RUTHFULLY YOURS

As a principled constitutional conservative, Ramsland is in the same place as Katrina Pierson was two years ago, challenging incumbent Rep. Pete Sessions in the Republican primary. Sessions won a seat in Congress in 1996. He now chairs the powerful House Rules Committee, which shapes legislation and decides how bills are debated and amended on the floor. Pete Sessions is considered by some pundits to be a loyal establishment-type Republican, a Republican in Name Only (RINO) to be precise.

Ramsland says, “The voters of the 32nd district want to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws, replace Obamacare with free market healthcare reforms and return control of education to Texas and to parents. I am running because I believe that they should have an opportunity to be represented by someone who wants the same things.”

The question on everyone’s mind is: can Rep. Sessions be defeated? Can Mr. Ramsland dethrone the heavyweight, deep-pocketed Republican Pete Sessions with deep pockets? Russ says yes. It has been done before here in Texas when Ted Cruz defeated the wealthy and powerful establishment-backed David Dewhurst in the 2012 GOP primary and went on to win the nomination in a runoff.

He also states that Pete Sessions can be defeated in the same fashion Eric Cantor (the Representative from Virginia who was in line to be the next Speaker of the House) was defeated in the primary to the challenger, Dave Brat. Russ believes he can unseat Rep. Sessions if his constituents learn more about Rep. Sessions’ modus operandi and his voting records.

Freedom Works has listed a number of issues on which Rep. Pete Sessions has voted yes: “Pete Sessions voted for the Wall Street Bailout (T.A.R.P.). He voted for the ineffective “Super Committee” Debt Hike; voted for the Fiscal Cliff Tax Hike; voted against Reining in the NSA. Pete Sessions has consistently voted for the PATRIOT Act; voted for Medicare Part D; voted for Big Agriculture’s Corporate Welfare Bill; voted for Massive Pork-Barrel Spending. Pete Sessions voted for Gas Mileage Standards and Massive Subsidies for Green Energy.”

Erick Erickson wrote a piece on Red State about Congressman Pete Sessions, who steadfastly avoids serious town halls where he may face conservatives or tea party activists. In Dallas he got caught on camera claiming: 1. That he was unable to get ObamaCare defunding language from Senator Cruz (false), and 2. That this language supposedly does not work (language he cosponsors). “Pete Sessions has long since been in need of a challenge, but he’s now surpassed uselessness and turned into an outright enemy of those of us trying to stop ObamaCare.”

“In November 2015, an ethics complaint was filed against Pete Sessions & Jeb Hensarling. These are the sort of tokens of affection Pete Sessions and Jeb Hensarling were paid by their pimps:”

“On March 26, 2015, Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas signed on to co-sponsor HR 1266 – a new version of 2011’s HR 1121, which experts said would hobble the CFPB. The very next day he received a $2,700 campaign contribution from a payday lending industry PAC. [Congress.gov, HR 112; Congress.gov, HR 1266; Sessions FEC Filing]”

Rep. Jeb Hensarling [TX-5] (Received $85,750 from Payday Lenders from 2011-15)

Rep. Pete Sessions [TX-32] (Received $38,280 from Payday Lenders from 2011-15)

The media finally caught up with this story and WFAA issued a report on the ethics complaint against both Pete Sessions and Jeb Hensarling.

In his speeches, Ramsland argues that Rep. Sessions, as part of the Washington establishment is out of touch with the views of the 32nd district. It is widely known that Rep. Sessions is not really living in Texas, but instead, resides in Florida. “The couple owns a house near Orlando, though Mr. Sessions listed a Dallas apartment as his address when he filed for re-election.”

In a New York Times op-ed, Rep. Sessions denied the accusation and said in an emailed statement that he still lived in Dallas, though he also spent time in Florida. “My wife and I are working hard to make our combined families work well,” Mr. Sessions said. “With five boys living in four cities and the two of us working in three different cities, it is clearly a balancing act.”

Today our country and our party are at a crossroads. The reign of the ossified old Republican establishment is about to be ended by a new generation of principled conservatives. Russ Rasmland represents this new breed of Republicans, destined to revive the party that stands for the best hopes of all Americans.