(Via CBS) The six remaining major GOP presidential candidates have all qualified for CBS News’ Republican debate in South Carolina on Saturday night, the network announced Friday.

Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Ben Carson and John Kasich have been invited to participate in the debate at the Peace Center in Greenville.

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who had only previously participated in undercard debates, did not qualify for the main stage, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina dropped out of the 2016 race earlier this week. (more…)

INDIANAPOLIS — There were gasps of anger and disbelief. There was yelling. At least one person in the crowd of Carrier employees shouted things that cannot be written here.

The employees had just been told the heating, cooling, air conditioning, and refrigeration company was relocating its Indianapolis plant to Monterrey, Mexico.

Statement from Carrier: (more…)

It did not take long for the earlier predictions of the upcoming South Carolina debate to be confirmed.  According to a local media report the Peace Center in South Carolina, with an audience capacity of 1,900, will be attended by only the most exclusive party insiders and Republican donors.

[…]  Republican National Committee decided not to go with a lottery system. “If we had not had it at the Peace Center we probably would have had more people come, but the Peace Center is the venue that CBS chose,” said Chad Groover, chairman of the Greenville County Republican party.

Groover said supporters who work hard for the party will be rewarded tickets. People selected will fill the 1,900 seats that have been made available for the event, according to Groover.  Groover said the Republican National Committee gives a lot of tickets to supporters. He said more are then allocated for the state party to distribute among the county chairs.  […]  Groover said he gave tickets to supporters, including elected officials, who work hard for the party. (link)

As typical for the cocktail class, “work hard for the party” translates to opening checkbooks and demanding influence.

The New Hampshire debate audience was Old School Republicans who cheered Jeb Bush and jeered the ‘next-in-line-jumper’ Marco Rubio.  However, South Carolina has already shown their most preferential candidate in the North Charleston debate, where party insiders were majority Rubio supporters.  Expect Greenville to be more like the latter than former. (more…)

Venue: Baton Rouge River Center – this first picture was an hour before the scheduled start of the event:

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(Via Steven Tucker)  I have been studying health care policy for 20 years now. I am also a multi-state licensed health insurance broker who continues to operate in an increasingly less competitive and more bureaucratically controlled system on both the federal and state level. During the last 20 years I have seen a lot of changes in the U.S. health care system. Some of them good (HIPAA) and some bad (Reagan’s EMTALA) the PPACA a.k.a. “Obamacare” etc.

During the last two decades I have read everything I could get my hands on pertaining to health care policy. I also spent the longest two weeks of my entire life reading the PPACA – Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act – shortly after it was passed into law on March 23, 2010. I have also appeared on television, radio and written expert commentary on health care policy on this blog and for professional business journals around the country. If there is one thing I know it is health care policy and if there is another thing I know it is a lie when I hear it. (more…)

Candidate Donald Trump is holding a rally today in Baton Rouge, LA at the Baton Rouge River Center.  The event is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM CST / 8:00pm EST.

Live Stream Link – Alternate Live Stream #2 – Alternate Live Stream #3 – Fox10 Live Stream

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With the republican primary race now heading to South Carolina we take a look at the last verifiable polling (large sample, low MOE) which was taken by NBC and the Wall Street Journal in January (full pdf below).

Remember the golden rule of MSM polling.  “When polls are silent, it generally means the outcomes are adverse to their preferred media narrative”:

Here’s the pictures from tonight in South Carolina:

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Wayne Dupree debriefs on the New Hampshire victory – and shares a forward message:

Wayne Dupree on Twitter HERE – Visit Wayne’s Website HERE

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Go Tigers !!  Death Valley…  Anderson…. Pendleton… Beautiful people…. y’ont to? Where golf is called “pasture pool”, and …you may have the right to remain silent – but it’s doubtful you’ll have the ability. Ah, good times, good times.

Tonight candidate Donald Trump is holding a rally at Clemson University. The event will take place at T. Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton, SC and is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM EST.

Live Stream Link – Alternate Live Stream #2 – Alternate Live stream #3

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Remember – Carly Fiorina was pushed to enter the 2016 presidential race at the behest of Mitt Romney.  Billionaire Robert Mercer shifted funds ($500k) from Cruz Super-PAC KtP1 to start Carly for America (CFA).  All activity prior to Donald Trump disrupting the GOPe Road-Map “splitter strategy”.

Today Carly Fiorina suspended her campaign – Announcement Via Facebook HERE

Carly is the 10th candidate to drop out of the presidential race. (She is also the 7th “splitter” to exit) The media will focus on questions surrounding her projected endorsement.  She will absolutely endorse either Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio.  However, her endorsement will be contingent upon the GOPe deciding which one is more viable.

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