Fox Forward: AEHQ newsletter

June 2011 Summer Heats Up 2012 Race With Official Announcements The 2012 Republican Presidential field is finally shaping up.  In the first week of June, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will make his bid for presidency official by announcing in the Granite State of New Hampshire. While former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will make his bid for the presidency official in Pennsylvania.  Rep. Michele Bachmann has announced she too will make her official announcement this month when she visits her birthplace of Waterloo, Iowa. Already announced candidates include former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, businessman Herman Cain and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Donald Trump and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, now a host on FOX News Channel announced in May that they are out of the running.  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Fox News contributor, launched her "One Nation" bus tour in May, but remains noncommittal about becoming a candidate.  Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will visit New Hampshire to test the waters this month and former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman is making the rounds, but has announced he will not attend the next GOP presidential debate scheduled for June 13 in New Hampshire.  Some political experts suggest you could see a second wave of candidates enter the race in the fall.  Meanwhile, the man they want to beat, President Obama, continues to build his campaign.  In Chicago, the Obama re-election campaign is trying to double its list of email addresses from 13 million to 26 million.  Key to Obama's campaign strategy are young and minority voters, two groups whose participation rate dropped off sharply from 2008 to 2010.  With that said, Obama is rapidly building what promises to be the largest-ever campaign war chest.  He will head out for several more fundraisers this month. Back in Washington, House leaders expect to swear-in Rep.- elect Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., in the first week of June.  Hochul won a special election to succeed former Rep. Chris Lee (R-NY) who resigned amid scandal in February.  Hochul's victory is significant as she won in a solidly Republican territory.  The GOP's plans to revamp Medicare played an important role in this race and Democrats believe the special election will serve as a model for how they may try to sell their message next year and using the Medicare issue as weapon against Republicans at all levels. All eyes remain on the federal government's $14.3 trillion borrowing limit. The government has exhausted its borrowing power, which was last increased by $1.9 trillion in February 2010 . Fierce negotiations are ongoing between liberals and conservatives over how to get another debt hike passed now that Republicans are in control of the House. Obama will be trying to make his case for an increase coupled with more modest cuts than those proposed by Republicans as the Aug. 2 deadline for a government shutdown approaches. The House this week is expected to approve a Homeland Security spending bill with funding for FEMA after the devastating tornadoes in the south and midwest, coupled with flooding along the Mississippi River.  This could problems for Congressional leaders who want to cut, but are faced with having to raise spending for national emergencies. DATES TO WATCH June 2nd NH/Mitt Romney announces official candidacy for president: The announcement will be held at Doug and Stella Scamman's Bittersweet Farm in Stratham, NH. June 3rd  NH/Rudy Giuliani visits NH to test the waters: Giuliani plans mostly private Granite State meetings. Giuliani insiders say he is seriously looking into whether he might be able to catch on in NH this time.  June 3rd and June 4th DC/Faith and Freedom Conference: Many of the 2012 Presidential hopefuls and Congressional leaders will take part including Ryan, Boehner, Bachmann, Huntsman, Paul, Pawlenty, Romney and more. June 6th PA/Rick Santorum announces official candidacy for president: Santorum will make the announcement from southwestern Pennsylvania "near where his grandfather worked in the coal mines after he came here from Italy".  IA/Herman Cain featured speaker at the Family Leader's Presidential Lecture series at the University of Iowa. June 13th NH/CNN - WMUR Debate: The New Hampshire Union Leader, WMUR-TV, and CNN will team up to present the state's first Republican presidential primary debate in Manchester, NH. IA/Tea Party Bus Tour: The three-week bus tour, the first in Iowa for the tea party, will make stops in 20 cities starting June 13 in Council Bluffs, tea party organizers Ryan Rhodes and April Linder said this morning."It's a two-fold effort - to give presidential candidates an opportunity to speak to those going to the caucus and straw poll and to educate people about the caucus and straw poll," said Linder, who is handling logistics. NC/POTUS: The president travels to Raleigh-Durham, N.C. to meet with Jobs and Competitiveness Council. June 14th PUERTO RICO/POTUS: The president travels to Puerto Rico June 16th LA/ 2011 Republican Leadership Conference: Many of the 2012 Presidential hopefuls are scheduled to be in attendance including Gingrich, Bachmann, Romney, Cain, Paul, Santorum, Huntsman and Paul. MN/Netroots Nation 2011: A progressive voices conference with speakers including Sen. Russ Feingold, Sen. Al Franken, Gov. Howard Dean, Van Jones, Sen. Ben Cardin, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Donna Edwards, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Rep. Tim Walz, State Sen. Chris Larson and many, many more.   June 18th IA/Strong America Presidential Candidate Forum: Strong America Now, a national group focused on reducing the federal deficit is scheduled to hold a presidential forum that focuses on taxes and the economy. ADVERTISEMENT This e-mail is never sent unsolicited; you received it because you subscribed to receive updates from foxnews.com Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe | Unsubscribe from all FOX News Newsletters Advertise with foxnews.com | Download the Fox News Community Toolbar Copyright ©2010. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy Fox News Network, LLC 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY.