2012 Republican Update – Trump, Gingrich, Christi, Palin, Huckabee Romney

Huckabee, Palin and Romney remain GOP 2012 Frontrunners, although not yet announced - image freedomlighthouse.net

The 2012 Republican field is beginning to take shape, and although the majority of those names polled, have yet to announce their intent to run, (Palin, Huckabee, and Romney), all have expressed an interest.

This week saw Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, entered the 2012 conversation by stating he knew he could win, however, would not enter as he had a job to do as Governor of New Jersey(NYMagazine) There are more than a few pundits who are hoping he will reconsider.

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, has formally announced his intent to run, by forming an exploratory committee, and has suspended his contract, along with Conservative Rick Santorum with Fox News.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump made a trip to Iowa a sign that he is testing the political waters for a 2012 run.

The top three “speculated” candidates, Mike Huckabee, Palin and Romney have given timelines of sorts, and continue to dominate polls. A recentQuinnipiac Poll gives Mike Huckabee the lead, with Sarah Palin coming in as a second choice (Washington Post)

Huckabee, is on his book tour, and has noted that he will make up his mind on entering the race by summer. Although he pointed out in an interview on Fox News that he intends to wait, he is, as of now, sitting in the cat bird seat. In the interview with Sean Hannity, it was noted that Huckabee, unlike Gingrich and Santorum, has yet to suspend his Fox contract. Huckabee, never the conventional candidate, can, in this opinion afford to wait, giving time to test the waters, gauge the competition and hone is ability to fund raise.

Palin, who is also a Fox contributor is weighing when to enter (or whether or not to enter the fray), and like Huckabee, Palin is not a conventional Beltway politician. The Iowa GOP Chair weighed in recently via CNN saying it was risky for Palin to wait on a bid.

Meanwhile, Romney, is headed to New Hampshireaccording the Boston Globe “as his candidacy nears” In 2008, McCain bested Romney in the New Hampshire Primary, and the rest, as they say is history.

From polls and perspective, should Huckabee and Palin both decide to delay and announce between end of March and June (watch for suspended Fox News Contracts), both Palin and Huckabee appear to have the edge, although Palin does not pull in the first round of poll questions, or second in most polls, she does have the highest favorability in polls taken to date, the closest would be Mike Huckabee. Huckabee and Romney have taken the top slot in the majority of polls conducted by Public Policy Polling Public Policy Polling.com, however with Quinnipiac and others now jumping into the fray, different perspectives of each candidate and potential candidate will begin to take shape.

Huckabee, based on his current favorability and polling numbers, coupled with the results from the 2008 primaries (Interactive Map here at uselectionaltlas.org) may be able to announce in his own time.

In 2008, Romney took Massachusetts, Maine, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota and Alaska. Huckabee took Iowa, West Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Georgia. It should be noted that Romney bowed out of the race early, and Huckabee continued on in order to keep both the party in the limelight and give voters a choice as they headed to the polls. Huckabee, in 2008, ran the campaign as an “unknown”, grassroots method, with very little cash on hand.

Based on the last analysis of the 2012 electoral map using Gallup’s 2010 Presidential approval rankings, one would anticipate that it would be wise, regardless of party or political ideology, to take a careful look at all Republican contenders, as that individual, has a strong probability of being the 45th President. Should Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin jump into the race, it is this opinion that they would be the front runners for the nomination, based on data available to date. It is, as of this point, impossible to pinpoint or speculate on which would take the GOP nomination.

Regardless, the 2012 GOP debates will be extremely informative as well as entertaining, especially if all players mentioned, and of course, Ron Paul, are in the fray.

Dr. Jay Fleitman Elected Chair of Western Mass Republicans

Dr. Jay Fleitman - image Hampshire Gazette

Dr. Jay Fleitman, who ran for the Massachusetts 2nd District Congressional seat in 2010, a former Northampton School Committee Member, and Chair of the Northampton Board of Health was elected this week as Chairman of the Western Mass Republicans. The election, which took place at The Warehouse in Holyoke, hosted over one hundred Republican and Tea Party activists from throughout Western Massachusetts for this annual meeting held to fill the position left by departing Chairperson CeCE Calabrese of Agawam.

The Western Mass Republicans is an organization designed to assist and coordinate Republican activities in the Pioneer Valley. Dr. Fleitman, who also writes a column for the Daily Hampshire Gazette, faced former Governor’s Council candidate, Mike Franco of Chicopee for the Chair of this regional political action committee.

Although Massachusetts is often thought of as the “Bluest State” due to the local, State and Federal offices held by a majority of Democrats, the Republican Party has grown over the past two years in the Bay State, and had over 270 candidates running for Local, State and Federal offices in 2010. The bulk of the voters in Massachusetts, over 50% are registered unenrolleds, and during the 2010 Midterms there was a surge in Republican enrollment, just days before the elections (CBS 3 Springfield). One can anticipate those numbers to continue to rise going into the 2012 General Election.

Western Mass Republicans Western Mass Republicans. com

Springfield MA Teachers Overpaid by $1.2 Million – A “Mistake” Gone Unnoticed from October 2010

From: WGGB Springfield Television Springfield Mass Teachers, upon signing a new contract with the City, experienced a double dip pay raise in October, which, as it turns out, was clerical error. Now, the union is trying to figure out the least painful way for these teachers to pay back the city, perhaps in 1 to 3 year terms.
One can hardly blame the teachers, who had no clue, apparently that there salary increase, above what was anticipated, was an error – unions negotiated through collective bargaining to increase teacher’s payrolls, and there it ends. Regardless of the fact that raises, in this economy, can only be found at the state employee level (for the most part), one would think that a hue and cry would have gone out from the rank and file, noting they were overpaid, and righting the clerical error post haste, instead of having months go by.

Meanwhile, some of those teachers are working in schools in Springfield where a a 13 million dollar grant has been given to the 10 “lowest performing schools” in Springfield and Holyoke.

The taxpayers, those left in the Commonwealth, are to say the least, immune at this point to the constant fleecing by local and state governments, whether they be in earnest or in error. Meanwhile, Govenor Deval Patrick is defending unions and their rights to collective bargaining (public employees) (Boston Globe)

Only in Massachusetts.