Independent Conservative David Larsen for Congress in NJ-07

Vote Larsen for Congress in NJ-07

New Jersey conservatives living within the boundaries of the 7th Congressional District have a strong common sense Constitutional conservative to vote for on Tuesday June 5.  His name is David Larsen.

Larsen says on his website that "I am running for Congress for the same reason most Americans are now active in local, state, and national politics: Barack Obama, Democrats, and liberal Republicans like Leonard Lance are destroying this country and I will not stand by and let it happen."

Larsen's family moved to America from Norway after their liberation from Nazi Germany at the end of World War II.  He runs his own business here in New Jersey and is involved in several political action groups such as the Right to Life and Right Direction (a group dedicated to growing the conservative movement here in New Jersey.)

His opponent for the primary is Republican Congressman Leonard Lance.  Lance is um, well, not conservative.  Lance voted for Cap and Trade, for taxpayer funding to promote abortion overseas, against repealing Obama's offshore drilling moratorium, for EXPANDING Obamacare, for same-sex marriage, and voted to raise the debt ceiling.

His record reads like a storyline from the West Wing.

He fancies himself a "principled conservative" by which he means someone without any real core who will allow himself voluntarily to be steamrolled by the liberal establishment in order to get along and be given access to a cushy perch in the permanent political class in DC.

According to the Club for Growth's Congressional Ratings, Mr. Lance is typically around 50% conservative (with an equal dose of liberal) with the glaring exception of 2010 (coincidentally a massive tea party victory year) where he miraculously found himself with a 98% conservative ranking.  In other words, Mr. Lance has learned the GOP establishment game well"

"An election is coming!  Look conservative!"

After the election the "conservatism" so dear to the GOP RINOcracy when struggling for re-election is suddenly tossed aside in favor of "moderation" and "bipartisanship."

Mr. Larsen provides a bold contrast with Representative Lance's opportunistic conservatism.  He is proudly pro-life and staunchly in defense of our Constitution.  He believes in upholding the Second Amendment, repealing Obamacare, cutting spending and simplifying the tax code.  He calls for a return to Reagan foreign policy where America stands up for her allies and interests around the globe with "peace through strength."  He also says that no American sovereignty should ever be given over to any other global power (hello Agenda 21!)

And in a move that will please the rabble-rousing independent conservatives determined to bring about sudden and relentless reform, Mr. Larsen supports auditing the Fed.

He also calls for an end to punitive tax burdens on business, easing of federal regulations and an unleashing of the free markets to bring about an economic turnaround.  

To put it bluntly:  David Larsen gets it.  As Larsen points out on his website:

 For most of our short history as a nation, we have enjoyed the benefits of a limited federal government. The American people were free to pursue life, liberty, and happiness as they, themselves, defined it.  Our economy flourished and our society was considerate.  It can be that way again. American history shows that there is no greater force for economic expansion than the absence of government interference.

Common sense conservatives who are tired of the permanent political class' crass abuse of power have a champion in David Larsen.  Voters in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District should do everything they can to help him win in this election.  It is crucial to have strong principled independent conservatives representing us in Washington DC if we are going to take back this country from the radical leftists and special interests that have caused this fiscal calamity.  For more information on David Larsen and his campaign visit his website.

On Tuesday June 5 vote for David Larsen for Congress in NJ-07.

Tea Party Conservative Anna Little for Congress in NJ-06

Little for Congress in NJ-06

Tuesday June 5 is the primary election here in New Jersey.  Independent tea party conservatives who live in New Jersey's 6th Congressional district have the opportunity to vote for an excellent candidate in former Highlands Mayor & former Monmouth County Freeholder Anna Little.  Mayor Little is running for the GOP nomination to challenge crazed left-wing Democratic incumbent Frank Pallone.

Anna Little made news here in New Jersey during the big tea party mid-term gains in 2010 when she shocked the establishment by beating their candidate in the primary election.  She then went on to perform better against Frank Pallone than any Republican in generations.

Two years later Little has learned more of the ropes in dealing with the establishment and working within the GOP system to effect change.  She still finds herself in a tough primary election with a hand-picked establishment candidate doing everything within his power to destroy her.

On her website, Anna Little says, "Government does not 'create' jobs. Available jobs are a response to a need that arises from opportunity and desire for liberty, prosperity, and security. Government does not “produce” anything, it just takes, and what it takes, it takes from the people."

To fix our current fiscal situation Little proposes the fair tax plan although she says she is open to the flat tax.  She calls for simplification of the tax code, elimination of loopholes and an end to earmarks.  She also calls for something as elusive as Captain Ahab's white whale--a balanced federal budget.

On energy independence, Anna Little says of Obama's Cap and Trade plan: "Cap and Trade is essentially a power and money grab based on the false premise of 'man made global climate change'."  She calls for an all-of-the-above approach to energy independence to reduce our dependence on foreign supplies of oil.

Little supports a strong national security policy, supports the Second Amendment and is unapologetically pro-life.  She recently told SarahNet Radio's Kevin Scholla that she is "immutable" on that issue and that she feels folks running for office have an obligation to tell the voters exactly where they stand without apology.

She supports choice in education and supports the "Enumerated Powers Act" which would require all legislation making its way through Congress to cite specifically what portion of the Constitution justifies its existence.  This Act would help force a runaway federal government to return to Constitutional limitations on governmental power.

Anna Little has also been one of the most outspoken critics of Obamacare in New Jersey and would like to see it repealed to make room for market-based reform.

Finally on the issue of immigration, Anna Little speaks from experience.  Little has served as an Immigration attorney where she has helped folks legally come to this country.  She opposes amnesty, supports a border fence and tougher enforcement as well as steeper punishments for employers that hire illegals.

Anna Little would be a great addition to the Congress to help return the power to "We the people."  New Jersey conservatives are encouraged to visit Little's website for more information on her candidacy and just how they can help.  You can also hear her interview with SarahNET Radio here.

Conservative New Jersey residents living in the 6th district are urged to support Anna Little for Congress on Tuesday June 5.

Independent Conservative Terry McGowan for Congress in NJ-04

McGowan for Congress in NJ-04

Tuesday June 5 is the primary election in the state of New Jersey.  As a result, City on a Hill Political Observer is highlighting some solid independent conservative candidates that New Jersey conservatives should consider supporting.  Earlier posts urged support for Bader Qarmout for US Senate and Mike Assad for Congress in NJ-02.


We're now adding Terry McGowan to that list of bold conservative reformers.


Terry McGowan is a former Navy SEAL who is challenging incumbent GOP Representative Chris Smith.  To be clear, Mr. Smith is a good man and has an admirable record on pro-life and human rights issues.  This endorsement is not a repudiation of the man so much as it is a rejection of lifetime politicians and the growing leftist instincts found in once good people who become members of the permanent political class in DC.


Mr. Smith has done a lot of good things and by New Jersey standards he is still "conservative."  Our idea of conservative is anyone to the right of Karl Marx (often a rare find even in the GOP.)   The Club for Growth, however, gives Mr. Smith a 37% conservative ranking for 2011.  In fact, a quick look at his rankings since 2005 shows that the only year he was even more conservative than liberal was his anomaly ranking of 67% in 2010 (which coincidentally was a big tea party electoral victory year.)  His rankings for most other years remain in the 20s-30s. National Journal's ranking of the Congress for 2011 gave Mr. Smith a 46% conservative ranking.  


That means that Representative Smith voted with the conservative agenda approximately 3 out of every 10 times.  A very RINOlicious score indeed.  In fact, so desirous of appeasing the left is Mr. Smith that he voted IN FAVOR OF Obama's Cap and Trade debacle.  There's not a single conservative that would vote for such an egregious overstep of governmental power.


As Mr. Smith has been soaking in the permanent political class hot-tub by serving in Congress since 1980, it's time for a change.


Former Navy SEAL Terry McGowan said it was Chris Smith's inability or unwillingness to fight the big fights in congress that prompted him to run for the seat.  Smith's "go along to get along" mentality runs rampant through the members of the New Jersey GOP establishment.  McGowan, who has also served as a volunteer firefighter and cop, prefers action.


McGowan is campaigning on an unapologetic conservative platform of fiscal responsibility(he favors simplification of the tax code, spending cuts, and reducing tax burdens on corporations to bring jobs back to the US), a strong national security, energy independence and a repealing of Obamacare.  Mr. McGowan is also pro-life and supports the Second Amendment.  He believes that Mr. Smith epitomizes what is wrong with Washington and that new tough principled leadership is needed to tackle the problems that we face.


In New Jersey's 4th district conservative voters have an opportunity to fight for a bold conservative Navy SEAL or a comfortable politician of the permanent political class with a conservative rating of 37%.  The choice is clear.  On Tuesday support Terry McGowan for Congress in New Jersey's 4th District.


For more information on Mr. McGowan and how you can help, please visit his website.

Independent Conservative Mike Assad for Congress in NJ-02

Mike Assad for Congress in NJ-02

New Jersey conservatives who are tired of career politicians have a chance to replace permanent political class member and Washington insider Frank LoBiondo with an independent conservative in Mike Assad.

The choice is clear.  Frank LoBiondo was elected to congress as part of the Newt Gingrich Contract with America conservative sweep of the house in 1994.  He had lost his 1992 attempt to longtime Democratic Congressman William Hughes (no relation!)  At the time Mr. LoBiondo seemed much more conservative than his record has revealed him to be.  Additionally, Mr. LoBiondo campaigned that year on term limits.  He favored a limit of 6 terms in the House of Representatives.  He's currently running for his tenth term. 

Term limits apparently are only good for the other guy.  Once you become part of the establishment gravy train principles are tossed aside.

"Conservative" Frank LoBiondo is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership.  This lovely organization is a RINOfest gaggle of moderate and leftist Republicans seeking to abandon core conservative principles in order to curry favor with the media and the Democrats.  Everybody who's anybody in the RINOcracy is a part.  RINO party girls Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe are founding members.  It also partners with the leftist-lovefest It's My Party Too organization founded by former RINOlicious Governor Christie Whitman.  

Mr. LoBiondo may be a good man.  His record, however, demonstrates a growing leftist tendency in his approach the longer he remains in Washington.  Mr. LoBiondo was one of the "Elite 8" Republicans that voted FOR Obama's disastrous Cap and Trade gem.  

National Journal has consistently ranked Rep. LoBiondo as one of the most liberal Republicans in the House.  The Club for Growth recently ranked him as THE MOST LIBERAL Republican in the House.  

Affiliations with leftist GOP groups.  Consistent high liberal rankings from various organizations based on his voting record.  Affirmative vote on Cap and Trade.  Breaking of own campaign promise to run endlessly for the House and become a member of the permanent political class gravy train.

What more do you need to know?

Mike Assad by contrast is a up-and-coming young man who has served 2 terms on the Absecon Board of Education where he has earned a reputation for cost-cutting and fiscal responsibility.  Mr. Assad is not seeking the good will of the party establishment.  He's running to give voters in NJ-2 a choice.  He has called for a repeal of Obamacare, serious tax reform, spending cuts and a balanced budget.  He is in favor of energy independence and understands the inherent link between energy and both the economy and national security.  He supports the Second Amendment and is pro-life.  He also supports term limits and unlike Mr.LoBiondo is willingly stepping down from his current position for precisely that reason.  Mike has also been endorsed by the New Jersey Conservative Party in this primary race.  

Independent tea party conservatives in New Jersey's Second District will find a lot to like in Mr. Assad's platform.  It's time to retire Rep. LoBiondo.  He's been in the House for nearly 20 years.  It's time to restore the Second District's representation back to the common sense conservative people of the district and not the establishment elites that are driving this nation off the cliff of fiscal insanity.

On Tuesday support Mike Assad for Congress in New Jersey's Second District.

Bader Qarmout: Independent Conservative for Senate

Qarmout brings conservative voice to NJ Senate primary...

Bader Qarmout is not your typical politician.

He hasn't spent the last quarter century attending all the right cocktail parties, stroking all the right egos and towing the party line in lieu of having core convictions.

And that's a good thing.

The Republican party is very big on the "it's my turn now" insiders nominating process.  They feign trust in the American people but have the modern equivalent of the "smoke-filled rooms" to choose their nominees.  Nationally, this line of thinking has delivered such electoral clunkers as Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, and John McCain.

In New Jersey politics, the political landscape is littered with the failed establishment anointed who lost in landslides to the Democrats.  And for conservatives there is the still-anger-inducing establishment abandonment during conservative Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler after he beat the anointed nominee in the primary.  The establishment did everything they could to distance themselves from Schundler in the fall and he lost the general gubernatorial election of 2001 to Jim McGreevey.

Joe Kyrillos comes from this system.  Several hours of online research produce very little about his actual policy positions.  His campaign is deeply rooted in the establishment "next in line" coronation.   In fact, when both candidates appeared at the Ocean County Tea Party this week, insiders confessed to me that Mr. Kyrillos wasn't that terrible but that he simply oozed the "it's my turn now" mentality of the reigning establishment.

Mr. Qarmout doesn't care about that.  Quite simply he says he's running because "I want to give my children the country that my parents gave me."

Mr. Qarmout is a newcomer to politics.  He runs a family business here in New Jersey and also teaches at a local college.  He offers a fresh and INDEPENDENT voice for New Jersey conservatives to get behind in the June 5 primary.   That independence cannot be emphasized enough.  We need leaders who will stand on principle and not buckle for the party.

Among Mr. Qarmout's positions:

ENERGY

Supports increasing domestic and off-shore drilling, the Keystone Pipeline, oil shale production and nuclear energy.  An across-the-board approach to energy independence.  He specifically cites the threat of Iran in his policy position on energy demonstrating that he understands the inherent link between energy independence and national security.  Speaking of...

NATIONAL SECURITY

Cut waste in the department but don't cut pay and benefits for military.  Qarmout supports a strong and vigorous national defense, supports trusting the generals to run our wars, and the use of military tribunals for terrorists instead of civil courts. He cites the Constitution (specifically Article 1 Section 8) in emphasizing the importance of the federal government providing a strong defense for our nation.  Of particular interest is his position on Israel.  Mr. Qarmout was raised as a Christian in the nation of Jordan.  As an Arab-American, he understands the situation in the Middle East extremely well.  On the topic of Israel he says:

"If Israel wants peace and the Palestinians want the destruction of the Jewish state, then peace is impossible. Palestinians must truly want peace in order for peace to be within reach.  Both sides must love their children more than territories.  Moderates must view extremists as an obstacle and alienate them." 

LIFE

Mr. Qarmout is pro-life.  Mr. Kyrillos was pro-life until he became pro-choice.

HEALTHCARE

Mr. Qarmout is calling for the repeal of Obamacare and believes that the best way to accomplish real and meaningful healthcare reform that will actually reduce costs to families will be through free market competition.  He supports common sense market-based solutions over the one-size-fits-all government-knows-best top down approach of Obamacare.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Mr. Qarmout supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution and for actually balancing the budget.  He calls for reducing the corporate tax rate to 15% while allowing American investors to repatriate their oversees funds at 0% providing that they invest 5% in new hires and investment in business development here in America.  He also calls for simplification of the tax code (he supports a flat tax) and reduction in over-regulation to allow the free market to grow the economy out of the current fiscal malaise of the Obama administration.

OTHER ISSUES

Mr. Qarmout also has solidly conservative positions on entitlement reforms, school choice initiatives, defending the second amendment and an immigration policy that calls for increasing border security through a fence, smart technology and increased troops, opposes amnesty, and steep penalties on the hiring of illegal aliens.

New Jersey conservatives interested in common sense independent conservative leadership in Washington that will value principle over party, they are encouraged vote on June 5 for Bader Qarmout for U.S. Senate.  He represents our best chance to defeat radical leftist Senator Robert Menendez and bring a real conservative voice to Washington.

"Conservative" Christie Tacks On Sales Tax to NJ Amazon Purchases

"Conservative" New Jersey Governor Chris Christie continues to confound conservatives by taking a less-than-conservative approach to fiscal solutions.  When Christie took office after hapless liberal overlord Jon S. Corzine in early 2010, hopes were high that the tough-talking Christie (who has since become a YouTube sensation) would turn New Jersey's fiscal calamity around.

And to be clear:  Mr. Christie has been a much better steward of New Jersey's finances than the alleged money embezzler turned Obama financial donor bundler Jon Corzine.  He's just proven time and time again that his bark is much bigger than his bite.

Take for example that one of the gimmicks Mr. Christie has opted to use to close his budget deficit is to not fund state worker and teacher pensions.  Some on the right think that's just awesome because public workers are greedy pigs.  Well, that may be in some cases, but the state took an obligation to fund those pensions.  It still has that obligation.  Not funding it and directing that money elsewhere is a violation of the state's fiscal obligation.  It's a short-term gimmick that kicks the pension football down the road to the next governor.  It's irresponsible when Democrats do it to fund their lavish social spending and it's irresponsible with Republicans do it to pretend to be a fiscal conservative.

Mr. Christie has failed to make real and lasting cuts in the state budget.  He's failed to even cut a single tax since taking the reigns.  As he pointed out during his campaign against Mr. Corzine, New Jersey leads the nation in folks fleeing the state to get away from our oppressive tax burdens.  And yet Mr. Christie has done some good in this area but has failed to produce a single tax cut to incentivize business and economic development or relieve state residents from any number of oppressive tax burdens.  And the state still leads the nation in people fleeing the state's oppressive tax burden 2 1/12 years into Mr. Christie's term.

One such burden is the 7% sales tax.  Neighboring Delaware has a 0% sales tax.  That's right, zero.  In Delaware.

A conservative approach to growing the economy and enticing economic growth in New Jersey would be to roll back that oppressive rate.  Mr. Christie has not done so.  Instead, the "conservative" governor has reached a deal with internet retailer Amazon to start charging New Jersey state residents the 7% sales tax on their online purchases in order to make it "more competitive" with local retailers.

Yes, this plan will yield more revenues to the state.  That much is true.  But for someone claiming to be conservative, it is surprising to see the approach of increased government taxation on an already over-taxed populace as the road to economic growth.  It's also odd given the loud lip service he gives to being tough on cutting spending and reducing this tax burden on the people of New Jersey.  Nearly 3 years into his term, it is way past time for Mr. Christie to put our money where his loud mouth is.  It's nice to talk tough, but if New Jersey is really going to recover from the hapless fiscal insanity created by Jon Corzine, we are going to need to make real serious spending AND tax rate cuts now.

Instead the New Jersey residents are about to get socked with yet another tax thanks to Governor Christie's new scheme to "grow the economy."  Sure, Amazon is building distribution centers in New Jersey that will create jobs but enacting the sales tax will only increase the cost of living for those dwelling in this corruption-soaked state.

Mr. Christie may yell the right things on YouTube.  Time and time again, however, he's proven that his instincts are not conservative at all.  He remains an improvement on our previous governor but a far cry from the conservative rock star that adoring fans like Ann Coulter make him out to be.

New Jersey conservatives need to work very hard this year to elect common sense conservative folks who will stand against the status quo and nudge our governor to the right.

Attention NJ Conservatives: Joe Kyrillos is NOT One of Us

RINOs: Full of sound and fury signifying nothing...

The New Jersey RINOcracy has a long history of telling conservatives to sit in the back of the bus and shut their traps.  RINO after RINO has been paraded before us for statewide elections under the absurd premise that "conservatives" are unelectable and that only squishy rational moderate liberal GOP members of the permanent political class are electable in dark blue corruption-soaked New Jersey.  There should be no surprise that this year the GOP permanent political class elites are attempting to do the same thing.  They are pulling out all of the stops to demonize the character of a good man and political neophyte, Bader Qarmout, simply because he didn't get the memo that we are all supposed to fall down in adoration of the anointed RINO Kyrillos as he drives our US Senate hopes off the cliff of electoral failure once again.

This cycle is a maddening real life interpretation of the movie Groundhog Day where we go through the exact same motions cycle after cycle only to shockingly end up in the losers column every November.

Anyone believing in this deranged view of electoral success must also believe in unicorns given the history of New Jersey politics.  Tom Kean and Christie Whitman were 2 exceptions to this rule but their electoral successes were hardly due to their statist tendencies.  Kean had the good fortune of running during the Reagan years where people saw what embracing of the free market and reducing tax rates could really do for personal bottom lines.  Whitman lost to Bill Bradley in her run for senate.  She only managed a virtual tie victory over universally despised tax-raising liberal loon Jim Florio and barely won re-election over hapless rest-stop restroom enthusiast Jim McGreevey.  (Her razor-thin re-election destroyed her national standing and pretty much ended her national ambitions unless you consider being a crazed left-wing green advocate/EPA Administrator for George W. Bush as a career high point.)  

Even our current governor, the YouTube bully sensation Chris Christie, had the sense to run as a conservative in the gubernatorial election of 2009.  Christie's bluster and lack of a political career with which to vet his rhetoric hoodwinked enough grassroots conservatives into believing that there wasn't much difference between the feisty U.S. Attorney and his only major conservative challenger Steve Lonegan.  (If you are still under the delusion that Mr. Christie is a conservative, please take the time to read Andrew C. McCarthy's excellent piece on National Review Online or this previous blog entry.)

On the senate side, however, New Jersey hasn't elected a GOP senator since Clifford Case won re-election in 1972. Coincidentally, the NJ GOP hasn't run a conservative candidate since then.  In recent years, Democrat superstars Frank Lautenberg, Bill Bradley, Jon Corzine and Robert Menendez have represented the state in the US Senate.  Note that not a single one of them is to the right of Karl Marx.

During those 34 years of Democratic awesomeness, the Republicans have run:

1982:   "Moderate" RINO Millicent Fenwick (lost to Frank Lautenberg in a blowout) 

1984:   "Moderate" establishment darling Mary V. Mochary (lost in blowout to Bill Bradley--FYI: Ronald Reagan won the state in the general election that year by a decisive margin.)

1988:  "Moderate" Kean-endorsee Pete Dawkins (lost to Frank Lautenberg)

1990:  RINOlicious Christie Whitman (lost to Bill Bradley)

1994:  RINO establishment darling Chuck Haytaian (lost to Frank Lautenberg)

1996:  RINO establishment darling Dick Zimmer (lost to Bob Torricelli)

2000:  RINO darling Bob Franks (who famously trashed conservatives all throughout general election & lost to Jon Corzine)

2002:  "Moderate" RINO Doug Forrester (lost to Frank Lautenberg returning from the old folks home at the last minute             when it became clear that Mr. Torricelli, awash in scandals, was in danger of losing.  NJ courts changed the law             and allowed the last minute substitution to save Democratic one party rule.  Even despite the public outcry at this             spectacle the NJ voters still preferred a liberal dinosaur to a RINO squish.)

2006:  RINOcracy darling Tom Kean Jr. (son of former governor) (lost to Robert Menendez)

2008:  RINO repeat Dick Zimmer (lost to Frank Lautenberg)

Did you see a victory in there that I'm missing?  How do the above results of 3 decades of electoral data prove that RINOs are electable? 

Yet, in 2012, the GOP permanent political class is backing moderate Joe Kyrillos.  Mr. Kyrillos is the definition of the establishment.  He's been in the NJ State Senate since 1992.  (During a time of fiscal calamity, monetary malfeasance and record-setting numbers of families fleeing the state's oppressive tax burden.)

If you peruse Mr. Kyrillos' website, you will see his "issues" section is a glaringly sparse and pithy page of 167 words highlighting 3 political issues.  The "Kyrillos Plan" consists of "Balancing the Budget" "Repealing Obamacare" and "Meaningful Tax Reform."  All sound just dreamy.  The specifics are not quite worked out just yet, however.  Which is odd given that Mr. Kyrillos has been in elected office since 1988.  You would think that he's had time to formulate some kind of opinion about something in nearly a quarter century of residence among the permanent political class.  None of Mr. Kyrillos'  "positions" transcend beyond boilerplate conservative talking points.  He promises to replace Obamacare with "common-sense solutions" without giving a single example.  His meaningful tax reform is to"simplify, streamline, and lower" taxes without a specific detail of his plan.  

What you won't see on Mr. Kyrillos' website is just as telling.  There isn't a single mention of abortion.  This is because Mr. Kyrillos once tried to portray himself as pro-life, but now proudly boasts of being pro-choice.  He also has been weak on second amendment issues.  Mr. Kyrillos won't offer specifics because he intends to run the same RINOlicious campaign that other candidates have tried and failed with.  He will offer a timid defense of some conservative principles while demonizing other mainstream conservative positions in an attempt to assure people that he's not one of those Constitution-reading right-wing nut-jobs.  Mr. Kyrillos also is attempting through surrogates to demonize his primary opponent Mr. Qarmout on the issue of immigration.  And yet, YouTube videos of Mr. Kyrillos show him calling for a "responsible and sensitive" response to the immigration crisis that would include at least parts of the DREAM act.  What parts?  A true member of the RINOcracy, Mr. Kyrillos declines to say.

Profiles in political courage he is not.

He also astonishingly says NOTHING on his campaign site about foreign policy.  We live in a dangerous world with potential threats from radical nations like Iran, unchecked terrorist organizations around the globe, and the near-total financial collapse of Europe and Mr. Kyrillos says nothing on the matter.  

Nothing.

In fact, despite the fact that Mr. Kyrillos has been in office since the end of the Reagan administration, it's very hard to pin down any specific policy positions. 

A campaign of bold colors and real common sense Constitutional solutions is what is needed to win this election.  Mr. Kyrillos has given every indication that he intends to ride the permanent political class of the left-wing GOP machine to the nomination and certain defeat in November.  NJ conservatives should back candidates that intend to fight and win rather than the surrender monkeys of the GOP elite.

The GOP elite abandoned conservatives in 2001 when conservative darling Bret Schundler defeated the establishment to win the GOP nomination for governor.  The establishment offered tepid lip service support to Schundler in the fall, refusing to use the machine to voter turnout and advertising.  

Mr. Qarmout, by contrast, may be a political neophyte, but he has a much more specific 1,954 word policy-based agenda of common sense Constitutional reform across the board.  His website boasts a much more comprehensive issues section covering every major issue along with specific policy prescriptions for each.    Mr. Qarmout has shown a willingness to debate the issues in a candid way and does not appear to be seeking office to curry favor with party bosses or special interests.  He has challenged Mr. Kyrillos to public debates, but true to the RINO way, Mr. Kyrillos opts to hide among the elites on the cocktail circuit.  

One has to ask:  What is Mr. Kyrillos so afraid of?  Why is he afraid to take positions on top political issues on his website?  Why does he refuse to give the voters of NJ a fair chance to see their two choices in action?  Why does he have a seemingly frightening lack of opinion about any number of political issues?  

It's unclear as to whether Mr. Kyrillos will be unveiling his platform prior to the November election or hiding behind smoke and mirrors until the votes are cast.  This is, however, a very troubling display of political cowardice and rank opportunism.  Mr. Kyrillos may be a good man but he represents all that is wrong with the NJ Republican party.  And while Mr. Kyrillos would be a vast improvement over left-wing loon Senator Robert Menendez, he is not a solid conservative choice.  While NJ hasn't elected a Republican senator since 1972, we have many examples nationally of candidates just like Kyrillos who give faint lip service to some conservative ideas only to hop into the hot tub of the permanent political class and forget all their ideological worries once they arrive in Washington.  Career politicians more concerned with lining their own pockets than respecting the will of the people have had their day.  It's time for new ideas and new fighters in Washington.  It's time to start electing folks who value principles and Constitutional government over personal finances and power.  

The NJ conservative voters have a chance to nominate a real conservative in Mr. Qarmout on June 5.  Mr. Qarmout has run a campaign based on bold conservative ideas and he deserves attention.  Go to his website, check his Facebook page and watch some of the YouTube videos of his speeches.  Help spread the word that there is a choice in this primary.  Do your due diligence and find out just where the two candidates stand on issues that matter.

It's time to break the cycle of endless electoral RINO losses in November.  NJ voters deserve better than the lesser of two evils.  It's a time for choosing indeed.