I have been a leader in the conservative movement for 30 years. As a young congressman, I stood with President Ronald Reagan and fought for his conservative policies. I see a lot of Reagan in Whitman. She is tough, she is optimistic, and she can inspire change. I believe Whitman will be a transformational leader for California. ~Newt Gingrich

This June’s Republican Primary election has been one of the most competitive and combative we’ve seen in a very long time. Just as a sword is tempered by fire, a competitive primary provides a candidate the opportunity to be tested by the fires of  battle to win the hearts and minds of Republican voters.  The winner of our Republican Primary will be better equipped to face the test of a General election because of this process. 

However, this contest has left a number of voters unsure of who and what to believe. 

When faced with that prospect I turn to those who know the candidates best, those who have worked alongside them and know they have the leadership abilities needed to govern. 

That’s why I’m supporting Meg Whitman. 

Meg has been endorsed by our own Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon and our State Senator Tony Strickland, his wife Assemblywoman Audra Strickland and former Assemblywoman Sharon Runner.  They are joined by other legislative leaders including Governor Pete Wilson and the largest number of Congressman and State legislators assembled by any candidate in this race.  These are the people I know, trust and respect to guide me on who is best equipped to lead California. 

In addition to having these outstanding conservative leaders support, Meg has earned the endorsement of an American who’s knowledge and understanding of leadership is unequaled. 

I will let the words of Vice President Dick Cheney speak for why Meg Whitman is the obvious choice for Governor of California.

Bob Haueter- Commentary

Bob Haueter has been active in the Republican Party on the local, State and National levels for many years and currently is Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman McKeon. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.   

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From Dick Cheney, Former Vice President
 
I am proud to endorse Meg Whitman to be the next governor of California. Meg has the conservative values, leadership skills and vision to reform state government and usher in an era of strong economic growth and prosperity.
 
There is a lot at stake in this election. What happens in California has a direct bearing on the health of the U.S. economy. America cannot afford to have its largest state teetering on the edge of financial collapse. California needs a proven executive who has the mettle to stand up to the entrenched special interests in Sacramento and cut spending.
 
Meg is a leader who will not shy away from confronting the public employee unions. She has put pension reform at the center of her agenda. She is a firm believer in the power of tax cuts to strengthen small businesses and create jobs. She knows that welfare must be a temporary hand-up and not a way of life. She is committed to local control of education, and she has a strong and practical approach to securing the border and addressing the problems associated with illegal immigration.
 
Meg’s conservatism is rooted in the optimism that people can achieve great things if government doesn’t stand in their way. As I have come to know her better, I have been reminded of another great leader from California. As a young congressman from Wyoming in the 1980s, I was an unabashed foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution. I saw an inspirational leader lift the nation out of the malaise left behind by Jimmy Carter’s liberalism. I believe Meg Whitman can do for California what Ronald Reagan did for America.
 
While I am always mindful of President Reagan’s 11th Commandment, there are issues of judgment that voters should consider before they cast their ballots in the Republican primary. I admire the success that Steve Poizner has had in the private sector and believe his commitment to public service is sincere. But I have concerns about whether he truly adheres to the conservative principles of our party.

In 2000, when I first ran on the national ticket with President George W. Bush, Mr. Poizner endorsed Vice President Al Gore. With the election hanging in the balance, he donated $10,000 to the Gore-Lieberman Recount Committee in Florida. In 2004, during the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign, Mr. Poizner, who was then a candidate for the state Assembly, opposed the tax cuts that were the centerpiece of our economic recovery plan.

He also broke ranks with our party on national security and the “war on terror.” Mr. Poizner opposed the war in Iraq. To amplify his opposition to the national security policies of the Bush administration, he invited Richard Clarke to campaign for him in California.

At the time, Mr. Clarke, a former staff member of the National Security Council, was making the rounds on cable television to market a book that blamed the Bush administration for mismanaging the terrorist threat and enabling the Sept. 11 attacks against our nation. There was a clear purpose behind the Clarke campaign visit. Mr. Poizner was breaking from the Bush-Cheney ticket and our policy goals because he thought it helped his political ambitions.

The intervening years have proven that the resolve of the Bush administration and the courage of our soldiers on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan kept America safe at a perilous time in our nation’s history.
 
While I have doubts about the authenticity of the conservative voice that Mr. Poizner now speaks in, there is no disputing that Meg Whitman is the Republican the Democrats fear the most in this election. The unions and the Democratic donors invested in Attorney General Jerry Brown’s success have already started to run misleading ads attacking Meg Whitman. This is a clear admission on their part that Meg is the toughest Republican candidate for governor. The Democrats know that Meg can beat them in November, and, more importantly, they know she will put an end to the failed status quo in Sacramento as governor.
 
I encourage my fellow Republicans to vote for Meg Whitman. She is a woman of courage, a leader with conviction, a true fiscal conservative and champion of the values we hold dearest.