The Next Mile

Thank you to the Grand Old Party of Kansas for the opportunity to serve as your national committeeman. I enjoy volunteering with you to move Kansas and the Republican Party forward. A special welcome to the Teenage Republican groups starting across the state. Vicki and I are thrilled to serve as honorary chairs. No matter your age, your country needs you. Join us.

- Todd

Tiahrt wins national committeeman race, retains political viability
Steve Kraske. January 30, 2010

Former eight-term Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt won election as a GOP state committeeman in a vote today in Topeka.

Tiahrt won election on the first ballot after grabbing exactly 100 votes from the Republican State Committee (90 were needed), according to a tally called into Prime Buzz.

He defeated Kris van Meteren, who grabbed 55 votes and Randy Duncan, who won 24.

Tiahrt, who lost a tough GOP primary race for the U.S. Senate last summer to Jerry Moran, was the pick of new Gov. Sam Brownback.

By winning, Tiahrt keeps his name out front if another political opportunity presents itself (think U.S. Senate) the next few years.

http://midwestdemocracyproject.org/blogs/entries/tiahrt-wins-national-committeeman-race-retains-political-viability/#ixzz1CYuFIVaU

Kansans for Tiahrt

T♥ supporters continue to comfort us and lift our spirits with outpourings of love, posting photos of our family as their Facebook profile pics, and sending us such encouraging words.

We're ok, but we are sad that we didn't win for you. You fought for true Constitutional Conservative principles of smaller government and more personal freedom and we wanted my dad to go to the Senate to continue that fight for you.

2010 was not his time, but he and my mom will continue to do what they can to restore this great country. As Justin Broker so aptly said "You can take the Tiahrt out of Congress but you can't take the fight, dedication to Kansas values, and conservative leadership out of the Tiahrt."

Here are a few of the other messages reminding us that despite the $4.5 million+ spent making untruthful attacks, Kansans know who Todd Tiahrt really is...

Thanks for allowing me to be a small part of your team. It was an honor walking the parades with you and Todd along with your other supporters. Although we live in different districts, you will always have my support and I will be here if you and Todd ever need me again.

Roger Peck

Thanks Todd Tiahrt for being the inspiration that made us all work so hard during the campaign. I was honored to be a part of Team Tiahrt; and though we lost the campaign, I take some personal comfort that we won Johnson County by 4 points. I pray that Todd and Vicki find peace in the coming weeks and months, and draw strength from the knowledge that their work has never been in vain.

Anne Hodgdon

I was so proud to be part of Team Tiahrt, and do my part to help him in JoCo. I don't know what is next for him, but it will be something spectacular! What a wonderful group of people, who all worked their T-hearts out for Todd. You all inspired me!

Darla Jaye

Your dad is an amazing man and is truly one of the best people I've ever met. Thank you guys for all you've done. You're truly blessed to have such a wonderful father.

Caleb

I was so proud of how well Todd and his incredible family held up during the rigors of this election. He put together an incredible team and came so close.

Karl Peterjohn

  

Please let your father and Vicki know that I was very impressed with the campaign and both their hands on approach to interacting with supporters. I would have been very proud to have the Tiahrt family representing me in the US Senate from my home in Mission.

Bill C.

I had such a great time this summer campaigning for Todd. It was really and awesome experience! Todd & Vicki are such amazing people and it was an honor to help with the campaign. Hopefully I see your family around in the future!

Genna

I am excited to see what your dad is going to do now and want help with anything he takes on! :)

Liz Thatcher

You sure did come a lot closer than the pundits expected. You guys did such a great job. You should be so proud of your team and all you all accomplished. It was SO CLOSE!

Brandy D.

Todd is a natural leader, and he and Vicki both have a magnetism that can't be denied. The people of Kansas will continue to look to Todd as a leader, be it through an elected position or that of a highly respected and loved citizen.

Jenna Donovan

I applaud the Tiahrt family for their courageous fight together against the smear attacks of Washington elites. The Tiahrt family is an inspiration to many. At the time of a tornado destroying my hometown, Todd and Vicki Tiahrt were all I had the following morning. They were strangers but after their compassion towards me, they became like a family. I consider our friendship to be much like a family. I will always be grateful and supportive of the Tiahrts.

Justin Broker

I'm disappointed in the results of Tuesday's primary. While Moran may vote in Kansas' best interest, I feel that you would have been a stronger voice for Conservative values and principles for not only the state but the nation. I have the utmost respect for you, your family, and the members of your campaign. I trust you will be able to find employment in the area of Goddard that will ensure your speedy return to public service. Hopefully by the next election cycle...

Jonathan S.

I was watching the results and really thought you all were going to pull it off. The establishment guy won but the fact that poll after poll had your dad down by so much and it was that close shows he has a statewide office in his future.

Chris P.

Your dad fought a great fight and we know there are still great things in store. Todd Tiahrt will always have our support.

Leah Herron

We've Got Mail - Issue 3

Dear Vicki and Todd,

I know you both have worked hard to help us turn this Gov't around. I'm getting old, but I have a lot of children, grand children and even great grand children to enjoy this great land of ours. I don't want it destroyed by the kind of leaders that I fought against in WWII. Bring back our Constitution, Todd, and you will have so many people behind you.

God Bless,

Bro. Jim

We've Got More Mail, And This One Rhymes!

This was emailed in yesterday. Thanks for the laughs, LPP.

I wrote a Campaign Seuss:

I do not like this Jerry Moran

I do not like his campaign scam
He hired lots of dirty crooks
With Washington money that he took


I do not like the credit he takes
For legislation he did not make
I do not like his C-street pad
While Todd goes home to be a Dad


I do not like his moderate views
On guns, abortion, or federal dues
His votes on taxes give me the blues


'No' to parental consent, and border walls
'Sí' to bilingual ballots and that's not all
Sanctuary cities... that's amnesty
And he likes Obama...oh dear me!


I do not like his spending sprees
I'm smart, I know that nothing's free
I do not like this kind of hope
I do not like it, Nope, Nope, NOPE!
Moran must think I'm just a dope!


I do not like his smug replies
For I have figured out his lies
He running one big campaign hoax
On how he 'did' and 'did not' vote
Just be straight with Kansas folks!


Oh please help us Uncle Sam,
We do not need this kind of man
We need a guy that takes a stand
So please TODD TIAHRT, Kick His Can!

Home on the Range

 

Thought you might enjoy my recent Facebook status update and resulting comments...

Headed back down to Goddard. Guess I need a place to stay since “Todd Tiahrt doesn’t live in Kansas.”

Comments:

Becky

knock on my parents door, they have an extra room you can stay in. lol

Lora

I can't tell you the number of times I hear from various people, "So, I ran into Todd Tiahrt at Wal-Mart the other night...." they're always referring to the Wal-Mart at 21st and Maize.

Lindsay

Ya, seeing as you don't live here, I guess you wouldn't be able to stay at my house right down the road from your house :( Bummer.. lol

Kimberly

my sister lives in my parents' old house... you can stay with her :-) since that nice house at the end of the addition road is not yours :)

Benjamin

Just hold a townhall wherever you end up, and chalk it up!

Gary

Since Todd doesn't live in Goddard... can he get a rebate back on all the taxes he's paid for the last 30 years on the house out there?

Shellie

If the Tiahrt family is not living in Goddard KS.....Who has been getting my Christmas cards for all these years???????

Debbie

And who is that guy who mows the lawn? Sure looks a lot like Todd!

Que

Gee, it's been a few years, but who was it we helped campaign for 2 years ago & who's house did we go to?? Is there a 'twin' family in Goddard??!?!

Nathan

I stop at sonic pretty much every day in goddard, and I don't see you guys there. That clearly means the quote is totally and absolutely correct.

Tracey

I'm pretty sure Princess Danika came to the Tiahrt house in GODDARD, KANSAS for Halloween last year. :) :)

Princess Danika, her mom Tracey, and other family walking back up to Aunt Loretta's after visiting our house that Halloween.

Campaigning Tiahrt-Style, Past and Present

This post is by my best friend since childhood, Kelly Reynolds. Kelly is an Andale High School alum and campaigner extraordinaire. We grew up just over a mile from each other in Goddard and spent lots of time together as kids on the campaign trail with my family. She can scoop ice cream and throw parade candy with the best of them. Thanks Kelly, for this post, the many fond memories and years of friendship and support.

Campaigning Tiahrt-Style, Past and Present

I met the Tiahrt family when Jessica and I were in the first grade at St. Mark's Elementary. We became the best of friends, bonding over our mutual love of Little House on the Prairie, making home movies and our general lack of athletic ability. When Todd decided to run for Congress in 1994, I was excited to help the Tiahrts campaign. I didn't understand the national political movements or the party apparatus (I was 13) but I saw something very special. Every weekend my parents would drop me off at the Tiahrt's house in Goddard and we would pack up their van with American flag fruit trays, cookies, ice tea, and ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.

We would stop at small towns all over the 4th district for "Ice Cream Socials." Todd would talk and answer questions and the rest of us would serve up the ice cream. We would stay until Todd and Vicki had answered every question and listened to every concern the people had for our great state and country. I was inspired by the people I met, I believe we all were.

That summer Todd wore holes in his shoes going door-to-door, meeting the people of the 4th district and listening. Todd, his family, and small staff pulled off a huge upset and won against all odds. He won because he was the right man, he did the hard work, and most of all, he listened.

I was inspired by that summer and how the Tiahrts campaigned. I became passionate about politics and went on to get my political science degree from KU. A couple of years later I found myself campaigning as a staffer. I learned many new tools and tricks of the trade but I always came back to the lessons I had learned years earlier in the small towns of Kansas with the Tiahrts.

I was blessed this past weekend to hit the Kansas Trail with the Tiahrts again. It felt like old times. I even wore my same red Tiahrt t-shirt from '94!

It was wonderful to be back campaigning for Todd. I always feel invigorated to be campaigning for the right person. We are blessed to have such a wonderful person and family to represent us here in Kansas. I am excited to be here to witness something very special again this year.

Thanks guys, you know I will always be on Team Tiahrt!

A post-parade treat.

They Chanted 'Tiahrt! Tiahrt! Tiahrt!'

Today's post is by Caleb Hays, a Junior at Pitt State, co-founder of "Tiahrt SEK Team" and ardent supporter on both the net trail and Kansas Trail. Join Caleb's 2,000+ Twitter followers @calebhays and read his account of last weekend's Olathe Picnic and straw poll...

Todd Tiahrt Speaks to Thunderous Applause at Olathe GOP Picnic

On Saturday, June 26 the Olathe Republican Party hosted their annual picnic and straw poll. Candidates from Kansas’ Third Congressional District and those running statewide were invited to attend, pass out literature, and set up booths. Each candidate was also given a small allotment of time to speak.

I had worked that morning at the Edgerton, KS parade, so I arrived right after the picnic started – hundreds of people were already there, talking with candidates and their volunteers. The first thing I noticed, however, wasn’t the delicious smell of hamburgers being grilled by State Representative Arlen Siegfreid, but the sheer number of red Tiahrt shirts! With the estimated 800 or so in attendance, over a quarter were wearing the signature Tiahrt red, while nearly a hundred more proudly displayed their Tiahrt stickers.

Throughout the late morning and early afternoon, the buzz built as it neared time for Congressman Tiahrt to address the red shirt-saturated crowd. People were constantly coming up to our booth to speak with the Congressman and to snap a picture with our proudly displayed life-sized cutout of Gov. Sarah Palin, one of Rep. Tiahrt’s most recent endorsements – a list filled with conservative super-stars that builds daily.

When the Congressman was finally able to take the stage a few minutes after 1:30, the crowd erupted in to the loudest screaming, applause, and cheering heard for any candidate – many times over. In fact, Rep. Tiahrt was unable to begin speaking for over a minute as the crowd slowly quieted down enough to hear the microphone.

Todd spoke of our need as a nation to return to stalwart conservative values and of the ever-growing list of leaders and voters who have endorsed him. He discussed how he spent over ten hours on the floor of the House of Representatives fighting endlessly and tirelessly against Pres. Obama’s so-called healthcare reform package (while his opponent recorded videos outside the Capitol).

With the determination he used to fight to destroy the government takeover of healthcare, the dedication he used to never vote for a stimulus package, a bailout, or a tax increase, and the inspiration he gained from working to make a starting position as an underclassman on his high school football team, Todd Tiahrt will do something D.C. hasn’t seen in years. He’ll bring common sense to the madness. It’s not so much how long you’ve been in Washington, but how much Washington is in you.

With thundering interruptions every forty-five seconds, the Congressman was nearly unable to finish his speech during the allotted time. Those in attendance clung to his every word, cheering as loudly as possible. When he finished, they chanted “Tiahrt! Tiahrt! Tiahrt!” and applauded him for two solid minutes before the announcer was forced to re-take the stage.

As if anyone needed reminding of the incredible momentum building behind the Tiahrt campaign, Todd won an astronomical 73.6% of the straw poll vote, besting his opponent by an almost three-to-one margin, proving once again that he is the REAL DEAL for Kansas.