Sheriff Joe Arpaio was set to win decisively against his newly minted Democrat challenger Dan Saban. With a big lead against the challenger most people would take the opportunity to run some positive ads about what a great job the incumbent has done. But no. The Arizona Republican Party had to channel Nathan Sproul and run a despicable hit piece on Dan Saban. Even if the ad against Saban is factual it is so far from the issues that most people care about that is serves to do little more than besmirch the state GOP more than Saban.
The Arizona Republican Party was not content to just run the ad so Sean McCaffrey, Executive Director of the Arizona Republican Party, followed up with a press release. McCaffrey supports the three attacks in the ad and includes the following statement:
Finally, Mr. Saban has claimed that he ‘passed a polygraph test’ regarding the claim of masturbating on duty. The point is in the polygraph, he admitted it. The source for this claim comes from a deposition between Mr. Saban and an attorney for KNXV news in Saban’s lawsuit against the station. Finally, it’s worth noting that it was revealed in court records that the president of the company which administered the polygraph to Mr. Saban was in fact a political supporter of Saban’s and made a campaign contribution to Saban’s previous campaign for Sheriff.
I do not have much respect for Emily DeRose but I am not sure even she is capable of issue a press release so far off message as this one. Does the Arizona Republican Party think this is the issue on voters minds in 2008? Another amazing question is why is the Arizona Republican Party wasting money on a slam dunk election when there are so many close legislative and congressional races that they could work on winning.
Nice work Mr. Pullen. You and your “team” have outdone yourselves.
Update: A late July Rocky Mountain poll showed Arpaio ahead by 14 points, 52% to 38%.
Very well said.
Lets face it, Rob Haney, Phil Mason and those guys are ruining the GOP.
They are zealots who only attack other Republicans.
Since they got involved, the party has lost ground to the Democrats. They have to go.
Agree Annie! We moved here from Michigan in 2002 and live in district 11. I have been shocked at Haney’s tactics. He seeks to destroy every Republican who doesn’t do what he wants. He has ripped up our district, now I have a democrat as my state representative.
We had people like Haney in Michigan. They hated Republicans more than Democrats and we went from a Republican state to Democrat governor and legislature. That will happen here if people like him don’t start focusing on the real issues.
The state party is a mess. Like TrueRedGOP, I live in an LD where both House members should be solid GOP; LD10 – and yet, Jackie Thrasher is one of my Reps.
Is there not a better use of my money that has been given at Tusk dinners and general donations over the years then attacking Dan Saban – who’s a great person and a career law enforcement officer?
Pullen should be forced out – he’s treating the party like a country club for his buddies rather then a vehicle to push our party’s values. I miss the days of Bob Fannin.
-APK
Well…..my feelings on this subject (pre-Saban) are well known so why go there.
Because they have been given cover for so long by so many, the thirst for blood has gotten out of hand. That is what happens when people already had a tendency to do that and this crowd has always been known for such behavior. They believe they are right, even if it means death to the party they will have the last word!
Every member of the EGC that has been a disruption and a bully-tactic thug needs to go! In every LD, when you are reorganizing make sure the slate is true GOP stalwarts and not the blow-hard, name-calling, meddling crowd we have now.
When electing state committeeman, same thing. No more of the “my way only†or we call you a RINO or “open-borders crowd” despite the truth to any of it. And every person who wore those stinkin’ yellow buttons or stickers needs to be shunned!
AND when it is time to elect a state chairperson, PLEASE if that person has a reputation as divisive and not a team player… listen to those warnings! Do not discount them as the ranting or echo chamber of a supporter of the other guy, or gal, as the case may be.
No doubt, we need a big shake-up. If Pullen has any guts or a smidgeon of care for anything beyond his own personal interests, he will not run again! And Sean can just multi-task his way out of town.
I’m just fine with AZ GOP trying to nail down Arpaio’s race. Arpaio has done a lot for many Republican candidates. He carries a very highly valued endorsement. It is important enough to retain Arpaio that I don’t mind a little insurance at all.
Rob Haney and Phil Mason are great Republicans, along with many thousands of other Republicans you don’t bother to mention. We need MORE Rob Haney, not less! Annie, doesn’t unanimous endorsements from EGC mean anything to you? You can attack Haney. I’m glad EGC agrees with him unanimously, or nearly so, month after month. I think you are the one out of touch with Republicans.
If the alternative to Pullen is as bad as it was last election. Then Pullen will have my vote.
GO, GO, Rob Haney and the majority who see it your way too!
Good article.
Bad move o the part of the State Party, sorry to say.
As for those people here who can’t seem to follow the GOP Platform — you know, the ‘anti-Haney/Mason crowd’……I say “Go join your liberal friends.”
Is this commercial running during the daytime, when little children are watching TV? It’s pretty disgusting.
Alex, the Thrasher seat was lost by Salmon, not Pullen. Pullen and his crew are working to get it back. Attack him if you want, but use the right facts to do it.
I’ve been a Republican all my life. I’ve lived in Arizona all my life. I cast my first votes for Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater in 1980. I’m not about to leave the Republican party. But this is despicable. Arpaio is power-mad and his sycophantic leadership team downtown is no better. This ad was utterly unecessary since Arpaio will have little trouble winning re-election. It’s not too much to expect a little class from a safe incumbent and this ad was completely classless. It’s unfortunate, too, because on the issues, Arpaio is right.
It is very likely that the anti-Saban ad is having a backfiring effect on Republicans much like the effect Sproul’s ad had in the LD18 Senate race.
I thought we had more important races to worry about like the house races in LD10, LD11, LD12, CD3 and CD5?
Those people in the “anti-Haney/Mason crowd” can “Go join your liberal friends.â€
Have you seen the registration numbers for Republicans in Maricopa county for the last two years?
Many people seem to be following that advice.
Thank you. That ad is SHAMEFUL. What a waste of our dollars. Why not go after legitimate claims, like the green team you mention, a bunch of crooks. GOP do something, stop wasting our time and money!
and Rob Haney is NOT a Republican… He represents his own pathetic little ego. Run for a real office Roby boy, see where all your “friends” go. Sheriff Joe – get off the airwaves and do your job instead of endorsing PC’s in LD 11 when you don’t even know who you are endorsing.
Jason,
“Arpaio has done a lot for many Republican candidates”
All I know is that there a lady sitting on the 9th Floor of 1700 W. Washington that Arpaio’s done a lot for as well…
Wow! I didn’t know so many people felt this way about Pullen-Haney-Mason.
Any candidates for the county and state party offices? We need people who want to elect Republicans, not defeat them.
This is despicable. I have asked for my donation to the party back and will not be giving my annual contribution next year.
For the first time in 35 years I will be voting for a Democrat.
This was not necessary with other close races in the county and state.
Don’t get me started on what he does for other Republicans. He’s kissed up a little to much to Janet. I was still going to vote for him but not now.
Shameful ad. Sean needs to be run out of town. As a Republican, I am ashamed at the tactics of my party leadership. Rob Haney, Phil Mason, et al, are no different than the Moveon.org wackos on the left. Time to purge.
Also- it’s acceptable to do this to Saban (who was likely to lose) and is only running as a Democrat to increase the odds of winning, but it was deplorable when they did it to Pearce.
Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
Arpaio endorsed Napolitano, now Rob Haney is endorsing McCain. Real principled party isn’t it?
How much money was spent on the ad production and air time? How much air time was purchased, and then forfeited, after withdrawing the ad due to the huge outcry? How many legislative candidates need that money and would have put it to a good purpose? If you have contributed your time or treasure to the state party, you deserve an answer.
The condescending answers of the party are salt in a wound but…gosh, they do tell a story about the lack of respect held by Sean, Randy, et al toward the “little peopleâ€! This ad tells so much about the core values of the leadership and their response to the fall-out explains who they really are and how they really feel about us.
I have a couple of questions to put to Sean McCaffrey on a polygraph test. Does anyone know the mailing address for his closet?
I’m actually thankful for this ad if this is what it takes for fellow R’s to finally purge these idiots from our party leadership. Saban/Arpaio race aside, there are far more important races that the STATE party should be focused on.
And Jason, it was mentioned in previous posts but I want to make sure you understand that Arpaio supported Napolitano…so much for good Republican and helping out fellow R’s.