Ragnar Danneskjold endorses Sean Parnell

A co-blogger at one of my favorite blogs, The Jawa Report, has endorsed Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell in his primary fight against Rep. Don Young (links in the original):

Don Young is one of the worst congressmen in the U.S. House. His massive appetite for earmarks and pork projects, including the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere,” is legendary. He is one of only 13 Republicans to vote in favor of ending secret ballots in union elections. He has spent, to date, $1.2 million responding to ongoing federal corruption investigations related to his VECO and Coconut Road dealings.

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Luckily for conservatives (and Republicans), Don Young is being challenged in the primary by Sean Parnell, a young reformer who has been endorsed by National Review, the Club for Growth and Alaska Right-to-Life, among many others.

The choice here, between a pork-o-rama 35-year incumbent under federal investigation and a young conservative reformer, should be pretty easy for anyone who understands that the GOP has serious problems and needs to change its big spending ways and get back to true conservative principles.

This election cycle presents an opportunity for Alaska Republicans to rid themselves of one of their most corrupt politicians. I join Ragnar Danneskjold at the Jawa Report in hoping Alaskans choose ethical governance over incumbency on August 26.

You can donate to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell’s campaign here.

Alaska state legislators back Sean Parnell

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell has picked up four endorsements from the Alaskan interior, which includes Fairbanks, Alaska:

Republican Sens. Gene Therriault and Gary Wilken and Reps. John Coghill and Mike Kelly announced their support for Parnell in a press release put out by the Parnell campaign.

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“I want a fairly conservative Republican in there,” Coghill said.

“Don has such bad ratings in my area. I don’t think he’s been paying attention to the people of Alaska,” Coghill said.

Coghill said he agrees with Young on the major issues, such as allowing energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but disagrees with him on labor issues and other local challenges.

I’ll be the first to say that Rep. Don Young has many votes in his legislative history that would please conservatives.  But when he’s wrong, man is he ever wrong.  His ethical lapses and addiction to pork projects are one of the biggest reasons conservatives across the nation feel disenchanted with the GOP.  Hopefully Sean Parnell can bring honor back to Alaska’s At-Large House seat.

You can donate to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell’s campaign here.  Alaska’s House primary is August 26, 2008.

Jason Chaffetz has joined the blogosphere

His campaign blog is here. His most recent post covers his trip to Alaska, where he made sure to get a picture with one of my favorite GOP politicians.

Appearing with Gov. Palin helps strengthen Jason Chaffetz’ image as a reform candidate.  Make sure to head over to the link to read what Jason Chaffetz has been up to since defeating Rep. Chris Cannon in the GOP primary.

You can donate to Jason Chaffetz’ campaign here.

Sean Parnell in the Wall Street Journal

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell’s primary fight against Rep. Don Young gets a (positive) mention in John Fund’s article on corruption in Alaska politics.

You can donate to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell here.

A reminder that we need solid conservatives in the House

The House GOP has finally gotten their act together and have taken over the House floor in defiance of Nancy Pelosi.

This is the kind of fighting spirit that America wants in her elected officials right now. Help us elect more House members who are unafraid to defy Speaker Pelosi and stand up for the American people’s needs.

There are plenty of great candidates in the blogroll. Visit their sites and if you are able to volunteer or donate, please do so!

Alaska takes center stage

The New York Times has a great article up (I know, I’m shocked, too) on the new generation of ethical Republicans in Alaska.  It includes a mention of Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who is seeking to unseat Rep. Don Young in the August 26 GOP House primary.

You can donate to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell’s campaign here.

Sean Parnell’s Statement on Sen. Stevens’ Indictment

Here it is:

July 29, 2008
Anchorage, Alaska

Lieutenant Governor and candidate for Congress Sean Parnell issued a statement on today’s indictment of longtime U.S. Senator for Alaska Ted Stevens saying:
“Senator Stevens is a giant in our state’s history and this is a sad day for Alaska. On a personal level, our hearts go out to Senator Stevens and his family. My wife, Sandy, and I have known them for many years. Senator Stevens deserves the chance to defend himself fully against these charges. At the same time, the rule of law and the necessity of open and honest government must be our highest aspiration. Alaskans deserve the highest ethical standards from our elected officials.”

You can help Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell bring a new ethical standard to Alaska’s Congressional delegation by donating to his campaign to represent Alaska’s At-Large House District.

Two Tammy Bruce interviews

I know, it’s technically old, but it’s new to me.  On June 26, radio host and author Tammy Bruce interviewed two Down the Ticket-sponsored candidates: Jason Chaffetz of Utah’s 3rd District and Lt. Col. Allen West in Florida’s 22nd District.

Both are worth a listen.

You can donate to Jason Chaffetz’ campaign here.

You can donate to Lt. Col. Allen West’s campaign here.

Corruption in Alaska politics

By now you have all heard that Sen. Ted Stevens has been indicted with 7 felony charges. I’ve long thought of Alaska as the GOP’s version of Louisiana. Positions are largely held by Republicans who participate in nepotism and graft.

But, things seem to be changing. One of my favorite GOP politicians, Gov. Sarah Palin, was elected in 2006 on a platform of ethics reform. If Sen. Stevens is finally forced out of his Senate seat, that will be another good step in the right direction for the Alaska GOP, regardless of which party wins the seat in November.

We also have a great reform candidate challenging Rep. Don Young in the August 26 GOP primary. Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell is seeking to unseat the earmark-addicted Congressman, and this indictment of Sen. Stevens may just remind voters of Rep. Young’s legal woes:

Republican Rep. Don Young faces a major primary is his bid for another term in the House, and he has also been tied to Veco. To win the GOP nomination, he would first have to defeat Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who was urged to run by GOP Gov. Sarah Palin.

Senior GOP sources in the House said that the Stevens indictment is sure to have a broad impact on GOP prospects across the state’s political races but Young’s in particular. “I’m not sure it helps him at all,” said one top GOP aide. However, some of the thinking goes that in hurting Young, it could help Parnell and consequently might save the seat.

You can donate to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell’s campaign here.

Is Rep. Don Young’s campaign going belly-up?

Erick Erickson at RedState thinks the Alaska Congressman, who is being challenged in the GOP primary Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, is in trouble. This comes on the heels of Young falsely claiming an award from a pro-taxpayer organization and being declared a Tax Pledge violator by Grover Norquist.

You can donate to Lt. Gov. Parnell’s campaign here.

Utah Republicans Endorse Chaffetz

Earlier this week Jason Chaffetz, the GOP candidate to represent Utah’s 3rd District, received the endorsements of three prominent Utah Republicans:

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. endorsed Chaffetz on Wednesday, praising his “tenacity.” And Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, who backed Cannon during the primary, will host a Washington fundraiser for Chaffetz next week.

“At the end of the day, Republicans need to come together, and this takes us one step further in that direction,” Chaffetz said of the endorsements. “We’re all Republicans. We disagree on some issues, but we’ve got to beat the Democrats come November, so I very much appreciate their support. I need it.”

Chaffetz had previously served as the campaign manager and chief of staff to Gov. Huntsman. While Chaffetz accepted the endorsement of his former boss, he was quick to point out that they still disagreed on some major issues:

“Jon Huntsman, as much as I like you, you’re wrong on global warming. It’s a farce,” Chaffetz said, as Huntsman and his family stood just off-stage.

Chaffetz has also disagreed with Bennett and Hatch on congressional earmarks, immigration and, in Hatch’s case, with his vote for the No Child Left Behind education reform.

Jason Chaffetz’ ability to stand up for conservatism in opposition to the GOP establishment is one of the qualities that drew me to support his campaign.

To donate to Jason Chaffetz’ campaign, click here.