There's been a lot of bluster and name-calling from Republican candidates during this year's election season -
"Obamacare!"
"Immigrants!"
"Cut taxes!"
"Immigrants!!"
"Unions!"
"Immigrants!!!"
"Lather, Rinse, Repeat!"
Well, it turns out there is a quick and efficient way to get Republicans to shut up - challenge them to stand up and actually explain their positions civilly.
- Candidate for governor Terry Goddard has challenged Jan Brewer to a series of debates all over the state, but she has refused to participate in any more than the one that she was required to participate in as a condition of accepting Clean Elections funding.
She has refused to do so, but given her thorough faceplant of a performance in the CE debate, her reluctance in understandable. Though not acceptable.
- Treasurer candidate Andrei Cherny has challenged Doug Ducey to a series of debates, but thus far, he has also declined to participate, perhaps out of fear that his financial misdeeds (here and here) would become a topic of discussion.
- Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick has challenged Republican nominee Paul Gosar to some debates, but the career dentist and tea party favorite is avoiding a direct confrontation with the incumbent in CD1.
- Jon Hulburd, the Democratic nominee in CD3, has challenged Ben "Dirty Scottsdale" Quayle to some debates, but apparently, the Republican nominee is hoping Daddy's name recognition and money connections will keep him from having to mount an actual campaign.
- CD2 Congressional candidate John Thrasher reports that Republican incumbent Trent Franks has agreed to a debate. Just not to "minor" details like a place and a time...
In fact, the only R candidate who has accepted a debate challenge outside of one required by Clean Elections rules is John McCain, who will be debating Democratic challenger Rodney Glassman on September 26.
Other than that one example, however, the only sound one hears when the R candidates are challenged to put up or shut up is the sound of
Crickets chirping.
Showing posts with label CD2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CD2. Show all posts
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
FEC Reports - Congressional primary races
Some of these are eye-opening...
All info courtesy the website of the Federal Election Commission, reporting period 7/1/2010 thru 8/4/2010 (three weeks before the primary)...
In order of interest to me (call it "blogger's privilege" or something :) ) -
CD5
Schweikert: $225529.45 cash on hand, raised slightly less than $36K during the period, spent over $244K. Debt of $500K (to himself).
Ward: $172944.21 on hand, raised $28657, spent $264K, $315548.83 in debt.
Bitter Smith: $48454.60 on hand, raised less than $20K, spent slightly less than $83K, $81329.02 debt.
Salvino: $27.6K on hand, raised less than $10K, spent more than $91K, debt of $210958.04.
Spinks: $41.82 cash on hand (not "41.82K" but forty-one dollars and eighty-two cents), raised $170, spent $557, no debt.
Gentry: I couldn't find a report for the most recent reporting period.
Analysis*: It isn't over per se, but Salvino, Spinks and Gentry are toast, and Bitter Smith is on life support. Ward has a shot, but Schweikert seems to think he has it wrapped up, and is coasting a little, ticking off supporters of some of the other candidates.
These folks seem to be Republican B-teamers - perennial wannabes looking for one last shot at glory or carpetbaggers looking for a district where they can buy a nomination. Not talking smack here, one of these folks could move up to A-team status (Bitter Smith and Schweikert have held offices before, and Ward has access to cash), but they've got it to prove.
CD3
Crump: Less than $7300 on hand, raised $11456, spent slightly over $17K. No debt.
Gorman: Less than $26K on hand, raised $14K, spent $5371. No debt.
Morris: Slightly more than $40K on hand, raised $16K, spent $74K, $50K debt.
Moak: $121K on hand, raised a little more than $15K, spent more than $577K. Debt of more than $592K ($300K in this period alone).
Parker: $63K on hand, raised $36K, spent $123K, debt of $26431.60.
Quayle: $429K on hand, raised $218K, spent $473K, $1223 debt.
Waring: $29.5K on hand, raised $17K, spent $81K, debt of $41K.
Winkler: $24.5K on hand, raised $5225, spent $8253, no debt.
I cannot find reports for the other candidates (Branch, Hull).
Analysis*: Based on the money numbers, the race is between Quayle (tapping Daddy's friends for cash) and Moak (placing a big bet on his own candidacy), but Parker, Waring, Gorman, and Morris still have a heartbeat. In a free-for-all like this one, money for mailers and ad buys may not mean as much as an effective street-level GOTV machine. Crump, Winkler, Branch, and Hull are done. Quayle should be just as done after his recent gaffes, but Daddy's money and name may purchase some short memories among GOP primary voters.
Probably the strongest set of candidates that the GOP has fielded this year (3 former legislators, 2 former mayors, 1 son of a former USVP, a well-funded businessman, and Morris, who is moderate, female, intelligent, articulate, attractive, Jewish, and Cuban. In Florida, they'd have already cancelled the election and administered the oath of office to her, but in AZ she'll be lucky to break out of single digits), but they are slicing each other to ribbons and whittling down the funds that donors will have available in the general election. Look for lots of independent expenditures from GOP-friendly groups as they try to retain this seat in the general.
CD8
Paton: almost $187K on hand, raised $46K, spent $146K, debt of slightly less than $13K.
Kelly: almost $79K on hand, raised $78K, spent $159K, no debt.
The other candidates have dropped out or haven't filed reports that I can find.
Analysis*: This race could be the one to watch - Paton is the candidate of the GOP "establishment" and may be the better general election candidate, but Kelly has enough Tea Party support to pull the upset, and enough cash to make a last minute push.
CD7
McClung: $15K on hand, raised slightly less than $11K, spent slightly less than $18K, debt of $2300.
Myers: more than $23K on hand, raised $1820, spent $56K, debt of more than $95K.
I couldn't find reports for the other candidates.
Analysis*: The top GOP candidates to unseat Raul Grijalva raised less than $13K between them. Candidates who are toast in other districts were able to raise more. Any other questions?
CD1
Bowers: A little more than $10K on hand, raised $11K, spent a little less than $15K, no debt.
Gosar: Nearly $41K on hand, raised slightly less than $40K, spent $130K, no debt.
Hay: More than $116K on hand, raised $32K, spent $60K, debt of $100K.
Jensen: Reporting $1195 cash on hand on the summary page, but also reports $1595 raised and $1595 spent. Hand-written reports, wife or other relative as treasurer. 'Nuff said.
Mehta: Less than $2600 on hand, raised $7300, spent $25K, debt of slight less than $11K.
I could not locate reports for the other candidates.
Analysis*: Hay's got the cash, Gosar seems to have the momentum. Hay may be holding on to the cash to pay down her debt after the primary. If the CD5 Rs are B-teamers, these folks are C- and D- teamers.
CD4
Contreras: $2500 on hand, raised $6800, spent $4300, $25K in debt.
Penalosa hasn't filed a report that I could find, but his July report showed numbers in line with Contreras'.
Analysis*: Either one could win the R nomination, though considering that incumbent Ed Pastor has $1.5 million on hand, I'm not sure that qualifies as a good thing for whichever one wins the nod.
CD2
Black reports $69 (not $69000 or even $6900, but *$69.00* cash on hand in his quest to unseat fellow Republican Franks (cash on hand of $69K).
CD6
Smith reports cash on hand of $5593 in his quest to unseat fellow Republican Flake (almost $800K on hand).
Analysis*: Both Franks and Flake face primary challenges from the right, of all places, but other than the hardcore Tea Party types, no one can say (with a straight face, anyway) that Franks and Flake are "too liberal" to be "good" Republicans. The lack of financial support for the upstarts indicates that both are safe from serious intra-GOP challenges.
Key: "Analysis*" equals "opportunity to let loose a little snark."
Note: The candidates who didn't file reports that I could locate are all long shots anyway, so I'm not worrying about them. If one of them pulls out a primary victory, I'll eat my computer**.
** = Not really. I will admit to making a mistake, however. Call it "eating crow instead of a computer."
Note2: I didn't really cover the Democratic races because there aren't any primary races for Congressional seats.
All info courtesy the website of the Federal Election Commission, reporting period 7/1/2010 thru 8/4/2010 (three weeks before the primary)...
In order of interest to me (call it "blogger's privilege" or something :) ) -
CD5
Schweikert: $225529.45 cash on hand, raised slightly less than $36K during the period, spent over $244K. Debt of $500K (to himself).
Ward: $172944.21 on hand, raised $28657, spent $264K, $315548.83 in debt.
Bitter Smith: $48454.60 on hand, raised less than $20K, spent slightly less than $83K, $81329.02 debt.
Salvino: $27.6K on hand, raised less than $10K, spent more than $91K, debt of $210958.04.
Spinks: $41.82 cash on hand (not "41.82K" but forty-one dollars and eighty-two cents), raised $170, spent $557, no debt.
Gentry: I couldn't find a report for the most recent reporting period.
Analysis*: It isn't over per se, but Salvino, Spinks and Gentry are toast, and Bitter Smith is on life support. Ward has a shot, but Schweikert seems to think he has it wrapped up, and is coasting a little, ticking off supporters of some of the other candidates.
These folks seem to be Republican B-teamers - perennial wannabes looking for one last shot at glory or carpetbaggers looking for a district where they can buy a nomination. Not talking smack here, one of these folks could move up to A-team status (Bitter Smith and Schweikert have held offices before, and Ward has access to cash), but they've got it to prove.
CD3
Crump: Less than $7300 on hand, raised $11456, spent slightly over $17K. No debt.
Gorman: Less than $26K on hand, raised $14K, spent $5371. No debt.
Morris: Slightly more than $40K on hand, raised $16K, spent $74K, $50K debt.
Moak: $121K on hand, raised a little more than $15K, spent more than $577K. Debt of more than $592K ($300K in this period alone).
Parker: $63K on hand, raised $36K, spent $123K, debt of $26431.60.
Quayle: $429K on hand, raised $218K, spent $473K, $1223 debt.
Waring: $29.5K on hand, raised $17K, spent $81K, debt of $41K.
Winkler: $24.5K on hand, raised $5225, spent $8253, no debt.
I cannot find reports for the other candidates (Branch, Hull).
Analysis*: Based on the money numbers, the race is between Quayle (tapping Daddy's friends for cash) and Moak (placing a big bet on his own candidacy), but Parker, Waring, Gorman, and Morris still have a heartbeat. In a free-for-all like this one, money for mailers and ad buys may not mean as much as an effective street-level GOTV machine. Crump, Winkler, Branch, and Hull are done. Quayle should be just as done after his recent gaffes, but Daddy's money and name may purchase some short memories among GOP primary voters.
Probably the strongest set of candidates that the GOP has fielded this year (3 former legislators, 2 former mayors, 1 son of a former USVP, a well-funded businessman, and Morris, who is moderate, female, intelligent, articulate, attractive, Jewish, and Cuban. In Florida, they'd have already cancelled the election and administered the oath of office to her, but in AZ she'll be lucky to break out of single digits), but they are slicing each other to ribbons and whittling down the funds that donors will have available in the general election. Look for lots of independent expenditures from GOP-friendly groups as they try to retain this seat in the general.
CD8
Paton: almost $187K on hand, raised $46K, spent $146K, debt of slightly less than $13K.
Kelly: almost $79K on hand, raised $78K, spent $159K, no debt.
The other candidates have dropped out or haven't filed reports that I can find.
Analysis*: This race could be the one to watch - Paton is the candidate of the GOP "establishment" and may be the better general election candidate, but Kelly has enough Tea Party support to pull the upset, and enough cash to make a last minute push.
CD7
McClung: $15K on hand, raised slightly less than $11K, spent slightly less than $18K, debt of $2300.
Myers: more than $23K on hand, raised $1820, spent $56K, debt of more than $95K.
I couldn't find reports for the other candidates.
Analysis*: The top GOP candidates to unseat Raul Grijalva raised less than $13K between them. Candidates who are toast in other districts were able to raise more. Any other questions?
CD1
Bowers: A little more than $10K on hand, raised $11K, spent a little less than $15K, no debt.
Gosar: Nearly $41K on hand, raised slightly less than $40K, spent $130K, no debt.
Hay: More than $116K on hand, raised $32K, spent $60K, debt of $100K.
Jensen: Reporting $1195 cash on hand on the summary page, but also reports $1595 raised and $1595 spent. Hand-written reports, wife or other relative as treasurer. 'Nuff said.
Mehta: Less than $2600 on hand, raised $7300, spent $25K, debt of slight less than $11K.
I could not locate reports for the other candidates.
Analysis*: Hay's got the cash, Gosar seems to have the momentum. Hay may be holding on to the cash to pay down her debt after the primary. If the CD5 Rs are B-teamers, these folks are C- and D- teamers.
CD4
Contreras: $2500 on hand, raised $6800, spent $4300, $25K in debt.
Penalosa hasn't filed a report that I could find, but his July report showed numbers in line with Contreras'.
Analysis*: Either one could win the R nomination, though considering that incumbent Ed Pastor has $1.5 million on hand, I'm not sure that qualifies as a good thing for whichever one wins the nod.
CD2
Black reports $69 (not $69000 or even $6900, but *$69.00* cash on hand in his quest to unseat fellow Republican Franks (cash on hand of $69K).
CD6
Smith reports cash on hand of $5593 in his quest to unseat fellow Republican Flake (almost $800K on hand).
Analysis*: Both Franks and Flake face primary challenges from the right, of all places, but other than the hardcore Tea Party types, no one can say (with a straight face, anyway) that Franks and Flake are "too liberal" to be "good" Republicans. The lack of financial support for the upstarts indicates that both are safe from serious intra-GOP challenges.
Key: "Analysis*" equals "opportunity to let loose a little snark."
Note: The candidates who didn't file reports that I could locate are all long shots anyway, so I'm not worrying about them. If one of them pulls out a primary victory, I'll eat my computer**.
** = Not really. I will admit to making a mistake, however. Call it "eating crow instead of a computer."
Note2: I didn't really cover the Democratic races because there aren't any primary races for Congressional seats.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Trent Franks - coming through for his district...or NOT
From AZCentral.com -
Maybe if Surprise invaded Wittman (an unincorporated area northwest of Surprise) to look for WMDs or drugs or something, he would find it appropriate to help out - according to the House GOP's own website on earmarks, last year Franks put his name on over $2.63 billion worth of earmark requests.
Less than $15 million, or 0.56%, were for non-military and non-police uses.
Of course, even including military and police uses, only 1.6% of his proposed earmarks were for uses in CD2.
Thrasher for Congress. It's time for send someone to D.C. who will actually represent CD2.
Trent Franks pulls $10 million earmark for Surprise roadwork
A team of Surprise officials received disappointing news about federal funding during a recent lobbying trip to Washington, D.C.
Congressman Trent Franks, R-Arizona, pulled a $10 million earmark that would have helped build an interchange at Bell Road and Grand Avenue, said Michael Celaya, intergovernmental relations director, at Thursday's City Council work session.
Maybe if Surprise invaded Wittman (an unincorporated area northwest of Surprise) to look for WMDs or drugs or something, he would find it appropriate to help out - according to the House GOP's own website on earmarks, last year Franks put his name on over $2.63 billion worth of earmark requests.
Less than $15 million, or 0.56%, were for non-military and non-police uses.
Of course, even including military and police uses, only 1.6% of his proposed earmarks were for uses in CD2.
Thrasher for Congress. It's time for send someone to D.C. who will actually represent CD2.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Update from Thrasher for Congress
John Thrasher, a veteran and a career educator, is a candidate in CD2, looking to unseat Trent Franks (R-one of our most embarrassing elected officials).
Via email, Thrasher's latest campaign update -
My name is John Thrasher, and like you, I am disappointed with Congress.
Our current District 2 Congressman has not passed a single piece of his own legislation. He has failed to represent your needs for eight years. By pushing his narrow and ideologically driven agenda, Trent Franks has increasingly established his anti-Arizona voting record. He has damaged the future of our district by voting against increasing funding for public education, against legislation that would create good jobs, against measures that call for improving our infrastructure in District 2. Mr. Franks even has trouble answering constituent phone calls when there is a differing point of view. For these and other reasons, I am running for Congress in Arizona's Congressional District 2.
Around election time, politicians make promises that often ring hollow after the election. As an educator, and a leader, I was held to a higher standard. When I make a promise, I stick to it. My honor, and my reputation, depends on it. Therefore, without reservation, I promise to be visible, available, and a good listener. Then, I will take the action needed to find solutions to problems you bring to my attention. AND, I know how to answer my telephone no matter who is calling.
The citizens of District 2 have suffered from inaction, and ideology, long enough. I will not waste my time, or your taxpayer dollars, by going to Washington to bicker with others. You want action, not rhetoric. I will join with your voice in demanding members of Congress, me included, do the job the voters sent them to do.
I strongly believe we can move Arizona forward by developing jobs for District 2 in Solar and New Energy. This will not only ensure cleaner air and water, I predict we will see a significant impact in the over $2 Billion spent importing foreign Oil every day.
My challenge to you is this. If you are pleased with the way things are today in Washington, do nothing. If you are disappointed, like me, invest NOW in our future by sending me, John Thrasher, to Washington on November 2, 2010.
Thank you for your support.
John
How to Contribute or Volunteer
Contribute today at:
www.thrasherforcongress.org
Or by mail:
John Thrasher For Congress
5350 W Bell Rd C-122 #484
Glendale, Arizona 85308
Volunteer Opportunities are available:
info@thrasherforcongress.org
Forward to all your friends and make your contribution today. Give John Thrasher the support needed to bring back the American Dream.
Via email, Thrasher's latest campaign update -
My name is John Thrasher, and like you, I am disappointed with Congress.
Our current District 2 Congressman has not passed a single piece of his own legislation. He has failed to represent your needs for eight years. By pushing his narrow and ideologically driven agenda, Trent Franks has increasingly established his anti-Arizona voting record. He has damaged the future of our district by voting against increasing funding for public education, against legislation that would create good jobs, against measures that call for improving our infrastructure in District 2. Mr. Franks even has trouble answering constituent phone calls when there is a differing point of view. For these and other reasons, I am running for Congress in Arizona's Congressional District 2.
Around election time, politicians make promises that often ring hollow after the election. As an educator, and a leader, I was held to a higher standard. When I make a promise, I stick to it. My honor, and my reputation, depends on it. Therefore, without reservation, I promise to be visible, available, and a good listener. Then, I will take the action needed to find solutions to problems you bring to my attention. AND, I know how to answer my telephone no matter who is calling.
The citizens of District 2 have suffered from inaction, and ideology, long enough. I will not waste my time, or your taxpayer dollars, by going to Washington to bicker with others. You want action, not rhetoric. I will join with your voice in demanding members of Congress, me included, do the job the voters sent them to do.
I strongly believe we can move Arizona forward by developing jobs for District 2 in Solar and New Energy. This will not only ensure cleaner air and water, I predict we will see a significant impact in the over $2 Billion spent importing foreign Oil every day.
My challenge to you is this. If you are pleased with the way things are today in Washington, do nothing. If you are disappointed, like me, invest NOW in our future by sending me, John Thrasher, to Washington on November 2, 2010.
Thank you for your support.
John
How to Contribute or Volunteer
Contribute today at:
www.thrasherforcongress.org
Or by mail:
John Thrasher For Congress
5350 W Bell Rd C-122 #484
Glendale, Arizona 85308
Volunteer Opportunities are available:
info@thrasherforcongress.org
Forward to all your friends and make your contribution today. Give John Thrasher the support needed to bring back the American Dream.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Trent Franks (R-AZ2) - Arizona's shame
Perhaps this country's history of slavery is America's shame (though a strong argument can be made for the genocide perpetrated on American Indians here), but Congressman Trent Franks' waxing nostalgic about the good ol' days is Arizona's shame -
We are the ones who have sent him to the national stage, giving his utterings a far wider audience than they merit.
I first heard about this on Friday's Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, and it is already all over the blogosphere. Here is the Phoenix New Times' take on Franks' latest bout of verbal diarrhea -
The scary part is, no matter how much Franks is a right-wing Neanderthal whackjob, it still isn't enough for the AZGOP - they're running a Tea Party type (I refuse to link to this crap; just Google "Charles Black" and "Kingman) at him, attacking him from the right.
One silver lining in this dark cloud of embarassment - as long as Franks is around, wiseass AZ bloggers will never want for subject material.
We are the ones who have sent him to the national stage, giving his utterings a far wider audience than they merit.
I first heard about this on Friday's Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, and it is already all over the blogosphere. Here is the Phoenix New Times' take on Franks' latest bout of verbal diarrhea -
Republican Congressman Trent "Foot-in-Mouth" Franks is truly the gift that keeps on giving. The goofy, amiable wingnut from Arizona's Second Congressional District is known for his hard-right stance on just about everything from abortion to President Obama's birth certificate, which he desperately wanted to see at one point.
To say he's outdone himself with his latest racially-charged statements...starting around 6:12 in, would be ignorant of Franks' history of saying stupid stuff...I'm sure the 2.2 percent of African-Americans in his district will not be too happy to find out that Franks figured they had it better off in the antebellum South.
The scary part is, no matter how much Franks is a right-wing Neanderthal whackjob, it still isn't enough for the AZGOP - they're running a Tea Party type (I refuse to link to this crap; just Google "Charles Black" and "Kingman) at him, attacking him from the right.
One silver lining in this dark cloud of embarassment - as long as Franks is around, wiseass AZ bloggers will never want for subject material.
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