Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
Ballots arrived in mailboxes as early as Friday. Some candidates have encountered people who have already voted. If you have any questions on legislative or Corporation Commission races check our endorsements.
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For Immediate Release: August 6, 2008
Contact: Bethany Barker, (202) 225-4576
Franks Announces Intention to Return to Congress, Join Republican Fight for a Fair Vote on Energy Legislation
August 6, 2008 – U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) announced his intention to return to Washington, D.C. the week of August 11th, 2008, and join House Republicans in taking to the House Floor to protest the reckless decision made by Democrat Leadership to force Congress to adjourn for the five-week summer recess without considering comprehensive energy legislation or even allowing an up-or-down vote on an “all of the above” energy bill that would truly help to lower gas prices for the American people.
“Once again Speaker Pelosi and Democrat leaders of Congress have broken trust with the American people and shown themselves to be completely indifferent to reality. Over the past several months, the consequences of Democrat intransigence have been borne by literally hundreds of millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet through the summer months. The impact of skyrocketing gas prices has been felt across the economic spectrum – from individuals who cannot afford to even drive to work, to small business having to scale back on employment to stay afloat, to charities, school buses, and law enforcement, all being forced to reduce the vital services they offer their communities.
“When three in four Americans believe that Congress should act NOW to increase our supply of American energy and eliminate our dependence on foreign, unstable sources of oil, it is unconscionable for Democrat leaders of the People’s House to continue ignoring and defying the will of those individuals we represent. Not only is it a dereliction of duty, but it continues to jeopardize our national security and place us further in the grip of OPEC nations who have no compulsion to act in the best interest of American citizens.
“Republicans have offered bill after bill that would facilitate an ‘all of the above’ approach to America’s energy policy, and would begin to allow responsible drilling in America’s vast energy reserves currently being kept under federal lock and key. I applaud the 17 Democrats who joined Republicans in voting against the Adjournment Resolution today and thereby calling on Democrat leadership to allow an up-or-down vote on legislation that would address the number one concern of the American people and actually help to bring down gas prices.
“I look forward to joining my colleagues who are choosing to stand firm and demand a fair vote on energy legislation on behalf of the American people.”
Congress narrowly passed an adjournment resolution on Friday, August 1st, by a vote of 213-212, without a single Republican voting in the affirmative, and 17 Democrats voting with Republicans to keep Congress in session until it helps to address the energy crisis being felt by hundreds of millions of hardworking Americans.
Congressman Franks is serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is a member of the Committee on Armed Services, Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Military Readiness Subcommittee, Committee on the Judiciary, and is Ranking Member on the Constitution Subcommittee.
Doug Sposito filed a trigger report on August 5th showing campaign spending over $25,000. He had only raised $6,064 as of May 31st so he has been doing very well lately. I wonder if all of Sposito’s new money has anything to do with his trip to Phoenix.
Clean elections candidates David Gowen and Sharon Collins should be getting their matching funds checks any day. Traditional candidate Frank Antenori will not get matched because of Sposito’s new found friends. Frank has been working hard to get out his conservative message and has been raising money from online donations on his web site.
LD 30 will probably not get as hot as LD 18 but watch for more money and resources to poor into the primary. Antenori is a principled, constitutional conservative. Gowen is a solid, social conservative. Collins is relatively conservative with a few exceptions. It appears that Sposito may have completely sold out to the open borders crowd and looks like an official Wake Up Arizona! candidate.
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Carl Seel’s second mailer hit the mailboxes of District 6 voters about the same time they were receiving their early ballots in the mail. With an endorsement from Rep. Pearce for his stance on illegal immigration, running as a team with strong incumbent Rep. Sam Crump, and an expose on phony Republican Tony Bouie, who has been chalking up powerful endorsements from Rep. John Shadegg and others, Seel may just be able to pull off a win this time.
Illegal immigration has been a dividing line between two factions of the Republican Party, pitting grassroots conservatives opposite certain business interests. Up to now the two sides had mostly been sizing up each other. The conflict just went thermonuclear. Espresso Pundit has posted a copy of a flyer sent by Mesa Deserves Better that targets Russell Pearce. The hit piece dredges up accusations from a 28 year old divorce filing. In a July 2008 New Times story, LuAnne Pearce denies the alleged abuse and says the incident never occurred. That did not stop Mesa Deserves Better from putting together a flyer based on the accusations from 1980.
The implications go statewide. The chairman of Mesa Deserves Better is listed as Nathan Sproul on the Secretary of State web site. Nathan is also working for CD 8 candidate Tim Bee. So one of Tim Bee’s primary campaign consultants is savagely attacking a fellow Republican member of the legislature. During the CD8 primary in 2006 candidate Randy Graf was also attacked pretty hard but not on the same level as the current mailer on Pearce. During the toughest part of Graf’s campaign one of his closest allies was Russell Pearce. We cannot imagine this type of attack on Pearce will engender warm feelings among Graf supporters toward anyone associated with Sproul.
Aside from his association with Sproul, Tim Bee has run a weak campaign up to this point. He stayed in the legislature when he should have resigned to focus on the campaign. Then he was stuck with the budget mess and worked to pass the governor’s version, a budget with major spending increases financed by accounting gimmicks, raiding accounts, photo radar, and increased lottery tickets. Bee also originally sponsored the marriage amendment and then backed off from it. He was the deciding vote and then issued a thinly veiled attack on the Center for Arizona Policy. The Bee campaign sends out e-mails attacking Giffords but Tim Bee rarely say what policy he does support. One has to wonder does Bee even want to win? The question may be moot. In the current political war within the party Bee is stuck in no man’s land with both sides in attack mode. Bee is sending out flyers touting his 2006 Ally of the Taxpayer rating from Arizona Federation of Taxpayers. Bee fails to mention his 2007 Needs Improvement 55% score, one point above Mark DeSimone. It may be painful to see his 2008 score. I wonder if the Giffords team will be shrewd enough to exploit this gaping hole in Bee’s record?
The Maricopa County Republican Party has already endorsed Russell Pearce. We do not know if the state party will get involved but based on their view of the world it must be difficult for them to side idly by and watch what is happening. When certain party forces attacked Graf in 2006 he was no longer in the legislature. Pearce is still a member of the Arizona House of Representatives. Will forces from the Republican house caucus sit on the sidelines while a stalwart conservative like Pearce is being attacked by Sproul? Stay tuned.
