Republican Leadership Conference - New Orleans - June 2011

A fifth-generation Texan, Governor Rick Perry has taken an extraordinary Texas journey, from a tenant farm in the rolling West Texas plains to the governor’s office of our nation’s second largest state.

Texas’ 47th governor, and the first Texas A&M graduate to occupy the Governor’s Mansion, Rick Perry has led a life of public service, starting in the United States Air Force and continuing over two decades in elected office.

Governor Perry’s administration has focused on creating a Texas of unlimited opportunity and prosperity by improving education, securing the border and increasing economic development through classical conservative values. Under Governor Perry’s leadership, lawmakers recently passed a $153 billion budget, financing:

• a $3 billion cancer research fund
• a health opportunity pool that will help more Texans buy private health insurance
• more college financial aid
• a new incentive program for colleges and junior colleges
• $100 million to border security

Additionally, Governor Perry signed a school finance reform package that provides a 33 percent school property tax reduction, $2,000 pay raise for teachers, record funding for classrooms and a reformed business tax.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is the host of the number one rated weekend hit “HUCKABEE” on the Fox News Channel, and is heard three times daily across the nation on the “Huckabee Report” on the ABC Radio Network, the fast growing new program on the ABC Radio Network.

He is the author of 6 books, the most recent being “Do the Right Thing,” which spent its first 7 weeks of release in the top ten of the New York Times Bestseller list.

After his quest for the Republican nomination for President in 2008, in which he finished second to John McCain, he formed HuckPac to assist Republicans running for office nationwide and has amassed a volunteer army of thousands of activists in all 50 states.

Since his first campaign for Congress in 1998, Jim DeMint has proven to be a principled leader that has fought to secure South Carolina’s and America’s future.

Elected as South Carolina’s 55th senator in 2004, DeMint quickly established himself as one of the most effective conservative leaders in Washington, seeking to enact innovative solutions to improve America for future generations. He has been a tireless advocate for smaller government, individual liberty, a strong national defense and traditional values.

DeMint has earned national acclaim for his work to end the system of earmarks, also referred to as the “congressional favor factory.” Following the November elections in 2006, the senator stood up against big spenders in Congress and stopped over 10,000 wasteful pork projects. Famed Washington journalist Robert Novak called him a “hero.” Wall Street Journal editor Steve Moore said the senator’s actions saved Americans about $17 billion and called him the “taxpayers’ greatest ally.” In early 2007 DeMint also fought for commonsense immigration reform by leading the effort to defeat the amnesty bill and calling on government to first secure our borders, enforce the laws already passed, and streamline the legal immigration system.

In late 2006, he was elected as chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, which is comprised of the majority of Republican senators and works to advance conservative legislation. Last year, just as Ronald Reagan had done over 20 years earlier, DeMint delivered the keynote address to the nation’s largest gathering of conservative activists at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). He was recently ranked as the Senate’s most conservative member by National Journal and as the No. 1 senator voting for responsible tax and spending policies by the National Taxpayers Union. DeMint understands the greatness of a country is found in its people and values, not in its government.

The senator and his wife, Debbie, reside in Greenville, South Carolina and are the proud parents of four married children. They are also greatly enjoying their new role as grandparents.

Raised in Georgia, Cain adopted the lessons of his parents – dedication to hard work and the importance of faith – and carried them with him to the pinnacle of the corporate world. Cain earned a degree in mathematics from Morehouse College in 1967 and later earned a master’s degree in computer science from Purdue University, while working as a mathematician for the Department of the Navy. He then worked as a business analyst for The Coca-Cola Company. In 1968, he married his wife, Gloria and they have two grown children.

In 1977, Herman Cain joined The Pillsbury Company and within three years, at the age of 34, rose to the position of Vice President of Corporate Systems and Services. Cain, reflecting his father’s drive to seek greater challenges, then set his sights on a corporate presidency.

With this goal ahead of him and his mother’s faith to support him, Cain resigned his senior position and started on another career path – the restaurant industry. He started from the ground up by making hamburgers at Pillsbury’s Burger King division. Nine months later, he was managing 400 Burger King units in the Philadelphia region, the country’s poorest performer. Within three years, his region had earned the reputation for excellence and was the company’s best.

In 1986, Pillsbury appointed Cain to the presidency of the then financially troubled Godfather’s Pizza, Inc. chain headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. In 14 short months, under Cain’s leadership, the chain regained profitability. In 1988, he led his executive team in a buyout of the company from Pillsbury.

Cain was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association in 1988. In 1994 to 1995, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. While leading this association, he developed the organization into a pro-business voice via national debates and speeches concerning health care reform, employment policies, and taxation. Following this experience, he was appointed to serve on the Economic Growth and Tax Reform Commission in addition to serving as Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He then became a senior advisor to the 1996 Dole/Kemp campaign for the Presidency.

Herman Cain continued the responsibilities of President and Chairman of Godfather’s Pizza, Incorporated, while beginning a second career delivering national keynote speeches. Using his messages as the foundation, he created his own leadership consulting company, The THE New Voice, Inc. THE New Voice packages his speaking and develops his products, including books, DVDs, CDs of gospel music, and promotes his keynote speeches. He has authored four books to date on topics ranging from leadership to self-empowerment including Leadership is Common Sense and CEO of Self.

In 1996, Cain became CEO and President of the National Restaurant Association. He had been a member of the NRA Board since 1988, and had served as its elected volunteer chairman in 1994/1995. Cain thus became the only volunteer chairman to become the full-time CEO and President of the Association while still a member of the Board. Cain headed the NRA in this position for two and a half years.

In 1999, Cain sought to leverage his restaurant experience with the technology market and he became CEO and President of RetailDNA. Its mission is to provide innovative marketing solutions to the retail sector.

Today, Herman is a radio talk show host on “The Herman Cain Show” out of Atlanta’s WSB 750am and is a FOX News Business Commentator. Cain remains President and CEO of THE New Voice, Inc. and serves on the Boards of Directors for AGCO Corporation, Hallmark Cards Incorporated and Whirlpool Corporation. In 2004, he ran as a candidate for the United States Senate from Georgia.

Sarah Palin made history on Dec. 4, 2006, when she took office as the first female and the youngest governor in Alaska history at 42 years of age. During the 2008 presidential campaign, she became the first Alaskan and the first woman to be nominated for vice president by the Republican Party.

During her time in office, her top priorities were resource development, education and workforce development, public health and safety, and transportation and infrastructure development.

Under her leadership, Alaska invested more than $5 billion in state savings, increased education funding, and implemented the Senior Benefits Program that provides support for low-income older Alaskans. She created Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure, and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska. She also established the Rural Subcabinet to create stronger, safer and healthier communities in the state’s outlying regions.

Governor Palin’s other accomplishments include the passage of community revenue sharing, an omnibus crime package, aviation safety, the reduction of business license fees, and an overhaul of the state’s ethics laws. She took steps to address Alaskans’ emergency energy needs by establishing a renewable energy fund, making rebates available for home weatherization and increasing the availability of bulk fuel loans to small communities and utilities.

From football hero to his remarkable eight years as one of the most recognizable members
of Congress, J.C. Watts is an embodiment of the American dream. An outstanding
quarterback who led the University of Oklahoma to two Orange Bowl victories and
later committed himself to helping his community as an ordained minister, Watts is
admired by many for his integrity and strong leadership. Elected to Congress from his
native Oklahoma, fellow congressmen quickly recognized Watts’ leadership qualities
and elected him to serve as the chairman of the House Republican Conference, the
fourth-highest position in the House. He was honorary co-chairman of the 2000 Republican
National Convention and is a passionate voice for boosting national security,
adhering to fiscal discipline and investing in education. He is the author of What Color
Is Conservative? My Life and My Politics.

U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn confirmed today that she will address the 2011 Republican Leadership Conference. RLC 2011 will be held in New Orleans on June 16-18th and will feature, in addition to Congressman Blackburn, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Mary Matalin and others.

Online registration is available at republican.eventbrite.com. The Early-Bird price discount expires March 21st.

“I am honored to join conservative leaders from across America in New Orleans for the 2011 Republican Leadership Conference,” Blackburn said. “Now more than ever we must affirm our Conservative values and come together to make a positive change in our country. This year’s conference will be an important part of doing that,” she said.

Sean Hannity joined the FOX News Channel (FNC) in September 1996. He currently hosts his self titled program, “Hannity” (Monday-Friday, 9-10 p.m. ET). He is one of the most prominent and influential conservative voices in the country and his program offers a mix of news, commentary, interviews and branded segments such as the Great American Panel — made up of three nightly in-studio guests from across the political spectrum to discuss the issues of the day. Since Hannity debuted on January 12, has averaged 2.8 million viewers each night (frequently doubling the viewer total for his cable news competition), making it the second-highest rated program in all of cable news behind FOX News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor.”

Previously, Hannity co-hosted “Hannity & Colmes” with Alan Colmes for 12 years, which was the second-highest rated program in cable news.

Now in his sixth year as Governor, Haley Barbour has put Mississippi on a new path in job creation, education, health care, energy, safer communities and stronger families.

The results are significant: balanced budgets without any tax increases; a 27.8% increase in per capita personal income; prudent management of the state health care program; and new attention on Mississippi as an energy producing state that can help meet America’s energy needs in the future.

Governor Barbour’s first election in 2003 marked the largest voter turnout in Mississippi gubernatorial history, and he was reelected in 2007 with 58.2 percent of the vote. The Yazoo City, Mississippi, native is only the second governor since Reconstruction to be elected to a second consecutive term as Mississippi’s chief executive.

Achievements in his first term included:

Balancing the budget without raising taxes. Inheriting a budget hole of more than $720 million, Governor Barbour led by restraining spending, controlling debt and getting the state’s fiscal house in order. His policies not only filled the budget hole but also resulted in increasing Mississippi’s rainy day fund.

Mike Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, graduated from Hanover College in 1981 and earned his J.D. from Indiana University School of Law in 1986.

Following graduation from law school, Pence ran for Congress in 1988 and 1990. In 1991, he was named president of a conservative state think tank based in Fort Wayne, Indiana known as the Indiana Policy Review Foundation.

Pence began his career in radio broadcasting in 1992 and two years later, Network Indiana syndicated his show throughout the state of Indiana. “The Mike Pence Show” aired Monday through Friday on 18 stations. He also hosted a Sunday morning political television show in Indianapolis from 1995-1999.

Pence was first elected to Congress in 2000 and was most recently elected to a fifth term in November of 2008. He also was elected unanimously by House Republicans to serve as House Republican Conference Chairman in November 2008. In his role as Conference Chairman, he helps to develop and disseminate the message of the Republican Conference and to promote its Members.

Congressman Pence describes himself as “a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.”

Congressman Pence and his wife Karen have three children and reside in Columbus, Indiana. The Pence family lives in Arlington, Virginia, while Congress is in session.

Conservative Leader

During the 109th Congress, Congressman Pence served as Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. The Republican Study Committee is the largest caucus in the House of Representatives; membership grew to 110 House Republicans under his leadership, and has been the leading voice for advancing conservative social and economic issues in Congress since the mid-1980s.

Congressman Pence has emerged as a national spokesman for conservative principles. In March of 2005, The Washington Post described Pence as “A New Face on Conservatism” observing, “he delivered conservative opinions with the even tones and polite demeanor of his Midwest upbringing.” In November 2005, Business Week described Pence as a “new power broker” and syndicated columnist George Will singled out Pence and Governor Mitch Daniels’ brand of conservatism as the “wave of the future.” Peggy Noonan has complimented Pence on his ability to maintain an upbeat attitude even in a partisan environment, quoting him as saying “I’m a conservative, but I’m not in a bad mood about it.” An April 2006 profile in U.S. News and World Report said Pence “has emerged as a powerful force, moving Congress further to the right.”

Pence’s role as a conservative leader has been profiled in The Chicago Tribune, Business Week, the Weekly Standard, U.S. News and World Report and The New York Times. He appears regularly on Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. Pence also appears weekly on Indiana’s most prominent talk radio stations.

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