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Massive voter fraud in Arizona and Colorado

October 23, 2010 By 48 Comments

A m e r i c a n  P o s t – G a z e t t e

Distributed by C O M M O N  S E N S E , in Arizona
Saturday, October 23, 2010

 

Massive voter fraud in Arizona and Colorado

Friends,
 
There has been an accusation that 65% of 5000 voter registration forms, submitted by Mi Familia Vota and One Vote Arizona, in Yuma County on the last day of filling are invalid due to the registrant not being a citizen, wrong/invalid address, false signature, etc.  I also understand that these 2 groups have signed up 20,000 states wide and they have requested that 45,000 be put on the permanent early ballot. If 65% of these last minute registration forms in Yuma are invalid, which may be more as they are still checking the rest, then what is the percentages of invalid in Maricopa, Pima and other counties.
 
This is a very serious accusation that needs to be investigated to the fullest extent of the law. If this accusation is true then the perpetrators of this hideous crime against America citizens should be prosecuted to full extent of the law by Arizona Courts and not the federal courts as they do nothing on voter fraud and voter intimidation. All participants should be locked up and the key thrown away. This is an attack against sovereignty of this state and our freedoms for a socialist agenda.
 
I authored Prop 200, which was passed by an overwhelming majority of voters to help make Arizona one of the safest states in nation for voting.
Prop 200 had three parts to it.
 
Proof of citizenship to register to vote: The U.S. Constitution established more than 200 years ago that only citizens may vote. The initiative requires everyone equally to prove eligibility as does the Arizona Constitution.  Thanks to Proposition 200, ACORN’s efforts of voter fraud were thwarted here in Arizona.
 
Photo I.D. When voting: Photo I.D. Is required to cash a check, apply for welfare, sign a lease, or get a rental card at a video store.

Proof of eligibility to receive non-federal mandated public benefits: The initiative would require everyone to provide proof of eligibility equally. The Urban Institute studied this extensively in 1994, the University of Arizona in 2001, and estimated such costs to vary widely in the tens of millions of dollars.
 
They will stop at nothing to steal our elections and it appears that the friends of Raul Grijalva are doing everything they can to keep Ruth McClung, Janet Contreras and David Schweikert from getting elected. ACORN & SEIU are doing everything they can to find loop holes in our laws to use illegal’s and dead people to vote for their socialist, Anti-American agenda incumbents.
  
Yesterday a Colorado judge threw out 6000 bogus voter registration forms submitted by the same SEIU off shoot Mi Familia Vota here in Arizona.
 
I am going to pursue this matter, the State Legislator has full investigative powers and I will not let this rest.  I will be pursuing for a full investigation and if violations are found, I will push for aggressive prosecution with jail time imposed.
 
If, in the mean time, while I pursue this gross assault on our freedoms, you are as concerned, if not angry as I am about this issue, then I ask you to do one thing right now. Don’t delay, do it right now. Click on one of following 7 links and make a small or large donation to David, Ruth, Janet, Ben, Trent, Paul and Jesse’s campaign.  Do it right now. They need our help and we need them in D.C. to fight for us.  If we don’t take back Arizona we may not have a majority in Congress to stop the attack on freedom, reckless spending and out of control debt.
 
For Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,
 
Russell
 
www.gosarforcongress.com/ Paul Gosar District 1
www.trentfranks.com/ Trent Franks District 2
www.quayleforcongress.com/ Ben Quayle District 3
www.vote4janet.com/ Janet Contreras District 4
www.david10.com  David Schweikert District 5
www.ruth4az.com/ Ruth McClung District 7
www.votejessekelly.com/   Jessie Kelly District 8

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Crime and Punishment, Illegal Aliens, Liberals, Voter Registration

Voting was never a root canal

March 15, 2010 By 11 Comments

Emil FranziOnce again Oro Valley is conducting a mail-in election. And once again I will tell you why the concept is fundamentally wrong.

It makes voting easier? Check Iraq or Afghanistan or lots of other places trying to build democratic regimes where they still shoot at you for making the attempt. Voting was pretty damn easy here for quite a while.

My liberal Democrat radio co-host Tom Danehy, who shares my opinion on this subject, reminds us of a news clip from a Philippine election in which an official with a ballot box is being chased by a group of thugs. Not shown is the part where they succeeded and killed him. I witnessed a few years back huge lines in Rocky Point when they were holding something unusual in Mexico – a real election. People wanted to be part of it.

We had it pretty soft. Having to actually leave home and go to a safe polling place isn’t exactly a root canal.

Voting by mail does make it easier – for the election bureaucracy. They prefer to use the money involved to hire a few more permanent employees rather than go through the hassle (for them) of using Election Day temps.

The costs involved are clearly increased in some areas (postage) and decreased in others (poll workers), but that should never be a deciding factor. Ahead of even cops, courts and armies, choosing who’s in charge is the first and most primary duty of government.

At-home voting destroys the secret ballot. Why do you think we have those little booths and curtains? So husbands can’t muscle wives or wives husbands. Mailing out ballots is an invitation to cajole by anyone from the family patriarch and union boss to your mama.

It’s also quite obviously a fraud magnet. Why the same Republicans who are convinced thousands of illegal aliens are voting at the polls are ignoring a system that eliminates their having to go there to do it is beyond me. I recognize that most voting systems are legit, but it doesn’t take much dog barf to ruin an otherwise great burger.

While supposedly being in the best interest of individual voters, the at home ballot can screw them in two ways by returning it too early or returning it too late.

Return it too early and you may learn something that would’ve changed your mind about a candidate or an issue. The elimination of late information was sold as a virtue by advocates of early voting because it would eliminate last-minute smears. It also eliminates last-minute facts. Which is why many folks hold onto their ballot until the last minute.

Only return it too late and it doesn’t count. One stat I have never seen election officials produce is how many ballots get tossed every time for late delivery.

But my greatest complaint is that the entire concept (beyond taking care of the ballots of those physically unable to get to a polling place including those who are out of town) is totally demeaning to the election process.

What advocates are really saying is “we recognize this voting thing is really not important to you. You’re right — it’s no big deal. We want to make it so easy it won’t inconvenience you at all.” Turnout is not increased by telling people voting is not worth much effort.

Election days used to be local and national events. They were part of that Norman Rockwell kind of glue that helped hold the country and its culture together. To eliminate them is to eliminate one more part of what made America a great nation.

Filed Under: City Government, Demographics, Voter Registration, Voters Guide

Warding Off A GOP Challenge in CD-5

July 20, 2009 By 17 Comments

Sonoran Alliance has learned that recent transplant from the Bay Area, Jim Ward, has no record of voting in a primary election in Arizona or anywhere else for at least the past 10 years.The lack of primary election voting history in Arizona isn’t surprising given that Ward has only been in the state less than a year and was a California resident during last year’s primary.

However, our sources tell Sonoran Alliance that going back several years in California voter history reveals that Ward never bothered to vote in a primary while a resident in California.

Now some can and will make the argument that whether or not you bother to vote should have no bearing on your fitness for office. That certainly is fair enough.

But it does appear strangely awkward for a candidate running in a primary to ask voters to turn out and vote when they don’t make the effort or can’t be bothered to do it themself.

We would suspect that the primary voting history of Sonoran Alliance readers would be fairly high and they should be congratulated for doing what so many don’t – exercising their right to participate in the political process.

Should our candidates for office be expected to do the same thing?

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Voter Registration

The State of the Franchise

June 30, 2009 By 4 Comments

Earlier today, Dr. Matt Ladner at the Goldwater Institute revealed a disturbing poll on the state of civics education amongst Arizona students. Some time ago, we ran this video but we thought it was worth posting again. This problem is obviously not limited to Arizona students. This video was shot during the November 2008 Election.

Filed Under: Culture, Demographics, Voter Registration

Reason Number One Arizona Requires Identification at the Polls

May 1, 2009 By 9 Comments

On Tuesday, a judge in Ohio sentenced three pro-Obama activists for voting illegally in Ohio in 2008. The three were paid staffers for Vote Today Ohio, a non-affiliated PAC, whose purpose was to register Obama supporters in Ohio. Two of the three were residents of New York and one of California.  All three registered and voted on the same day under a loophole in Ohio law that allowed immediate registration and voting for a period of seven days in October.  The judge fined each of them $1000 and gave them a 60 day suspended jail sentence. (Columbus Dispatch Article).

Two other voters were convicted of illegally voting in Ohio a couple of weeks ago. Supposedly, there are another fifty prosecutions in the pipeline.

This incident should put to rest any complaints that Democrats have about Arizona requiring identification at the polls. If Ohio required identification at the polls, these three probably would not have voted illegally (or at least it would have been much harder for them to vote).

If Arizona is a battleground state in 2012, there will be groups like Vote Today Ohio and ACORN trying to pull these same tricks here in Arizona. Requiring identification at the polls makes this type of illegal activity more difficult. Maybe, that is why Democrats fought the passage of the voter identification law with such vigor.

Hat tip: Brad Smith.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Voter Registration

Idealist?

April 4, 2009 By 21 Comments

Did you ever wonder?

Where all those “Community Organizers” came from?  Especially during the last Presidential campaign when Obama’s employment prior to his two-year stint in the Illinois state senate was as a “Community Organizer”?

Did you know that right now in Phoenix you can “enlist” for a year long PAID training program with the “Green Corp”? (Want to guess what they’re all about?)

Did you know the size and scope – not to mention paid jobs – of the William J. Clinton Foundation?

I am wondering now, how much state funding finds its way into Teach America?  And exactly what do they mean by “progressive education” and “progressive change” anyway?  While our side is squabbling among ourselves, the opposition is playing offense.

In looking at the state education budget and programs, and thinking about the piece here showing the “Chicano Community Activist”, I began to do some research.  Below is a quote from the Idealist website from the listing of M.E.Ch.A. Mesa Arizona.  And I hate to disappoint you, but they don’t have any job openings today.  [But this website is chock full of job listings - paid, job listings]

“M.E.Ch.A. is a first step to tying the students groups throughout the Southwest into a vibrant and responsive network of activists who will respond as a unit to oppression and racism and will work in harmony when initiating and carrying put campaigns of liberation for our people.
M.E.Ch.A. must bring to the mind of every young Chicano that the liberations of this people from prejudice and oppression is in his hands and this responsibility is greater than personal achievement and more meaningful that degrees, especially if they are earned at the expense of his identity and cultural integrity.
M.E.Ch.A., then, is more than a name; it is a spirit of unity, of brotherhood, and a resolve to undertake a struggle for liberation in society where justice is but a word. M.E.Ch.A. is a means to an end.”
www.idealist.org
Note: you’ll have to register to see the good stuff.  But hey, why not?  Aren’t you interested in a progressive future too?  And members of the House and Senate, please visit this site.  You may be surprised at the linkages between public education in Arizona and some of these “teaching” groups.
Now you know why they seem to win, take a hint.  Does our side have these opportunites and shock troops for the values we ascribe to?  Yes, you too can apply for the open position with Planned Parenthood of Arizona, or register “new” voters.
What are we doing about it?  How much public funding do these groups receive?  Can they be cut from the public budget?  Are we funding progressive change?  “Yes we can!”
Filed Under: Culture, Education, Environment, Human Condition, Illegal Aliens, Political Parties, Race Relations, Sanctity of Life, State Government, Voter Registration

Dawn of the Voting Dead

March 5, 2009 By 6 Comments

The Voting Dead

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2009

Harper works with secretary of state to remove deceased from voting rolls
Records to be updated without legislation

(STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX) – In an effort to increase accuracy and avoid the liability of fraudulent voting, Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, has worked successfully with the Secretary of State’s Office to remove the deceased from voting rolls.

“From dead people on the rolls to dead-on accuracy on elections, I am pleased that the secretary of state has partnered with me on this reform,” Harper said.

Harper met with Sec. of State Ken Bennett to talk about SB1109 and was able to accomplish the bill’s provisions without legislation.

In a letter to Sen. Harper, Secretary Bennett said his office should be able to expand the existing web-based campaign finance reporting system to allow committees to report deceased voters. His office will present this to the Voter Registration Arizona (VRAZ) County Advisory Committee so it can become an adopted practice. The group meets in two weeks.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the current mechanism to remove the recently deceased is an automatic process through a statewide database that receives information from the state department of health. If the information does not clearly match to a voter, the county sends the voter’s household a letter asking for confirmation of the voter’s signature. Before the death notice mechanism was in place, the county recorder relied on family members to make the initial contact. If the person died in a state or county other than where they were registered to vote, there was no mechanism to report electronically.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, State Government, Voter Registration

James Disputes Voter Registration/Fundraising Claims

January 18, 2009 By 50 Comments

If you’re a Republican State Committeeman, by now, you’ve received a letter by Republican State Chairman candidate, Lisa James, disputing claims on her ability to register voters. In addition, State Committeemen are also hearing conflicts over fundraising by the State party over the last two years.

Here is an excerpt from the letter and a few visual aids as to James’ claim:

You’ve no doubt heard conflicting reports on the issues of voter registration and fundraising from the current AZ GOP. There is no debate when examining the real numbers of voter registration and fundraising for the AZ GOP. I would like to take this opportunity to give you the information as attained through the Secretary of State’s Web site, so you can determine for yourself if we can do better at registering Republicans and strengthening our finances.

During the 2006 cycle, when I served as Arizona Victory Director, the Republican Party registered 32,158 MORE Republicans than Democrats. During the 2008 Pullen Chairmanship, nearly 70,000 more Democrats registered than did Republicans. In fact, 8 out of 10 people who registered to vote this cycle decided against being a Republican. I’ve included a graph below with information attained through the Secretary of State’s office.

James continues:

In terms of fundraising, you’ll see that from 2002 through 2006 we steadily increased fundraising through the Party. I am proud to say that in 2006, when I was director of the Victory campaign, the AZ GOP raised more money than at any other election cycle on record (See the graph below).

Again, these numbers have been attained through the Secretary of State’s Web site and the Web site of the Federal Election Commission. The justification for the decline in fundraising for the Party during this time has been that Arizona’s money was directed elsewhere. Yet we had candidates who raised record amounts of money for their races (former State Senate President Tim Bee in his campaign for Congressional District 8). The economy has also been blamed, but in fact, during this same time period Democrats raised record amounts of money. In addition, there are no limits on how much money the Arizona Republican Party can raise for our state account. This means our potential to raise money to help our Party is unlimited and we should not only meet, but exceed, fundraising goals every year.

James’ letter than revisits the 2008 Election Cycle and hits back on the party’s failure to mount an early ballot campaign:

Two of the most important functions of the State Party are to register voters and raise money to support all of our Republican candidates. In 2010 we have all of our statewide constitutional offices on the ballot as well as a US Senate race, Congressional Races (and our best opportunity to take back CD1) and all 90 legislative seats. The 2008 election was the first time in memory that the AZ GOP could not fund a statewide early ballot mail piece to support our slate of candidates, nor could it fund an aggressive voter registration program. We lost 50% of the statewide seats on the ballot—not a good record for a red state.

The race for GOP State Chairman is now less than a week away. Boths sides are continuing to hit each other on registration and fundraising issues. Both have also called into question the other’s dedication to conservative causes such as the sanctity of life although Arizona Right to Life’s PAC has noted both candidates are equivalent on this position. Both campaigns have said little publically on the issue of immigration/amnesty and this may signal a hesitancy to bring that issue into play in this race. Regardless, expect this race to heat up even more in the remaining days.

You may read Lisa James’ entire letter by clicking here.

Filed Under: Campaign Finance, Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties, Voter Registration

Voter Registration A Strange Campaign Issue For James

January 9, 2009 By 26 Comments

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.

Filed Under: Political Parties, Voter Registration

AZ Civil Rights Initiative to have press conference about lawsuit at 11:00am

August 28, 2008 By 4 Comments

What: The Arizona Civil Rights Initiative (AzCRI) will discuss our injunction and lawsuit against the Arizona Secretary of State filed in the Maricopa County Superior Court.

Max McPhail, Executive Director of the Arizona Civil Rights Initiative, will provide examples of valid petition signatures that have been deemed invalid by the County Recorders.

When: Thursday, August 28th at 11:00 am

Where: Outside the Maricopa County Elections Office
510 South 3rd Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85003

The Arizona Civil Rights Initiative is dedicated to giving the people of Arizona the opportunity to end preferential treatment based on race, sex, ethnicity or national origin by state or local governments. AzCRI will make Arizona a place of equal opportunity for all, not a state that uses discrimination as a tool to create “diversity.” Achieving “diversity” should never be an excuse to discriminate.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Initiative(s), Race Relations, Special Event, Voter Registration

TONY THE PHONY Lies about his registration; race card gets played

August 18, 2008 By 53 Comments

pho·ny : false or deceiving; not truthful; concocted: a phony explanation.
Tony the Phony
It appears that Tony “the Phony” Bouie has been caught in a lie. In two recent appearances he has claimed that he was originally a registered Democrat, but then he registered as a Republican in the 1990′s in Hillsborough County, Florida. He then claims he registered Democrat when he moved to Arizona in 2001. And finally, he says he registered Republican when he decided to run for State Representative in District 6.

Well, a search of the elections office records in Florida turns up no Republican registration for Tony V. Bouie. It does show he was registered as a Democrat from 1996-1999. However, even this contradicts Tony the Phony’s own statement that he registered Republican right after he got his first NFL paycheck and realized how much money was taken out in taxes. He made this statement in front of the Arizona Republic editorial board on August 14, 2008.

To add to the mystery, Tony the Phony even announced at a public forum on August 12, 2008, that his opponent (Carl Seel) was wrong when he claimed Bouie had been a registered Democrat his whole life until he decided to run for office. In fact, said Tony the Phony, he had previously been a Republican for 9 years. Really?! We would love to see proof of that. Now he’s come out and admitted he wasn’t telling the truth in a press release. Bet the Republic isn’t too happy to hear they were duped. Nor are District 6 voters.

And finally, if Tony the Phony was ever a Republican, it is interesting that he never mentioned that fact to State Representative Sam Crump, who asked Bouie on April 25, 2008, why he had been a life-long Democrat until he decided to run for office. Tony the Phony’s response at that time was, “As an African-American I just registered the way my parents did and the way most blacks do.”

Now, those who would like to see fewer conservatives in the Legislature are resorting to the race card. We’ve seen it in Russell Pearce’s race and now we are seeing it in Sam Crump’s race. The Yellow Sheet gossip rag recently reported quoted an anonymous “insider” who said that many Republicans are questioning why Crump has not endorsed challenger Tony Bouie over Carl Seel. The insider says that everyone seems to be endorsing Bouie except Crump, which raises concerns that Crump’s non-endorsement is racially motivated. Now there’s a stretch.
Sam Crump at orphanage in Uganda Sam Crump with orphan
Besides failing to acknowledge Crump’s tireless efforts in time and money on behalf of his orphanage in Uganda, the Yellow Sheet’s investigative efforts didn’t bother to report that Crump had already told the YS that he doesn’t support Bouie because Bouie is not a reliable conservative Republican. Bouie stated just a few months ago that he didn’t know whether he supported employer sanctions, and now that he has been coached by Chris Baker, Bouie has seen the light and embraces employer sanctions. Bouie has refused to sign the No New Taxes pledge but claims he is against higher taxes. Bouie is in favor of affirmative action, granting special preferences for businesses owned by minorities and women. And finally, Bouie has two separate positions on abortion. No wonder Crump sees that Bouie is really Tony The Phony!

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties, Race Relations, Voter Registration

Last Call for Voter Registration.

August 1, 2008 By 3 Comments

     Monday, August 4 is the last date to register to vote in the 2008 Arizona Primary. Visit the Secretary of State web site for information on how to register. If you have moved or changed you name you need to reregister. Make sure that the Motor Vehicle Division also has your current address. More information is on their web site. August 4 is the cutoff for actually registration and NOT the post market date. Make changes online or physically turn the form in to the recorder’s office in order to meet the deadline.

Filed Under: Voter Registration

SCOTUS upholds ID at polls

April 28, 2008 By 13 Comments

The Supreme Court of the Untied State has upheld an Indiana law requiring ID at the polls. The ruling is a positive for supporter of Ariozna’s own law requiring ID at the polls.

Juctices Stevens and Kennedy joined the conservative block of Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas. Breyer, Ginsburg, and Souter dissented.

Filed Under: Constitutional Law, Voter Registration

Time to choose

December 26, 2007 By 1 Comment

Arizona does not vote in the presidential primary until February 5th but the deadline to get registered, Jan 7th, is rapidly approaching. Those registered as Independent or No Party are not eligible to vote in the presidential primary and should re-register with a party if they wish to participate. Most of our readers are probably with a specific party but if you have a friend who is not direct them to ServiceArizona to re-register. Also, anyone who has moved or change his/her name should re-register. For more information see the Secretary of State web site.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Voter Registration

Numbers by district.

November 6, 2007 By 4 Comments

The East Valley Tribune has an overview of the Arizona congressional races. The best part of the story is the link in the second paragraph titled GRAPHIC: 2008 U.S. House races. The images point out the reality of voter registration broken out by congressional district. Despite some media claims that Democrats are gaining on Republicans in the state the Dems are not actually doing that well. The have a lock on 2 districts (CD-4 and CD-7.) Republican have a lock on 4 districts (CD-2, CD-3, CD-5, and CD-6.) A Democrat did win CD-5 in 2006 but he is seen as one as the most vulnerable Democrats in 2008. Republican registration leads in 5 districts (2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.) Democrats lead in the other 3 (1, 4, and 7.) Because of the rise in Independents and no party voters Republican registration is in 3rd place in 2 districts (4 and 7.) Democrats are in 3rd place in 3 districts (2, 5, and 6) and are very close to 3rd place in CD-3.

What these numbers show is that the media is hyping the wrong numbers. As Al Gore found out in 2000 elections are not always about winning the overall vote. Same thing in the congressional races. Your overall voter registration numbers for the state do not mean much if each election takes place in a particular district. Of course the mainstream media will keep playing up the supposed Democratic surge but we know the reality is not quite that simple.

We did an earlier story showing that the reports of a Democratic surge in overall statewide registration are false.

There are several elections being held today. Here are our Tucson Endorsements and one for Phoenix. Visit Seeing Red AZ for more Phoenix Endorsements.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Voter Registration

Field not fully cleared in CD-8.

November 3, 2007 By 12 Comments

     Before yesterday I would have given a slight edge to Gabrielle Giffords in the upcoming race for CD-8 between her and Tim Bee. Then someone sent this tidball08 link to me. CD-8 is not dominated by either party although Republicans hold a slight plurality in registration. The number or registered and Independents and No Party is almost as large as the quantity of registered Democrats. (See the Secretary of State’s web site for the latest numbers.)

     Tim Bee and his allies did an excellent job of clearing the field in the Republican primary. Likewise Giffords does not face any known opposition in her primary. What I have not heard about up to this point is a credible Independent candidate and Derek Tidball may be that candidate. According to his campaign site Tidball is veteran of the 101st Airborne and served in Afghanistan (neither Bee or Giffords have served in the armed forces.)

     The big question is how does Tidball’s candidacy affect the other candidates. Just the fact that he is an Independent should give Giffords hart burn, since she has to make up her deficit in party registration by attracting a majority of the Independents.

     Bee is generally popular within the party and should have a solid lock on party faithful, social conservatives, and the pro-gun crowd. Giffords has not been antagonistic toward the NRA crowd but with a Clinton, Obama, or Edwards set to be at the top of the Democratic ticket look for the NRA to be out in full force and the A-rated Bee will benefit from the mobilization of that voting block. Bee has not yet secured the fiscal conservative wing of the party but we hear talk that he is courting that wing of the party. The small but rabid anti-Sproul faction of the party (Google Tim Bee Nathan Sproul) is not amused but they are not likely to defect to Giffords or Tidball. Few if any of Bee’s core voters will be attracted to Tidball’s message on the issues.

     Giffords will still own the Democratic base, has received buckets of money from the usually lobbyist sources that donate to incumbents (often of both parties,) and major funding the abortion crowd at Emily’s List. The question is will her voice be heard on the issue of the war in Iraq against the backdrop of a military veteran who served in Iraq? Our thinking at this time is that Tidball could take away some of the anti-war vote from Giffords (certainly among the less partisan Independents.)

Tidball lists 6 issues on his web page. Here in the order listed on his site is our take on how each issue breaks.

Iraq – His background and position take votes away from Giffords.

Immigration – Tidball does not take a strong stand either way. This is not a signature issue for Bee or Giffords so we are inclined to list it as a wash at this time.

Energy Independence – Just the title and framing of this topic are made for Democrats. We expect that Tidball’s support for alternative sources of energy will take voters from Giffords (She made an issue of alternative energy in her last campaign.)

The Economy – Tidball sounds like a fiscal conservative on this issue. Bee is vulnerable within the party on the issue of taxes and Giffords has been weak on earmark reforms so we think Tidball takes away from both Bee and Giffords on this one.

Education – Democrats generally win by just talking about this issue but Bee come from a family of educations and has a good reputation on supporting schools. Voter who know Bee will stick with him on this issue. The question is does Tidball pull away Giffords voters who care about this issue. Probably not. We rate this one a wash.

Health Care – Tidball sounds fairly Republican on this issue but since it was not a major voting block for Bee we are not sure if effects the race much. Very slight negative for Bee.

     Overall we find the Tidball candidacy a threat to Giffords. She must capture a large chunk on the Independents vote to which Tidball will appeal and Tim Bee is much less fractious than the last Republican that she faced. (She cannot count on Jim Click bankrolling the demonization of her opposition this time.) And get this, Tidball in not in the exploratory phase. He IS a candidate! We also look forward to how the “Independent” Matt over at SED will deal with Tidball. Matt fawns over Giffords but Tidball is tailor made for his outlook on the issues. Best of luck Derek and we look forward to covering your campaign extensively.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Voter Registration

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Recorder’s Office

October 19, 2007 By 4 Comments

The Arizona Daily Star is reporting today that the Pima County Recorder’s Office will no longer be supplying voter registration forms to Petition Partners, a Scottsdale based signature-gathering firm. According to the Pima County Recorder the forms being returned by Petition Partners are not quite in order.

The Petition Partners website and papers filed with the Secretary of State’s office indicate the company is run by Andrew Chavez. The board members are listed as Sam Coppersmith, Andy Swann, Pete Gorraiz, Mike Vespoli, Laura Bailey, and Richard Shapiro. Nice work guys, filling in the party on registration forms to get more money (according to the article in the Star.)

The LLC filings with the state list the firm of Grossfeld / Severns Inc as a member of Petition Partners but it appears that information may be outdated. Bob Grossfeld is now President of The Media Guys, Inc and Christa Severns is now first lady of Phoenix.

Filed Under: Voter Registration
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