WASHINGTON, DC -- Few in the adult entertainment industry are likely to weep, but those who had pinned their ultra conservative presidential hopes on Senator Sam Brownback may want to grab a clean handkerchief. According to multiple sources, the man who hoped to bring the adult industry and other groups he considered to be morally corrupt to their knees will bail on his bid for the White House due to a lack of finances.
According to CNN, campaign sources have announced that “all scheduling” for the presidential hopeful has been “put on hold pending a major announcement,” mostly likely from Brownback’s home state of Kansas.
In spite of claims from Right Wing organizations that a social conservative is needed to continue and improve upon current President George W. Bush’s legacy, it looks like their talk was cheap, at least where Brownback is concerned. Never able to effectively break from the bottom of the political barrel, a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll from October 12th – 14th found a pathetic one-percent of registered Republicans supporting the candidate who only managed to garner a comparatively sad $926,000 in donations during the year’s third quarter.
With less than $100,000 of that still available to him, it is expected that Friday will be the day that he officially removes his tattered political hat from the presidential ring. A source close to the campaign indicated that Brownback has no plans at this time to endorse any other candidates, although he is expected to remain faithful to whomever his party selects.
Brownback had originally not responded to the less than abysmal poll results. Instead, his staff pointing out that he was still eligible for $2.1 million in federal matching funds. The senator’s representative, John Rankin, had gone so far as to insist in a statement that “With a crowded field and an entire month during which Senator Brownback campaigned in Iowa without holding fundraising events, we are pleased with the level of support for Senator Brownback’s message.”
Rankin even attempted to make the senator’s modest success appear to be part of his grand political plan for fiscal conservancy, stating that “We have always expected to run a grassroots campaign and to make the most of limited resources.”
By comparison, fellow GOP contender and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani managed to raise $11 million during his heavily 9-11 dependent third quarter, while ex Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney collected $10 million. Even Libertarian favorite Texas GOP Representative Ron Paul was able to find $5 million worth of support from his followers.
In addition to his money shortfall, Brownback’s support of citizenship for illegal immigrants sat poorly with the conservative base he had hoped to woo with a fervent anti-abortion, pro-Right Wing Christianity platform.
Friendly competitor Arizona Senator John McCain mourned the impending withdrawal of Brownback on Thursday, saying that “I’ll miss him in this debate. He’s a voice for family. He’s a voice for the pro-life movement and community in America.”
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appears hopeful that Brownback’s few supporters will throw their votes and money in his direction now, explaining that “Sam and I agree on so many things, particularly on issues of the culture of our nation, the sanctity of life, the importance of family and marriage. I think that people who have supported Senator Brownback and have done it faithfully will be very comfortable and at home supporting me, and I certainly welcome them.”
Although Brownback isn’t likely to take up residency in the White House any time soon, many expect that he will run for governor of Kansas in 2010, when his second term concludes. During his first Senate campaign, he had vowed to serve no more than two terms.
Darklady is Editor at YNOT and has more than a decade of experience covering the adult entertainment industry, internet technology, and alternative sexuality beats online, in print, and via traditional and web radio.
