock-up caucus in St. Charles, the Missouri Republican Party has officially scheduled a second St. Charles County caucus that it intends to see all the way through to the end. Tuesday, April 10, is the new date, and it will take place at 7 p.m. at the St. Charles C ... More >>

St. Charles GOP Catches March Madness, Caucus Implodes

​First we had the Republican primary that didn't matter. Now we have a Republican caucus that goes nowhere and breaks down in finger-pointing, shouting and recriminations. Say what you will about the GOP, but the guys behind the scenes seem game-ready for the big show in Washington.

Ask a Mexican: Donde esta donkey show?

What People Are Saying About Santorum's Missouri Win

​Last night Rick Santorum swept the primaries in Missouri, Minnesota, and Colorado. As expected, his most decisive victory was in Missouri, where he took all 114 county for a 55 percent runaway, more than doubling Mitt Romney's 25 percent. In many ways, it's a hollow success. It didn't count towa ... More >>

Vote In the State Primary! Or Don't. Whatever, Who Cares?

​Missouri's presidential primary is Tuesday, February 7. It's your chance to tell your party who you want to see represent you as president. Except that if you're planning on selecting someone from the Republican section of the ballot, your choice doesn't matter -- and that's not me saying that, i ... More >>

Akin, Steelman Debate to Stream Live on Facebook This Morning

​This is kind of cool -- not because of the debate but because of the technology behind it. Today at 9 a.m. Republican senatorial candidates Todd Akin and Sarah Steelman will face off in a debate at the Missouri Athletic Club West to be broadcast simultaneously over both the radio waves and Facebo ... More >>

As Obama Attacks Congress, McCaskill Becomes Vulnerable

An interesting political article in today's New York Times pinpoints incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill as a potential casualty this November if President Obama continues to campaign on an anti-Congress platform. Experts say the oft-deadlocked Congress of last year is a fair target for President Obama ... More >>

Dave Spence Pumps $2 Million Into His Campaign

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence pumped a cool $2 million into his campaign yesterday. That is half a million more than Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, raised in the third quarter alone and nearly half as much as Nixon has in his entire war chest ($4.2 million at the end of the third ... More >>

Peter Kinder Will Not Be Running for Governor

Peter Kinder's had a rough year.​Today Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder announced that he will not run for governor. Instead he will seek a third term at his current seat. On one hand this is mildly surprising considering that he's been considered the GOP front-runner to challenge Governor Jay Ni ... More >>

What's Worse than a Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Who Frequented Strip Clubs? How About One Who Supports TARP?

Image viaRepublican leaders hope personal care packaging mogul Dave Spence can be a more attractive gubernatorial candidate than Lt. Governor Peter Kinder.​Big news yesterday on the Missouri gubernatorial election front. Dave Spence, a businessman from St. Louis, has jumped into the race. Spence ... More >>

Did Todd Akin Trick People Into Thinking Paul Ryan Endorsed Him?

Rep. Ryan supports Rep. Akin's (above) "principled approach to fiscal responsibility" but hasn't officially endorsed him.​There was a bit of confusion late last week over whether U.S. Congressman/GOP Golden Boy Paul Ryan officially endorsed Congressman Todd Akin in his campaign to unseat Senator C ... More >>

John Brunner Officially Enters U.S. Senate Race

Albert SamahaJohn Brunner's anti-establishment credentials make him a formidable candidate in the GOP Senate primary.​ Updated 11:30 a.m. to show that FEC guidelines do not make a distinction between money spent from contributions and money spent out of pocket when it comes to campaign disclosure ... More >>

Bill Randles: Unknown Polls Almost as Well as Peter Kinder Against Governor Nixon

The whole "pantless party" thing is not helping Peter Kinder with McCain voters, Public Policy Polling finds.​Governor Jay Nixon would basically stomp the crap out of his likely Republican challenger, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, if the 2012 gubernatorial election had been held this week.In fact, ac ... More >>

Jack Danforth for Governor Facebook Page Illustrates Waning Support for Peter Kinder

243 Facebook users have found their Kinder alternative: former U.S. Sentor John "Jack" Danforth​The search for the Peter Kinder Alternative has unofficially begun. Last Thursday, a "Draft Jack- Danforth for Governor 2012" Facebook page popped up. John "Jack" Danforth, of course, is the moderate ... More >>

GOP consultant David Barklage owes the Feds big bucks

Major Political Donor to Peter Kinder Says He'll No Longer Support Candidate

tamko.comDavid Humphreys gave $1.31 million to Missouri Republican candidates and causes in 2010.​A major Republican donor who this year alone contributed $125,000 to Peter Kinder's political campaign says he's pulling his support from the candidate. David Humphreys, owner of the Joplin-based Tamk ... More >>

Top Missouri GOP Consultant Hasn't Paid His Taxes

courtesy of Fired Up! MissouriDavid Barklage (right) with Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder​As the main political consultant to Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder -- and a key strategist for the Missouri Republican Party -- David Barklage preaches the gospel of financial responsibility and ac ... More >>

Debt Ceiling Debate -- Blueberry Hill Barfly Speaks Out

Albert SamahaPresident Obama "gave what he had to to get it done," says Vincent.​"An informed citizenry is the bulwark of a democracy" -- Thomas Jefferson The power of The People rests upon our ability to hold elected officials accountable for their positions. This means wading through the s ... More >>

Is Photo ID Amendment Bigoted Enough to Drive Missouri Republicans to the Polls?

It's me, McLovin. Can I vote now, please?​Frankly, we here at Daily RFT are a little disappointed. We'd expected something juicier.Usually when Missouri's Republican-controlled Legislature rolls out a proposed constitutional amendment, it's something outrageously bigoted. Something that they hope ... More >>

Elephant Down: Republicans are Leaving Their Party in Droves, Especially in the Midwest

flickr.com/photos/amanda kay riley It is hardly breaking news to note that Republicans here and across the country have been shedding their party like a chrysalis for quite some time now. But what is extraordinary is the sheer volume of the desertion. A new Gallup Poll shows that the precipiti ... More >>

About the Cover: Lipstick on a Pit Bull Meets Tricky Dick Nixon

Photos: McCain / Palin Rally in O'Fallon

Hot Damn! McCain's Pick of Palin Sets Bill for VP Debate in St. Louis

So Long for Now, Sarah

Hot Contender: If looks count, Sarah Steelman may be your next governor

The Many Moods of Blake Ashby

A Lion in Winter

Danforth to fellow Republicans: You can come home again

Farr Out Campaign

A loose-lipped former train conductor is looking to get his long-shot congressional bid on track

Four More Smears

Has Daryl Duwe's transgression been forgiven?

Blood and Guts

Jean Carnahan's shooting prowess could take her into the trenches

Mount Buzzmore

Scandals, shootings and tax anger crack Westfall façade, but bags of money, no GOP opponent -- yet -- may keep him on his pedestal

Jim Talent's Low Blow

Republican hopeful can't seem to fight like a man

The Ethics Omission

Enforcers of Missouri's campaign-finance laws would rather hide than seek.

Filthy Riches

The Ashcroft and Carnahan campaigns profit from money laundered through a new and deliberately confusing fundraising scheme

Will the Real John Ashcroft Please Stand Up?

Missouri's junior senator says he is a pro-consumer health-care reformist. But the insurance companies, HMOs and big business, which give him millions, think he's on their side.

Rice Mulls Race

The Rev. Larry Rice ponders a gubernatorial run

PRO-LIFE, NOT PRO-DRESTE

The Missouri Republican Party's central committee calls for the resignation of radical anti-abortion activist Tim Dreste

Letters to the Editor