Republicans Talk Presidential Politics at Park Square Cellar

With representatives of all four Republican presidential candidates in attendance, members of the Hillsborough County Republican Party gathered for an early Presidential Preference Primary celebration at in FishHawk Ranch on Tuesday night, just before President Obama delivered his State of the Union address on national television.

The party, hosted by the Alafia Republican Club, attracted about 150 local Republicans eager to nominate the presidential candidate who will defeat Obama in the November election.

"It's not the campaign ads or debates that will make the difference," said County Commissioner Al Higginbotham, former chairman of the Hillsborough County Republican Party. "It's the people standing here that will make the difference. We are the ones we've been waiting for."

Higginbotham said he came to the party at Park Square Cellar to hear what the candidates' representatives had to say on behalf of the presidential contenders.

"It's exciting tonight to know we've got surrogates here who will speak with passion and common sense about conservative values and how we're going to elect a Republican to the White House," he said.

President of the Alafia club, Chris Shalosky, said the pre-primary party was intended as a chance to learn more about the presidential candidates and to exchange ideas.

And the candidates' representatives were eager to spread the word about their candidates and why the Republicans gathered deserved their vote.

"Newt and Callista are incredible people," said Matt Gunderson, who now lives in California but grew up with Callista Gingrich in rural Wisconsin. "Two years ago, I was having dinner with them when Newt told me there was a possibility he would run for president. I thought, Americans have already taken a chance on a charismatic neophyte. Maybe they're ready for a chubby professor."

Gunderson said what impresses him most about Gingrich is his intelligence.

"We were in wine country one day and Newt pulled out of his briefcase a book on quantum physics to read," Gunderson said. "There are times it's exhausting to spend time with him. But that's what I want in a leader, someone who thinks broader, bigger and deeper than I do."

Gunderson pooh-poohed reports of Gingrich's infidelity.

"In his personal life, he is genuinely faithful and a servant to the Lord and His people," he said. "Newt Gingrich loves his family and his wife."

He compared Gingrich to investing in a Silicone Valley startup. "There's big rewards, but we'll have to work hard and sacrifice and be in this together."

Paul Fosse, speaking on behalf of Ron Paul, said he'd been a Paul supporter for eight months. "And I've never met so many dedicated people of all ages who are volunteering to save this country for the right reasons," said Fosse. "But Ron Paul is the only candidate who can put an end to big government and restore our values."

Fosse characterized Paul, an obstetrician by profession, as a constitutional conservative who, during his medical career, delivered 4,000 babies. "He's 100 percent pro-life."

Fosse added that Paul is the only candidate to serve in the military. He was a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War.

As such, he has the military's endorsement. "He received 10 times the amount of military contributions as Romney and 20 times the amount as Newt," Fosse said. "His top three contributors are the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force."

Former National Guardsman Jim Bischoff was on hand to speak about Mitt Romney's record as a businessman and politician.

Bischoff said he first met Romney 10 years ago while serving with the National Guard as part of the security team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

"The International Olympic Committee was in trouble, so the governor pulled in Romney who helped raise money and turned the Olympics around," said Bischoff. "That takes business acumen, skill and leadership. Then he went back to Massachusetts and ran for governor. They were in the red, and Mitt left them with a black balance. That especially is what we need in this country right now."

Alafia Republican Club member Frank Shearrow, the Tampa Bay regional manager for the Rick Santorum campaign, spoke on behalf of his candidate.

A former Air Force sergeant who served in Afghanistan, Shearrow said he was especially impressed with Santorum's commitment to the military.

But, whether they support Santorum or another Republican candidate, Shearrow urged his fellow Republicans to do whatever is possible to put a Republican in the White House.

"Get off the sidelines and support someone who will defeat Obama," he said.