With the extraordinary Cruz vs. Trump battle for the GOP presidential nomination sucking up all of the political oxygen, it is easy to miss the fact that awesome conservative and retired Air Force colonel Rob Maness is running for the U.S. Senate in Louisiana.

Folks, please allow me to cut to the chase.  Our country is going to hell in a handbasket, fueled by GOP cowardice and an entire Democratic Party hijacked by anti-American zealots.  The only way we stop the horrific effects of Obama's insanity and corruption in both parties is to send rock-solid conservatives we can trust to Washington, candidates with backbones of steel who refuse to go along to get along.

Speaking of backbone, Maness's military awards and combat decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Air Medal.  I am pretty sure Maness will not be intimidated by RINOs, metrosexual Democrats, or Obama's bureaucratic henchmen in D.C.  Maness is like an oak tree, firmly and deeply rooted in the rich, fertile soil of his Christian faith.

When you cut through all the political deceptions, lies, and broken promises, it always comes down to sending character-driven representatives to Washington.  Rob Maness's record proves he fits the bill.  In plain language, Maness is one of us, folks – a real family, God, and country good guy.

I was extremely impressed when I met Rob during his 2014 run for the Senate – a strong conservative fighter, highly respected community leader, served 32 years in the military, husband, father of five, and grandpa of four.

It is not surprising that national conservative heavyweights and organizations are united in endorsing Rob Maness for U.S. Senate.  Those supporting Maness include Dr. Ben Carson, Sarah Palin, Dr. James Dobson, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, Conservative Campaign Committee, the Tea Party of Louisiana, Tea Party Nation, Tea Party Forward, the National Association for Gun Rights, and Special Operations Speaks.

Rather than listing all of Rob's leadership roles and achievements, I will say he has proven his competence at the local, state, and federal levels of government, an effective steward of citizens' tax dollars.  Please visit his website for details. 

As with any conservative Republican who faithfully advocates for We the People, the GOP establishment is often displeased with and threatened by Maness.  Rob wears their discomfort with him as a badge of honor.

There is a down-to-earth everyman quality about Rob, driving his pickup truck around Louisiana, spreading the good news of traditional American principles and values: God, family, country, and the Constitution.  Please enjoy this entertaining 30-second TV ad in which Rob promises to wrestle the gators in D.C. 

Here is an example of Maness's strong, decisive leadership regarding our national security.  In response to the jihadi attacks in Brussels, Maness advises Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty and finally declare war against the Islamic State.  Maness says, “[U]ntil we formally declare war, our enemies and objectives will continue to be unclear, and the American people will continue to be divided.” 

C'mon folks, admit it.  Isn't Maness's manly stand for American leadership a refreshing contrast to Obama's and Kerry's apologize-for-our-very-existence and give-our-enemies-everything-they-want approach?

By the way, the Islamic terrorist attacks in Brussels hit a little too close to home for the Maness family.  The night before the attacks, Rob's and Candy's son flew out of Europe on military leave on an American Airlines flight.

According to a new Pew Research report, our country is undergoing a scary demographic shift.  Decades of allowing liberals to brainwash our kids and not encouraging immigrants to assimilate is taking America down a different path, far away from the country envisioned by our Founding Fathers.

The only way to ensure that the America we grew up with will be there for our grandkids and great-grandkids is to consistently send rock-solid conservatives who espouse traditional American principles and values to Washington.  In that regard, America desperately needs Col. Rob Maness in the U.S. Senate.  Please, let's help him folks.  God bless.

You can learn more about Rob Maness at his website.

Be sure to "like" Rob's Facebook page.

And you can follow Rob Maness on Twitter. 

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American
Chairman: The Conservative Campaign Committee
LloydMarcus.com