My 2016 Timeline

[Thank you for being a friend...]

Late June 2013:

The Supreme Court rules in favor of gay marriage, in a 5-4 vote, striking down Proposition 8 in California and the Defense of Marriage Act.  Justice Anthony Kennedy writes the opinion.

September 2013:

Anthony Kennedy surprises Court watchers by announcing he will retire from the bench.  This sets off a Supreme Battle in the Senate over who will fill the most powerful seat on the Court.

President Obama nominates Sri Srinivasan to replace Kennedy on the Court.

After a lot of fire-breathing from the Republicans, Sri Srinivasan is confirmed in a 58-42 vote (only three Republicans vote in favor- Collins, Kirk, and Murkowski).

November 2013:

Chris Christie wins reelection in a landslide.

In a very, VERY close race, Ken Cuccinelli defeats Terry McAuliffe by less than 500 votes.

Ray Kelly is elected Mayor of New York City, beating Christine Quinn.

2014:

Complete gridlock makes moving any bills impossible in Congress. 

The Tea Party clashes with establishment Republicans and stands firm against any compromises at all.  Services are cut and the effects are felt by voters.

The government is shut down, leaving everyone frustrated and angry.

Congress is so unpopular among voters that 2014 is a very anti-incumbent year.

2014 congressional elections:

The Republicans pick up four seats: in South Dakota (Mike Rounds), West Virginia (Shelley Moore Capito), Arkansas (Tom Cotton), and Alaska (Mead Treadwell).

Democrats hold onto Montana (Brian Schweitzer), Michigan (Gary Peters), and Iowa (Bruce Braley).

In the closest race of the night, Kentucky, Alison Lundergan Grimes wins by less than 500 votes after running a very tough, populist, anti-Washington campaign.  She runs as an advocate of the coal industry, of military families, of seniors, and young people.  President Obama, while remaining publicly distant, works behind the scenes to pour a massive amount of money into Grimes' campaign.

Grimes uses a soft, feminine campaign style and energizes voters with the fact that she could be the first and only woman to ever represent Kentucky in the Senate.  She carefully touches delicate issues, like abortion and gay marriage, using moderate rhetoric.  She also emphasizes her faith and values.

Bill and Hillary energetically campaign across Kentucky to get Grimes elected, with Hillary mobilizing her Kentucky supporters, possibly foreshadowing something for the future.

Even though the Republicans make a net gain of 3 seats, Democrats celebrate the defeat of the Republican leader.

The new balance in the Senate is 52 Democrats* and 48 Republicans. (*Includes two independents, Bernie Sanders and Angus King)

In the House of Representatives, the President, who has been strategizing all year, overseeing recruitment of strong candidates, and making winning back the House his top priority, spends a lot of time campaigning in swing districts, especially those that supported him in 2012.

Democratic pickups:
CA-10 (Jeff Denham)
CA-31 (Gary Miller)
CO-6 (Mike Coffman)
VA-2 (Scott Rigell)
FL-13 (Open, Bill Young retires)
NV-3 (Joe Heck)
MI-6 (Open, Fred Upton retires)
IL-13 (Rodney Davis)
MI-8 (Open, Mike Rogers runs for Senate)
MI-7 (Tim Walberg)
NY-11 (Michael Grimm)
NY-19 (Chris Gibson)
MI-1 (Dan Benishek)
MN-6 (Michele Bachmann)

In a surprise upset, the Democrats gain 14 seats, while the Republicans pick up no seats.  The Democrats still fall short of their goal of 17 seats, but the Republicans' majority is cut down to 220-215.

Overall, the Democrats are very happy with the results.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

thank you (:

[Thank you for being a friend...]

November 7, 2014: After their disappointing performance in 2014, several Republicans announce they are challenging John Boehner for the Speakership.

November 13, 2014: The Washington Post announces Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is being asked by Republican insiders and strategists to run for Speaker, to give the party an early, prominent female voice in 2015.  John Thune is also rumored to seek the Senate Republican leadership.

November 18, 2014: Ted Cruz announces on Fox News that he's running for President.

December 2, 2014: Hillary Rodham Clinton travels to Afghanistan as troops prepare to leave the country.  She meets with U.S. troops and Afghan officials.

December 9, 2014: Cathy McMorris Rodgers announces that she will challenge John Boehner for Speaker.

January 3, 2015: In a secret closed vote, the Republicans choose Cathy McMorris Rodgers to be the new Speaker of the House.  She makes history by becoming the first Republican woman to be Speaker.  It is good publicity for the Republicans and the media speculates whether McMorris Rodgers will be the VP pick in 2016.

January 9, 2015: Rand Paul becomes the first Republican to formally announce he's running for President in a speech at Liberty University.

January 20, 2015: On The O'Reilly Factor, Donald Trump announces that he's running for President.

February 3, 2015: Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell announces he's running for President in a speech in Virginia Beach.

February 8, 2015: Marco Rubio announces he will run for President.

February 13, 2015: Indiana Governor Mike Pence announces he's running for President.

February 18, 2015: Sarah Palin announces on a radio show that she will run for President if her supporters want her to run.

February 28, 2015: In a speech to a crowd of over 100,000 people in Park Ridge, Illinois, her hometown, Hillary Rodham Clinton announces that she is running for President, with her husband, Bill, daughter, Chelsea, and son-in-law Marc by her side.  She talks about her childhood, her parents, her values, her experience, and her life story.  She also promises that if elected, she will limit herself to only one term in office.

March 1, 2015: Hillary Rodham Clinton takes a well-publicized trip to the Middle East and China. "Mrs. Clinton is establishing herself early as not a politician, but a stateswoman."  Hillary gives an internationally-televised and emotional plea in Jordan alongside Queen Rania, calling for the people of the Middle East to give their children peace.  She also advocates for the rights of women across the Middle East and for religious freedom, moderation, and tolerance.

In a special CNN interview with Christiane Amanpour, Mrs. Clinton speaks on foreign policy, emphasizing that she is ready to be Commander in Chief on Day one.

March 4, 2015: A poll of Democratic primary voters show that 84% of Democrats want Mrs. Clinton to be their nominee while 16% would choose someone else.

Another poll shows that 57% of Americans believe that Hillary is the most qualified candidate for President.

March 6, 2015: In a press conference, Joe Biden says he will not run for President and that he will support Mrs. Clinton.

March 9, 2015: Nikki Haley announces she is running for President and confidently says that "A conservative woman can beat Hillary Clinton."

March 11, 2015: At a town hall in Canton, Ohio, Mrs. Clinton answers questions from the audience, part of a series of town halls called "Hillary: From the Heart" to be held around the country.  She discusses emotional and controversial with candor.  In the coming weeks, she will visit Fort Wayne, Ind.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Columbia, Missouri; Lexington, Kentucky; Wheeling, West Virginia, and Blacksburg, Virginia.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

March 13, 2015: Jeb Bush announces after doing a lot of thinking, he will not run for President.

March 15, 2015: At a huge rally in New Jersey, Chris Christie announces he's running.  He tells ABC's Diane Sawyer that he is the most electable Republican and that he can beat Hillary Clinton.  He also says that his weight will not be an issue.

March 17, 2015: Jon Huntsman announces he will run for President again in a speech where he talks about making the Republican Party a party of inclusion.

March 20, 2015: A poll of Republican primary voters is released shows Chris Christie and Rand Paul tied for the lead.

Chris Christie- 19%
Rand Paul- 19%
Marco Rubio- 16%
Donald Trump- 10%
Nikki Haley- 9%
Bob McDonnell- 7%
Mike Pence- 3%
Ted Cruz- 3%
Jon Huntsman- 3%
Someone else- 13%

March 25, 2015: Rick Santorum announces he will run for President, giving a speech focused on abortion, gay marriage, and religion.  "If you still believe that this a Christian nation, I am your candidate."

March 29, 2015: Sarah Palin announces she's entering the race and says that Hillary Clinton must be stopped.

March 30, 2015: 60% of Americans say Hillary Clinton's promise to only serve one term makes them "more likely" to vote for her, while 35% say it makes no difference.

April 5, 2015: Barack Obama endorses Hillary in Fairfax, Virginia.  "The Democratic primary is over.  The party is showing remarkable unity as they stand behind her.  She can kick-start her general election campaign early," says Chris Matthews.

April 12, 2015: The first Republican debate is hosted by Fox News and is held in Iowa.  Rand Paul attacks Social Security and says he will "starve the beast" if he's elected.  Jon Huntsman is booed for his support of gay marriage.  The audience loves Nikki Haley's attacks on the Obama administration.  Marco Rubio does not impress.  Donald Trump goes on a rant against China.

April 17, 2015: Bobby Jindal announces he will run for President.  Speaker of the House McMorris Rodgers says she has no intention of running.

April 24, 2015: Bill and Hillary Clinton return to Little Rock for a rally at the Clinton library.  A poll shows Hillary winning Arkansas against all of the Republican candidates.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

thank u everyone for reading my TL (:

here's some more:

April 26, 2015: Susana Martinez announces she is joining the race.

April 28, 2015: A Time magazine cover story "The Search for the Anti-Hillary" features Sarah Palin, Nikki Haley, and Susana Martinez and says that now with the Democrats coalescing around Hillary's historic candidacy, it is very likely that the GOP ticket will have at least one woman on it, and maybe even two.

April 29, 2015:
A poll of Republican primary voters nationwide show an even closer race:

Chris Christie- 16%
Rand Paul- 15%
Sarah Palin- 15%
Marco Rubio- 12%
Nikki Haley- 10%
Susana Martinez- 7%
Bob McDonnell- 6%
Donald Trump- 4%
Rick Santorum- 4%
Jon Huntsman- 3%
Mike Pence- 2%
Bobby Jindal- 1%
Ted Cruz- 1%
Someone else- 6%

May 3, 2015: The second Republican debate is held by CNN from Tampa, Florida.  The three female candidates receive the loudest cheers of the night.  Out of the men, its a fierce war of words between Chris Christie and Rand Paul.

May 5, 2015: An Iowa poll shows Rand Paul and Sarah Palin tied at 15% with Nikki Haley at 13% and Chris Christie at 12%.

May 6, 2015: Gabrielle Giffords endorses Hillary at a rally in Arizona.

May 9, 2015: Sen. Chuck Grassley announces he will retire in 2017, leaving open a seat in Iowa.

May 11, 2015: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg announces her retirement. 

May 16, 2015: President Obama announces that he is nominating Jacqueline Nguyen for the Supreme Court.  If confirmed, she would be the first Asian-American to serve on the Court and would join a Court that under Obama has become more diverse.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

Here they are...

2014 Gubernatorial race results

AZ: Jan Brewer (R) defeats Greg Stanton (D), 54-45
NE: Beau McCoy (R) defeats Steve Lathrop (D), 56-44
AR: Asa Hutchinson (R) defeats Mike Ross (D), 51-48
MD: Anthony Brown (D) defeats David Craig (R), 57-42
MA: Steve Grossman (D) defeats Scott Brown (R), 53-45
AL: Robert Bentley (R) defeats John Rogers (D), 63-37
AK: Sean Parnell (R) defeats Ethan Berkowitz (D), 56-42
FL: Charlie Crist (D) defeats Rick Scott (R), 57-43
ID: Butch Otter (R) defeats Walt Minnick (D), 57-41
ME: John Baldacci (D) defeats Paul LePage (R), 57-34
NV: Brian Sandoval (R) defeats Barbara Buckley (D), 56-42
OH: John Kasich (R) defeats Ed FitzGerald (D), 55-43
GA: Nathan Deal (R) defeats John Barrow (D), 57-43
IA: Terry Branstad (R) defeats Christie Vilsack (D), 54-45
KS: Sam Brownback (R) defeats Tom Holland (D), 68-32
MI: Mark Schauer (D) defeats Rick Snyder (R), 48-47
NM: Susana Martinez (R) defeats Linda Lopez (D), 55-45
OK: Mary Fallin (R) defeats Jerry Ellis (D), 71-29
PA: Allyson Schwartz (D) defeats Tom Corbett (R), 54-46
SC: Nikki Haley (R) defeats Vincent Sheheen (D), 54-46
SD: Dennis Daugaard (R) defeats Jason Frerichs (D), 65-35
TN: Bill Haslam (R) defeats Craig Fitzhugh (D), 69-31
TX: Rick Perry (R) defeats Rick White (D), 56-44
WI: Russ Feingold (D) defeats Scott Walker (R), 50-50
WY: Matt Mead (R) defeats Green Party candidate, 79-21
HI: Neil Abercrombie (D) defeats Duke Aiona (R), 56-43
MN: Mark Dayton (D) defeats Jeff Johnson (R), 56-42
IL: Lisa Madigan (D) defeats Dan Rutherford (R), 60-37
CA: Jerry Brown (D) defeats Abel Maldonado (R), 62-36
CO: John Hickenlooper (D) defeats Tom Tancredo (R), 58-41
CT: Dannel Malloy (D) defeats Tom Foley (R), 56-44
NH: Maggie Hassan (D) defeats Frank Guinta (R), 56-42
NY: Andrew Cuomo (D) defeats Greg Ball (R), 64-33
OR: John Kitzhaber (D) defeats Bruce Hanna (R), 54-42
VT: Peter Shumlin (D) defeats Republican candidate, 72-28
RI: Gina Raimondo (D) defeats Allan Fung (R), 45-36

[Thank you for being a friend...]

May 18, 2015: The Democratic Party announces that the 2016 Democratic Convention will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

May 20, 2015: The New York Times reports that First Lady Michelle Obama is being asked by Democrats in the Senate to consider running for the Illinois Senate seat in 2016 and that the President is encouraging her to run.

May 23, 2015: Hillary begins a nationwide tour of college campuses to reach out to young voters and says that she wants to create a program that will provide students with vouchers for college in return for national service.  She also says that she will sign Elizabeth Warren's student loan discount bill.  In Colorado, she is asked about decriminalization of marijuana: "Will the federal government respect state laws decriminalizing marijuana?"  She says that she would allow states to act as a laboratory and then have a commission study what the best response from the government would be.

May 26, 2015: At another Republican debate, the candidates are asked about marijuana.  None of them support legalizing drugs, but Jon Huntsman says that the War on Drugs is a failure.  Rand Paul distances himself from libertarians and says he is a conservative.  He also says its time for a "Christian revolution" in America to take back the country before its too late from "the secular left."  His remarks are assailed in the press.
In an interview on CNN, Paul says that "Americans want a President who believes that Jesus Christ is our savior."

Susana Martinez and Marco Rubio are asked about immigration and both say that they are against amnesty and that they believe in immigration, but only legal immigration.  "Would you deport the illegal immigrants here?"  Susana Martinez shocks the audience when she says "Yes.  If they're here illegally, send them back to where they came from.  They can always apply for citizenship the right way."  It draws cheers from the crowd.

May 28, 2015: Rep. Aaron Schock schocks pundits by announcing he is running for President on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  Admitting he is an underdog, he hopes that his campaign will help to encourage young people to consider conservative solutions to the nation's problems.  He kicks off his campaign in Iowa, where he says he will focus all of his energy before the primary.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

Oops!  Aaron Schock wouldn't be old enough to run for President in 2016.  Sorry.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

oh okay i guess he would barely make it then!

going on:

June 1, 2015: The Republicans announce that their convention will be in Virginia Beach.

June 4, 2015: State Senator Darren Soto announces he is challenging Marco Rubio for Florida's Senate seat.

June 8, 2015: Bill and Hillary are interviewed by Robin Roberts.  Asked why she would just serve one term if elected, Hillary says that she wants Americans to trust her, that she is not hungry for power, and that she wants young girls to know that they can do anything they want to.  She says that a Hillary Clinton administration would govern from the center.  "You know, Robin, an overwhelming majority of Americans support background checks, for instance, and yet the Congress voted against it.  The House won't even vote on it.  That would change under my administration.  Hopefully, in January 2017, I will be working with a Democratic majority in both houses.  We're going to enact filibuster reform and we're going to get things done again."
Asked about what kind of "First Gentleman" he'd be, Bill says that he'd be there to do only one thing and that is "stand by Hillary."  He says that he would give her advice from time to time, but mainly just be there for emotional support.  He speaks with pride when he says, "She is the most capable, most competent, most qualified candidate for President, even more so than I was in 1992."
Hillary says that she would want Bill to be a "special ambassador for American diplomacy overseas" and to continue his leadership of the Clinton Foundation.

An ABC news poll shows that 68% of Americans think that Bill Clinton would make a good First Gentleman and that 55% would want him to play an active role in his wife's administration.

June 10, 2015: The Washington Post reports that President Obama wants Michelle to run for the Senate.

June 14, 2015: Former Republican and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announces he will run against Roy Blunt.

June 16, 2015: Maggie Hassan announces she will not run again for Governor in 2016 and instead will run for the U.S. Senate against Kelly Ayotte.

June 21, 2015: Rand Paul runs a barrage of attack ads at Chris Christie in Iowa which cause controversy over images of Christie's criticism of the Tea Party as "crazies."

June 23, 2015: Nikki Haley is recorded calling Hillary a "bitch."

June 25, 2015: At a special debate for just the female candidates hosted by Fox News and moderated by Megyn Kelly, Sarah Palin, Susana Martinez, and Nikki Haley are asked questions from Republican women via YouTube.   The issue of abortion comes up and all three support a "heartbeat bill" and say that passing the Human Life Amendment would be a top priority of their administration.  Nikki Haley refuses to apologize for calling Hillary a "bitch," defiantly telling the audience "Well.  She is." to laughter and applause from the audience.

June 28, 2015: Bill and Hillary march in the New York City Pride Parade.

July 5, 2015: Chelsea and her husband, Marc, announce in a YouTube video that they are going to have a baby.  "I can't wait to be a grandmother," Hillary says to People Magazine.

July 7, 2015: Rudy Giuliani endorses Chris Christie for President and goes on a tirade against Rand Paul, implying that he would weaken national security if elected.

July 9, 2015: At a debate in New Hampshire on foreign policy, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, and Sarah Palin all attack Rand Paul for wanting to cut foreign aid to Israel, for opposing the Patriot Act, and for speaking out against U.S. military bases overseas.  Nikki Haley calls Rand Paul a "weak-kneed liberal on foreign policy."

July 11, 2015: Hillary appears on the cover of Vogue in a bold pink blazer for "The Power Issue."

July 13, 2015: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill endorse Hillary at a rally in Tennessee, where polls show Hillary narrowly leading all of the Republicans.

July 15, 2015: Sarah Palin, Susana Martinez, and Nikki Haley are out-fundraising their male opponents, raising millions through their PACs.

A poll of Republican primary voters shows that 53% want a Republican woman to challenge Hillary.

July 17, 2015: Oprah Winfrey says she wants Michelle Obama to run for the Senate in Illinois and would campaign for her.

July 19, 2015: John McCain announces he will retire from the Senate.  Democrats want Gabrielle Giffords to run for the seat.

July 21, 2015: Hillary and Alison Lundergan Grimes rally Kentucky Democrats in Louisville.  A poll shows Hillary beating Rand Paul in KY, 48-47.

July 24, 2015: John Boccieri announces he will run against Rob Portman in Ohio.

July 27, 2015: Donald Trump spends millions of dollars on ads, bashing the Obama administration.

July 28, 2015:

A poll of Iowa Republicans

The top 5:
Rand Paul- 20%
Nikki Haley- 16%
Chris Christie- 15%
Sarah Palin- 15%
Rick Santorum- 14%

New Hampshire Republicans

Top 5:
Chris Christie- 26%
Rand Paul- 18%
Marco Rubio- 15%
Susana Martinez- 14%
Jon Huntsman- 13%

Nationwide Republicans

Top 5:
Chris Christie- 21%
Rand Paul- 20%
Sarah Palin- 14%
Marco Rubio- 13%
Susana Martinez- 13%

July 30, 2015: Hillary Rodham Clinton begins running an ad called "My Grandchild" in which she looks directly into the camera, looking very presidential, and says, "As you may have heard, I'm going to become a grandmother, and like many of you, I am deeply worried about America's debt.  I will make deficit reduction a top priority in my administration.  Bill was able to tackle this problem and turned our deficit into a surplus.  We can do it again so that your grandchildren, and mine, will not have to pay the government one more penny than they have to.  Let us come together, Democrats and Republicans, to bring down the deficit, balance the budget, and relieve the tax burden on the middle class.  Together we can and together we will."

July 31, 2015:
A nationwide CNN poll shows Hillary leading in several red states, winning over 57% of Independents and even 28% of Republicans.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

August 5, 2015: The New York Times does a story on how Hillary, having cleared the way towards the Democratic nomination, is already running a general election campaign, emphasizing her moderation, reaching out to Republican voters, and creating a platform that is centrist and populist.  Buoyed by her strong support from Appalachia, the Clinton campaign, their coffers filled to the brim, begins a massive ad campaign called "Blue Collar" in the region, featuring coal miners, truck drivers, construction workers, and waitresses:
   "You are the forgotten, too often invisible to the Washington elite and the powerful interests that control our government know that they have the money and the clout to overpower your voices and discourage you from believing that government, if in the right hands, can be on your side.  Hillary is fighting for you, the silent majority, the hard-working American who breaks his back for the country he loves.  To all of you who feel voiceless, Hillary will always hear you."

Polls of red states (against a Generic Republican candidate):

West Virginia: Clinton, 51-45
Kentucky: Clinton, 50-45
Arkansas: Clinton, 52-44
Missouri: Clinton, 53-44
Indiana: Clinton, 53-45

August 9, 2015: Nikki Haley runs an ad in Iowa called "The Real Hillary," which accuses Hillary of being a socialist.

August 11, 2015: Donald Trump puts his foot in his mouth with extremely sexist remarks about Hillary and his female opponents for the Republican nomination.

August 14, 2015: The Clinton campaign sets up free barbeques across Iowa, where Hillary speaks to Iowans in a casual, laid-back setting.  An Iowa poll shows her winning the state with comfortable margins against all the Republicans.

August 16, 2015: A Republican group airs a controversial Benghazi ad that says Hillary is responsible for a terrorist attack.  It is heavily criticized.  Democrats pounce on the ads and say that Republicans are desperate.

August 18, 2015: Nikki Haley is the surprise winner of the Iowa Straw Poll.  At a rally, she says that "Hillary Clinton must be beat.  Conservatives must make a choice: another Clinton in the White House, or a principled conservative leader who will lower your taxes and shrink the size of the federal government."

August 19, 2015: Aaron Schock promises to visit 50 towns across Iowa, not on a bus, but by running.  While his opponents call it a "childish publicity stunt," it gives him positive publicity.

August 22, 2015: Congressman Peter King of New York announces his retirement.

August 24, 2015: Millions are spent on anti-Christie ads in Iowa and New Hampshire, questioning his conservative credentials and showing him with President Obama.

August 26, 2015: Nikki Haley fires shots into a picture of Hillary at a pro-gun rally in Iowa with an assault weapon.

August 28, 2015: The Washington Post reports that Chris Christie is winning a lot of support from the Republican establishment, who believe that he is their best chance of winning in 2016.

End of August poll:

President- General: Clinton vs. Generic Republican, 52-39

Republicans Nationwide (Top 3):

Chris Christie- 23%
Rand Paul- 18%
Nikki Haley- 18%

[Thank you for being a friend...]

September 1, 2015: A huge Category 5 hurricane, Luka, is headed towards New Jersey.  Chris Christie takes a break from the campaign trail to come home.  President Obama declares a national emergency for the people of the East Coast.  CNN reports that the hurricane could pose a major threat to New York City.  Mayor Ray Kelly prepares for the worst hurricane ever to hit New York City and orders New Yorkers in neighborhoods close to the water to immediately evacuate.  Governor Christie orders mandatory evacuations of coastal New Jersey.

September 4, 2015: Luka reaches New Jersey and is worse than Hurricane Sandy.  Governor Christie asks the country to pray for New Jersey and New York City.

September 5, 2015: The sea levels around New York City begin to rise.

September 6, 2015: TV cameras broadcast New York City being inundated with water on both sides.

September 7, 2015: The devastation from Luka is enormous and unprecedented.  Chris Christie receives much airtime for his leadership during the Hurricane.

Hillary says that she will stop campaigning for a while to help lead efforts by the Clinton Foundation for Luka relief.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

September 9, 2015: Chris Christie, when asked by a reporter a question about the primary, is quoted as going off on him: "I don't give a sh**t about politics.  The only thing I care about right now is helping the people of New Jersey."

September 10, 2015: Impressed by Christie, Bill O'Reilly endorses him, calling him "the closest thing to a hero this country has right now."

September 11, 2015: Chris Christie is given a chance to speak at a 9/11 memorial service for firefighters and the address is televised nationally.  At times, there are long pauses, and then with tears in his eyes, he says that God is holding the children that died in the Hurricane in his arms.  The speech is incredibly moving.  Hillary, in the audience, is videotaped with a tear coming down her face.

September 12, 2015: A preacher from the religious right and a prominent backer of Nikki Haley's campaign says that the hurricane was "God's judgment."  Nikki Haley refuses to respond to the controversial remarks and blames the "liberal media" for twisting the preacher's words and politicizing a national tragedy.

September 16, 2015: Chris Christie's approval rating has skyrocketed across the country and he now leads Hillary 54-42 in New Jersey.

September 18, 2015: Aaron Schock praises Chris Christie's leadership and admits to the Iowa press that Christie truly deserves to be President.  Pundits wonder if Schock is jockeying for the VP slot.

September 20, 2015: Chris Christie says he will not be campaigning for the rest of the year, but he doesn't have to worry.  With the enormous press coverage he has received, he is leading in all national polls of Republican primary voters.

September 22, 2015: Nikki Haley, in an interview on Good Morning America, is asked whether she would support aid for Luka victims if it had to be done with deficit spending and she says "No.  Hurricane Luka is a heartbreaking tragedy, but a business can't donate money if they have none to give.  You can't take care of others before you take care of yourself and I believe that the government, if it wants to give money for every natural disaster that happens, needs to make cuts elsewhere in the budget."
Where would you make the cuts?
How about abolishing the Department of Education, to start. (chuckles)

September 23, 2015: Rep. Peter King publicly admonishes Nikki Haley, saying he finds her whole campaign "repulsive."  The New York Post publishes a scathing editorial about Haley, calling her "heartless."

September 24, 2015: Chris Christie says that he would "always" approve aid for natural disasters: "What kind of government would not lift a finger to help its citizens in their greatest hour of need?"

September 25, 2015: Speaker McMorris Rodgers announces she will only support the Republican version of an aid bill for Hurricane Luka that includes cuts in the budget.  It passes the House of Representatives in a 308-122 vote.  Aaron Schock votes yes.  The Senate holds a vote the same day but passes one without cuts, 68-27.  Senator Cory Booker, in an angry speech, lashes out at the GOP for holding up the passage of a relief bill.  Meanwhile, disaster aid becomes an issue that divides the Republican Party.

September 28, 2015: Donald Trump goes on a rant against Nikki Haley and those in the party that oppose disaster aid without cuts, calling it "disgusting."

September 29, 2015: A poll released by CNN shows that 77% of Americans support disaster aid without cuts in the budget, while 18% say that disaster aid should be given only with cuts elsewhere.  79% support tax increases on the wealthy to pay for disaster aid, while 19% do not.

September 30, 2015: Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a speech in New York City, says that Congress' failure to pass a relief bill is a "national disgrace." 84% of Americans agree with her.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

October 2, 2015: In the House, Republicans from New Jersey and New York cross the floor to vote with Democrats to pass the Luka relief bill without cuts.  President Obama signs it right away.

October 4, 2015: Rand Paul's foreign policy views are attacked by several Bush administration officials, including former Vice President Dick Cheney.

October 5, 2015: Mary Pat Christie is chosen to chair a special committee to reconstruct the Jersey Shore and New York City.  Her work in rebuilding devastated areas and providing comfort to victims brings her national attention.

October 7, 2015: A national poll for President shows Chris Christie and Hillary Clinton tied, 47-47.  Hillary has huge leads over the other Republican candidates.

October 9, 2015: An Iowa poll shows Chris Christie with 35%, followed by Nikki Haley with 26%, and Aaron Schock with 17%.

October 12, 2015: Sarah Palin airs an ad in Iowa showing her hunting.  It goes viral and is parodied by YouTubers.

October 14, 2015: Fox News has another Republican debate.  Nikki Haley defiantly defends her views and says that she is not afraid to privatize Social Security.  Her remarks are made into an attack ad by Aaron Schock, who has spent much of his campaign in Iowa at senior living centers.

October 19, 2015: Bobby Jindal ends his campaign after poor fundraising and endorses Nikki Haley at a rally in Louisiana.

October 24, 2015: Bob McDonnell decides to throw in the towel and endorses Chris Christie, says he is the party's best chance to beat Hillary.

October 27, 2015: Andrew Cuomo endorses Hillary in upstate New York.

October 29, 2015: Marco Rubio, struggling after poor debate reviews and a lackluster campaign, calls it quits.

November 3, 2015: In the gubernatorial elections, Crit Luallen is elected Governor of Kentucky, defeating James Comer, 51-49.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

November 2015:

The Christie campaign airs an ad nationwide called "Chris' Choice," a testimonial from Mary Pat Christie, about how her husband has put the people of New Jersey first, before being a politician running for President.  Chris Christie's approval rating nationwide is 63/28, higher than Hillary's, which is 59/36.

For the first time, a national poll shows Chris Christie ahead of Hillary, 46-45 with 11% not sure.

Condi Rice endorses Chris Christie on Meet the Press.

December 2015:

Chris Christie's lead in the Republican primary is now "insurmountable," says his campaign manager on Fox and Friends.

Bob McDonnell endorses Chris Christie and becomes the third Republican candidate to quit before the Iowa caucus.

January 12, 2015: The Iowa Caucuses are held and here are the Top 3:

Republicans:
Chris Christie- 49%
Aaron Schock- 15%
Nikki Haley- 13%

Democrats:
Hillary Clinton- 98%
Uncommitted- 2%

Aaron Schock is the big surprise of the evening and his campaign receives a huge boost afterwards.  He has run a very positive campaign and has overcome the rest of the Republicans, whose attacks on Chris Christie have backfired.  Schock, on the other hand, has managed to both energize his own supporters while showing his admiration for Christie's leadership.  Pundits say that Schock is positioning himself to be Christie's VP.

January 13, 2015: At a victory rally at a reconstruction site in New Jersey, a very humble Chris Christie thanks his supporters.

January 14, 2015: Chris Christie goes back on the campaign trail, visiting diners in New Hampshire.

January 15, 2015: In an interview in New Hampshire, Hillary praises Chris Christie, "There's no question that he's someone that puts people before politics and that's very refreshing."  Asked whether that is an endorsement, she replies with a smile, "That's not an endorsement."

A new national poll shows Christie pulling ahead of Clinton, 48-45.

January 17, 2015: New Hampshire holds their primary.

Republicans:
Chris Christie- 69%
Aaron Schock- 12%
Jon Huntsman, Nikki Haley- 5%

[Thank you for being a friend...]

oops im sorry the Januarys are 2016, not 2015

[Thank you for being a friend...]

Nikki Haley, the "favorite daughter" in South Carolina, appeals to the Christian right before the SC primary, saying that "I am running to protect our religious liberty.  Christianity is under attack in this country and I will lead the crusade to counter those attacks as your President."  She also sends out mailers supporting prayer at high school football games, the posting of the Ten Commandments in public places, and the teaching of creationism.  She calls evolution "a leftist theory that is being pushed by atheists into the public schools."

Rush Limbaugh endorses Nikki Haley on his radio show and tells his listeners that she is the "true conservative."

South Carolina Primary Top 3

Nikki Haley- 39%
Chris Christie- 22%
Rand Paul, Sarah Palin- 14%

Chris Christie is favored in the Florida polls, where there are a lot of Northeastern transplants.  Marco Rubio endorses Christie and campaigns for him in South Florida's Cuban community.

Florida Primary Top 3

Chris Christie- 31%
Nikki Haley- 24%
Rand Paul- 15%

Rick Santorum endorses Nikki Haley.

Donald Trump and Susana Martinez drop out and endorse Christie.

A debate is held at the Reagan Library and Chris Christie and Nikki Haley have a heated argument over disaster aid.  Nikki Haley stands by all of her views and says that she is the anti-establishment candidate and ties Christie to President Obama and "the elitists that control the IRS and the EPA."  Haley also says she would force PBS to fund itself, she would abolish the National Endowment of the Arts, and would also institute a 50% tax cut across the board for everyone in the country to reinvigorate a still-sluggish economy.

She receives adoring reviews from right-wing conservatives as Christie is branded inadequately conservative for the nomination.

The next morning many radio talk show hosts and personalities endorse Nikki Haley, including Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Michelle Malkin, and Ann Coulter.

Nevada Primary

Chris Christie- 34%
Nikki Haley- 25%
Sarah Palin- 16%

Colorado Primary

Chris Christie- 42%
Nikki Haley- 24%
Rand Paul- 13%

Missouri

Nikki Haley- 27%
Chris Christie- 25%
Rand Paul- 20%

Minnesota

Chris Christie- 31%
Nikki Haley- 25%
Sarah Palin- 17%

Maine

Chris Christie- 57%
Rand Paul- 19%
Nikki Haley- 16%

Top 2s

Arizona: Chris Christie (43%), Nikki Haley (22%)
Michigan: Chris Christie (56%), Nikki Haley (23%)
Wyoming: Chris Christie (50%), Nikki Haley (31%)
Washington: Chris Christie (61%), Nikki Haley (19%)
Alaska: Chris Christie (54%), Nikki Haley (36%)
Georgia: Chris Christie (33%), Nikki Haley (31%)

Sarah Palin drops out and endorses Nikki Haley.

New Jersey: Chris Christie (99%)
New York: Chris Christie (94%)
Pennsylvania: Chris Christie (68%)
Ohio: Chris Christie (61%)
Texas: Nikki Haley (39%), Chris Christie (37%)
California: Chris Christie (56%), Nikki Haley (27%)

Chris Christie sweeps the rest of the states and wins the Republican primary.

The general election campaign has begun.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

November 3, 2015: In the gubernatorial elections, Crit Luallen is elected Governor of Kentucky, defeating James Comer, 51-49.

Why Luallen? There are so many exciting Democratic prospects for Kentucky governor in 2015, namely Adam Edelen, the state Auditor and surely a rising star. Also, what are the gubernatorial results in Mississippi and Louisiana? There is no doubt that Bryant will be reelected easily in MS, but with some big names in Louisiana on both sides, that election could be interesting.

Jay Dardenne wins in Louisiana, beating Mitch Landrieu, 56-44.