Webster refuses to support Garesby, Faller; backs Frenitch, Emaria

HARLYNE, Harvannah--Christian conservative activist Jill Webster says the right-wing political action committee (PAC) she founded will not support the Conservative candidates for Harvannah's governorship and senate seat.

Webster's PAC, called "Christians With a Conscience," will not endorse or monetarily back gubernatorial candidate George Garesby or federal senate candidate Robert Faller Jr. because of their "too progressive views" on social issues.

"Mr. Garesby and Mr. Faller do not support a real, true conservative agenda," Webster said at a Monday afternoon press conference in Harlyne. "CWC-PAC only endorses candidates it feels are genuine conservatives; people that will not sell-out to the liberal agenda-pushing media and feel-good culture, but people that are set in their values and stand firmly for the conservative causes they believe in."

Webster also declined to endorse Rep. Frank Kerenbury (C-Ducheffrey) and Hugh Brogan, the CNS candidate for Gilbourne, both of whom also failed to meet her conservative litmus test. Todd Kren, the CNS candidate for lieutenant governor, was also passed by for an endorsement.

But she did announce support for Rep. Steve Frenitch of Londigan, whom she praised as a "moral man." She also endorsed Hal Swenson, the Conservative candidate for the electorate of Ashford-North Shore, calling him a "conservative warrior."

Also receiving support from the CWC is attorney general candidate Julio Emaria, whom Webster hopes will be a rising conservative star in the state.

"We desperately need a strong, committed conservative leader in the attorney general's seat, and I see a lot of potential in Julio Emaria. He's a dedicated family man and really a great young man with a great head on his shoulders."

Jennifer Giorchani, the current Conservative secretary of state who is up for re-election this year, will not be endorsed by the CWC, but only because the CWC will not weigh in on the secretary of state race.

"While we feel there should be good Christian leaders in every position in the state, the secretary of state's position is really a non-partisan and non-ideological position, and we have to choose wisely where to invest our resources," Webster said.

Webster formed the CWC-PAC last year, and so far the ultra-conservative organization, which is not affiliated with or sanctioned by the Conservative party, has raised about $170,000.

Few Conservative candidates in Harvannah have sought the backing of the right-wing organization, as Harvannah tends to lean toward the liberal end of the political spectrum. Support from a non-mainstream organization such as Webster's would likely be more of a political liability than an asset.

Following the announcement, Frenitch's campaign tried to distance the assemblyman from the far-right PAC, telling the National Press Federation (NPF) that "the assemblyman appreciates support from anyone, but strives to be a representative for everyone."

Swenson enthusiastically welcomed Webster's endorsement, saying he will "partner with anyone to create a a conservative government" on the local, state and national level.

Emaria's campaign did not comment on the endorsement.

Webster has proved to be a headache for CNS party officials, particularly when she ran a write-in campaign in the last federal senate race, siphoning votes from CNS candidate Bourret Magiscanti, who ended up losing his re-election bid to NAT candidate Glenn Rosen. Webster made the long-shot bid in protest of Magiscanti's moderate positions on social issues.

Nevertheless, Webster is hoping to use her political organization to boost her influence as a king-maker in the Harvannah CNS party.

"This is just the beginning of a real, genuine, honest-to-goodness conservative revolution in this state."

Hoffa: George Garesby is Mark Andres' 'worst nightmare'

MATTINOW, Damoign--The head of the Conservative Governor's Association (CGA) says his party's nominee for governor of Harvannah is the NAT incumbent governor's 'worst nightmare.'

Speaking on the Daily Grind political cable show, Damoign Gov. Sid Hoffa, who leads the CGA, told host Jeff MacDonald that George Garesby, the mayor of Harrisport in northwestern Harvannah, is the strongest and most viable candidate the Conservative Party could nominate for the general election.

"I think this weekend [election] ended in the worst possible way for [incumbent Nationalist] Mark Andres," Hoffa told MacDonald. "George Garesby is the strongest person to take on Mark Andres. He is Andres' worst nightmare."

The affable mayor of Harrisport won Saturday's primary election, narrowly fending off state Attorney General and former gubernatorial candidate Julia Giorchani. Garesby also defeated businessman Tom Marelo and Rich Tuller, CEO of a regional telecommunications company.

During the primary election, the CGA remained neutral. But CNS insiders say top party officials were privately hoping the more moderate Garesby would win over the outspoken and more conservative Julia Giorchani.

Garesby was seen as the most viable of the four CNS candidates, and his clinching of the nomination delighted party leaders throughout the state.

"I am so happy my friend and colleague George Garesby has won the primary," former Conservative Sen. Andre "Bourret" Magiscanti told the Harlyne Sun newspaper Monday.

Another close friend of Garesby's, current Conservative Sen. Dick Ammons, told the Mavocke Capitol newspaper he "cannot think of a better person to serve as governor."

"George has all the qualities a good governor needs to have--knowledge, fortitude, humility, civility, sincerity, bravery, integrity. That's something we're really missing in our state's leadership right now," Ammons said.

For their part, the Nationalist Governor's Association (NATGA), headed by East Deschire Gov. Lynn DeMont, quickly jumped on Garesby, and has already released a web video portraying him as a zig-zagger.

"George Garesby has shifted from his moderate positions to more conservative ones when it comes to taxes and abortion," the ad claims. "He zig zags back and forth from moderate to the far-right."

Nationalists say the "shift" in Garesby's positions is based on his record of increasing some taxes while mayor of Harrisport. This shift to the right occurred, the NAT alleges, when Garesby pledged to not increase taxes unless he "absolutely" had to during the primary.

On abortion, the mayor has always been pro-choice, and has remained so during the primary campaign. However, Giorchani's criticism that Garesby was "just as liberal as Mark Andres" caused the mayor to denounce abortion and moderate his views.

He called for less abortions, saying "no one wants more abortions. The goal should be to reduce them, but we have to do it through less intrusive ways and the government needs to stay out of it."

After viewing the web ad on the Grind, CGA chair Sid Hoffa dismissed the "zig-zag" attack, telling Jeff MacDonald the attacks are baseless.

"This is just a distraction. It's a distortion and not even accurate. George Garesby has been steadfast in his views on the issues. But that's beside the point. The point is that, at the end of the day, the Nationalists are not going to win by making social controversies a wedge issue in this campaign. Mark Andres has to stand for re-election on his record, and that record is a record of extreme partisanship, a lack of achievement, alienation of the military in the state, an overwhelming budget deficit and increase in taxes, and burdensome environmental regulations that cripple economic growth in Harvannah."

Hoffa ended the interview by saying, "There is no good outcome for Mark Andres in the fall election. There just isn't." 

Augustino wins Ducheffrey NAT primary

HARLYNE, Harvannah--Ray Augustino, president of the Western Harvannah Metropolitan Council (WHMC), has won the NAT primary in the electorate of Ducheffrey in southwestern Harvannah.

Augustino was favored to win, and handily defeated Harlyne Mayor Kallain Carney and former MP Dawn Mattosh.

Augustino won with just over 43 per cent of the vote. Carney trailed with 34 per cent, and Mattosh came in a distant third with 22.6 per cent.

Augustino will go on to face Conservative incumbent Rep. Frank Kerenbury in the 2012 general election.

Elsewhere across the state, Henley Mayor Jill LaFraniere overwhelmingly won her NAT primary race against lawyer and civic activist Dennis Steinhaus in the newly-drawn seat of Ashford-North Shore. LaFraniere garnered 80.5 per cent of the vote, compared to 19.5 per cent for Steinhaus.

In the newly-added electorate of Gilbourne, which encompasses all of Saoca County, most of Herell County, and the western half of Bourneham County, incumbent Rep. Marin Holsh (NAT) won her primary, and Western Harvannah Metropolitan Council (WHMC) member Hugh Brogan of Clevey Springs won the Conservative primary.

And in the seat of Londigan, which includes southeastern Harvannah and Kilgore Island, Conservative incumbent Steve Frenitch faced no opposition in the CNS primary. Cobbleton businessman Don Pinter won the NAT primary with no opposition as well.

Garesby prevails in crowded CNS governor's race

HARRISPORT, Harvannah--The crowded race for the Conservative nomination for governor has come to a close end, with Harrisport Mayor George Garesby clinching victory narrowly.

A final count of ballots showed Garesby winning with 29.13% of the vote. Close behind him was state Attorney General Julia Giorchani with 27.55%. Trailing Giorchani were Goldchrist businessman Tom Marelo with 23.62% and H-Tel CEO Rich Tuller with 19.70%, respectively.

Vote totals showed Garesby leading with 51,290 votes to Giorchani's 48,520. Marelo pulled in 41,595 and Tuller trailed significantly with 34,691.

Garesby's victory marked the end to a long, grueling, and bitter campaign that sharply divided the state Conservative party.

At his victory party at the waterfront Port Club in downtown Harrisport, Garesby thanked his supporters for their determination, and thanked his rivals as well.

"I want to thank all of you for your hard work and support. It's been an excruciating past few months, and this could not have been done without you," he told his supporters. "I also want to thank those that voted for me. It's a privilege to have your vote and trust, and I hope your confidence in me will only grow throughout the rest of this campaign.

"But I'd also like thank my three opponents, who worked very hard and earned a credible amount of support by their own merit. This was a tough campaign, a very, very difficult one with a lot of intensity and emotions to go around, and I would like to thank them, and I think the whole state of Harvannah should thank them for the wonderful contributions each one of them has made to our state and to our party. They are all wonderful people, and we look forward to working with them in the general election campaign and beyond," Garesby said.

During the campaign, the affable mayor from Harrisport took heat from his opponents for his moderate stance on some issues. Garesby's most credible challenger, Julia Giorchani, attacked him for his civil nature, which she considered too passive. She accused Garesby of being too meek and timid in confronting and campaigning against incumbent NAT Governor Mark Andres, and alleged Garesby's "liberal" views were too similar with those of Andres.

On numerous occasions during the campaign, Giorchani attacked Garesby because he was endorsed by the moderate Conservative Senator Dick Ammons. When Garesby was endorsed by his close friend, former Senator Bourret Magiscanti, another distinguished moderate figure in the state party, Giorchani made similar criticisms about Magiscanti's moderate voting record, arguing Harvannah needed a "clear conservative alternative to Mark Andres."

But Giorchani's attacks were not enough to buoy her to victory.

Polls showed conflicting predictions in the last two weeks of the campaign, with some showing Garesby in the lead and some with Giorchani in the lead. The two had largely been neck-and-neck in the polls since October, with Garesby usually leading by only a few percentage points.

However, Garesby's win on election night was enough to end all doubt. On election night, around 11:00 pm, Giorchani admitted her prospects of winning were "grim," but said she would not make a formal decision to concede until after meeting with advisers in the morning. And Sunday afternoon, speaking from her home in rural Herell County, she conceded.

"I called George Garesby this morning and congratulated him on winning. This was a hard-fought, very passionate campaign. It has been exhausting and very tense at times. Obviously, I'm disappointed I did not come out on top. It's always disappointing to lose. But this campaign has also given me an incredible opportunity to meet more people and talk with every day Harvannans about the needs of our state and the desire of the constituents and the direction they want our state to go. I'm so grateful for all the experiences I've had during the past eight months," Giorchani said.

She did not endorse Garesby.

Fellow candidates Tom Marelo and Rich Tuller also conceded, both on election night. Marelo, speaking from the Empire Hotel in downtown Goldchrist, thanked his supporters and congratulated Garesby in his win. But the self-made millionaire also urged Garesby to "not abandon the values of the Conservative party just to win an election."

"I fervently hope that Mr. Garesby does not go back on his Conservative values for the sake of a general election victory. I believe the Conservative agenda is one that people can get behind, and one that people will get behind if we present it in the right way and if we stand by our values," Marelo said to a cheering crowd.

Tuller offered similar sentiments, telling his supporters at a gathering at the Yacht Club in downtown Harlyne that the campaign was "extraordinarily tough," but he was honored to "end the campaign with dignity."

"At many points during the campaign, people suggested that I drop out of the race. I myself even considering leaving the race. This was a tough road that we traveled," Tuller admitted.

"But I ultimately decided to stay in this race because I felt the voters needed a strong economic leader as one of their options. And while I would have loved to have won tonight and would have been honored to win the nomination of our party and the chance to take on Mark Andres, I am still happy with the campaign we ran. I am still happy that we didn't quit early and give up, but we kept on fighting to the end. I think that says a lot about my values and a lot about the values of this campaign and my supporters," Tuller said.

Neither Marelo nor Tuller offered an endorsement of Mr. Garesby.

Garesby's win comes as good news for national Conservative party leaders, who publicly remained neutral during the tense primary, but were privately hoping Garesby would win, as he is seen as the most viable of the four candidates.

A spokeswoman from Mark Andres' team had no comment over the weekend.

Garesby's campaign confirmed the mayor will hold a morning press conference on Monday to address the campaign's future direction and agenda.

Sulley hangs on in HVN primary election

ASHFORD'S LANDING, Harvannah--Nationalist Senator Cal Sulley barely eked out a victory in Harvannah's primary election Saturday night.

The first-term Sulley, who came under fire from the left for his moderate voting record, faced a formidable challenge from the ultra-liberal Ashford's Landing Mayor Peter Levenko.

Harvannah Secretary of State Jennifer Giorchani reported Sulley winning 51.52% to Levenko's 48.48%, with less than 4,000 ballots left to count.

At last count on election night, Sulley had 109,119 votes and Levenko trailed with 103,311.

Levenko conceded the race to Sulley, and thanked his supporters for a spirited campaign. He praised Sulley for his "dedicated service" to the state.

"Cal and I clearly disagree on a number of issues, and to say I'm not disappointed tonight would be a lie. But regardless of where you stand on the issues, and despite not winning tonight, I know Cal has been very dedicated in serving the people of Harvannah over the past few years, and I hope that he will continue to serve his state well and listen more closely to the will of the people," Levenko said at his campaign headquarters in downtown Ashford's Landing.

There was a big sigh of relief at the Sulley campaign celebration at the Ashford Golf and Country Club, where supporters and campaign staff were cautiously optimistic but not sure the incumbent senator would hold back Levenko.

"First of all, I want to thank all of the great Nationalists across this state that voted for me and made this win possible," Sulley said to cheers. "But I also want to thank my wonderful campaign team and all you volunteers for the countless hours of work and sweat and tears you put into this campaign. You have partnered with me to make Harvannah a better state for the past five years, and this fall I will ask you to partner with me again for another six years."

Sulley also called for unity in the state NAT party.

"The worst thing we could do for the fall election is be divided and angry with one another. We have to come together and unite and find common ground. Otherwise, we are just handing ourselves to the Conservatives and allowing them to have a foothold in the general election," Sulley said.

Immediately following Sulley's victory, the Nationalist Senate Campaign Committee, NSCC, released a statement saying they will back Sulley in the general election. The committee was previously uncommitted during the primary.

Sulley will go on to face former Lieutenant Governor Robert Faller Jr., who defeated state Senate President Jim Fribenzi for the Conservative senate nomination.

Authorities: 'miracle' no one killed in crane collapse

DUBE CITY, Armana--Authorities say it's a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured after a crane collapsed at a building site today in southern Armana.

The 350-ft tall crane came crashing down early Monday morning, around 5:30 am eastern time. About 15 people were at the construction site when the collapse occurred, officials said, but all were inside the site's mobile office quarters, about 500 feet away from the crane.

Workers felt the ground shake as the crane fell on top of a cement foundation.

"It felt like a small earthquake, or a big explosion," one worker told reporters.

The building site lies in a vacant district west of Dube City's industrial district, and no neighboring buildings or parks were endangered.

A spokesman for the construction company, Harbour Freight, said the company is "relieved" no one was injured and will be conducting a thorough investigation.

"This could have been a real tragedy and we want to look into exactly what happened so we can avoid anything like this from happening in the future," spokesman Darren Smith said.

The Armana Department of Labor and Industries is also investigating the incident.

The site will remain closed until the investigation is complete.

Menuhaeo to embark on east Asia tour

MAVOCKE--President Brenton Menuhaeo will travel to Asia next month, on a tour to six countries, his office announced Thursday.

The president will make stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The focus of the trip will be economic relations, human rights, foreign affairs and the environment.

First Lady Carolla Menuhaeo will join her husband on the swing through east Asia, Collester Press Secretary Adam Kolbert confirmed.

Addelson: CNS has 'declared war on women'

MAVOCKE--Deschire Nationalist Sen. Jhinny Addelson lashed out at her Conservative colleagues Thursday, telling Mavocke radio host Jim Weatherby the CNS has "launched a major ideologically-based war on women" in regard to reproductive rights.

"What we're seeing from the other side is an extreme, out-dated ideology that states that government should be able to limit women's rights and tell them how to manage their bodies. The Conservative Party of Grassadellia has declared war on women in this country," Addelson said.

Addelson was answering a question from Weatherby about a proposed bill sponsored by Wellington Conservative Rep. Joe Wilsey, member for Claremonte-White Pines, that would outlaw late-term abortions outright after 20 weeks. The bill, which is still in committee, is seen only as a symbolic move, as it is unlikely to pass. Currently, there is no federal law banning late-term abortions, although most states have laws in place.

Addelson says the proposed bill, although unlikely to pass, is a threat to women's rights. She also addressed the battle over employer-issued insurance and birth control, as well as a recent effort in Monomi to prohibit public schools from handing out birth control to teenagers.

"Not only is the CNS out of touch with the sentiment of the electorate on this issue, but their policy on women's rights is clearly degrading and threatening public health. Women need to have access to clinics that offer these services. They need to have access to safe birth control. And anyone who wants to take that right away from [women] needs to get a bucket of cold water thrown in their face and wake up," Addelson chimed.

Wilsey's bill is still in the preliminary drafting stages, but already, many members have signed on.

Trinton Conservative Sen. Greg Baxter, who has not endorsed Wilsey's bill but has supported restrictions on abortion in the past, appeared on the GBC's Parlour Chat program Thursday and responded to Addelson's claims.

"This kind of rhetoric from the other side is what's making this argument so divisive and emotional," Baxter said. "There is no 'war on women,' as Miss Addelson claims. Obviously, some members are more opposed to abortion than others and want more restrictions in place than others. But what we can all agree on is that we want less abortions, and we don't want these decisions to be made lightly. We want them to be made deliberately and with discernment.

"And when it comes to the issue of birth control, we want to make sure that employers are not forced to violate their deeply-held religious convictions on this issue. That's where the CNS stands on this. The other side believes that religious liberties should be over-ridden, and I think that's a view most Grassadellians disagree with," Baxter added.

Rep. Wilsey's office had no comment, but ensured the assemblyman will have plenty to say at a press conference next week. Senate Majority Leader John Morandi's office also had no comment, however, a private NAT source hinted the party will continue to bring up the controversial topic as part of an election-year campaign offensive.