Sun 14 Dec 2008
Press Release: Lisa James announces candidacy for Arizona GOP Chair
Posted by Press Release under Campaigns & Elections , Political Parties , Press Release[22] Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Matthew Dutile
Gordon C. James Public Relations
602-274-1988 / 480-296-6193
mdutile@gcjpr.com
Lisa James Announces Candidacy for Arizona GOP Chair
PHOENIX (December 14, 2008) – At the Yavapai County Republican meeting on December 13, Lisa James, elected state committeewoman from Legislative District 8, announced her candidacy for Arizona Republican Party Chairman. James was invited to the stage and was endorsed by Representatives Andy Tobin, Lucy Mason and Senator-Elect Steve Pierce. Yavapai County Republican Chairman Jan Smith has also endorsed Lisa.
“I have launched my campaign for Arizona Republican Party Chairman to increase Republican voter registration, expand voter turnout for Republican candidates, restore the Party’s ability to reach constituents and positively represent our Arizona GOP and its candidates,” said James. James has garnered the support of the grassroots leadership and elected officials at the local, state and federal levels throughout Arizona.
“I am honored to have the support of grassroots leadership throughout Arizona,” said James. “I know with their vision and strong work ethic the future of the Arizona Republican Party is primed for success in 2010.”
James will announce her plans for the Party, additional endorsements and campaign tools in the immediate future.
About Lisa
Lisa James began her career in politics working in the Illinois Legislature for State Representatives and Senators, as well as the Assistant Clerk of the House. She was a volunteer for Jack Kemp for President in 1988 and ran along side Phyllis Schlafly on the Kemp team of delegates and alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention. She managed and worked on several campaigns in Illinois before moving to Washington, DC where she joined the Republican National Committee in the political department serving state and local governments. She has worked as an advance representative for President George H.W. Bush and worked on the 1992 Bush/Quayle campaign.
In 2000, Lisa was a member of the Arizona George W. Bush for President Advisory Board. She served as the director of Arizona Victory 2000 where she was responsible for the management of Victory 2000 efforts in Arizona.
In 2004, Lisa was chairman of the No Taxpayer Dollars for Politicians Ballot Initiative before she served as the Arizona executive director for Bush-Cheney ‘04. As executive director, she was responsible for all campaign efforts in Arizona. Lisa also served as the director of coalitions for Senator Kyl’s 2006 re-election effort before serving as the director for the Arizona Republican Party Victory 2006 campaign. In 2008, Lisa chaired the Giuliani for President campaign in Arizona. She worked as a volunteer for several candidates in the 2008 cycle.
Lisa has been involved in many community activities including serving as the chair of the Teaming Up for Kids Luncheon benefiting Florence Crittenton, the corporate board of directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, Crisis Pregnancy Center Gala committee member, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Maggie’s Place Baby Shower Committee and other charitable events. She co-chaired the successful Arizona Winning Women Fundraiser for the Arizona Republican Party featuring Mary Matalin and RNC co-chair Ann Wagner. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the Dodie Londen Excellence in Public Service Series. She is the immediate past first vice chair of Legislative District Eight Republicans. She was a member of the 2003 Presidential Rank Awards Program Meritorious Executive Review Board. Lisa received her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University.
Lisa is married to Gordon James. Lisa and Gordon work together at Gordon C. James Public Relations. They have four children (ages 7-15) and reside in Scottsdale, Arizona.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Wow, three posts on the same item in two days? Y’all are working hard here! Of course, if I wanted news that was 36 hours old, I’d be reading the Red Star instead of blogs.
December 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
What Lisa James didn’t include in her resume.
Husband, Gordon James, originals member of “Wake Up Arizona,” a group of greedy business people who have vowed to defeat any legislator or candidate who supports sanctions against employers who knowingly, illegally hire undocumented.
Gordon and Lisa James are just paid PR consultants who play whatever tune they are paid to play. Measureless subservience to the exactions of greedy special business interest may be a good quality for a political mercenary with no loyalty to any principle except profit, but it is not a good qualification for the leader of a political party.
KEEP OUR CHAIRMAN – RANDY PULLEN – AS OUR CHAIRMAN.
BOB HARAN,
Phoenix
December 15th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Wake Up Arizona Members
Wake Up Arizona Coalition Members:
• Mac Magruder, owns McDonald’s franchises
• Ray Arvizu, owns Arvizu Advertising & Promotions, a Hispanic marketing firm
• Tom Barnett, owns Good Egg and Eggery restaurants and Burger King franchises
• Steve Chucri, president, Arizona Restaurant Association
• Jim Click, Tucson car dealer
• Jerry Colangelo, former owner, Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks
• Brian Day O’Connor, owns a commercial real estate firm and a carwash; son of former U.S. Supreme Court justice
• Nicole Dreier, representing Burger King franchises
• Barry Goldwater Jr., son of former U.S. senator
• Danny Hendon, owns Danny’s Family Car Washes
• Steve Hilton, chief executive, Meritage Homes
• -GORDON JAMES, owns public relations firm
• James LeVecke, owns Carl’s Jr. franchises
• Jeff Moorad, general manager, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricopa County supervisor, owner El Portal restaurant.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Bob,
Is your point that the business owners mentioned are bad Republicans? They don’t donate enough to the Party or Republican Candidates? They don’t have Republican values? What is your point?
December 15th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Walt S.,
Bob has no point…
December 15th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I love Lisa James and what she stands for. She had my vote.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:46 am
A Bushie, just what you guys need righy now, someone who supports welfare for the rich and placing huge debt our kids. Good job.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
The point in posting the membership of the Wake Up Arizona Coalition is to show that Gordon James, is in fact, a member. Lisa James’ husband and business partner’s membership in this coalition should, in and of itself, be enough to deny support for Lisa James by anyone who wants to see the illegal immigration problem brought under control.
The major cause of the illegal immigration problem is the availability of jobs for undocumented aliens. The reason these jobs are available is because the federal government has failed to enforce the law against hiring undocumented workers. Therefore, the major solution to the illegal immigration problem is to enforce the law against knowingly hiring undocumented workers. In an attempt to help discourage employers in Arizona from knowingly and illegally hiring undocumented workers, the legislature past and the governor signed, the Arizona Fair and Legal Employment Act. Almost immediately, the above named individuals formed the Wake Up Arizona Coalition, claiming that the economy of Arizona and the sky would fall if the law were enforced. They have done everything in their power to obstruct the enforcement of the law enacted by the people of Arizona, including court challenges all the way to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and they lost.
They have also vowed to defeat any candidate or legislator who supports employer sanctions, which they attempted to do against the law’s author, Russell Pearce, and again they lost.
Now they are attempting to take over the Arizona Republican Party by having one of their operatives run for state chairman, and again they will loss.
Lisa James represents the party elite and the few who profit from illegal immigration. Randy Pullen represents the grassroots of the Republican Party and the Arizona taxpayers that must pay the cost of illegal immigration.
Therefore, to support Lisa James is to support the elite few and illegal immigration. To support Randy Pullen is to support the grassroots of the party and immigration control.
Therefore, I support KEEPING OUR CHAIRMAN RANDY PULLEN AS OUR CHAIRMAN.
BOB HARAN,
State Committeemen,
LD 6.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Lisa james for chairman, and who would she have as executive director, Nathan Sproul. Who would she support for governor, Chris Mays. Lisa james NOT for chairman
December 15th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Dear Bob Haran,
Please you are honestly going to sit here and tell us that Randy Pullen is in support of “grassroots” politics, please!!!
But I am not going to go into the drama as you have done. Instead of focusing on negative issues and pointing fingers. Why not come together as “Republicans” instead of treating each other like we are from different parties. It is time to recognize that our AZ GOP needs some change and rejuvenation. Lisa will bring life back to the party. She will bring her network, skills, and fund-raising abilities to rebuild the lost Arizona Republican party that Pullen has pushed to the side.
Lisa James has my support! And I am not one of those “elitist” you speak of. I am a recent college graduate just trying to get by in the world – a proud working citizen!
December 15th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Ya lets all listen to Russell Pearce.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2008/08/et_tu_russell_pearce_throws_jt.php
Folks, stop voting for Russell Pearce. He is damaging the party I love.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I am getting sick and tired of the so-called “grassroots” republicans complain about the “elites”. It is so stupid.
Randy Pullen lives in the Ritzy Arcadia neighborhood on Lafayette Blvd. He is a successful businessman.
GOP leadership should never be a battle of class warfare. That is a tired liberal tactic.
The other tired adjectives that are thrown around too easily like “Rino” and “Open Borders advocate” are getting a little old. If you call everyone that, including a large number of elected officials, it kind of loses it’s sting. How can Jeff Flake, John Shadegg, John Kyl, John McCain, all be Rinos? It’s a little silly. They appear to have more of a problem with these Republican leaders than they have problems with Ann Kirkpatrick, Gabby Giffords, or Harry Mitchell.
But then again, the people making all the noise and doing all the name calling voted overwhelming last year to support Duncan Hunter in the Maricopa County GOP Presidential Primary Straw Poll. Boy do they have a pulse on what it means to be a True Republican!!! They represent “true Republicans” from all around Arizona and the USA for that matter.
Simple Fact: Randy Pullen accepted an illegal contribution to our Party. He then showed bad judgment in running a dispicable and nasty TV commercial in the name of our Party.
This is not Illinios. The “Grassroot Folks” in AZ will not stand for corruption in our party. Pullen had his chance, and he blew it.
December 16th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Nut job Bob Haran is the best cheerleader for Lisa James she could have.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Isn’t there an invasive new “grassroot” ruining the deserts of Arizona and adding fuel to fires? I believe it’s called “Red Brome”.
Sadly, the “grassroot” Republicans are fueling fires and ruining my “Red Home”.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Folks I have always supported the Republican platform: Pro Life, Pro Second Amendment (in fact all of the Constitution and Bill of Rights), Limited Government, Personal Responsibility, Secure Borders, Rule of Law, Property Rights, I will continue to support my Party Platform and work to elect officials that honor their Oath of Office and for Limited and Moral Government and stand firm on the Rule of Law and put America First. For those this effort offends I do not apologize. I stay firm in my convictions and will continue to work hard for the citizens of Arizona and our grassroots Republicans that have made it clear where they stand. I love our Constitutional Republic and will fight to preserve it as our Founding Fathers designed it. I have put several ballot proposition before the voters and everyone has over whelming passed by the voters of this state. I believe I work for the citizens of this state. I put the Constitution and the Rule of Law first and foremost before any Party or Person.
I don’t know of a perfect leader, but we certainly can work for those that work to honor the values of this Party and its Grassroots hard working Precinct Committeemen, fellow Republicans and our citizens.
Folks we have voted several times at our in Maricopa County Organizational meeting and at our State Organizational meeting and it has been made clear where this Party stands. We have passed “unanimously” Resolutions to reject “Amnesty”, to promote social and fiscal conservative values. That is the position of this Party!!! Why is it so hard to understand? Why is it we wonder why they are upset when our elected leaders refuse to honor their wishes and votes?
Good policy starts with our grassroots Republicans. Electing Republicans that will help instill trust in our Party and Nation is critical to building this Party and restoring faith in this Party. When we do that we will see a surge in activity and voting. This Party Stands for Something and it is about time we let folks know that. I love this Party and believe in our Platform and I believe this Party has the best chance of protecting our Constitutional liberties, promoting limited government, defending traditional values, securing our border, enforcing our laws. What an opportunity we have to elect someone that actually will stand with the grassroots of this Party, who will fight for Republican values, he will put the taxpayers first and the courage to withstand the open border, profits over patriotism crowd and do what is right. If we really stood by our Platform, there would be no need of the Libertarian, Reform or Constitutional Parties or other freedom loving parties.
In 1994 we excited America and our Party to a level I have never seen since. We started with a Contract With America. We took D.C. by storm. However we did not live up to that Contract and broke the hearts of our grassroots Republicans. Since then we have continued to support “pork” spending, entitlement programs, reckless spending, Amnesty programs that our Party and America strongly oppose. And we have been run out of D.C. and have turned the reigns over to the other party, it was “moderate“ Republicans that were unelected almost entirely, not Conservatives.
When do we stand up and elect those folks that will support Conservative values, demand we put America First, put our citizen’s Constitutional rights above illegal aliens and demand we enforce our laws, secure our border, balance our budget, protect the most innocent of all the “unborn”, defend our God given Rights, stop Judicial Activism, some responsible TORT reform to stop frivolous law suits, eliminate or reform entitlement programs and get back to responsible, accountable and smaller government?
Lisa James who is married to Gordon James who worked with “wake up Arizona” to overturn Arizona’s “Fair and Legal Employment Act” by suing Arizona and LOST in four separate court challenges and when that did not work, they then worked to put Prop. 202 on the ballot to gut Arizona’s Fair and Legal Employment Act. They could not win with our grassroots folks, the courts, the legislature, so they resorted to a deceptive, fraudulent campaign to gut Arizona‘s Worksite Enforcement Law and they lost there also by 60% to 40% after spending over $1.5 million in lying to the public.
This is after Maricopa County Republican Party and the Arizona State Republican Party both passed Resolutions “unanimously” in support of this legislation.
She headed up Giuliani’s Campaign for President here in Arizona. He was the only openly Pro Abortion candidate running.
Lisa is a strong supporter of the McCain/Kennedy Amnesty plan and told me so, which also this Party took a position on to oppose in our state organizational meeting so Lisa is clearly Pro Amnesty and fights against the Grassroots Republicans on many issues, even after unanimous votes are recorded. She is cohorts with Nathan Sproul who we all know only too well and who also worked to overturn our Worksite Enforcement law, organized one of the most ugly deceitful campaigns ever ran in Arizona against me this last Primary and resorted to deception and lies in direct opposition to 80% to 90% of this Party’s precinct committeemen’s position.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I really don’t have much to say other than that Russell Pearce’s habit of capitalizing every other word (for emphasis?) is pretty annoying. Carry on.
December 16th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
A cake eater elitist. And a notice for “Look at the facts”: it’s the elitists that declared war on the grassroots with their “follow the party rules when we feel like it” credo.
Cake eaters really like memos from Nathan that trash Republicans.
December 18th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Grassroots Arizona; a PAC set up to change the composition of the Republican PC’s in Maricopa County. Could this be the reason?
James uses the word “grassroots” several times in her statement announcing her candidacy. Maybe she’s acknowledging those benefactors of Grassroots Arizona PAC for their efforts last June?
LD5 representative in hearings two years ago; ‘…Arizona needs all the [undocumented] workers it can get to keep our economy strong’
That’s the great divide of our party: Free Trade coupled with the free movement of goods AND LABOR across international borders.
December 18th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
btw, Lisa and Gordon are terrific individuals; but as someone aptly pointed out, in the political consulting world, you represent the highest bidder – that’s life.
December 19th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Open your eyes! Lisa James wants to continue to move the Republican Party towards the “Center-Left”.
Fresh faces in the party does not mean that we as Republicans need to abandon our ideals in order to win elections. That is why we lost in November. American’s want leaders. Not followers who will abandon their principles to win elections.
The change we need is to move back to our conservative principles, not farther away from them.
The rise of Liberalism can be rested solely on the Republicans’ shoulders. For every “Center-Left” Republican we elect into office there is one “far-left” liberal that can take their place in the Democratic Party. When the two parties’ platforms are so similar that they are hard to tell aapart on the surface, many American’s vote for the best talking, best looking candidate, because there is nothing else to vote for.
Let’s stand up as Republicans and take our party back. Let’s move back to the party that the American people put their trust into to make this country great. Let’s give the American people the reasons to vote Republican besides just party affiliation.
Conservative principles for a prosperous state and nation! Randy Pullen for Arizona GOP Chair!
December 19th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
In the political consulting world, you can CHOOSE to represent the higher bidder, but its not automatically true. There are consultants who do not sellout to anybody with a fat bank account.
Maybe Veritas is right. Gordan and Lisa might be terrific people. They might also be political mercenaries who hold no core values and therefore hire themselves out to the highest bidders. In a free market, that’s perfectly fine and legal. But let’s not also then pretend that Lisa James is some sort of movement conservative.
I’ll agree with Veritas that she’s a political mercenary who does it for the money. Now all we have to do is figure out who her “client” is that has asked her to run against Pullen. That really shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.
December 20th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I really don’t have much to say other than that Russell Pearce’s habit of capitalizing every other word