Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I applaud James Weldon Johnson, born in Jacksonville, June 17th 1871. Graduating from Atlanta University, he taught school and rose to be principal. In 1900, Johnson wrote the poem Lift Every Voice and Sing to honor Republican activist Booker T. Washington when that civil rights leader visited his school. His brother set the words to music, resulting in what became known as the Negro National Anthem . Johnson's political activism began with denouncing Democrats for lynching African-Americans. The stalwart Republican campaigned for Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. Roosevelt appointed him consul to Venezuela and then Nicaragua. Johnson relocated to New York City and contributed his poetry and novels to the Harlem Renaissance movement. Ten years, he was executive secretary of the NAACP. Later in life, he taught at New York University and then Fisk University. Back to Basics for ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Hosea Townsend, born June 16th 1840. During the Civil War, he served as lieutenant with the 2nd Ohio Cavalry. His regiment battled through Kansas and Missouri and Arkansas. Peace restored, he studied law and served in the Tennessee legislature. Townsend relocated to Colorado for opportunities in the mining industry. In 1888, he won first of two congressional terms. Receiving his vote were the Antitrust Act, the Land-Grant Colleges Act and the Forest Reserve Act. He was delegate at the 1892 Republican National Convention. President William McKinley appointed Townsend a federal judge for Oklahoma Territory. President Theodore Roosevelt re-appointed him. His tenure ended with statehood in 1907. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Dem...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I commemorate a stellar moment in American history. June 17th 2015, Donald Trump and wife Melania took their famous ride down a golden escalator at Trump Tower. Arriving at the podium, he announced his campaign for the presidency: Politicians are all talk and no action. They will never be able to fix our country. They will never bring us to the Promised Land, and I cannot sit back and watch this incompetence any longer. Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for President of the United States. Our country needs and deserves a comeback…but, we are not going to get that comeback with politicians. Politicians are not the solution to our problems-- they are the problem. They are almost completely controlled by lobbyists, donors and the special interests—they do not have the best interests of our people at heart. We will never...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute George Shoup, born near Pittsburgh, June 15th 1836. Age twenty-three, the entrepreneur moved to Colorado. During the Civil War, he was scout, then officer with the territorial cavalry.  Peace restored, Shoup relocated to Idaho and became a successful merchant. His political career began as county commissioner and school superintendent. He first won election to the territorial legislature in 1874. He was delegate to the GOP’s 1880 national convention, followed by six years as Republican National Committeeman. President Chester Arthur named Shoup commissioner to the New Orleans World’s Fair. There, at his own expense, he promoted Idaho products. President Benjamin Harrison appointed him Territorial Governor. In 1890, statehood achieved, Shoup was elected Governor. Less than three month later, the legislature elected him Senator. ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Andrew Jackson Stevens, co-founder of the Iowa GOP. He studied law in New York under supervision of William Seward. The ambitious Whig relocated to Des Moines in 1847 and taught school. Prospering as railroad and banking entrepreneur, Stevens served on a committee that named the counties. He was elected state auditor in 1854. His anti-slavery Iowa Citizen newspaper gave way to the Commonwealth newspaper for young Republicans. February 1856, Stevens attended the GOP's nationwide organizational meeting and was named national committeeman. He signed the call for the 1856 Republican National Convention and attended it as delegate. That year, Stevens financed a scientific expedition to Ecuador — yes, Ecuador. After brief service in the Union army, he was appointed consul in Italy. Later years found him in Nebraska and California. H...