Reps ripping each other in LD8

On Edit: There's an update (and an apology) at the bottom of the post. While in my original post I wrote that there were no Dems running for LD8 Senate, that info was wrong. Correction at the bottom.

I generally don't post about LD8 (Scottsdale and Fountain Hills), and almost never write a post expressing support for a Republican candidate, but since the Dems aren't running anyone in the LD8 Senate race, I will this once.

The East Valley Tribune has an article on how the Republican primary race between Carolyn Allen and Collette Rosati is heating up, and seems to have the potential to get nasty.

From the article:

“They do not personally care for each other very much,” said Rep. Michele Reagan, a Republican who also represents District 8. “There’s been a lot of bomb throwing from one side to the other and there’s bound to be hurt feelings.”

Because Scottsdale and Fountain Hills are made up mostly of Republican voters, the primary races often decide the winner of District 8. Much of the campaigning at this early stage is delivered in biting comments passed through supporters.

Rosati has expressed doubts about Allen’s health, Reagan said, as the senator battles with severe arthritis that has noticeably contorted her hands.

In turn, Allen has openly questioned Rosati’s intellectual capacity.

In regard to Carolyn Allen, while I don't agree with her on most, or even many, issues, she goes about her duties professionally and conscientiously, and she is the closest thing to a sane Republican as there is in the lege. She understands that sanity could cost her, though.

On one hand, "she [Allen] acknowledged being a centrist, but the two-term senator dismissed the idea that such a label warrants her excommunication from the GOP."

On the other, though, she adds “The drift to the fringe is very, very harmful. People like my husband and my friends are becoming independents because they are unhappy that the party has gone so far to the right."

I'm still a newbie to a lot of this, but have already learned primary challenges to a successful incumbent are generally considered bad etiquette unless there is some issue involved. These days it's corruption.

Yet, while Allen has no such issues, the Reps keep running someone at her. She's not extreme enough for the wall-builders and book-burners that are trying to take over the soul of the Republican Party.

If they keep this crap up, the Reps run the risk of causing a major schism in the party; a purge of their moderates might make the social conservative ideologues happy, but it will destroy their party.

It all kind of makes me wish that the Dems were running someone for Senate in LD8. After Rosati and Allen shred each other in the primary, a strong Dem candidate might be able to slide in to a general election victory.

Since that's not happening, here's hoping that the voters of N. Scottsdale and Fountain Hills recognize when they have a good thing, and support Allen.

UPDATE (and thanks to Stanforstudentcouncil for the correct info): Dems Dan Oseran and Stuart Turnansky (no website) are running for Senate in LD8.

I apologize to both of them for the error, and hope that whichever wins the September primary kicks butt in November.