For the last three years conservative organizations, bloggers, and commentators have railed against John McCain. In their eyes McCain is guilty of the greatest sin, an endorsement of the other party’s platform that big government is good government. This hatred led to a hope that a strong challenger would surface at the right time to take McCain down. While they waited they laid the groundwork and collected enough evidence to show why McCain is bad for Arizona.

Then comes 2010 and JD Hayworth announces an official challenge to John McCain. There is a brief excitement then silence. Hayworth’s name is mentioned rarely on Hot Air, RedState, Powerline, and Townhall, just to name a few, but then a fizzle. I have my google reader set to 40 conservative blogs across the country and it has been all quiet on the western front. Why?

Maybe it is because ObamaCare is an all consuming issue and conservatives don’t have time to hype a candidate. Nope. While courageously attacking Obamacare they also spent considerable focus on candidates across the United States. Got Rubio? They also had time to expose a ton of lefty dirty laundry contributing to the greatest political fall from grace in recent memory. So, that’s not it.

I have been especially surprised at the lukewarm support (nationally) for Hayworth, given the level of animosity that conservatives have for McCain.

Here is some problems that I have observed…..

After losing in 2006, in a race Republicans should have won, conservatives were understandably perturbed at Hayworth. After running a piss poor campaign we had to cede our district to a sign stealing grandpa (Mitchell). I was not very happy that after his loss, rather accepting responsibility for the campaign he went around blaming other GOP leaders, like Shadegg for their anti-earmark campaigns. You lost it, you did not work hard enough…period.

Second, I won’t hash out the spending charges leveled against Hayworth…mainly because being in congress does require “some” compromise. The fact of the matter is he has a 97.5% lifetime rating with the ACU and that is pretty good in my book. The spending and corruption charge, although fabricated by the left and endorsed by McCain, has gained some traction. It has permeated into the Arizona electorate consciousness, being a weed that has been very hard to kill.

Third, the perception and persona of Hayworth is lacking in the “it” category. Unfortunately Hayworth has some character trait problems. I have heard some negative comments in my political eavesdropping around the state. The common complaints are arrogance and that he is a bully. My personal experience has shown him to be a really nice guy but I only met him briefly in passing. Still, a problem.

I think it is important to candidly talk about these problems. It is important to accept these issues as real obstacles in our goal of getting rid of McCain. Candidates have a very real problem with being surrounded by yes men and uber positive consultants. Luckily, Hayworth has a pretty good team with some people that I really respect. McCain has not been terrible on reducing spending but sweet sassy malassy he has been terrible in other ways, unforgivable ways. In that vein know that I am desperate for a Hayworth victory but it is important not to gloss over real problems and if it takes one person on this blog to keep the heat up a little then fine, I am young enough and maybe reckless enough just to do it….