Brownback Tracker

Brownback Bows Out Of GOP Presidential Field

Republican Sen. Sam Brownback formally abandoned his 2008 presidential campaign Friday, his efforts suffering from a lack of money and a failure to gain traction nationally.

The Kansas conservative managed to gain the support of only 1 percent of Republicans in this month's Associated Press-Ipsos poll, after peaking at 3 percent in June. Fundraising reports earlier this week showed that his campaign was struggling financially, with $94,000 available to spend.

See more at the myfoxkc.com Politics Page.

Brownback Schedules Press Conference

(Press Release) DES MOINES - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, Republican candidate for president, will hold a press conference in Topeka, Kansas, this Friday.

Friday, October 19

Brownback Press Conference
3:45 p.m. CT
Room 514 South
State Capitol
SW 10th Ave and SW Jackson St
208 W 2nd Street
Topeka, KS

Brownback to Drop Out of Presidential Race

(AP) - Republican Sam Brownback will drop out of the 2008 presidential campaign on Friday, people close to the Kansas senator said Thursday.

Brownback, a longshot conservative contender, had trouble raising money to compete in the race. He is expected announce his withdrawal in Topeka, Kan.

Read the entire story...

Biden & Brownback to Outline Iraq Plan

(Press Release) DES MOINES - Republican presidential candidate Senator Sam Brownback and Democratic presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden will hold an unprecedented joint campaign event to discuss their bipartisan plan for Iraq.

Last week, a strong, bipartisan majority of senators voted 75 to 23 to support the Biden-Brownback-Boxer Amendment, the only Iraq-related policy plan the Senate has adopted this year. The Biden-Brownback-Boxer Amendment calls for a political solution in Iraq based on a decentralized, federal system of government. Iowa's Senators Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin both voted for the amendment.

Friday, October 12

WHAT:
Biden, Brownback to Outline Iraq Plan

WHERE:
Hosted by the Greater Des Moines Committee on Foreign Relations
Wakonda Country Club
1400 Park Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315

WHEN:
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

"Joe and I might be running for the nomination of two different parties, but we agree on one thing: the American people want progress in Iraq and this represents a viable way forward to stability and success," said Sen. Brownback. "Decentralizing power in Iraq offers the best chance for Iraqis to live in a peaceful, united country where they can resolve their differences. It is time to begin the political surge we desperately need to help stabilize Iraq so we can get our troops out of harm's way."

"Partisan politics must not come in the way of finding a solution to the war in Iraq," said Sen. Biden. "The overwhelming majority of Americans want us to get our troops out of Iraq as quickly as possible without leaving chaos behind. I look forward to joining Senator Brownback next week in Iowa to explain how the Biden-Brownback-Boxer amendment makes Iraq the world's problem while establishing a political solution that gives Iraq's warring factions breathing room to resolve their differences."

This event is open to the public (lunch provided for $25.00). For more information and reservations, contact the Greater Des Moines Committee on Foreign Relations at 515-282-8192.

Brownback Discusses His Iraq Plan with the Iraqi President

(Press Release) DES MOINES – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, Republican candidate for president, today discussed his bipartisan plan for a three-state solution in Iraq while meeting with the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani earlier today in Washington, DC.

"In my meeting with the Iraqi president, he indicated strong support for a federal Iraq," said Brownback. "Decentralizing power in Iraq offers the best chance for Iraqis to live in peaceful, united country where they can resolve their differences. The American people want to win in Iraq and this represents a viable way forward to stability and success."

Last week Senator Brownback played a leading role in creating a broad coalition of conservative and liberal senators who voted 75 to 23 to support a three-state political solution for Iraq, the only Iraq-related policy plan the Senate has adopted this year.

His bipartisan plan, co-authored with Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), calls for a loosely federated central government in Iraq with three semi-autonomous states for the Kurds, Sunni and Shia.

Brownback Advances Pro-Life Agenda with Ultrasound Bill

(Press Release) DES MOINES – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, Republican candidate for president, today advanced the pro-life agenda by introducing a Senate bill that would require doctors to perform an ultrasound and share the results with women before performing an abortion.

"We can reduce the number of abortions and help people reflect on the humanity of the unborn child by providing more information to women," said Senator Brownback.

The bill places the requirements on the doctor, not the woman, and is officially known as the Ultrasound Informed Consent Act. A doctor would be required to share the ultrasound results with the woman but the woman would not be required to view the images.

State legislatures in several states, including South Carolina and Texas, have pursued similar bills.

Eight GOP Candidates Debate

Eight Republicans argued over the Iraq war and immigration before a crowd of 3,600 New Hampshire voters. Missing in action: actor-politician Fred Thompson, who skipped the debate in favor of announcing his candidacy in the more comfortable setting of late-night TV.

 

With delight, they zinged him for ducking the debate, their fifth. Read Complete Story

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Brownback Objects to Iowa Same-Sex Marriage Court Ruling

(Press Release) - DES MOINES – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, the nation's leading defender of traditional marriage, commented today on an Iowa judge's decision to redefine marriage to include same-sex unions:

"We should have the courage and conviction to speak out against this decision. The people of Iowa reject the redefinition of marriage, and I pledge to defend the bond of marriage, as I have consistently done in the past. This decision shows how important it is to elect leaders who will stand for marriage and who will appoint judges that will not legislate from the bench. We need to rebuild the family and renew the culture, not redefine marriage."

Brownback to Hold Social Security Forums in New Hampshire

(Press Release) - ALEXANDRIA, VA – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, Republican candidate for president, will host several Social Security forums in New Hampshire on Tuesday, September 4, to discuss his detailed plan to save Social Security's dream by introducing personal retirement accounts and providing all workers the choice to remain within the present system or the freedom to save and invest for their own retirement.

Senator Brownback is the only Republican candidate with a detailed, written plan that addresses the need for Social Security reform.

William Shipman, co-author of "Promises to Keep: Saving Social Security's Dream," and co-chair of the Cato Institute's Project on Social Security Choice, will join Senator Brownback at the events. Shipman has advised the U.S. government and the governments of major countries across the world. He is a recognized expert and has addressed audiences in 21 countries across six continents to explain the opportunities, as well as the increased individual liberty and freedom, available to all from thoughtful Social Security reform.

Additionally, Senator Brownback will participate in the New Hampshire GOP-Fox News debate on Wednesday, September 5.

Tuesday, September 4

Sen. Brownback Hosts Social Security Forum with Noted Expert William Shipman
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Bonhoeffer's Cafe
8 Franklin Street
Nashua, NH
Note: Jeff Nelson, president of Thomas More College, will introduce Shipman and Sen. Brownback. Students for Saving Social Security, the nation's largest youth organization dedicated to Social Security reform, will provide coffee and refreshments.

Sen. Brownback Hosts Social Security Forum with Noted Expert William Shipman
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
New Hampshire Institute of Politics
Saint Anselm College
100 Saint Anselm Drive
Manchester, NH

Sen. Brownback Greets Supporters at Christian Bookstore
4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
DeColores Bookstore
471 S Broadway
Salem, NH

Sen. Brownback Hosts Social Security Forum with Noted Expert William Shipman
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Strafford Room
Memorial Union Building
University of New Hampshire
83 Main Street
Durham, NH
Note: The UNH College Republicans are jointly hosting the event with Students for Saving Social Security, the nation's largest youth organization dedicated to Social Security reform.

Brownback: No Child Must Change

(Des Moines Register) - Cedar Falls, Ia. - The federal government needs to revise the No Child Left Behind Act to let states negotiate how they meet the education law's requirements, Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback said Tuesday.

The Kansas senator, who voted for the measure in 2001, said its difficulties stem largely from provisions that force local schools to spend money on certain things while other problems go unfixed. Brownback mentioned the plan during an educational forum at the University of Northern Iowa, where he fielded questions about college affordability, high school standards and the nation's scientific brain drain.

"Where it failed was not giving flexibility to the states," Brownback told a crowd of 120 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Read Entire Story