You are here: Home / 2012 / January / Archives for 30th

The Politics of Polling in Arizona’s CD-8

January 30, 2012 By 19 Comments

How Jesse Kelly costs Republicans Congressional District 8 (Again)

Recently, there was a press release from the Jesse Kelly campaign that showed the results of a polling survey that was conducted by TeleOpinion. While Kelly attempted to tout the poll as having overwhelming support, Kelly himself was only able to garner 35%. This is after Kelly had been the GOP nominee in 2010 and had several million dollars spent by both his campaign and independent expenditure groups on his behalf. Sure, he lost by about 4400 votes, but that was 2010 – the best Republican year in over a generation. Congressional District 8  by enrollment numbers, is a Republican district. While he was running against an entrenched Democrat incumbent, so were many other Republicans throughout the nation in 2010. A comparison of those races show that Jesse Kelly was the only Republican candidate to lose in a Republican district anywhere in the country in 2010.

In his present poll, Kelly’s level of support reveals that 65% of likely primary voters prefer either another candidate or are undecided about the race. This does not bode well for Jesse Kelly. In fact, given the dynamics of this race and the fact that Kelly had run for this very high-profile, high-dollar race before, Kelly has most likely peaked at this point and his poll numbers have nowhere to go but down.

How does Kelly try and remain competitive in this race? His only option is to go negative. Watch for Team Kelly to start launching negative (in many cases unsubstantiated) attacks against both State Senator Frank Antenori and Dave Sitton. Kelly will try to tear his opponents down because that’s his only option to move the needle.

Unfortunately, this will also have the effect of turning off many potential voters to Jesse Kelly and will further spirally his support numbers downward. The question that Jesse now has to answer is: Is he willing to mortally wound fellow Republicans that have an opportunity to win CD-8 back? Or, will he cost Republicans in Arizona and across the nation an additional seat in Congress by continuing a quixotic campaign?

Governor Brewer today proclaimed April 17th as the date for the special congressional election in District 8. Let the games begin!

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Campaigns & Elections, Guest Opinion

Al Melvin, Steve Smith, Adam Kwasman form Conservative Team in Newly Formed LD-11

January 30, 2012 By 4 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2012

Conservative Team Emerges for GOP in New LD11

~ Smith’s move to the State House paves way for united GOP slate ~ 

Central Arizona – After careful consideration, conservative State Senator Steve Smith announced that he would be running as a candidate for the State House in 2012, thwarting an attempt by the liberal Arizona Redistricting Commission to force him into a primary with fellow conservative State Senator Al Melvin. Smith and Adam Kwasman, a financial consultant, will be candidates for the two House seats while Al Melvin will run for re-election to the State Senate.

In 2010, Smith shocked the political establishment with his stunning victory over longtime incumbent Rebecca Rios, whose family had held the seat for nearly 30 years. He joined Melvin in the State Senate where they worked together to pass a balanced budget free of the gimmicks and borrowing that had plagued Arizona for years. They also worked to pass a Jobs Bills to encourage job growth by cutting state spending and providing needed tax relief for businesses. Their hard work has been rewarded as Arizona is now projected to have a budget surplus of more than $600 Million in 2012.

Kwasman is well known for his role in helping to elect conservative Republicans, and his campaign has already received the support of prominent Republicans like U.S. Congressman Trent Franks, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne.

In discussing their newly formed campaign team Senator Melvin said “Steve and I have worked together very well in the Senate and I think that everyone appreciates him putting the district and the whole Republican Party first. The Redistricting Commission has tried very hard to pit Republican versus Republican and they failed in the new LD11.”

Smith said “In light of the fact that Senator Melvin is now the senior Senator in our new district, I feel that it is my responsibility to do whatever it takes to try and keep both of our conservative voices in the Legislature. I am also looking forward to serving with Adam Kwasman. He is an outstanding conservative candidate and he will make an excellent addition to the State Legislature.”

Kwasman agreed with Melvin’s statement and added “It is a privilege to be on the same team as these two conservative champions. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from the Legislature, the private sector, and the military, and I look forward to working with them to protect the taxpayers, attract more jobs, and keep Arizona’s economic recovery on track.”

###

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Campaigns & Elections, Conservatives, Press Release Tagged With: , , ,

Darrell Stubbs Enters Race for Gila County Sheriff

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2012
CONTACT: Teri Grier

GLOBE, ARIZONA (January 30, 2012) — A long time law enforcement officer says he wants to be Gila County’s next sheriff.

Darrell Stubbs has announced his intention to run for Gila County Sheriff on the 2012 ballot. A 25 year law enforcement veteran, Stubbs says, “It’s time we take back our county from this culture of crime that has moved into our communities! Our families deserve it. Our businesses deserve it. Our communities deserve it.”

In addition to being an AZ POST certified peace officer, Stubbs’ work history includes serving as a Gila County deputy sheriff, a patrol officer for the Town of Miami, a member of the Gila County Narcotic Task Force.

Stubbs said he believes that living and working in Gila County for over 40 years gives him a unique perspective on the needs of the people of this county. He has logged thousands of hours patrolling the county roadways and lakes, working in the schools as a resource officer and serving as an instructor in the community and for other police officers in the state.

“I am very familiar with the challenges in serving a rural county,” said Stubbs. “I have first-hand experience in what it takes to be a patrol officer, investigator, and deputy in Gila County.”

###

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Press Release Tagged With: ,

Matt Salmon Reports Another Strong Fundraising Quarter

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2012
CONTACT: Adam Deguire

Campaign raises a total of $470,439 in 2011 from over 1,200 individual contributors

EAST VALLEY – Former Congressman and candidate for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District Matt Salmon today announced his campaign raised $152,514 for the 4th quarter of 2011, ending the year with $304,875 cash on hand. To date, over 1,200 individual donors have contributed a total of $470,439 to Salmon’s campaign to return to Congress.

Former Congressman Matt Salmon stated, “With government spending continuing to rise, Americans need strong, conservative and principled leadership in Congress and I am honored that so many believe enough in me to send me their hard earned money.

During the last three months of 2011, when holidays traditionally slow down fundraising efforts, my campaign received contributions from over 500 new individual donors. My message of restoring fiscal responsibility, accountability and conservative values to Congress is certainly resonating and I am excited to see my campaign carry this strong momentum into 2012.”

About Matt Salmon

Matt Salmon was first elected to the United States Congress in 1994 and served until 2000, honoring his term limit pledge. A proud conservative, Salmon was rated in the top five among all 535 members of the House and Senate by Citizen’s Against Government Waste for all six years he was in office. He is a lifetime member of the NRA with an A+ rating and also earned a 100% rating by the National Right to Life. He was also the proud recipient of the American Cancer Society’s “Top National Elected Official” award.

Matt Salmon has received the endorsements from Arizona Congressman Trent Franks, former Arizona Congressman John Shadegg, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Mayor Scott Smith (Mesa), Mayor Jay Tibshraeny (Chandler), Mayor Hugh Hallman (Tempe), Mayor John Insalaco (Apache Junction), Mayor Gail Barney (Queen Creek), Arizona State Senate Majority Leader Andy Biggs (LD22), State Senator John McComish (LD20), former State Senator Chuck Gray, and State Representatives Eddie Farnsworth (LD22), Jeff Dial (LD20), and Bob Robson (LD20). Salmon has also been endorsed by South Dakota Senator John Thune, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey and Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-49).

###

Filed Under: Campaign Finance, Campaigns & Elections, Press Release Tagged With: ,

Important Reforms Don’t Always Require a Grand Vision

January 30, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Nick Dranias

Sometimes important regulatory and tort reforms come in small packages. One example is SB1286, sponsored by Senator John McComish. It proposes a simple reform to insurance law, which currently requires a completely innocent car rental company and a completely negligent car renter to be equally responsible for paying for injuries caused by the renter.

It’s plain to see why this law is on the books: car rental companies have the ability to pay much bigger insurance claims than most people. In contrast to this “deep pockets” approach, SB1286 puts primary responsibility for negligent driving on the shoulders of the driver and his insurance company, rather than the company that rents him the car. The bill changes the law to say that the renter’s insurance is primarily responsible to compensate for injuries the renter negligently causes. Only once the negligent renter’s insurance is exhausted, will an injured person be able to seek money from the innocent car rental company. That makes a lot more sense. Having deep pockets isn’t a legitimate reason to make car rental companies pay for injuries caused by people who rent cars.

By putting the primary duty to compensate for an injury on the person responsible for the injury, SB1286 is a reasonable tort reforms that still protects people who are legitimately injured. It also illustrates how meaningful regulatory reform can often be achieved by correcting bad policy found in the nooks and crannies of Arizona law. By reducing the cost of doing business in Arizona, rental car companies will be able to pass along the savings to consumers, employees and shareholders.

SB1286 proves that important reforms don’t always require a grand vision. Significant opportunities to advance freedom and personal responsibility can often be found on the margins.

Nick Dranias holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government and is director of the Joseph and Dorothy Donnelly Moller Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater Institute.

Learn more:

Arizona State Legislature: Senate Bill 1286

Filed Under: Arizona Politics, Government Reform, Legislation, State Government