Women of the GOP In the News: Governors Race Edition

As election time draws closer, several Republican women are making headlines, all across the country. Here is a look at some who are running for governor and have been in the news this week:

- In January, we wondered if New Mexico would see a female governor. Tuesday, that prediction became a reality when prosecutor and Dona Ana County district attorney Susana Martinez won the Republican nomination for governor. Martinez, whose entry into the race was called a "game-changer" by the media, will face Democrat Diane Denish. There are a lot of "firsts" in this race. Either woman has the chance at becoming the first female governor in the state, while Martinez is also the first Hispanic woman of either party to be nominated for governor of any of the fifty states. Also, this is only the third time in United States history that two women will go head-to-head in a gubernatorial general election.

- Former Georgia Secretary of State and current gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel might have been pretty shocked when pro-life group Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) failed to endorse her this week, considering she has definitely established herself as a pro-life candidate. Handel, who has spoken publicly about her inability to have children of her own, disagrees with the group's desire to prohibit invitro fertilization and fertility treatments. She has also stated that, like many pro-lifer's, she believes abortion should be allowed in the case of rape or incest. Unfortunately, GRTL president Dan Becker chose to twist Handel's words, by saying, "...she does not believe that an embryonic human is a child,” something Handel immediately denied. Becker also used very insensitive language to describe women who are incapable of conceiving, which probably didn't help his case with several female voters in the Peach State.

- South Carolina's sweetheart, Nikki Haley, also found herself fighting false allegations this week, when blogger Will Folks decided to announce he'd had an affair with the gubernatorial candidate. Haley, with her husband by her side, immediately said the allegations were "totally false." Another Women of the GOP fave, Sarah Palin, stood up for Haley by saying, "for traditional media to rely on an accusation via some blog entry is almost laughable, but I know the seriousness of it because that's exactly what my family and colleagues have had to put up with, every single day, for the past couple of years." Former Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney also voices his support for Haley, who is hoping to replace South Carolina governor Mark Sanford.

---

Considering a projector rental or a plasma rental for your your next convention or event? Then Call a Tech Travel Agent today at 800-736-8772.

Katherine Jenerette: A Gulf War Veteran for Congress

"The Sarah Palin of the South." That's what a liberal blog called Congressional candidate Katherine Jenerette, recently. Of course, it was meant to be an insult but conservatives in South Carolina's 1st district will more than likely see it as a compliment.

Jenerette is not your average politician. The United States Army veteran, former NCAA track and field star, Republican activist, and mother of four has done more at 39 than most people have in a lifetime and now she's ready to take on Washington D.C.. A Carolina political website describes her as having "Reagan principles" and she doesn't shy away from her conservative beliefs, no matter whose feelings might get hurt. She has been a vocal opponent to both Democrats and the Republicans who are currently residing in Congress. Last year, she told the Georgetown Times,

“The Democrats have a home team advantage now and Republicans need a congressman who can go toe-to-toe with them. We've had a Republican Congress for six years, and we can have more of the same or we can have someone in there that will make a difference. I am not afraid to say what needs to be said and push legislation for family and values, fiscal responsibility, national security and subjects like immigration and border control. Republicans have let liberals run their agenda. Republican values and principals on issues of life, health care, Social Security and marriage issues have been put on the side burner. The Republican members of Congress need to do a better job of getting out our messages and sticking to them.”

She believes the economy is the biggest issue facing our nation today and like any true Conservative, she knows the only way to fix it is through tax cuts. And as veteran who has served in the Middle East, she has strong feelings on the War on Terror. Jenerette believes the only way to stop terrorism on our soil is to stop it overseas first. In other words, "take the fight to their backyard." She is disgusted with politicians who are putting their own personal agenda above Americans safety and security and feels they should be held accountable. And while she takes a tough stance on illegal immigration, she has even stronger feelings about traditional families,

“Traditional families and faith are at the core and the foundation of our nation. Many of the issues from social security, health care, education options, pro-life and marriage issues are of critical importance to the future of this nation. We cannot ignore the fact that with the Baby Boom Generation moving into retirement many of us face the prospect of being ‘sandwiched’ between our teenagers and the needs of our parents. Whether we are talking about retirees and the cost of prescription drugs or sensible, non-bureaucratic approaches to education for our children, these monumental challenges for our government and society cannot be ignored for long."

So are you wondering what qualifies Jenerette for the job? Let's take a look at her background. She's a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Persian Gulf War Operation Desert Storm, and she currently serves as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Upon returning home from the Gulf War, she attended the University of South Carolina, Coastal Carolina Campus on a Cross Country and Track scholarship. She graduated with a degree in history and went on to receive her Master's degree from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. She is currently an Adjunct Professor of History at with Southeastern Community College.

Jenerette has been politically active for almost two decades, beginning with her work with the Horry County Republican Women's Club. She served as the Horry County Delegate to the South Carolina Republican State Convention in 1992 and hasn't looked back since. She worked as a campaign volunteer for various governors, including Arthur Ravenel, Jr. and Mark Sanford, Senator Elizabeth Dole, and President George W. Bush. She also served as a Field Representative for Congressman Henry E. Brown, Jr.. In 2004, she ran for State Senate District 28 and lost by less than 2,000 votes, nearly defeating Democratic Senator Dick Elliot who has been in office since 1962.

Katherine Jenerette currently lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with her husband Van Jenerette, and their four children, a son, Christian David, and three daughters, Benjamin Elizabeth, Drake Katherine, and Wilson Gabrielle. She is a member of the First Baptist Church in North Myrtle Beach and an associate member of the Huguenot Protestant Church of Charleston.

---

Considering a projector rental or a plasma rental for your your next convention or event? Then Call a Tech Travel Agent today at 800-736-8772.

Christina Jeffrey: A Conservative For South Carolina

With so much going wrong in Washington, DC these days, it seems as though Conservatives, Republicans, and Independents are already getting set to bring true change to government in 2010. One such person is Christina Jeffrey. Jeffrey is running for Congress in South Carolina's Fourth Congressional District on a platform of social and fiscal conservatism. According to her website, she is running because she is tired of "tyranny,"

"Like you, I hate tyranny in all its ugly forms. The founding fathers made sure that our system would enable us to resist tyrants. But for their system to work, each branch of government has to be checked by the other branches. That’s not happening, and it is also why we see the people rising up to protest an overactive Presidency and a flaccid Congress."

So who is Christina Jeffrey? According to her website, she is a college professor with a PhD in political science and a person who has "built her life upon Conservative Principles." She has worked in Germany and Turkey, experience that enhanced her knowledge of international problems our country is facing. She has worked as a tenured Associated Professor of Political Science at both Kennesaw State and the University of Georgia. She has also served as the Congressional Historian for the 104th United State Congress. Jeffrey is currently a professor at Wofford College, where she teaches Foundations of American Government.

Jeffrey claims her knowledge of international trade, public policy and economic issues are just what her district needs and says she understands the many challenges facing our country today. Of Congressman Bob Inglis, who currently serves South Carolina's Fourth District, she has said,

“We do not have real representation in Washington, he is symbolic of the path many Republicans have taken over the past few years as he has continued to compromise our conservative values. He is sadly out of touch with his constituents. What the SC 4th district needs is someone who adhere to the republican principles. Times have changed, but the principles that brought the Republican Party to power in 1980 are the principles held by the majority of the 4th congressional district. What we need is new leadership that will adhere to the republican principles.”

On her website, you can also find "Christina's Big Five," a set of five important topics that Jeffrey is basing her campaign on; they are: 1) Constitution, 2) Money, 3) Country, 4) Rights and 5) Values. Under "Our Constitution," she states that she believes The Constitution of the United States serves as the foundation of our laws and is not subject to judicial reinterpretation. Under "Our Money," Jeffrey talks about the decline of the United States dollar and what can be done to fix it such as limited federal spending.

For number three, "Our Country" Jeffrey mentions national security and takes a very pro-military stance on the issues. She also mentions that she is anti-illegal immigrant, but also pro-legal immigrant. She feels the country must maintain our sovereignty and strong national security to remain the "most free, most prosperous nation on earth." "Our Rights" is about fighting the nanny state. Jeffrey is a pro-gun candidate who supports the Second Amendment, and a strong proponent of free speech, property rights, and individual liberties.

Finally, Jeffrey believes our American values are those based on the Judeo-Christian ideals of the Founding Fathers. She believes "religious expressions of individuals should be accommodated in the public sphere." She also believe in protecting the innocent, making her a pro-life candidate. She is also in favor of traditional marriage and believes Affirmative Action is unconstitutional.

Christina Jeffrey is one of five Republican candidates who will be on the ballot for the primary held on June 10, 2010.

Nikki Haley for Governor of South Carolina

South Carolina State Representative Nikki Haley is running for Governor of her state and she's campaigning on one simple message: "conservatism."

Current South Carolina Governor, Mark Sanford, calls Haley a "terrific and inspiring choice." She is often characterized as "one of the strongest fiscal conservatives in state government" and a true "Reagan Republican." That's because Haley is not afraid to fight for lower taxes and less government and stand up for true conservative values. She works tirelessly to eliminate wasteful spending and bring transparency and common sense to government on behalf of her constituents. On wasteful spending, Haley has said,

“Our state currently wastes too much of our hard earned money. As a fiscal conservative, I oppose wasteful spending. I know the value of a dollar, and when you send us more than enough money to meet critical needs like education, health care and law enforcement, we owe it to you to return what’s left over. State government must do a better job of living within its means. That’s why I support strict spending limits that will keep government from growing faster than your ability to pay for it.”

In both 2005 and 2009, she was named "Friend of the Taxpayer" by the South Carolina Association of Taxpayers and Governor Sanford named her a "Taxpayer Hero" in 2005. She has also won the Palmetto Leadership award from the South Carolina Policy Council and the Strom Thurmond Excellent in Public Service and Government award from the South Carolina Federation of Republican Women. Currently fulfilling her second term, Haley has served as a State Representative since 2004 and was the first Republican Indian American to win a seat in any state house. Since elected, she has served as the Chairman of the Freshman Caucus and Majority Whip.

Nikki Haley was born in Bamberg, South Carolina and currently resides in Lexington, South Carolina with her husband Michael and their children, Rena and Nalin. She graduated from Clemson university with a degree in accounting and currently serves on the board of directors for Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church Medmission. Haley is a member of the Lexington County Chamber of Commerce, Lexington Rotary Club, National Association of Women Business Owners, West Metro Republican Women, Lexington County Republican Party and the NRA.

You can learn more about Nikki Haley at her website: Nikki Haley for South Carolina Governor