Jack Kimball Returns to Lead Tea Party Remnants

Former state Republican party chair and Tea Party leader Jack Kimball announces his return to the political scene with typical bombast:

“We are watching the systematic dismantling of our great Republic right before our eyes. Barak [sic] Obama is continuing with his mission to ‘fundamentally change’ America into a European Socialist style country. … He is aware that in order to succeed with his plan he must bring the USA to its knees.”

Kimball, who was the featured speaker at yesterday’s “Jack is Back!” Save-Our-Republic Tea Party rally, has taken back the reins of the Granite State Patriots Liberty PAC and vows to lead the Tea Party in a fight to “send Obama packing!”

“We are the Patriots of our time and we will not be the generation to lose what those who came before us have fought to preserve. No sir, we intend to FIGHT! I am asking you to join me in that fight. … Are you with me?”

Amid the sound and fury, however, polls document New Hampshire Republicans have fled the Tea Party in droves, and outgoing national Republican committeewoman Phyllis Woods reminds us Kimball’s last leadership role didn’t turn out so well.

“He was over his head, inexperienced and not qualified for the leadership role in an organization in which he never had participated. It broke my heart. … [I]t was just too steep a learning curve for him too soon.”

Semi-Circular Logic

Jeanine Notter has been called the Michele Bachmann of the New Hampshire House, who has been called the Jack Kimball of the New Hampshire presidential primary, where she is endorsing Rick Santorum, an icky sexual byproduct who shares a name with a politician who wants to censor Google.

Notable Quotes: N.H. GOP Chair Jack Kimball Resigns

“You’re watching the death of the New Hampshire Republican Party tonight.”
—E.J. Bleiler, Dover tea party member.

“It’s not about whether he was in the establishment wing, or the tea party wing, or the Dunkin Donuts wing.”
—Steve Duprey, RNC committeeman. 

“This was trumped up. It was a lynching. They got the mob going and off they went.”
—Jerry DeLemus, Granite State Liberty PAC chairman.

“Those people in the government and their friends in the media who want us to fail so they can take more of your money to increase the size of government will attempt to make Jack Kimball’s resignation into a repudiation of our movement…”
—Andrew Hemingway, Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire chairman.

“This is the establishment Republicans versus the Tea Party that helped get them into office. They rode us in, now they’re bringing us back to the barn.”
—Jeffrey Diggins, Fremont Tea Party activist.

“Outgoing chairman Jack Kimball gave the New Hampshire Republican Party an invaluable gift tonight.”
—Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Reps. Frank Guinta and Charlie Bass, state Senate President Peter Bragdon and state House Speaker Bill O’Brien.

Ayotte Signed Petition on Behalf of Libertarian Party

One of the reasons being cited by those seeking to oust Republican party chair Jack Kimball is his signature on a petition to place the Libertarian Party on the 2012 ballot. Howard Wilson, Libertarian candidate for Congress, says many of Kimball’s critics signed a similar petition in 2010 — including Kimball’s lead antagonist, Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

Now look back to 2010, when several prominent Republicans signed candidate petitions on behalf of the Libertarian Party. Some of these people are now calling for Kimball’s removal as state chairman because he signed a party-wide petition for that same Libertarian Party. Those signing individuals include Kelly Ayotte, Jennifer Horn, Jim Bender and Bill Binnie. How do I know? Easy, I asked and they said yes — for which I presented them the candidate petition in 2010.

Quote of the Day: Let’s Go to South Carolina

“Why would presidential primary candidates come into state with this going on? Who do you speak to without making someone angry, especially if you don’t have a good lay of the land? If I were running a campaign, I would say, ‘Let’s go to South Carolina for a while until this whole New Hampshire thing washes out.’”

— Jerry DeLemus, Granite State Liberty PAC chairman and Kimball supporter, on fight to oust Jack Kimball as New Hampshire Republican party chair.

h/t: @JamesPindell

Lee Quandt: Kimball Scapegoat for O’Brien Agenda

Reviewing the Jack Kimball imbroglio, Republican state Rep. Lee Quandt says Kimball is the fall guy for the blowback from Speaker O’Brien’s extreme agenda. Kimball needs to go, he concludes, but so does O’Brien.

So I can say that what caused the most problems in the Republican Party is the unprecedented attacks on our public sector employees: our teachers, our fire fighters, our police officers and state workers. This agenda is being manically pursued by Speaker Bully O’Brien and his little band of merry followers.

This has caused thousands of republican public sector employees to pull back from the party, and forced into working with the unions and democrats to defeat these people who are attacking us and our families; hence, the Republican Party is losing special elections. … In short these people, mostly lead by O’Brien have done a good job at splintering the party and placing the lion’s share of the blame on Kimball. There is no question Jack needs to go; but, so [does] O’Brien and his out of control leadership group.

“The Tea Party is Dead, Long Live the Tea Party”

In his fight to keep his position as New Hampshire GOP chair, Jack Kimball characterized the conflict as a “struggle between the Tea Party and the establishment.” But Kevin Drum looks at the bigger picture and says that war is over. The Tea Party won.

Just like every other fluorescence of right-wing activism over the past 50 years, its destiny was to flare up, get incorporated into the Republican Party, and then die out. The big difference this time has been just how complete its incorporation has been. Ultra-conservative flare-ups in the past have been increasingly potent … which has brought us to the point where there’s really no meaningful distance between the ultras and the Republican Party establishment. The Tea Party really is dying away, I think, but only because their victory has been so total. For the time being, anyway, they control the Republican Party from top to bottom.

Jack Kimball: “The Name of My Boat Is Never Quit”

Today, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Congressmen Charlie Bass and Frank Guinta, state House Speaker Bill O’Brien and state Senate President Peter Bragdon released a joint statement calling for New Hampshire GOP Chair Jack Kimball to resign. Kimball responded by declaring, “I won’t step down.”

“Ever since I’ve been elected, there’s been a continuous crescendo of criticism, innuendo and misinformation that has been going out to the press. It’s been non-stop and it’s culminating with this. …

“These’s a meeting, as you know, September 1st, and I called for this meeting. At that point, there will probably be a vote. But i will tell you this, I won’t step down. I will go to that meeting, and they will look me in the eye, and they will vote. Obviously, whatever occurs at that point in time, I will respect. …

“If I am voted out, it is going to cause a fissure in this party that is going to open a wound that isn’t going to heal real soon. This is the worst possible thing to happen at the worst possible time, with the “First in the Nation” primary coming up and the most important presidential election in our history.”

Kimball Defies Congressional Delegation Call to Resign

Yesterday, Kevin Landrigan reported the state’s entire GOP congressional delegation — Congressmen Frank Guinta, Charlie Bass and Sen. Kelly Ayotte — along with state House Speaker Bill O’Brien and state Senate President Peter Bragdon, held a conference call Friday to discuss the future of party chair Jack Kimball.

Today, John DiStaso reports the results of that call.

Sources said all five were unanimous that Kimball should go.

O’Brien on Friday afternoon relayed that message to Kimball at a meeting at Kimball’s office in Portsmouth.

Sources said that Kimball told O’Brien he would take the weekend to think about it, and then, after hearing from other party leaders and the grassroots, decided not to step down.

The 36-person GOP Executive Committee meets on September 1 to decide Kimball’s fate. A simple majority vote is required to remove Kimball as party chair.

Jack Kimball’s Greatest Hits

It looks like September 1, 2011 may be Jack Kimball’s last day as chairman of the state Republican party. The party’s executive committee has scheduled a meeting that day and Kimball’s ouster is sure to be on the agenda. Kimball’s brief tenure has been eventful. Here’s a look back at Kimball’s “greatest hits” as chairman. 

January 22, 2011: Kimball, a tea-party-backed grassroots activist, wins election for party chair in close, contested race against a representative of the party establishment. “Jack Kimball’s election as chair completes the radical right-wing takeover of the Republican Party in the Granite State,” responds state Democratic chair Ray Buckley.

February 19, 2011: Kimball uninvites Birther Andy Martin from addressing the Contoocook Valley Republican Committee after — and only after — Martin’s anti-Semitic comments are publicized.

February 21, 2011: Kimball issues a press release attacking Blue Hampshire blogger Susan Bruce saying, “There is no place in a civil society for such vitriol.” Even conservative editor Drew Cline objects. “Asking to have a little ole blogger shut down is not the way to encourage civility,” Cline writes.

April 6, 2011: In the wake of House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt’s “pedophile pimp” controversy, Kimball admonishes House members to get their act together. Speaker O’Brien and Bettencourt are not amused.  

May 17, 2011: Democrat Jennifer Daler wins state House seat in a special election in Speaker O’Brien’s district. Kimball accepts the blame and vows, “We’re having meetings today about it to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

June 12, 2011:  Kimball claims the reelection of President Obama would mean American military killed in action died “completely in vain.” When veterans groups protest, Kimball calls them “fronts for the left wing.”

July 21, 2011: The party’s financial straits become public. “The state party is running on financial fumes, and Jack has not really made any effort to reach out to the people who didn’t support him,” says former chair Fergus Cullen.

August 2, 2011: Kimball calls for Newmarket GOP chair Joe Barton to resign. Barton had offered a bounty on the state GOP Facebook page for anyone willing to primary GOP state Sen. Carson. Barton refused to resign.

August 9, 2011: Democrats win the second state House special election on Kimball’s watch. Kimball doesn’t accept the blame this time and blasts winning candidate Bob Perry for his “tax-and-spend” votes.

August 9, 2011: Kimball is photographed signing a petition for the State of New Hampshire to recognize the Libertarian party.

August 16, 2011: Kimball asks NHGOP Executive Director Will Wrobleski to resign. Wrobleski refuses and is subsequently fired by Kimball. 

August 19, 2011: The Union Leader calls for Kimball to resign. “Jack Kimball was the wrong choice at the wrong time. … The party needs a change, now.”

Democrat Bob Perry Wins NH House Special Election

Democrat Bob Perry won tonight’s special election for a vacant state House seat in Strafford District 3. Perry outpolled Republican Honey Puterbaugh by a 58% - 42% margin.

Update: Official results from New Hampshire Secretary of State:

Town         Puterbaugh-R   Perry-D    Puterbaugh-R   Perry-D
------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
Barrington        485          727          40%         60%
Farmington        299          359	    45%         55%
Middleton          95           86	    52%         48%
Milton            222          266	    45%         55%
New Durham        139          171	    45%         55%
Strafford         267          493	    35%         65%
------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
Total            1507         2102	    42%         58%

Democratic chair Ray Buckley was characteristically understated:

“Bob Perry’s victory tonight is a complete and total rejection of Republican House Speaker Bill O’Brien’s reckless job killing agenda. … New Hampshire voters have seen enough of the radical Free State agenda this year with bills that would allow guns in schools and courts, would remove support for our United States’ Constitution out of the oath of office, and would eliminate public kindergarten.”

Republican chair Jack Kimball was characteristically gracious:

“Under John Lynch’s watch, Bob Perry voted with the tax-and-spend crowd for numerous tax and fee increases including the job-crushing LLC small business tax, while they ran up a massive deficit. Thankfully with the Republican-led legislature, Bob Perry won’t be able to do any further damage.”

If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be a GOP Facebook Controversy

What is it with Granite State Republicans and Facebook?

James Pindell reports that Newmarket Republican Chair Joe Barton has refused state Chair Jack Kimball’s call for his resignation. The demand followed Barton’s Facebook posting that offered a $1500 bounty for anyone willing to run in a primary against Republican state Sen. Sharon Carson.

Barton made the comment on the New Hampshire Republican Party’s Facebook group. The comment has since been removed by the party. Kimball said he asked Barton to resign his position this morning. He called Barton’s comment “inappropriate” and “improper” and said that Barton has been banned from commenting further on the Facebook group.

Earlier this year, police were called when Barton threatened Carson over her opposition to right-to-work legislation. Kimball then refused to call for Barton’s resignation. Barton, an early tea party activist, worked in Kimball’s gubernatorial campaign. At a house party celebrating his surprise election as party chair in January, Kimball acknowledged Barton as his “black ops guy.”

This is just the latest in a series of embarrassing Facebook episodes for the New Hampshire GOP. The most notable was House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt’s Facebook posting that referred to Catholic Bishop John McCormack as a “pedophile pimp.”