Latest Alice Stewart News | Fox News

Why I'm betting on Republican Martha McSally in Arizona

Wed, 13 Aug 2014 14:04:46 -0400

The rematch between a career Air Force pilot and career bureaucrat in Arizona is shaping up to be a key opportunity for a GOP pick-up in the House of Representatives.

Republican challenger, retired Air Force Colonel Martha McSally, is poised to unseat Democratic Representative Ron Barber in the all-important Arizona Congressional District Two race, a seat formerly held by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

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McSally is the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat, and the first to command a fighter squadron in combat in United States History. She's tough -- in 2001 - 2002, she sued Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in an effort to overturn a military policy requiring all U.S. servicewomen to wear a Muslim Abaya and headscarf when off base in Saudi Arabia.

She's running with a focus the economy, government overreach, national security and leadership.

Congressman Barber worked for 30 years with the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities. In 2006 he began working for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and was later named her district director.

In January of 2012, Giffords resigned from office after being seriously wounded in a shooting that claimed the lives of six people and wounded 13 others. Barber ran to fill Giffords seat, facing off against McSally in November of 2012.

Barber edged out McSally by less than 1% in a race that received little national attention. Given the current state of politics, conservatives see this as a race to invest time and money in this year.

Arizona is a Red state. Mitt Romney won it in 2014 by 9%, John McCain won it in 2008 by 8.5%, and George Bush won it by 10.5% in 2004. The Second Congressional district is not quite as red, with Romney narrowly winning the district in 2012.

That being said, the numbers are trending positive for McSally. Real Clear Politics showed the district as "Leaning Dem" in 2012 and now shows it a "Toss Up" in 2014.

Fort Huachuca and Davis Monthan are major military and economic components of CD2. This district has one of the largest active duty and veteran populations in the country. McSally's military service is well received by voters.

Plus, she is able to appeal to the all-important female voters, focusing on her commitment to make a difference for women. Her new ad, entitled, "Stand Up" highlights her eight year battle against the Pentagon to stand up for women's rights.

As opposed to his former boss, Gabby Giffords, Barber is more of a traditional, partisan Democrat. Barber has been coy about where he stands on ObamaCare, but a video has surfaced showing him shouting his support for ObamaCare at a rally in 2009.

Barber says he in favor of securing the border, yet he voted against the recent $694 million dollar border bill that passed the House of Representatives. He says he supports equal pay for women, however, the National Republican Congressional Committee discovered that women in Barber's office were earning 84 cents for every dollar that a man earned.

In short, Barber's rhetoric does not match reality.

Of course, money matters in politics and McSally is cashing in. The latest financial reports show that McSally out raised Barber for the fourth straight quarter, collecting nearly $100,000 more than the congressman. Outraising an incumbent is not easy, it is a true test of support for a challenger.

With just over eighty days until the 2014 midterm elections, McSally clearly has the advantage in the areas of military, momentum and money; enabling this trailblazer to put a victory lap on auto-pilot.

When the going gets tough: Desperate Democrats turn to Michelle Obama, not her husband

Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:08:38 -0400

Drowning aboard the sinking ship of President Obama’s unpopularity, Democrats are throwing out a lifeline to Michelle Obama in their effort to tread water in the U.S. Senate. The first lady is hitting the campaign trail for endangered Democrats while the president, viewed as more of an electoral liability than an asset, is nowhere to be found.

Republicans need to pick up just six seats to gain control of the Senate, and Democrats are doing all they can to keep that from happening and keep Harry Reid in power.

With Fox News showing the president’s job approval rating at 38 percent and a Pew Poll showing the first lady’s favorability above 60 percent, vulnerable Democrats are keeping the commander in chief out of the spotlight.

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Michelle Obama recently took center stage in Georgia for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Michelle Nunn, who is in a hotly contested race with Republican David Perdue. The Real Clear Politics average shows Perdue with a lead of more than 3 percentage points.

The first lady will head to Iowa next month to campaign for Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley in the hotly contested race for U.S. Senate against Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst. The latest Fox News poll views this race as a dead heat, with each candidate at 41 percent.

It’s a sad state of Democratic affairs when the president of the United States is on the midterm JV team and the starting lineup includes a first lady who admitted she had never been “really proud of my country” until a few years ago.

That being said, it’s smart strategy to put Michelle Obama on the trail for two reasons: she is not expected to address the weighty issues, and candidates aren’t weighed down by sharing the stage with an unpopular president.

In Georgia, Michelle Obama discussed voter registration, not voter apathy; global warming, not the global war on terror; and birth control, not border control. Expect to see the Peach State message repeated in the Hawkeye State next month.

In a desperate attempt to maintain control of the Senate, some vulnerable Democrats realize they need to do more than avoid the stage with the president; they are paying valuable campaign dollars to run ads that distance themselves from the him.

Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas is in the race of his life against Republican congressman Tom Cotton, who leads the two-term senator by nearly 3 percentage points. Pryor ran an ad highlighting his opposition to the president’s call for tighter gun control laws in light of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

In Kentucky, Alison Lundergan Grimes is 5 points behind the Republican incumbent, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Lundergan Grimes is skeet shooting in her distancing ad as she declares, “I’m not Barack Obama.”

In Alaska, Democratic Sen. Mark Begich is trailing Republican Dan Sullivan in the polls. Begich rolled out his own distancing ad, saying he “took on Obama” to fight for oil drilling in the Arctic and voted against the president’s “trillion-dollar tax increase.”

These vulnerable Senate Democrats can run but they can’t hide from their rubber-stamping of the Obama-Reid agenda. They can roll out Michelle Obama to flex her muscles, but she’s touting a weak case on failed policies.

Democrats are sinking under the rising tide of voter frustration and Republicans will ride the wave to gaining control of the Senate in November.

What I Saw at a Health Care Forum

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:18:24 -0400

I urge members of the Obama administration to step off the health care stage and into the crowd, that Ã¢â‚¬Å“angry mob" they refer to is a growing number of Americans who want to slow down and take part in the health care debate. One step off the podium will show them this is anything but an Ã¢â‚¬Å“astroturf effort." This is zoyzia, it's real, it's hearty, and can tolerate the heat.

This week the chairman of the Blue Dog Democrats health care task force, Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) along with Rep. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) faced some harsh critics at a health care forum in Arkansas. Passionate voters said Washington has turned a deaf ear for too long, and they're forced to turn up the volume.

Critics shouted their concerns about losing control of their health care choices. One urged Congress to vote down any public option health plan, saying Ã¢â‚¬Å“we need to open it up to the free market and get the government the hell out of it."

Over the past week, members of Congress have faced heated protests from New York to the City of Brotherly love from Connecticut to the Lone Star State. Democrats dismiss these confrontations as feigned outrage, saying politicians are being heckled by tea-baggers and angry Republicans.

While there are members of groups such as the TEA Party, Americans for Prosperity, Campaign for Liberty, Conservatives for Patients' Rights, and Freedom Works at these events, they are by no means the majority.

Most town hall attendees are hard working, freedom loving people who say they're scared at the prospect of a government run health care. These are people who have taken the time to read the 1,000+ page health care bill and don't like what they see. They are common sense people who say if it's good enough for us, it should be good enough for our elected officials.

These are not rabid extremists' who are trying to de-rail health care reform, they are offering solutions. Constituents are telling their Congressmen any health care plan must be deficit neutral, allow patients to choose their doctors, include tort reform, wipe out waste and fraud in the current system, place a greater emphasis on patient improvement, and health care plans must be portable.

In a video released by the Democratic National Committee, they attribute town hall turnouts to Ã¢â‚¬Å“desperate Republicans and their well-funded allies" who are out to Ã¢â‚¬Å“destroy President Obama."

Well-funded allies?

This forum included a soccer mom who was concerned about health care for her four children if her husband lost his job, a small business owner who would be unable to compete with a taxpayer-funded public option, and a grandmother who questioned why she would have to change the coverage she needs to pay for coverage someone else doesn't want.

Obama Spokesman Robert Gibbs refers to the critics as "Brooks Brothers Brigade" who blanketed Florida after the 2000 presidential election. He encouraged people to Ã¢â‚¬Å“take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the AstroTurf nature of so-called grassroots lobbying."

In a fundraising e-mail, former President Bill Clinton called out Republicans for efforts behind what he calls Ã¢â‚¬Å“the most powerful special interests in Washington who've launched a furious campaign to preserve the status quo."

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said nothing could be further from the truth.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“We're not inciting anyone to go out and disrupt anything," said Steele. Ã¢â‚¬Å“To sit back and say this is a Republican cabal is a bunch of baloney."

I find it interesting that Democrats have also gone after these conservative political groups for posting times and locations of town hall forums on their Web sites, and encouraging people to attend. The president has done the same thing.

In an e-mail to 13 million people, the president encouraged supporters to commit to attending at least one health care event this month in support of his plan. Ã¢â‚¬Å“This is the moment our movement was built for," President Obama wrote.

Actually, Mr. President, this is the moment our country was built for. A time for all Americans to stand up for what they believe in. A time for our leaders to listen.

There's nothing artificial about that.

Alice Stewart is a Political Consultant and Journalist. For more information, please go to www.alicestewart.com

Voters now see Romney as a likeable leader

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:00:41 -0400

The left’s worst nightmare is becoming a reality, and historic post-debate polling numbers reflect those fears. New reports indicate the Rocky Mountain presidential debate moved invaluable mountains for the Romney for President campaign. His debate performance demonstrated what no number of ads and no amount of money had been able to buy – that he’s a likable leader.

The latest Gallup tracking poll shows Romney scored a decisive 52-point debate win (72% - 20%) over President Obama. The former Massachusetts governor also pulled ahead of President Obama 49% - 45% in the latest Pew Research Center’s presidential poll.

I must admit to having an unexpected bout of pre-debate doubts heading into Denver. Attending a number of focus groups and interactive polls recently, I heard from voters across the spectrum - men, women, undecided, independent, liberal, and conservative. Most notable were the views of the all-important independent voters in the battleground states.

Many saw Gov. Romney as a competent businessman, but they viewed the CEO title as a negative, one that gave him an “out-of-touch” air. Despite Romney’s record of success, at the time, many said they didn’t plan to vote for him simply because they didn’t like him.

Yet, after 18 months of campaigning across the country and countless hours of paid and earned media, it took just 90 minutes of facts and fortitude on the debate stage in Denver for the former Massachusetts governor to change that perception.

Gov. Romney stayed on offense, defined Obama’s record, and outlined his own. One Romney senior adviser said he was able to demonstrate he’s “smart, articulate, and has a big heart.” Romney moved the likable needle in his direction during the debate.

Minutes after the candidates left the stage, 56% of participants in a CBS poll of uncommitted voters said their image of Romney improved as a result of the debate.

As for the CEO title, Romney used his debate time to demonstrate that his vast experience as an executive is more valuable than that of a community organizer. He was polite, yet pointed, in educating President Barack Obama on tax rates, debt reduction, budget cuts, and the value of free markets. Adding in personal stories, Governor Romney was able to show voters that “exec” is not a four-letter word.

Immediately post-debate, Romney’s support jumped 17% (27%-44%) among a group of swing voters watching the event in Denver. The Democracy Corps / Women’s Voices poll also showed a 27% (44%-71%) increase in his favorability.

As far as the pre-debate perception of President Obama, many of those same undecided voters admitted the president has failed to make things better for the American people, and they believe he has been a less than truthful campaigner. That said, they were at the time leaning towards the president because they liked him. Many acknowledged, it wasn’t about credibility, it was about likability.

It’s safe to say the debate was an eye opening experience for them. Without his TelePrompter, the president was often at a loss for words and unable to defend his record. As George Will wrote recently, “his vanity…. Perhaps blinds him to the need to prepare.”

The leader of the free world didn’t appear to understand that a debate stage is a level playing field for him as a presidential candidate. He avoided eye contact, was easily distracted, and appeared as though he was above the rules when moderator Jim Lehrer imposed the two-minute rule. In a word, President Obama appeared unlikable.

The information in Rasmussen Results post-debate polls in key battleground states show President Obama has lost his lead Florida and Virginia.

I expect Governor Romney to enter the second debate with the same level of preparation and poise. I expect him to exit with yet another example of himself as a likable leader; something a bottomless war chest can’t buy.

Our first responsibility is to protect our kids

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:52:03 -0500

We protect our president, our celebrities, and our airports with armed gunmen; yet our most precious commodity, our children, have been left in the hands of selfless educators willing to serve as human shields and a brave boy who knows karate and volunteers to “lead the way out.”

It shouldn’t be that way.

The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting is yet another wake-up call that our school children deserve something more and something soon.

Friday, National Rifle Association (NRA) Vice President Wayne LaPierre said it’s time for parents and this country to get involved in a plan of absolute protection. He said, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.”

The NRA is recommending armed security at every school in America as soon as kids return from holiday break. LaPierre announced NRA funding of the National School Shield Program, which will focus on providing the highest level of security to protect our children.

Long time gun control advocate and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg blasted the NRA for what he calls offering a “paranoid, dystopian vision of a more dangerous and violent America where everyone is armed and no place is safe.”

Let it be noted, the mayor who has passed a ban on super-sized soft drinks to protect his citizens from too much sugar, will not support an obvious, immediate step to protect his school children from a mass murderer. The truth is, most mass shootings in the US have taken place where citizens are not allowed to carry their own firearms. In essence, the victims are sitting ducks and the armed gunmen know it.

Former Congressman Asa Hutchinson will lead the NRA effort. The former Director of the Drug Enforcement Agency tells me the NRA is making a serious commitment to school safety and in his view “this is too important an issue to trust the federal government to do.”

Gun control advocates say more guns are not the answer. New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg says, “The NRA leadership is wildly out of touch with its own members, responsible gun owners, and the American public who want to close dangerous loopholes and enact common-sense gun safety reform.”

The fact is, Sen. Lautenberg is out of touch.

A recent Gallup poll finds more than half (53%) of Americans view increased police presence at schools as a very effective way to prevent mass shootings at schools. Those polled also suggest increased spending on mental health screening and treatment, decreased violence in movies and video games, followed by a ban on assault and semi-automatic guns.

I was a reporter during the Jonesboro, Arkansas school shootings in March of 1998 in which four students and a teacher were gunned down by two young boys. The killers pulled a fire alarm at Westside Middle School and ran out into nearby woods. As teachers and students sought safety outside, they were easy targets in the crosshairs of the killers. I remember the crime scene tape in the schoolyard, shell -shocked first responders, and grief-stricken parents and students. Like Newtown, Jonesboro is a small town where this kind of violence didn’t happen, until that day.

We asked the same questions fourteen years ago. Is it the guns? Is it mental illness? Is it violent movies? What can we do to make sure this never happens again?

Over the years, we have learned mass shootings are a sad cocktail of many poisons.

We need to pay closer attention to identifying and treating those with mental illness.

We need to stop the availability of graphic violence in movies and video games. Liberals in Hollywood need to accept their share of the responsibility.

When we have a mass murderer, dressed up like the Joker, gun down innocent moviegoers in Aurora, Colorado; it’s difficult to dispute the influence of the entertainment industry on the mindset of a killer.

Yet, Director Quinton Tarantino says he’s tired of the criticism of violence in his films. He says, “I just think you know there’s violence in the world, tragedies happen, blame the playmakers…. Give me a break.”

Give us a break. LaPierre calls out this senseless violence that Hollywood hails as “entertainment.” He asks, “Is that what it really is? Isn’t fantasizing about killing people as a way to get your kicks really the filthiest form of pornography?”

We are in a day and age where everyone is fighting for their rights.

Mental health advocates fight against involuntary commitment under the liberty clause of the Fifth Amendment.

The “playmakers” fight for their artistic expression of free speech under the First Amendment.
Gun owners fight for the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.

Along with these precious American rights, come responsibilities. Our number one responsibility is protection of our children. Let’s get that right, right now.

The war on Christmas continues, Charlie Brown

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:00:11 -0500

Unlike the Norman Rockwell-esque family looking to trim the perfect tree, atheists are combing every schoolhouse, statehouse, and house of worship to destroy the spirit of Christmas. The latest battle in the war on Christmas took place in the heart of the Bible Belt, a place where religion rules except when it doesn’t, in my town of Little Rock, Arkansas. The target – Charlie Brown. It appears the loveable loser lost, or did he?

It’s interesting to note Charlie Brown’s creator, Charles Schulz, is no stranger to standing firm on faith. In December of 1965, when the Peanuts gang went from comic strip to the half-hour TV special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” network executives were opposed to the program including Linus’ reading of the story of the Nativity. Schulz fought to keep it in, saying “If we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?”

Fast-forward to today -- Terry Elementary School in Little Rock had planned a student field trip to a local church for a special matinee presentation of “Merry Christmas Charlie Brown.” Parents were sent a note indicating the “production does expose your child to Christianity.” Attendance was optional.

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Hundreds of students looked forward to the seeing the holiday classic. However, the atheist parent of ONE child called the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers who argued this was a violation of the separation of church and state. Initially, church and school officials stood firm, yet after concerns of putting “hard working, sacrificial teachers and cast members in harm's way” the matinee performance was cancelled.

The church has been flooded with calls from across the country, Christians expressing interest in the upcoming performances. Leaders say this has bonded the cast, crew, and congregation like never before.

Same hymn, different verse in Santa Monica, California. For the past 60 years, local churches have set up a nativity display in city-owned Palisades Park. A vocal minority of atheists flooded the city with applications for space permits and managed to acquire 18 of the 21 spots. After much debate and legal action on the rights of freedom of speech and religion, city officials pulled the plug on the event.

Santa Monica Christians kept the faith; the nativity scenes have been re-born on nearby private property.

According to the latest Pew forum on religion and public life, 78.4% of Americans identify themselves as Christians; just 1.6% are self-identified atheists. The vocal minority of non-believers is fully engaged in an effort to get their views in the public square.

In his book, “Culture Warrior,” Bill O’Reilly refers to those who are hostile to Christianity and traditional American values as “secular progressives.” Going on to say they are “the committed forces of the secular-progressive movement that want to change America dramatically; mold it in the image of Western Europe.”

The Atheist Empire doesn’t shy away from it, claiming, “Atheism is part of the Communist and Socialist doctrines…There is a strong belief in the values of freedom brought by a secular government.”

The problem here is that America is a predominantly Christian nation founded on biblical principals. In fact, 27 of our 56 founding fathers had Christian seminary degrees.

Biblical scholar David Barton shoots down the atheist argument in his book “The Myth of Separation.” He notes “the words separation of church and state don't appear in any official government documents authored by the founding fathers.” Adding, “this concept and these particular words were invented by an ACLU attorney named Leo Pfeffer in 1947.”

Atheists can go anywhere and look into thin air as a reminder of their beliefs. In the spirit of the season, I respect that. In return, leave our Christmas traditions alone.

Christians should continue to light up the night, if we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?

Obama picks 'The View' over foreign policy

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:30:26 -0400

As world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Obama and the first lady gathered with the women of the daytime talk show,“The View,” sadly choosing show business over the business of foreign relations. Leadership is about priorities, what does this say about the priorities of our president?

The White House says the scheduled appearance on the couch of “The View” didn’t allow him to meet with world leaders. On the heels of the worst terrorist attack since 9/11, the question in the White House scheduling office shouldn’t have been whether the president has time to meet with world leaders, the question should have been “does he have time for ‘The View?’”

While President Obama will address the UN Assembly Tuesday, but has turned the face-to-face meetings over to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The leader of the free world chose to sit on the couch with Barbara, Whoopi, and Joy when he should be engaged in bilateral talks with the likes of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Libyan President Mohamed Magariaf and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

The Obama campaign insists the president is not shunning the visiting dignitaries. Senior Campaign Adviser Robert Gibbs told Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace "they have telephones in the White House ... we don't need a meeting in Washington just to confer with leaders.”

That’s not true, there’s no substitute for face-to-face meetings. Foreign relations is about relationships; you build on them in person. A true leader doesn’t find time in the schedule for such critical talks, a true leader makes time for it. When you have diplomats and heads of state from 193 nations gathered in this country, you move things around, you work them in. I’m sure the crew of “The View” would be willing to reschedule.

I understand the value of campaigns using non-traditional media, like “The View,” which is often the sole source of political news and information for many voters. Unfortunately for voters, information about the current $16 trillion debt number escaped the president’s memory on his most recent Letterman appearance. Every campaign has sought refuge in a safe, soft-ball interview; but President Obama continues to do so at his own peril.

Despite his packed schedule, he has given exclusive access to non-political publications like ESPN, Glamour, and radio host “Pimp with a Limp.” These interviews often include the “gentleman’s agreement” to avoid talk of politics.

With “The View” interview, clearly, the Obama campaign is looking at the fact they can reach millions of people, six weeks out from the election. The problem is, two weeks after the terror attacks that killed our Libyan Ambassador and three others, our president needs to be in private meetings with foreign leaders. Leading from the front starts with getting in front of people to discuss important issues.

What are the priorities of a president who has missed half of his daily intel briefing, declines a meeting with Netanyahu, yet has time for Beyonce, Jay Z, and Sarah Jessica Parker? This is the tail wagging the dog, our president refuses to see what is truly important, choosing instead what is not.

Every campaign strives to avoid bad optics; an event or photo that would create a negative view on public perception. The irony is not lost in that “The View” itself here is bad optics. Not just for the campaign, but our country.

Alice Stewart is a Republican Strategist, former Press Secretary for the presidential campaigns of Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, and Mike Huckabee. She is Spokeswoman for Concerned Women for America.

President Obama, where are the tears for those you lead?

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 14:08:35 -0500

The leader of the free world let his emotions flow this week, crying as he thanked staffers the day after his re-election. The tears of joy were humanizing, but it begs the question: where are the tears of heartache for those who are suffering?

Where are the tears for the 23 million Americans out of work who worry about putting food on the table, the Hurricane Sandy victims who are still without power or without a home, and where were the tears as the four flag-draped coffins returned from Benghazi?

Our leader is able to witness the country’s worst heartbreak without a tear, yet when he experiences personal victory, he weeps.

We have people crying out for jobs and a better life. The president’s answer is to redistribute the wealth and provide the poor a subsistence-level income.

We have storm victims wading through sewage on the East Coast to find the smallest possession, and our president dons his Barack O’Bomber jacket for a photo op and jets off to the campaign trail.

We have a terror attack on 9-11 in Benghazi, and our leader hops on a plane to Vegas to fill his campaign coffers.

President Obama appears stoic through America’s worst pain, yet can’t keep his composure when his own job is saved. That’s enough to make a grown man cry.

Don’t get me wrong, in this day and age of “politics ain’t beanbag,” I find it refreshing to see our elected officials show their softer side.

President George W. Bush cried during a Congressional Medal of Honor ceremony honoring Navy SEAL Petty Officer Michael Monsoor.

Now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cried during a 2008 presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Secretary Clinton choked up while commenting that she didn’t want to see the country fall backwards.

And Speaker of the House John Boehner is known for crying at the drop of a hat. Yet the Speaker generally tears up when talking about the American dream.

These leaders mourn for others and the future of our country, not President Obama.

We have 23 million Americans looking for work, four deaths in a terror attack at the U.S. Consulate in Libya, and a death toll of more than one hundred as a result of Hurricane Sandy; all this and not a visible tear from our president. Yet, the Commander in Chief keeps his own job and he’s a wailing wall.

While our president gets misty-eyed over his personal milestone, I can assure you there is a trail of tears across this country. Along the campaign trail from South Carolina to California, I saw tears from selfless Americans who want our country to succeed.

There is the grandmother in North Dakota who choked up as she voiced concerns about the Obama administration’s growing debt and the burden it will place on her children.

I saw the tear-filled face of an influential conservative woman in Iowa concerned about how President Obama’s mandates will infringe on our religious liberties.

And there was the mega-church pastor in Florida, urging his congregation to vote their conservative values. You couldn’t find a dry eye in the place. The pastor illustrated his point with the story of NFL Coach Tony Dungy who ministered to a troubled teen while dealing with the loss of his own son.

Dungy talks about that “service above self” concept in his book Mentor Leader. He writes: “It’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s about others.”

Mr. President – once you dry your eyes after celebrating your good fortune, open your eyes and take a serious look at the needs of those you lead. Because it’s not about you, it’s about others.

Coffman vs. Romanoff in Colorado: 2014's House race to watch

Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:34:11 -0400

There’s political irony in the fact that some of the biggest money and biggest competition in the midterm Congressional races can be found in Littleton, Colorado; a town known as “anything but little.” This is part of Colorado’s 6th Congressional District, where incumbent Republican Congressman Michael Coffman is in the race of his life against Democrat challenger Andrew Romanoff.

The 6th district has historically been a Republican safe seat since 1983; however, redistricting changed the electorate and changed the race to a “toss-up.” This once hallowed GOP ground is now favorable political terrain for Democrats. Liberals want it; Conservatives don’t want to let it go.

It’s a pricy battle: political insiders predict an estimated $20 million will be spent by the campaigns and outside interest groups to win.

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Coffman is the former Colorado Secretary of State, seeking a fourth term in the U.S. House. He touts his commitment to veterans’ issues during his time in Washington.

Romanoff served in the Colorado House of Representatives and was elected Speaker. After an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2012, he set his eyes on the U.S. House.

Coffman’s campaign manager Tyler Sandberg refers to Romanoff as an out-of-touch outsider who just recently moved to Aurora.

“After a few hours in the district, he was arrogant enough to think he could represent it,” Sandberg said.

This boomerang-shaped district outlines Denver’s eastern border, it includes a high urban and Hispanic population. The racial breakdown is a virtual mirror image to that of the U.S.: Whites 62%, Latino 20%, Black 10% and Asian 5%.

Given the high Hispanic population, the candidates are focusing on immigration reform. Coffman favors a pathway to legal status for immigrants in the country illegally, as well as citizenship for their children. Romanoff supports comprehensive immigration reform.

Romanoff spokeswoman Denise Baron says Coffman has voted against immigration reform in the past and “no amount of special interest money can erase his record.”

While President Obama has announced delaying any executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections, the issue will dominate the 6th district race. Both campaigns, as well and the national parties, have committed tremendous resources to Hispanic outreach and conveying their immigration message via Hispanic media outlets. Coffman is even learning Spanish for an upcoming Univision debate to be conducted in Spanish.

As for President Obama, while he won the 6th district in 2012, his approval ratings have dropped significantly and Colorado Democrats are distancing themselves from the Commander in Chief. The president recently attended a fundraising event in Colorado and Democrats U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, Gov. John Hickenlooper and Andrew Romanoff did not attend.

GOP leaders were quick to point out that while Romanoff, a Clinton ally, can avoid a photo with the president, he can’t distance himself from the president’s signature achievement, Obamacare. Romanoff supports the Affordable Care Act; Coffman opposes ObamaCare.

This is the House race to watch in November. Judging by the cost and competition here, the Coffman-Romanoff race is ‘anything but little.’