Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Rush Clark, born October 1st 1834. He settled in Iowa after studying law and was elected to the state house. During the Civil War, a Republican governor commissioned him lieutenant colonel, tasked with recruiting volunteers and organizing them into regiments. Clark rose to be speaker. In 1876, he won election to Congress. During his second term, he fell ill on the House floor, dying later that day of meningitis. "a man of high sense of honor, irreproachable integrity, sterling patriotism" "ever thoughtful of the happiness and well-being of others " 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 Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpartisan.com .  He...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Leonard Hall, born on Long Island, October 2nd 1900. His father had been Theodore Roosevelt's coachman before serving as White House librarian. Age twenty-six, the ambitious attorney became a state representative. This was followed by two years as county sheriff. In 1938, he won first of seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. After election of Dwight Eisenhower, the RNC named Hall its Chairman. His tenure oversaw a flourishing of the party. After losing the gubernatorial nomination to Nelson Rockefeller, he was named envoy to the Brussels World’s Fair. said the President: "Leonard Hall has been a great Chairman. Under his guidance and direction, the Republican Party organization has been revitalized and reorganized. Today, largely through his efforts, the party is attracting many thousands of new ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Patricia Diaz Dennis, born in New Mexico, October 2nd 1946. She studied at UCLA and Loyola Law School. Her career began at a law firm, followed by a utility and the American Broadcasting Company. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan appointed Dennis to the National Labor Relations Board. Three years later, he named her to the Federal Communications Commission. She was Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs during the George H. Bush administration. In 2005, Girls Scouts of the USA named the former scout their chairperson. Dennis has been hailed as "a longstanding leader and groundbreaking role model." 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 Democrats will worry about the futu...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I commemorate a visit by Dwight Eisenhower to the site of the GOP’s first-ever state convention. October 1st 1952, the presidential nominee and his wife Mamie visited seven Michigan cities in a day. One of those campaign stops was at Jackson. Forty thousand people gathered to see the presidential nominee. The mayor presented him with a wooden elephant he had carved. Eisenhower viewed a commemorative boulder where friends of freedom had gathered so long ago. "I had heard of the Republican rock. I always believed it was a lonely rock. I pictured it in the middle of a river or a lake or something. Instead, look what I found!" Four music bands then accompanied Eisenhower in a parade to a nearby park, where he gave a speech, mostly about foreign policy. Back to Basics for ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Richard Cavazos, born near Corpus Christi in 1929. The resolute Mexican-American studied geology at Texas Tech University while with its ROTC program. He was awarded a Silver Star and a Distinguished Service Cross for valor during the Korean War, as well as a Distinguished Service Cross during the Vietnam War. October 1st 1973, President Richard Nixon promoted Cavazos to brigadier general, making him the first Hispanic at that rank. He became the first Hispanic at another rank when President Ronald Reagan conferred his fourth star. 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 Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpartisan.com .  Here is a YouTube Video about this article. Here i...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I highlight Republican respect for all Americans. September 30th 1889, a territorial convention approved a statehood constitution for Wyoming. Among its provisions was guaranteeing women the right to vote. Of the forty-nine delegates, thirty-one were Republicans. Presiding was Melville Brown, a former Abraham Lincoln appointee later named to the federal bench by William McKinley. Within months, voters approved the constitution. July 1890, the GOP-controlled 51st Congress passed a statehood bill and Republican President Benjamin Harrison signed it, admitting Wyoming to the Union. 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 Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute John Mickey, born near Des Moines, September 30th 1845. During the Civil War, he served with the 8th Iowa Cavalry. His regiment battled through Tennessee and Georgia. Peace restored, Mickey attended college then taught school. In 1868, he moved to Nebraska and became a successful rancher and banker. Political activity began as county treasurer, followed by state representative. At the 1902 state GOP convention, Mickey won the gubernatorial nomination, on the 13th ballot. He went on to victory, and then re-election. Later year focused on Nebraska Wesleyan University and the temperance movement. 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 Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpar...