Thanks-

Other than the losses to Mitchell in an LD, not a CD with a different voter make-up, and offending the Pullen crowd (half minus 2 of the state committeemen could be accused of the same, she just had the guts and gumption to go public) what has she done to discourage support?

She votes in accordance with some of the poster children for the AZ Republican Party, she has a solid work ethic, communicates well, and as far as I know she has never been anything but a loyal Republican. I can’t say I agree with her on every issue but given the other candidates who also may be great guys, she’d be my pick.

Kevin,

I like Tim Bee and think he is a very effective guy. I used him as the example because he is fairly safe on this site. The anti-Gabby fever has been sufficient cover for any transgression for which he might be found guilty in granting him a pass. That is about as unified as you can expect in this party in this state right now.

And objections that we might hear to Schweikert or Hatch-Miller would be along the lines of “his name was on my tax bill” or “he moved into the district to run”. Sure, those are objections, but they’re hardly the kind that would split a party’s support for a candidate the way Laura’s behaviour early this year did. She exposed herself as someone who is vicious and dishonest in pursuit of her goals, and that is just what she was willing to do to her fellow Republicans. To date, she has never apologized or even admitted wrongdoing.

That is the kind of stuff that divides a party and we won’t be forgetting what she did.

Schweikert, Hatch-Miller, Anderson and even Ogsbury are all unburdened by similar taint.

The issues on this thread had very little to do with her as a candidate, actually if you follow DSW’s advice and check the tax record she is in the same category as Tim Bee, John Huppenthal, both Weiers, and Mark Anderson. The entire past history of elections won and lost is a mixed bag of changing registration numbers, redistricting, and ugly hit mail pieces that folks with greater voter majorities barely survived. If losing an election or two disqualifies you to be a leader in the party, or discredits any efforts in the future, then we are in big trouble and Laura is not alone.

Get a grip. When you stop laughing about something you misinterpreted, think about the fact that UFI is a national organization that does very fine work. In Arizona it also does good work, but, here, it is in the hands of people who have a history of supporting McCain. I never said that McCain set up UFI, only that here in AZ the main players are McCainiacs. That is undeniable – and not funny.

If you want to win this race, find someone who can bring folks together. Somebody like Schweikert, Hatch-Miller, etc.

You are almost right – the Primary will be done at least two weeks prior to any tax bills being sent out next year.

Gerry,

I think that the blogs do have the pulse of what is happening NOW, overall. That should not be construed to mean that what is said here is an accurate barometer of what the average voter will think a year from now.

As to the Pullen vs establishment issue, these are not exactly average voters. The importance of those interactions – add in the grass roots activists – is how they work with each other in a united manner during the last 90 days of the election cycle, the amount of money available, and the passion of the activists.

According to the county 2007 valuation increases, the majority of central Maricopa County will see a 45% or greater increase. People will be mad and they will stay mad. This is not like other tax hikes, this one they recall every month when they make their house payment that increased by a $100 or so. Next year at this time, it will hit again.

I guess your analysis is right. After all, I seem to recall every four years angry taxpayers ignoring their local officials who raised their taxes and coming straight at all of the county treasurers in Arizona who collect them. That’s why they continue to raise taxes because they know that the stupid taxpayers will blame the treasurer for it. Right? Do you really have so little faith in the intelligence of the average citizen? Do you think they don’t know who is responsible for their taxes? Do the majority of Arizonans have trouble reading? I guess in your world they do.

I find it ironic that this point is being made now regarding Mr. Schweikert, the candidate PK supports.

This blog is all inside baseball all the time(the neverending talk of Pullen vs. the establishment), yet most posters on here think any and all of the analysis has the pulse of the average voter.