A wise man once asked, “Who has despised the day of small beginnings?” It’s amazing to see how quickly many in the political realm seem to answer in the affirmative to this centuries old question. Perhaps it’s because so many have gotten their start through government grants or subsidies that the idea of a small beginning is to them irrelevant. Or maybe some could be so controlled by the impatient, selfish craving for power that the arduous slow rise to influence, and the life-lessons learned thereby, are deemed unfruitful and callously tossed aside for the shortcuts to control, however unseemly they may be. The end justifies the means and those voices, which are small in their eyes, are ignored for the brash and strident.
But the question to the despised is a simple one. Will they allow disdain to silence their voice or will they continue to stand with the integrity and strength hardened by adversity? It was another wise man that issued this charge to a young student thrust into leadership. “Let no man despise thy youth.” The lesson for this young man was that, while he could not control the actions of others, he could control his own. He could let the disdain of others deter him from his goals and capitulate to their opinion or he could stand for what he believed and exercise his responsibilities with excellence in the face of shallow critique.
Now enter The Red County Caucus. Its title taken from the political nickname of one of the smallest counties in all of New England, a group of residents from this little county in Maine decided to form a caucus that would stand for the precepts of conservatism and common sense. Piscataquis County received the nickname “The Red County” because it has proven itself to be a bastion of Republican and Conservative strength. Despite its small size, Piscataquis surprised the political world when it stood alone as the only County in all of New England to vote against Barack Obama, marring a complete sweep of New England by Democrats. George Soros and his ilk then targeted the little County. They set up headquarters in the County seat hoping to break the strength of Piscataquis.
Representative and former Senate minority leader Paul Davis responded by forming The Red County Caucus. He joined forces with now retired Senator Doug Smith and Representative Pete Johnson of Greenville along with conservative columnist Andy Torbett. Their first political statement was to endorse then candidate Paul LePage, which was instrumental in his election as Governor and helped to provide the Republicans their first majority in forty years. Now the Presidential primary is upon us.
The Red County Caucus has watched the primary with great interest and, after much discussion, has decided to endorse Governor Mitt Romney for President. While there are others in this primary that tout their conservative credentials, a close examination of their voting record shows a concerning vacillation from those principles at times during their public service and in certain votes. Perhaps there are valid reasons for this that can be debated, but Governor Romney has shown a steady growth and movement toward conservatism throughout his various tenures of leadership, both private and public. There is enough evidence of this to convince these four Conservative leaders of Piscataquis County that he will defend the beliefs and tenets that we hold crucial to a great Society; a small, fiscally conservative government and a strong, vibrant, traditional American family.
The Red County Caucus calls upon their fellow Conservatives across the Nation to join them in supporting Mitt Romney for the nomination. The Red County Caucus would also like to take this time to express its disappointment with those in the media and so many political pundits who have tried to draw a caricature of social conservatives so blinded by our several beliefs that we could forgo the future security of this Great Nation for a political statement. On the contrary, we, The Red County Caucus, stand secure in our belief that all freedom loving Americans, Moderates, Conservatives, Independents and Tea Party Patriots alike, will stand together united in a common goal to defend the United States from four more years of President Barack Obama.
The Maine Conservative Voice 