The LD22 GOP meeting on Thursday night was noteworthy, as a higher-than-usual turnout showed up to elect a new 4^th Vice Chair.   After the ballots were cast, an open discussion was held regarding the Russell Pearce recall.   The consensus arrived at was clear:   although as a general rule the district should not get involved in advocating for a specific candidate in primary elections, it is apparent that the Pearce Recall is a deliberate, malicious attempt to discredit the effort to secure our border, and that this effort starts by destroying Senator Russell Pearce.   Those who favor doing nothing about illegal immigration do not care what policy is made or what votes are cast in the Legislature by anyone who manages to defeat Pearce; it is obvious that powerful out-of-state, leftist interests want to see Pearce removed just for the sake of dealing a blow to the effort to combat illegal immigration.  Their greatest wish to is ensure nationwide headlines that read “Anti-Illegal Immigration Forces Dealt Stunning Blow in Arizona”.   Embarrassing and dividing the State GOP is a bonus to the leftist puppet masters.

The Pearce recall is not a primary election.   It is a bought & paid for operation designed to strike a blow against the Republican platform by removing the man who is now viewed as the face of the movement to secure our borders.   It is an attempt by those who know they cannot win a Republican primary to circumvent the normal party nomination process and focus national leftist power and funds on one small local election – not in an attempt to elect someone who sympathizes with their viewpoint, but rather an ambitious plan to score a propaganda coup.

Consequently, an overwhelming majority of precinct committeemen in one of Arizona’s largest, most diverse legislative districts came together and spoke with one voice:   WE STAND WITH RUSSELL PEARCE AGAINST LEFTIST POLITICAL MANIPULATION.

The debate was spirited.   There were those who were concerned about setting precedents about the district interfering with other districts, or getting involved in elections where two Republicans are running against each other.   And yet, the discussion maintained a high level of civility and respect.   In many cases, people who raised concerns about a precedent being set also stated that the disgrace of a recall election bought and paid for by out-of-state special interest groups was itself a unique situation in Arizona, more akin to the events in Wisconsin where union leaders attempted to recall Republicans who voted for their beliefs.  More than one person expressed the view that although they often do not support some of Pearce’s legislation, in this particular case it was more important to present a unified front against those who would attempt to splinter our party by making one of its leading figures appear weak.   For too many years, Divide and Conquer has been an effective leftist strategy.   No longer.

The members of Legislative District 22 are pleased to present this resolution, passed on September 8^th, 2011,  to the public:

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING SENATOR PEARCE IN UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 18 RECALL ELECTION

RESOLVED,

WHEREAS it is our belief that the recall election against Senator Russell Pearce in Arizona Legislative District 18 is an orchestrated Democratic assault against Republican principles, and

WHEREAS, the defeat of Senator Pearce is a core objective of the Democratic National Committee and Moveon.org,

WE, the members of Arizona Legislative District 22, do hereby express our support of Senator Russell Pearce.

Adopted September 8, 2011