Lisa James’ campaign for State Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party has made voter registration and growing the party a centerpiece of her campaign pitch.  At a recent presentation, she spent a great deal of time lamenting Democrat gains and placing the blame at the feet of Randy Pullen.  She pledged, if elected, to reverse the Democrat gains.  Which all sounds good, until you actually stop to consider Arizona’s numbers relative to other states and, far more importantly, James’ own record in these two areas.

It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog (because you’re all political junkies) that Democrats made voter registration gains everywhere, not just in Arizona.  Republicans took a beating nationally and that was reflected in voter registration numbers nationwide. Arizona Republicans mitigated these losses by registering 100,000 new Republicans themselves, and they did so in spite of the fact that Arizona was not a targeted state (so there was no serious national money for voter registration as there usually would be).

Of greater significance to the race for Party Chairman is James’ own record, since she assures her audiences that she knows how to do the job.  James’ published resume points out that she is the immediate past First Vice Chair for LD8, an important position since the LD8 First Vice-Chair is responsible for voter registration and Precinct Committeeman recruitment.  Those are both important tasks for a district as well as the state party she intends to lead.  So how did James do on those two tasks?  The answer, according to LD8′s immediate past Chairman, is that she was an utter and complete failure.

In an email, former LD8 Chairman Royce Flora writes that James failed to register even a single voter and that she failed to recruit even a single PC.  Not a one.  James’ defense was in part that “she could not get anyone to help her despite asking many people.”  In fact, James’ performance was so atrocious that Flora was forced to ask for her resignation so that he could appoint someone who would actually do the work.  When James refused, Flora had to establish a committee under Dr. Harlan Stratton to do the job and, according to Flora, Stratton was very successful, both in terms of recruiting and registering, as well as getting people to help.  In fact, Flora gives Stratton much of the credit for LD8 electing more PCs than it has ever had before.

James’ campaign argues that 100,000 new registrations and an increase of 300 PCs is a failure and that any chairman who has that as a record should be replaced.  To close this sale, James will have to convince State Committeemen that her own record is superior. Mathematically, James has her work cut out for her.