From the Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) -
The first Republican challenger to the Democrats’ “Solar Team” emerged Monday as Scottsdale Republican Susan Bitter Smith filed an exploratory committee for the Arizona Corporation Commission. Smith, former president of the Central Arizona Project board of directors, said she would bring years of water and energy management experience to the board.
I'll leave the discussion of the appropriateness of career industry lobbyist Bitter Smith gaining a seat on the ACC, the group that is supposed to oversee industry for another day.
However, at this point,Bitter Smith is looking more and more like a candidate in search of an office.
In addition to her time with the Central Arizona Project Board of Directors, she's...
...been a member of the Scottsdale City Council
...run for Congress in 2000, coming in third in a five-way Republican primary for the seat that was eventually won by Jeff Flake.
...run for Congress in 2008, coming in second to David Schweikert in a six-way Republican primary for the seat that Harry Mitchell held on to.
...run for Congress in 2010, coming in third behind Schweikert and Jim Ward in a six-way Republican primary for the seat that Schweikert went on to win.
Hmmm...it seems that *somebody* likes running for office.
Showing posts with label Bitter-Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bitter-Smith. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Scottsdale City Council bails out Arizona American Water
After more than 2 hours of presentations and discussions at Tuesday's meeting of the Scottsdale City Council, the Council voted 5 - 2 to enter into a "Treat and Transport" agreement with Arizona American Water (AAW) whereby Scottsdale will treat TCE-contaminated water from wells controlled by AAW and then return it ("transport") back to AAW's system for delivery to its customers.
Previous posts on the matter here and here.
I'll keep this brief because I walked out of the meeting thoroughly ticked off at the selling out of Scottsdale residents by the majority on the Council, and that anger will affect the quality of my writing.
The five members who voted to shoulder AAW's cleanup responsibilities were Mayor Jim Lane, Vice-Mayor Suzanne Klapp, Council member Wayne Ecton, Council member Bob Littlefield, and Council member Marg Nelssen.
Littlefield and Ecton are up for reelection this year. Littlefield's support of AAW was no surprise - he's long been a corporate apologist. Ecton's was a bit of a surprise, and he had a seriously sour look on his face when he cast his vote, but he voted in favor of AAW nonetheless.
The two members who supported condemnation of AAW were Council member Ron McCullagh and Council member Lisa Borowsky.
McCullagh's support of condemnation was no surprise - he's a customer of AAW and has been the victim of their screw-ups (and AAW's arrogance about those screw-ups) for years. Borowsky's support of condemnation was weaker and seemed to be rooted in some reservations about the trustworthiness of the AAW figures that she has met with, not in a whole-hearted support for acquiring AAW's Scottsdale operation and folding their customers into the Scottsdale municipal system.
In the interests of keeping this brief, and because the AZ Republic will probably cover the matter in more depth later today, here are some observations from the meeting:
- It was definitely a "strange bedfellows" sort of evening - Lane and Littlefield were on the same side of the issue as the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce. Definitely an unusual event.
- More "strange bedfellows" - former (2008) rivals for the R nod for CD5, Laura Knaperek and Susan Bitter Smith, were there to lobby for AAW. I'm not sure that it means much, but they stayed well away from each other during the meeting.
- They weren't even together during the group hug/backslapping session held outside City Hall by AAW's lobbyists after the hearing.
- Two member of the governing board of the Central Arizona Project were in the Kiva to support AAW, though neither was ID'ed as such. Both Tim Bray, who spoke, and Bitter Smith are current members of the Board. Bray is running for reelection; Bitter Smith is not.
- Before the meeting hypocrisy alert (unrelated to the AAW matter) - at the beginning of the meeting, Jim Lane proudly announced that the City had purchased more land for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, partially with money from the Growing Smarter/Land Conservation Fund.
A fund that Republicans, including Lane, want to dismantle in favor of corporate tax cuts (Proposition 301).
All in all, it was a very frustrating evening, both for me and for most of the residents in the Kiva. The vast majority of those who weren't there on AAW's dime strongly supported condemnation.
I left the building with one thought - if the issue at hand was a tattoo parlor in north Scottsdale increasing profits by cutting corners on needles, and exposing residents of north Scottsdale to hepatitis, HIV, or something else, the Council would have fallen all over itself to shut down the operation and kick it out of Scottsdale. However, the people exposed to poison as a result of AAW's shoddy maintenance practices (and that was part of the final report of the investigation looking into the incidents that precipitated Tuesday's agenda item) were all in south Scottsdale.
People noticed that, and many of the folks walking out of the Kiva after the meeting left muttering that they would be supporting whoever runs for Mayor against Lane in 2012.
While Tuesday's meeting was a serious setback for supporters of good governance, from any partisan affiliation (I'm a D, yet both McCullagh and Borowsky are active Rs), something tells me this isn't over. Tuesday's vote was for approval of guidance to City staff, not on approval of a specific contract.
Later...
Previous posts on the matter here and here.
I'll keep this brief because I walked out of the meeting thoroughly ticked off at the selling out of Scottsdale residents by the majority on the Council, and that anger will affect the quality of my writing.
The five members who voted to shoulder AAW's cleanup responsibilities were Mayor Jim Lane, Vice-Mayor Suzanne Klapp, Council member Wayne Ecton, Council member Bob Littlefield, and Council member Marg Nelssen.
Littlefield and Ecton are up for reelection this year. Littlefield's support of AAW was no surprise - he's long been a corporate apologist. Ecton's was a bit of a surprise, and he had a seriously sour look on his face when he cast his vote, but he voted in favor of AAW nonetheless.
The two members who supported condemnation of AAW were Council member Ron McCullagh and Council member Lisa Borowsky.
McCullagh's support of condemnation was no surprise - he's a customer of AAW and has been the victim of their screw-ups (and AAW's arrogance about those screw-ups) for years. Borowsky's support of condemnation was weaker and seemed to be rooted in some reservations about the trustworthiness of the AAW figures that she has met with, not in a whole-hearted support for acquiring AAW's Scottsdale operation and folding their customers into the Scottsdale municipal system.
In the interests of keeping this brief, and because the AZ Republic will probably cover the matter in more depth later today, here are some observations from the meeting:
- It was definitely a "strange bedfellows" sort of evening - Lane and Littlefield were on the same side of the issue as the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce. Definitely an unusual event.
- More "strange bedfellows" - former (2008) rivals for the R nod for CD5, Laura Knaperek and Susan Bitter Smith, were there to lobby for AAW. I'm not sure that it means much, but they stayed well away from each other during the meeting.
- They weren't even together during the group hug/backslapping session held outside City Hall by AAW's lobbyists after the hearing.
- Two member of the governing board of the Central Arizona Project were in the Kiva to support AAW, though neither was ID'ed as such. Both Tim Bray, who spoke, and Bitter Smith are current members of the Board. Bray is running for reelection; Bitter Smith is not.
- Before the meeting hypocrisy alert (unrelated to the AAW matter) - at the beginning of the meeting, Jim Lane proudly announced that the City had purchased more land for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, partially with money from the Growing Smarter/Land Conservation Fund.
A fund that Republicans, including Lane, want to dismantle in favor of corporate tax cuts (Proposition 301).
All in all, it was a very frustrating evening, both for me and for most of the residents in the Kiva. The vast majority of those who weren't there on AAW's dime strongly supported condemnation.
I left the building with one thought - if the issue at hand was a tattoo parlor in north Scottsdale increasing profits by cutting corners on needles, and exposing residents of north Scottsdale to hepatitis, HIV, or something else, the Council would have fallen all over itself to shut down the operation and kick it out of Scottsdale. However, the people exposed to poison as a result of AAW's shoddy maintenance practices (and that was part of the final report of the investigation looking into the incidents that precipitated Tuesday's agenda item) were all in south Scottsdale.
People noticed that, and many of the folks walking out of the Kiva after the meeting left muttering that they would be supporting whoever runs for Mayor against Lane in 2012.
While Tuesday's meeting was a serious setback for supporters of good governance, from any partisan affiliation (I'm a D, yet both McCullagh and Borowsky are active Rs), something tells me this isn't over. Tuesday's vote was for approval of guidance to City staff, not on approval of a specific contract.
Later...
Friday, August 06, 2010
Harry Mitchell vs. GOPer challengers: Public Service vs. Mudslinging and Politics As Usual
Keeping up with the compare and contrast theme of yesterday's post on the call for a special session of the legislature...
First up, an email from Congressman Harry Mitchell on the boring, but near and dear to the lives of CD5 residents, subject of home foreclosures -
- Perennial candidate David Schweikert is the subject of yet another FEC complaint, this one over a hit piece that was mailed to CD5 R voters. It doesn't have enough of a color contrast between the background and the "paid for by" disclaimer for that disclaimer to be readable.
- Tea Party-type Chris Salvino has sent out a similar hit piece, this one targeting Schweikert. While the "paid for by" clause is pretty clear, it has other problems, as Greg Patterson at the Republican blog Espresso Pundit points out in this post.
From Patterson's post -
- Ward himself is also sending out hit pieces, as Patterson pointed out in this post from July (Hey, I'm a registered Democrat. I don't get the good stuff because I'm not on their mailing lists... :) ). His piece was an attack on Schweikert in the "let's throw lots of stuff against the wall and see what sticks" school.
- Susan Bitter Smith, an industry lobbyist when she isn't moonlighting as a candidate for Congress, is the owner of a "consulting" firm that is working to override the concerns of Scottsdale residents regarding the height and density of buildings in downtown Scottsdale. Either she has given up on winning the R nomination (a possibility) and doesn't mind alienating voters during an election year, or she figures that the campaign contributions she can wheedle out of developers will outweigh any lost votes.
During last month's Republican Congressional candidate forum sponsored by the Arizona Republic, something struck me as odd at the time, but I couldn't put specific words to it at the time, so I didn't write about it then. (The archived broadcast can be found on this page.)
Watching the mudslinging and disregard for the needs and opinions of the residents of CD5 emanating from the R candidates brought it into focus.
The few times that the candidates spoke about Mitchell directly or about what they had heard voters say about him, they said something in a pitying tone, along the lines of "his heart is in the right place" but he isn't conservative enough.
The idea of a public official being a public servant seemed antithetical to their visions for themselves if they actually went on to win in November.
They've got no time or respect for people who view public service as an end in itself, not as a means to pursue an ideological agenda and personal aggrandizement.
Compare and contrast that with Mitchell's long career in public service, from nearly three decades as a high school teacher, through his terms on the Tempe City Council and as Mayor of Tempe, on to his four terms of service as the State Senator for Tempe and South Scottsdale, cuminating with his election to Congress in 2006.
Any questions on who I think people should vote for in November?
First up, an email from Congressman Harry Mitchell on the boring, but near and dear to the lives of CD5 residents, subject of home foreclosures -
Dear [cpmaz],Contrast Congressman Mitchell's efforts on behalf of his constituents with the antics of the various GOP "contenders" for a spot on November's ballot -
Our housing crisis is real; it is widespread; and it has reached deep into our economy, affecting us all. Inaction is not a responsible option.
Last weekend, I hosted my second Home Foreclosure Assistance Workshop in Ahwatukee. Arizona continues to have one of the worst foreclosure rates in the nation. One out of every 189 housing units in Arizona received a foreclosure notice during the month of June. That means that over 14,000 homes in Maricopa County alone went into foreclosure last month and gives us the third-highest foreclosure rate in the country.
Arizona Republic: Homeowners facing mortgage woes seek help at seminar.
I have heard far too many stories from people who are experiencing financial trouble, and their mortgage servicers will not take their calls until they are at least three-months behind on their payments. They feel like they are getting the run around and they want someone to help answer their questions. They feel like there is no one on their side.
That’s why I’ve been working hard with my colleagues in Congress to address foreclosures head-on. At the center of most home foreclosures is a house that has lost a lot of value, so I’ve proposed new tax incentives for homebuyers to help stimulate the housing market here in Arizona and across the country. I’ve also backed legislation that would make it easier for folks to get loan modifications when they are upside-down on their mortgage, or to refinance even if they have little-to-no equity in their home.
Foreclosure Prevention & Survival Resource Center: Online center providing links to housing, financial and consumer protection agencies.
But there’s more to be done. I believe we need more extensive tax cuts to help spur home sales and a plan that will avoid rewarding bad actors.
I will continue to fight, tackling foreclosures and decreasing home values head on. I welcome you to call my office with any questions, concerns and to see if our caseworkers can help. As always, please feel free to contact my office by clicking here or by calling (480) 946-2411.
Sincerely,
Harry
- Perennial candidate David Schweikert is the subject of yet another FEC complaint, this one over a hit piece that was mailed to CD5 R voters. It doesn't have enough of a color contrast between the background and the "paid for by" disclaimer for that disclaimer to be readable.
- Tea Party-type Chris Salvino has sent out a similar hit piece, this one targeting Schweikert. While the "paid for by" clause is pretty clear, it has other problems, as Greg Patterson at the Republican blog Espresso Pundit points out in this post.
From Patterson's post -
The piece is simple; it contains one fact that leads to one conclusion. Schweikert runs a vulture fund that preys on people, so he's wrong for Arizona. That's it.Court record regarding Salvino's bankruptcy/fraud issues here, and like the link to the hit piece above, courtesy Espresso Pundit.
There are only two problems with the piece and--unfortunately for Salvino--they are pretty big problems. First, the one fact on the piece is wrong. Schweikert operates a fund that buys properties--from BANKS. Hmm, that's not nearly as ominous. In fact, it ruins the entire point of hit piece. Dude, if you build a hit piece around ONE fact. That fact had better be true.
But that's not the real problem with this piece. The real problem is that Dr. Chris Salivino has no business mentioning investors or housing. That's because he opens the door for Schweikert to point out Salvino's disastrous financial history...bankruptcy, fraud, eviction notices and tax liens.
- Ward himself is also sending out hit pieces, as Patterson pointed out in this post from July (Hey, I'm a registered Democrat. I don't get the good stuff because I'm not on their mailing lists... :) ). His piece was an attack on Schweikert in the "let's throw lots of stuff against the wall and see what sticks" school.
- Susan Bitter Smith, an industry lobbyist when she isn't moonlighting as a candidate for Congress, is the owner of a "consulting" firm that is working to override the concerns of Scottsdale residents regarding the height and density of buildings in downtown Scottsdale. Either she has given up on winning the R nomination (a possibility) and doesn't mind alienating voters during an election year, or she figures that the campaign contributions she can wheedle out of developers will outweigh any lost votes.
During last month's Republican Congressional candidate forum sponsored by the Arizona Republic, something struck me as odd at the time, but I couldn't put specific words to it at the time, so I didn't write about it then. (The archived broadcast can be found on this page.)
Watching the mudslinging and disregard for the needs and opinions of the residents of CD5 emanating from the R candidates brought it into focus.
The few times that the candidates spoke about Mitchell directly or about what they had heard voters say about him, they said something in a pitying tone, along the lines of "his heart is in the right place" but he isn't conservative enough.
The idea of a public official being a public servant seemed antithetical to their visions for themselves if they actually went on to win in November.
They've got no time or respect for people who view public service as an end in itself, not as a means to pursue an ideological agenda and personal aggrandizement.
Compare and contrast that with Mitchell's long career in public service, from nearly three decades as a high school teacher, through his terms on the Tempe City Council and as Mayor of Tempe, on to his four terms of service as the State Senator for Tempe and South Scottsdale, cuminating with his election to Congress in 2006.
Any questions on who I think people should vote for in November?
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The CD5 R forum
It wasn't as interesting as the R Senate debates this week because there were fewer direct attacks on other candidates.
Other than that, however, there wasn't any significant difference between the two forums - all of the R candidates are running against brown people and for big business.
"Highlights" in no particular order:
David Schweikert blamed his 2008 loss to Congressman Harry Mitchell on the "toxic" environment for conservative Republicans engendered by the passage of TARP and the financial sector bailouts (on the plus side, even though he probably didn't realize it at the time, the makes Schweikert one of the few Rs to admit that the blame for the economic meltdown falls upon the Republicans' failed economic ideology and upon the Rs' keepers on Wall St.)
Lee Gentry, also a 2008 candidate, attributed his somewhat lackluster showing (706 votes, fewer than his number of signatures on his nominating petitions) to "building momentum" and equated himself to Michael Jordan when he was cut from his high school hoops team but went on to greatness anyway. I kid you not...
Chris Salvino wants to address issues along the U.S./Mexico border by building a high wall topped with razor wire and closely spaced blockhouses all along the border. Sort of a 21st Century Maginot Line, something that didn't work so well for the French in 1940, but...
Susan Bitter Smith blamed Arizona's economic woes on undocumented immigrants, saying that getting rid of them will cure all.
All of them hate Health Care Reform, wanting to repeal the bill passed earlier this year and replace it with tort reform and "the free market." Most of them mentioned tort reform even before they spoke about patients.
Misspeak of the night - Gentry with "we are a nation of native Americans and legal immigrants" and everybody else should take a number. I'm pretty sure Native American groups, some of which are in CD5 (Salt River Pima/Maricopa Indian Community), might have something to say about that one...
In a series of yes/no questions, all of them opposed extending Unemployment Insurance benefits for the long-term unemployed, earmarks, the DREAM Act, tax credits/incentives for solar and renewable energy efforts (unless existing energy sources, and corporations, are protected) and favor a Constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage (except for Gentry, who pledged to fight for LGBT issues if elected. It was the only serious break with Republican orthodoxy in the hour.) One candidate, I'm not sure which, opposed a Constitution amendment, but only because he thought it would devalue Constitutional amendments, not because he supported the rights of freely consenting adults to enter the relationships that they choose.
In short, the hour was spent with each candidate swearing loyalty and obeisance to the main tenets of Republican thought, and swearing that they were more loyal and obedient that the others - brown people bad, President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Democrats in general bad, and tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy good.
Normally, I can watch one of these things find a candidate who, if not exactly "good", is less bad than the others, but not here. Other than Gentry's support of LGBT issues (and Gentry doesn't have a snowball's chance in Phoenix of making it through the primary), this bunch is reading from the same pages of the "more conservative than thou" playbook, a playbook that doesn't allow for candidates who will do anything for the districts that they are campaigning to "represent."
One interesting thing about the forum was something that *didn't* come up, something that could have afforded the assembled candidates the ability to separate themselves - abortion rights.
I don't know about the others, but Susan Bitter Smith has a pro-choice record.
It's the sort of thing that doesn't play well in Republican primaries. Given that the Scottsdale Republic was the sponsor of the forum, that omission may be a clue as to which candidate they plan on endorsing.
They probably don't want to undercut their preferred choice, before she even has a chance to become the nominee.
Not that I'm a cynic or anything... :)
Other than that, however, there wasn't any significant difference between the two forums - all of the R candidates are running against brown people and for big business.
"Highlights" in no particular order:
David Schweikert blamed his 2008 loss to Congressman Harry Mitchell on the "toxic" environment for conservative Republicans engendered by the passage of TARP and the financial sector bailouts (on the plus side, even though he probably didn't realize it at the time, the makes Schweikert one of the few Rs to admit that the blame for the economic meltdown falls upon the Republicans' failed economic ideology and upon the Rs' keepers on Wall St.)
Lee Gentry, also a 2008 candidate, attributed his somewhat lackluster showing (706 votes, fewer than his number of signatures on his nominating petitions) to "building momentum" and equated himself to Michael Jordan when he was cut from his high school hoops team but went on to greatness anyway. I kid you not...
Chris Salvino wants to address issues along the U.S./Mexico border by building a high wall topped with razor wire and closely spaced blockhouses all along the border. Sort of a 21st Century Maginot Line, something that didn't work so well for the French in 1940, but...
Susan Bitter Smith blamed Arizona's economic woes on undocumented immigrants, saying that getting rid of them will cure all.
All of them hate Health Care Reform, wanting to repeal the bill passed earlier this year and replace it with tort reform and "the free market." Most of them mentioned tort reform even before they spoke about patients.
Misspeak of the night - Gentry with "we are a nation of native Americans and legal immigrants" and everybody else should take a number. I'm pretty sure Native American groups, some of which are in CD5 (Salt River Pima/Maricopa Indian Community), might have something to say about that one...
In a series of yes/no questions, all of them opposed extending Unemployment Insurance benefits for the long-term unemployed, earmarks, the DREAM Act, tax credits/incentives for solar and renewable energy efforts (unless existing energy sources, and corporations, are protected) and favor a Constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage (except for Gentry, who pledged to fight for LGBT issues if elected. It was the only serious break with Republican orthodoxy in the hour.) One candidate, I'm not sure which, opposed a Constitution amendment, but only because he thought it would devalue Constitutional amendments, not because he supported the rights of freely consenting adults to enter the relationships that they choose.
In short, the hour was spent with each candidate swearing loyalty and obeisance to the main tenets of Republican thought, and swearing that they were more loyal and obedient that the others - brown people bad, President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Democrats in general bad, and tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy good.
Normally, I can watch one of these things find a candidate who, if not exactly "good", is less bad than the others, but not here. Other than Gentry's support of LGBT issues (and Gentry doesn't have a snowball's chance in Phoenix of making it through the primary), this bunch is reading from the same pages of the "more conservative than thou" playbook, a playbook that doesn't allow for candidates who will do anything for the districts that they are campaigning to "represent."
One interesting thing about the forum was something that *didn't* come up, something that could have afforded the assembled candidates the ability to separate themselves - abortion rights.
I don't know about the others, but Susan Bitter Smith has a pro-choice record.
It's the sort of thing that doesn't play well in Republican primaries. Given that the Scottsdale Republic was the sponsor of the forum, that omission may be a clue as to which candidate they plan on endorsing.
They probably don't want to undercut their preferred choice, before she even has a chance to become the nominee.
Not that I'm a cynic or anything... :)
Monday, February 22, 2010
2010 Campaign Committee Update
Some of this material has been covered elsewhere but it merits inclusion here...
...In CD3, attorney Paulina Morris has filed for a run at the R nomination to replace the soon-to-be retired John Shadegg. A name familiar to most AZ political geeks, Lisa Graham Keegan, has signed on as Morris' campaign treasurer. Keegan is a McCain confidant/ally and former State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
...In CD8, R candidate Thomas Carlson has ended his run for the chance to take on Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords. I don't know much about him or his reasons for running, but his reason for dropping out may be related to the fact that he raised a little over $2K for his campaign.
...In CD8, R state senator Jonathan Paton has finally resigned from the Senate to pursue his quest to unseat Giffords. He filed for his run weeks ago, so this wasn't unexpected.
...In CD1, R candidate Thomas Zaleski of Sedona has filed for a run at Democratic incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick.
...In CD5, perennial R candidate Susan Bitter Smith has filed for another run at Democratic incumbent Harry Mitchell. She is a former member of the Scottsdale City Council and a current member of the Board of Directors of the Central Arizona Project. She is also a long-time lobbyist, mostly for the telecom/cable TV industry. Her entry into the race has long been rumored, so this isn't exactly a surprise.
...Also in CD5, R candidate Eric Wnuck has withdrawn from the race for his party's nomination. He cited family/business concerns, but a growing field in the R primary and a shrinking pool of available money may have had an impact on his decision, too. In his latest campaign filing, he listed donations at $52K; his first filing listed contributions of over $160K. That's a significant drop during a period when most campaigns are ramping *up* their fundraising efforts.
In Arizona offices...
...State Rep. David Bradley has filed for a run at Arizona Corporation Commission (filer ID 201000475). AZBlueMeanie at Blog for Arizona has coverage here.
...Doug Ducey, a Scottsdale businessman, has filed to enter the race for the Republican nomination for State Treasurer. Ducey is the former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, so he has deep pockets, but he isn't exactly as popular as Cold Stone.
...In a sign that the Rs consider Democratic Attorney General Terry Goddard to be a very strong candidate, the Republican Governor's Association has set up a PAC in Arizona so that they can expend monies attempting to influence the governor's race this year (filer ID 201000467).
...In Scottsdale, Republican Linda Milhaven, the former Chair of the Scottsdale Cultural Council, has entered the race for Scottsdale City Council. Her entry into the race has long been rumored and isn't a surprise. There are now eight active committees for runs for the three available seats on the Scottsdale City Council.
Later...
...In CD3, attorney Paulina Morris has filed for a run at the R nomination to replace the soon-to-be retired John Shadegg. A name familiar to most AZ political geeks, Lisa Graham Keegan, has signed on as Morris' campaign treasurer. Keegan is a McCain confidant/ally and former State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
...In CD8, R candidate Thomas Carlson has ended his run for the chance to take on Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords. I don't know much about him or his reasons for running, but his reason for dropping out may be related to the fact that he raised a little over $2K for his campaign.
...In CD8, R state senator Jonathan Paton has finally resigned from the Senate to pursue his quest to unseat Giffords. He filed for his run weeks ago, so this wasn't unexpected.
...In CD1, R candidate Thomas Zaleski of Sedona has filed for a run at Democratic incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick.
...In CD5, perennial R candidate Susan Bitter Smith has filed for another run at Democratic incumbent Harry Mitchell. She is a former member of the Scottsdale City Council and a current member of the Board of Directors of the Central Arizona Project. She is also a long-time lobbyist, mostly for the telecom/cable TV industry. Her entry into the race has long been rumored, so this isn't exactly a surprise.
...Also in CD5, R candidate Eric Wnuck has withdrawn from the race for his party's nomination. He cited family/business concerns, but a growing field in the R primary and a shrinking pool of available money may have had an impact on his decision, too. In his latest campaign filing, he listed donations at $52K; his first filing listed contributions of over $160K. That's a significant drop during a period when most campaigns are ramping *up* their fundraising efforts.
In Arizona offices...
...State Rep. David Bradley has filed for a run at Arizona Corporation Commission (filer ID 201000475). AZBlueMeanie at Blog for Arizona has coverage here.
...Doug Ducey, a Scottsdale businessman, has filed to enter the race for the Republican nomination for State Treasurer. Ducey is the former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, so he has deep pockets, but he isn't exactly as popular as Cold Stone.
...In a sign that the Rs consider Democratic Attorney General Terry Goddard to be a very strong candidate, the Republican Governor's Association has set up a PAC in Arizona so that they can expend monies attempting to influence the governor's race this year (filer ID 201000467).
...In Scottsdale, Republican Linda Milhaven, the former Chair of the Scottsdale Cultural Council, has entered the race for Scottsdale City Council. Her entry into the race has long been rumored and isn't a surprise. There are now eight active committees for runs for the three available seats on the Scottsdale City Council.
Later...
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Rejected Campaign Slogans From CD5
Time for a couple of posts worth of smack talk...this is the gentle one. :)
BTW - this concept is shamelesslystolen borrowed from the Arizona Report...
From the trash baskets of the various Republican candidates in CD5 who are competing for the chance to take on Harry Mitchell -
Lee Gentry - "Don't think of it as zero name recognition, think of it as low negatives."
Jim Ogsbury - "The 'legislator to lobbyist' career track historically leads to corruption; going from lobbyist to legislator means the opposite, right?
Mark Anderson - " 'Really Conservative But Sane*' * = when compared to some of the other state legislators from LD18"
Susan Bitter Smith - "That Darn Ogsbury! He beat me into the race, and he beat me to that slogan!"
Laura Knaperek - "I've lost to Harry twice already and my friends lost to his son for Tempe City Council earlier this year, but I can beat him this time. I promise."
David Schweikert - "It may have been only a county gig, but at least I wasn't indicted, sued, or faced possible disbarrment because of the way that I performed my duties."
:))
BTW - this concept is shamelessly
From the trash baskets of the various Republican candidates in CD5 who are competing for the chance to take on Harry Mitchell -
Lee Gentry - "Don't think of it as zero name recognition, think of it as low negatives."
Jim Ogsbury - "The 'legislator to lobbyist' career track historically leads to corruption; going from lobbyist to legislator means the opposite, right?
Mark Anderson - " 'Really Conservative But Sane*' * = when compared to some of the other state legislators from LD18"
Susan Bitter Smith - "That Darn Ogsbury! He beat me into the race, and he beat me to that slogan!"
Laura Knaperek - "I've lost to Harry twice already and my friends lost to his son for Tempe City Council earlier this year, but I can beat him this time. I promise."
David Schweikert - "It may have been only a county gig, but at least I wasn't indicted, sued, or faced possible disbarrment because of the way that I performed my duties."
:))
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Short Attention Span Musing -candidates edition (Redux)
I know that I just did one of these, but the campaigns have provided a wealth of material to work with in the last few days that another one is warranted...
...Maybe she should look a little closer to home for the source of the trouble...
From PolitickerAZ:
Her campaign has been asked by PolitickerAZ to produce a recipient of one of these calls, but they have not done so as yet. Assuming that this alleged push poll is real, one should remember that Ms. Bitter Smith is in a six-way primary fight.
That's six people with more incentive than Harry Mitchell to do this (yes, that includes the inimitable Ms. Bitter Smith herself).
Self-promotion time - less than a week ago, I predicted that this race (CD5 Rep primary) would get dirty.
I'd gloat more, but even I have to admit making that prediction was as difficult, and risky, as predicting a sunny day in Arizona.
...Guess Shadegg hasn't figured out that elections can only be lost in D.C., not won there.
Veterans in his district (and all over the country!) are receiving inadequate medical care, a chunk of his district is scared of the water coming out of their taps, and skyrocketing energy costs are destroying the budgets of working- and middle-class families all over the country, so how does he respond to the needs of his constituents?
By introducing H.R. 6274, a bill to provide legal cover for the Bush Administration and its kangaroo courts (aka military tribunals) and its permanent detention without trial or even evidence in the face of last week's Supreme Court decision granting habeas corpus rights to detainees at Guantanamo.
Shadegg press release here.
Just speculating here, but I have to wonder if he is starting to write off the November election and is planning/hoping/praying for a job in a McCain administration.
...Maybe the McCainiacs should see if the rights to "Running On Empty" are available...
From MSNBC.com:
It was 'fitting' until the song's co-writer, and current progressive Democratic Congressman from New York, John Hall, spoke up, objecting to its use.
You know, while the songwriter of "Running On Empty", Jackson Browne, is known for being fairly liberal himself, he might approve the use of his song by the McCain campaign.
It's totally appropriate - they've got nothing left in the tank.
Later!
...Maybe she should look a little closer to home for the source of the trouble...
From PolitickerAZ:
Bitter Smith accuses Mitchell campaign of push polling
AZ-5 Republican primary candidate and Arizona cable industry lobbyist Susan Bitter Smith is charging that the campaign of U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe) has been "push polling" in the 5th Congressional District - a charge the Mitchell campaign denies.
"Reports have surfaced that the Mitchell campaign has initiated a push pull [sic] in the District specifically targeting Susan," read a press release put out by the Bitter Smith campaign.
Her campaign has been asked by PolitickerAZ to produce a recipient of one of these calls, but they have not done so as yet. Assuming that this alleged push poll is real, one should remember that Ms. Bitter Smith is in a six-way primary fight.
That's six people with more incentive than Harry Mitchell to do this (yes, that includes the inimitable Ms. Bitter Smith herself).
Self-promotion time - less than a week ago, I predicted that this race (CD5 Rep primary) would get dirty.
I'd gloat more, but even I have to admit making that prediction was as difficult, and risky, as predicting a sunny day in Arizona.
...Guess Shadegg hasn't figured out that elections can only be lost in D.C., not won there.
Veterans in his district (and all over the country!) are receiving inadequate medical care, a chunk of his district is scared of the water coming out of their taps, and skyrocketing energy costs are destroying the budgets of working- and middle-class families all over the country, so how does he respond to the needs of his constituents?
By introducing H.R. 6274, a bill to provide legal cover for the Bush Administration and its kangaroo courts (aka military tribunals) and its permanent detention without trial or even evidence in the face of last week's Supreme Court decision granting habeas corpus rights to detainees at Guantanamo.
Shadegg press release here.
Just speculating here, but I have to wonder if he is starting to write off the November election and is planning/hoping/praying for a job in a McCain administration.
...Maybe the McCainiacs should see if the rights to "Running On Empty" are available...
From MSNBC.com:
REP. TO MCCAIN: STOP USING MY SONG!
New Hampshire picked up McCain in the 2000 Republican primary and stayed true to him in 2008. It was fitting, then, that McCain concluded a Nashua event yesterday with the 1976 Orleans' hit celebration of monogamy, "Still the One."
It was 'fitting' until the song's co-writer, and current progressive Democratic Congressman from New York, John Hall, spoke up, objecting to its use.
You know, while the songwriter of "Running On Empty", Jackson Browne, is known for being fairly liberal himself, he might approve the use of his song by the McCain campaign.
It's totally appropriate - they've got nothing left in the tank.
Later!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Short Attention Span Musing - candidates edition
...I wish it wasn't so, but it's starting early on the Democratic side, too...
According to an email from the Kelty for Corporation Commission campaign, her supporters have been receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be from the 'Signature Verification Department" and asking all sorts of strange questions.
Needless to say, the calls are fraudulent. If you receive one of these calls, try to do the following:
1. Record the call if you can.
2. If you can, make a note of any caller ID number that shows up.
3. Ask the caller for their name and make a note of it.
4. Calmly ask the caller who they work for. If they refuse to answer ask that they have a supervisor call you and refuse to answer any of their questions.
5. Email the campaign at michelle@karakelty.com with the time and date of the call and name of the person who called you.
...That wild and crazy kid Susie! Always has to be the "special" one...
From The Politico via CBS News -
Specifically, she set up meetings between executives of Cox Communications and Arizona Congressmen Ed Pastor and Harry Mitchell.
Yes, the same Harry Mitchell whose job she is after.
As Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, who was quoted in the article, said "she has never heard of a candidate actively lobbying 'who wasn’t a local elected official who was lobbying as part of their job...' "
Maybe she thinks it's a good way to stand out in the crowded Republican field in CD5, but something tells me that the Republican grassroots don't have much more use for industry lobbyist than the Democratic grassroots.
...Maybe he's trying to get the vote of Karen Johnson or Russell Pearce - too bad they don't live in CD5.
From the EV Tribune -
Song *least* likely to be on the Club's sound system during the event - Bachman Turner Overdrive's "Gimme Your Money Please."
From the lyrics -
[Hah! Top that for an obscure but totally appropriate 70's musical reference! LOL]
Anyway, all event attendees should be aware that while Scottsdale Healthcare just opened a new hospital not too far from the Gun Club on Thompson Peak Parkway (5.7 miles), the Shea campus of Scottsdale Healthcare is more than 2 miles closer (3.3 miles away).
Even better news is that the Club is less than two miles away from the EMTs of the Scottsdale Fire Department's Station 609.
Just in case backslapping and glad-handing don't mix with automatic weapons...
Later!
According to an email from the Kelty for Corporation Commission campaign, her supporters have been receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be from the 'Signature Verification Department" and asking all sorts of strange questions.
Needless to say, the calls are fraudulent. If you receive one of these calls, try to do the following:
1. Record the call if you can.
2. If you can, make a note of any caller ID number that shows up.
3. Ask the caller for their name and make a note of it.
4. Calmly ask the caller who they work for. If they refuse to answer ask that they have a supervisor call you and refuse to answer any of their questions.
5. Email the campaign at michelle@karakelty.com with the time and date of the call and name of the person who called you.
...That wild and crazy kid Susie! Always has to be the "special" one...
From The Politico via CBS News -
In an election cycle that has most everyone running away from lobbyists, Arizona Republican Susan Bitter Smith is something of a novelty: She’s running for Congress while also lobbying it.
Specifically, she set up meetings between executives of Cox Communications and Arizona Congressmen Ed Pastor and Harry Mitchell.
Yes, the same Harry Mitchell whose job she is after.
As Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, who was quoted in the article, said "she has never heard of a candidate actively lobbying 'who wasn’t a local elected official who was lobbying as part of their job...' "
Maybe she thinks it's a good way to stand out in the crowded Republican field in CD5, but something tells me that the Republican grassroots don't have much more use for industry lobbyist than the Democratic grassroots.
...Maybe he's trying to get the vote of Karen Johnson or Russell Pearce - too bad they don't live in CD5.
From the EV Tribune -
Former Maricopa County Treasurer David Schweikert is putting on a campaign fundraiser Thursday at the Scottsdale Gun Club, which will include time on the facility's tactical range.
Firearm rentals and ammunition are included in the $150 reception fee.
For an extra $600, supporters get to shoot automatic weapons during a special reception featuring National Rifle Association past president Sandra Froman.
Song *least* likely to be on the Club's sound system during the event - Bachman Turner Overdrive's "Gimme Your Money Please."
From the lyrics -
And a dirty mean man with a shotgun in his hand
He said, "Gimme your money please."
He said, "Gimme your money please."
[Hah! Top that for an obscure but totally appropriate 70's musical reference! LOL]
Anyway, all event attendees should be aware that while Scottsdale Healthcare just opened a new hospital not too far from the Gun Club on Thompson Peak Parkway (5.7 miles), the Shea campus of Scottsdale Healthcare is more than 2 miles closer (3.3 miles away).
Even better news is that the Club is less than two miles away from the EMTs of the Scottsdale Fire Department's Station 609.
Just in case backslapping and glad-handing don't mix with automatic weapons...
Later!
Monday, May 05, 2008
New Candidates - Congressional Races
Update on 5/6 to add another CD6 candidate. Thanks to Richard Grayson for the heads-up in his comment...
CD6 news -
Jeff "Mikey" Flake (R-CD6) has a real opponent in CD6. Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance) looked, but found that while he thought that Flake was vulnerable to an attack from the right, he was one of the few who thought that way. He's now running for the state senate seat from LD18.
Against Jeff Flake's brother-in-law, Kevin Gibbons. :))
Richard Grayson has been running a semi-quixotic 'write-in' campaign, chronicling Flake's penchant for placing his devotion to an extreme ideology before the interests of his constituents in this blog.
Now, Rebecca Schneider, a librarian and community activist, has filed organizational paperwork with the FEC for a run at the CD6 seat (campaign website here)
She seems to be running a campaign that is somewhat more serious than Grayson's - she has a campaign treasurer *not* named 'Rebecca Schneider.' (That's not a shot at Grayson; he's made it clear that his campaign is rooted in the fact that no other Democrat had stepped up to oppose Flake.)
Based on her website, she seems to be an intelligent, educated (hey, she's a *supervisory* librarian - that implies a familiarity with books that goes far beyond knowing how to reshelve them :)) ), and a progressive, grassroots sort of Democrat.
I wish good luck to Schneider (and Grayson!). She'll need it - Jeff Flake still has well over $900K cash on hand.
Edit to add:
Also running in CD6 is Chris Gramazio of Queen Creek. Based on his website's "about" blurb, he's an intelligent and thoughtful blue-collar Democrat.
Good luck to Gramazio; I hope that after the primary, the runner-up can lend their support to the winner. Whoever faces Flake in November will need the support of the other candidate's base to have any chance of unseating the incumbent.
End edit...
CD5 news -
In a long-rumored development, PolitickerAZ is reporting that Susan Bitter Smith will enter the race for the Republican nomination to oppose Congressman Harry Mitchell in CD5. According to news reports, her official announcement will take place on Friday, May 9, giving her just a few short weeks to gather signatures on nominating petitions and to gather financial support.
Given that she's a long-time industry lobbyist (cable and telecom), the money part shouldn't be much of a problem.
Note: I'm going to have to get some Windex for the ol' crystal ball - I've predicted that she wasn't going to enter due to the late date.
Later!
CD6 news -
Jeff "Mikey" Flake (R-CD6) has a real opponent in CD6. Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance) looked, but found that while he thought that Flake was vulnerable to an attack from the right, he was one of the few who thought that way. He's now running for the state senate seat from LD18.
Against Jeff Flake's brother-in-law, Kevin Gibbons. :))
Richard Grayson has been running a semi-quixotic 'write-in' campaign, chronicling Flake's penchant for placing his devotion to an extreme ideology before the interests of his constituents in this blog.
Now, Rebecca Schneider, a librarian and community activist, has filed organizational paperwork with the FEC for a run at the CD6 seat (campaign website here)
She seems to be running a campaign that is somewhat more serious than Grayson's - she has a campaign treasurer *not* named 'Rebecca Schneider.' (That's not a shot at Grayson; he's made it clear that his campaign is rooted in the fact that no other Democrat had stepped up to oppose Flake.)
Based on her website, she seems to be an intelligent, educated (hey, she's a *supervisory* librarian - that implies a familiarity with books that goes far beyond knowing how to reshelve them :)) ), and a progressive, grassroots sort of Democrat.
I wish good luck to Schneider (and Grayson!). She'll need it - Jeff Flake still has well over $900K cash on hand.
Edit to add:
Also running in CD6 is Chris Gramazio of Queen Creek. Based on his website's "about" blurb, he's an intelligent and thoughtful blue-collar Democrat.
Good luck to Gramazio; I hope that after the primary, the runner-up can lend their support to the winner. Whoever faces Flake in November will need the support of the other candidate's base to have any chance of unseating the incumbent.
End edit...
CD5 news -
In a long-rumored development, PolitickerAZ is reporting that Susan Bitter Smith will enter the race for the Republican nomination to oppose Congressman Harry Mitchell in CD5. According to news reports, her official announcement will take place on Friday, May 9, giving her just a few short weeks to gather signatures on nominating petitions and to gather financial support.
Given that she's a long-time industry lobbyist (cable and telecom), the money part shouldn't be much of a problem.
Note: I'm going to have to get some Windex for the ol' crystal ball - I've predicted that she wasn't going to enter due to the late date.
Later!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Quarterly FEC Reports Are Pouring In...
They're not all into the FEC yet, so I'll update over the next few days.
The quarterly numbers so far -
CD1 (open seat)
Shanker (D) (challenger) - Total raised $33,688.73; $31,354.75 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $34,320.21 cash on hand. Note: Shanker's committee has $9,367.88 in outstanding debt (credit card statement).
Hay (R) (challenger) - Total raised $98,618.19; $88,118.19 from individuals; $10,500.00 from PACs; $222,334.01 cash on hand. Note: Hay's committee has $70K in outstanding debt (loans by the candidate).
Kirkpatrick (D) (challenger) - Total raised $257,400.17; $194,650.17 from individuals; $62,250.00 from PACs; $465,464.68 cash on hand. Note: Kirkpatrick's committee has $20K in outstanding debt (loan).
Riley (D) (challenger) - Total raised $15,825.00; $15,825.00 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $216,165.31 cash on hand. Note: Riley's committee has $205K in outstanding debt (candidate loan). Note2: According to PolitickerAZ, Riley has dropped out of the race.
Titla (D) (challenger) - Total raised $39,114.05; $39,114.05 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $48,321.07 cash on hand.
Korn (R) (challenger) - Total raised $14,567.00; $12,266.00 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $10,494.16 cash on hand. Note: Korn's committee has $3,185.36 in outstanding debt (candidate loan and credit card).
Renzi (R) (outgoing incumbent) - $0 raised; $3966.46 cash on hand; $456,073.37 in outstanding debt (legal fees, candidate loans).
CD1 note: According to Tedski at Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion, rumored Republican candidate Ken Bennett has chosen (again!) to pass on the CD1 race.
CD2
Franks (R) (incumbent) - $88,386.00 total raised; $53,261.00 from individuals; $35,625.00 from PACs; 129,774.83 cash on hand. Note: Franks' committee owes $304,100 in outstanding debt (candidate loan).
Thrasher (D) (challenger) - Total raised $3,023.50; $3,023.50 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $12,512.49 cash on hand.
CD3
Lord (D) (challenger) - Total raised $220,166.47; $163,116.47 from individuals; $51,550.00 from PACs; $632,485.41 cash on hand.
Shadegg (R) (incumbent) - Total raised $150,716.41; $163,516.41 from individuals; $47,000.00 from PACs; $937,672.59 cash on hand. Note: The reason that the total raised is less than the combined totals of individual and PAC contributions is that Shadegg's committee refunded nearly $60K in contributions.
Annie Loyd (I) (challenger) - Quarterly report not posted yet.
Shadegg's flirtation with retirement may have cost him some contributions - Shadegg outraised the incumbent, even when ignoring the refunds (which included a refund of $10K in illegal contributions from his own PAC.)
From a Lord press release -
CD4
Pastor (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $260,827.71; $164,020.98 from individuals; $96,306.73 from PACs; $1,266,599.90 cash on hand.
CD5
Mitchell (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $321,160.18; $209,028.59 from individuals; $112,110.00 from PACs; $1,121,680.84 cash on hand.
Schweikert (R) (challenger) - Total raised $175,210.23; $171,941.95 from individuals; $2,500.00 from PACs; $514,092.21 cash on hand. Note: Schweikert's committee has $250K in outstanding debt (candidate loan).
Ogsbury (R) (challenger) - Total raised 40,421.17; $37,921.17 from individuals; $2,500.00 from PACs; $353,094.41 cash on hand. Note: Ogsbury's committee has $250K in outstanding debt (candidate loan).
Hatch-Miller (R) (committee terminated) - Owes $17K; cash on hand $245.20.
Knaperek (R) (challenger) - $49,618.00 total raised; $49,518.00 from individuals; $100 from PACs; $44,471.84 cash on hand.
Anderson (R) (challenger) - $55,115.00 total raised; $55,115.00 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $69,985.52 cash on hand.
CD5 Notes: Susan Bitter Smith (R) is still 'exploring', but given the facts that the signature deadline is fast approaching (early June) and that her name is dirt with many of Scottsdale's grassroots Republicans (see: Hanover Project, The), my guess is that she isn't going to jump into the race.
Oh yeah - that Schweikert guy has the money race locked up, if not the balloting race. I don't know what the polling numbers among CD5 Republicans looks like, but Schweikert looks like the frontrunner based on contributions from individuals.
Oh yeah2 - Mitchell has more cash on hand that all of his Republican challengers combined. Mitchell still faces a Republican registration advantage in his district, but he is well-positioned to face whichever Rep makes it out of the primary.
CD6
Flake (R) (incumbent) - Total raised $58,342.00; $52,742.00 from individuals; $6,000.00 from PACs; $974,536.74 cash on hand.
CD7
Grijalva (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $91,312.93; $54,296 from individuals; $37,010.00 from PACs; $139,670.64 cash on hand.
CD8
Giffords (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $466,786.20; $333,616.20 from individuals; $138,070.00 from PACs; $1,672,821.88 cash on hand.
Bee (R) (challenger) - Total raised $466,092.60; $406,992.60 from individuals; $40,000 from PACs; $525,439.88 cash on hand.
The quarterly numbers so far -
CD1 (open seat)
Shanker (D) (challenger) - Total raised $33,688.73; $31,354.75 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $34,320.21 cash on hand. Note: Shanker's committee has $9,367.88 in outstanding debt (credit card statement).
Hay (R) (challenger) - Total raised $98,618.19; $88,118.19 from individuals; $10,500.00 from PACs; $222,334.01 cash on hand. Note: Hay's committee has $70K in outstanding debt (loans by the candidate).
Kirkpatrick (D) (challenger) - Total raised $257,400.17; $194,650.17 from individuals; $62,250.00 from PACs; $465,464.68 cash on hand. Note: Kirkpatrick's committee has $20K in outstanding debt (loan).
Riley (D) (challenger) - Total raised $15,825.00; $15,825.00 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $216,165.31 cash on hand. Note: Riley's committee has $205K in outstanding debt (candidate loan). Note2: According to PolitickerAZ, Riley has dropped out of the race.
Titla (D) (challenger) - Total raised $39,114.05; $39,114.05 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $48,321.07 cash on hand.
Korn (R) (challenger) - Total raised $14,567.00; $12,266.00 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $10,494.16 cash on hand. Note: Korn's committee has $3,185.36 in outstanding debt (candidate loan and credit card).
Renzi (R) (outgoing incumbent) - $0 raised; $3966.46 cash on hand; $456,073.37 in outstanding debt (legal fees, candidate loans).
CD1 note: According to Tedski at Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion, rumored Republican candidate Ken Bennett has chosen (again!) to pass on the CD1 race.
CD2
Franks (R) (incumbent) - $88,386.00 total raised; $53,261.00 from individuals; $35,625.00 from PACs; 129,774.83 cash on hand. Note: Franks' committee owes $304,100 in outstanding debt (candidate loan).
Thrasher (D) (challenger) - Total raised $3,023.50; $3,023.50 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $12,512.49 cash on hand.
CD3
Lord (D) (challenger) - Total raised $220,166.47; $163,116.47 from individuals; $51,550.00 from PACs; $632,485.41 cash on hand.
Shadegg (R) (incumbent) - Total raised $150,716.41; $163,516.41 from individuals; $47,000.00 from PACs; $937,672.59 cash on hand. Note: The reason that the total raised is less than the combined totals of individual and PAC contributions is that Shadegg's committee refunded nearly $60K in contributions.
Annie Loyd (I) (challenger) - Quarterly report not posted yet.
Shadegg's flirtation with retirement may have cost him some contributions - Shadegg outraised the incumbent, even when ignoring the refunds (which included a refund of $10K in illegal contributions from his own PAC.)
From a Lord press release -
“We could not have come this far or raised this much without the support of the over 1,000 Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who have contributed to my campaign,” Lord said. “I’d like to thank everyone for their continued support. We will change Washington – together.”
CD4
Pastor (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $260,827.71; $164,020.98 from individuals; $96,306.73 from PACs; $1,266,599.90 cash on hand.
CD5
Mitchell (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $321,160.18; $209,028.59 from individuals; $112,110.00 from PACs; $1,121,680.84 cash on hand.
Schweikert (R) (challenger) - Total raised $175,210.23; $171,941.95 from individuals; $2,500.00 from PACs; $514,092.21 cash on hand. Note: Schweikert's committee has $250K in outstanding debt (candidate loan).
Ogsbury (R) (challenger) - Total raised 40,421.17; $37,921.17 from individuals; $2,500.00 from PACs; $353,094.41 cash on hand. Note: Ogsbury's committee has $250K in outstanding debt (candidate loan).
Hatch-Miller (R) (committee terminated) - Owes $17K; cash on hand $245.20.
Knaperek (R) (challenger) - $49,618.00 total raised; $49,518.00 from individuals; $100 from PACs; $44,471.84 cash on hand.
Anderson (R) (challenger) - $55,115.00 total raised; $55,115.00 from individuals; $0 from PACs; $69,985.52 cash on hand.
CD5 Notes: Susan Bitter Smith (R) is still 'exploring', but given the facts that the signature deadline is fast approaching (early June) and that her name is dirt with many of Scottsdale's grassroots Republicans (see: Hanover Project, The), my guess is that she isn't going to jump into the race.
Oh yeah - that Schweikert guy has the money race locked up, if not the balloting race. I don't know what the polling numbers among CD5 Republicans looks like, but Schweikert looks like the frontrunner based on contributions from individuals.
Oh yeah2 - Mitchell has more cash on hand that all of his Republican challengers combined. Mitchell still faces a Republican registration advantage in his district, but he is well-positioned to face whichever Rep makes it out of the primary.
CD6
Flake (R) (incumbent) - Total raised $58,342.00; $52,742.00 from individuals; $6,000.00 from PACs; $974,536.74 cash on hand.
CD7
Grijalva (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $91,312.93; $54,296 from individuals; $37,010.00 from PACs; $139,670.64 cash on hand.
CD8
Giffords (D) (incumbent) - Total raised $466,786.20; $333,616.20 from individuals; $138,070.00 from PACs; $1,672,821.88 cash on hand.
Bee (R) (challenger) - Total raised $466,092.60; $406,992.60 from individuals; $40,000 from PACs; $525,439.88 cash on hand.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Scottsdale Update
...On the TCE/Arizona American Water (AAWC) front -
I attended a presentation from the City of Scottsdale put on by Suzanne Grendahl and Art Nunez of the City of Scottsdale (previously mentioned here) regarding the City's operation of the Central Groundwater Treatment Facility (CGTF) on the northwest corner of Pima and Thomas. The impetus for the presentation was concerns about the likelihood of a CGTF-based repeat of the incidents at the Arizona American-operated Miller Road Treatment Facility (MRTF) (background here and here).
I can say that, based on the presentation, while a failure such as that which occurred at MRTF is still possible at CGTF (equipment failures are always possible, no matter how well designed and maintained that equipment), the systems that the City of Scottsdale has in place make it exceedingly unlikely that such a failure would go undetected, such as happened at MRTF for more than 16 hours.
Not only is the site physically staffed 10 - 12 hours per day, seven days a week, the site is subject to ongoing remote computer monitoring (SCADA) during the off-hours and at least one physical walk-through by a city water treatment operator during the night.
Definitely an improvement on AAWC's procedures, which allowed a failure to go undetected from 2:30 p.m. on one day until after 6:30 a.m. the next.
- In addition to this info about the control systems at CGTF, Ms. Grendahl and Mr. Nunez briefly covered a planned improvement project at the facility. It won't affect TCE remediation; it's just intended to reduce the hardness of the water from the facility into alignment with that available in the rest of the city. The City has tentatively scheduled an open house at the site on April 8, 2008 for 6:00 p.m.
For more info, contact Suzanne Grendahl at sgrendahl[at]scottsdaleaz.gov or 480-312-8719.
- Lastly (for now :) ) on the TCE/AAWC issue, on Tuesday night the Scottsdale City Council will hear the results of a study they ordered City Staff to compile on possible options for water service to the 1400+ Arizona American Water customers in Scottsdale.
Those options will include maintaining the current system, with the City working with AzAm Water to improve service to the company's Scottsdale customers, purchasing the Scottsdale part of AAWC's system, or working with the Town of Paradise Valley to purchase the entire AAWC system in the affected area.
Each of those options has its costs and benefits; the "highlight" of those costs is that the estimated value of AAWC's operation is in excess of $50 million.
That could be a tough nut to get past the Scottsdale taxpayers/voters during an election year.
...In other, more election-related Scottsdale news, there is a group called Height and Density, that was formed to fight Council approval of a high-density, high-height development project, the Hanover Project. HAD is working on collecting enough signatures to force the Council's decision to a referendum.
The Hanover Project is helmed by Eric Kenney of Hanover RS Limited Partnership from Texas. They've formed a counter group, Citizens for Smart Growth. That counter group has reported two major expenditures thus far - $10K to retain legal counsel and more than $7700 to hire a signature gathering firm, Derrick C. Lee's Campaign Finance Co. LLC, aka Lee Petitions.
That's where it gets interesting. Turns out that Lee Petitions does more than collect signatures; they try to intimidate and suppress those who dare to oppose their clients.
Lee Petitions has a colorful history, including fraudulent signatures (AZ, CO, and MT) and heavy involvement with Nathan Sproul, the man who would be an Arizona version of Karl Rove.
One of the other organizations involved with the Hanover Project in Scottsdale? Technical Solutions, the lobbying firm owned by erstwhile Republican Congressional candidate in CD5, Susan Bitter Smith.
Guess she has a decision to make, if she really wants to win the Republican nomination in CD5 - respect the voters in the district, or keep her industry clients happy.
If you have time, money, want to sign HAD's petition, or just despise bullies as much as I do, contact Tom Giller at 480-994-1181.
...At last night's meeting of COGS, I heard about another candidate entering the race for City Council, but I haven't been able to confirm it as yet. Another candidate would balance the apparent non-candidacy of Richard Mueller. Mr. Mueller has filed organizational paperwork but has yet to exhibit any real activity, including responding to emails from me and MSM representatives seeking to learn about his candidacy.
Later!
I attended a presentation from the City of Scottsdale put on by Suzanne Grendahl and Art Nunez of the City of Scottsdale (previously mentioned here) regarding the City's operation of the Central Groundwater Treatment Facility (CGTF) on the northwest corner of Pima and Thomas. The impetus for the presentation was concerns about the likelihood of a CGTF-based repeat of the incidents at the Arizona American-operated Miller Road Treatment Facility (MRTF) (background here and here).
I can say that, based on the presentation, while a failure such as that which occurred at MRTF is still possible at CGTF (equipment failures are always possible, no matter how well designed and maintained that equipment), the systems that the City of Scottsdale has in place make it exceedingly unlikely that such a failure would go undetected, such as happened at MRTF for more than 16 hours.
Not only is the site physically staffed 10 - 12 hours per day, seven days a week, the site is subject to ongoing remote computer monitoring (SCADA) during the off-hours and at least one physical walk-through by a city water treatment operator during the night.
Definitely an improvement on AAWC's procedures, which allowed a failure to go undetected from 2:30 p.m. on one day until after 6:30 a.m. the next.
- In addition to this info about the control systems at CGTF, Ms. Grendahl and Mr. Nunez briefly covered a planned improvement project at the facility. It won't affect TCE remediation; it's just intended to reduce the hardness of the water from the facility into alignment with that available in the rest of the city. The City has tentatively scheduled an open house at the site on April 8, 2008 for 6:00 p.m.
For more info, contact Suzanne Grendahl at sgrendahl[at]scottsdaleaz.gov or 480-312-8719.
- Lastly (for now :) ) on the TCE/AAWC issue, on Tuesday night the Scottsdale City Council will hear the results of a study they ordered City Staff to compile on possible options for water service to the 1400+ Arizona American Water customers in Scottsdale.
Those options will include maintaining the current system, with the City working with AzAm Water to improve service to the company's Scottsdale customers, purchasing the Scottsdale part of AAWC's system, or working with the Town of Paradise Valley to purchase the entire AAWC system in the affected area.
Each of those options has its costs and benefits; the "highlight" of those costs is that the estimated value of AAWC's operation is in excess of $50 million.
That could be a tough nut to get past the Scottsdale taxpayers/voters during an election year.
...In other, more election-related Scottsdale news, there is a group called Height and Density, that was formed to fight Council approval of a high-density, high-height development project, the Hanover Project. HAD is working on collecting enough signatures to force the Council's decision to a referendum.
The Hanover Project is helmed by Eric Kenney of Hanover RS Limited Partnership from Texas. They've formed a counter group, Citizens for Smart Growth. That counter group has reported two major expenditures thus far - $10K to retain legal counsel and more than $7700 to hire a signature gathering firm, Derrick C. Lee's Campaign Finance Co. LLC, aka Lee Petitions.
That's where it gets interesting. Turns out that Lee Petitions does more than collect signatures; they try to intimidate and suppress those who dare to oppose their clients.
Lee Petitions has a colorful history, including fraudulent signatures (AZ, CO, and MT) and heavy involvement with Nathan Sproul, the man who would be an Arizona version of Karl Rove.
One of the other organizations involved with the Hanover Project in Scottsdale? Technical Solutions, the lobbying firm owned by erstwhile Republican Congressional candidate in CD5, Susan Bitter Smith.
Guess she has a decision to make, if she really wants to win the Republican nomination in CD5 - respect the voters in the district, or keep her industry clients happy.
If you have time, money, want to sign HAD's petition, or just despise bullies as much as I do, contact Tom Giller at 480-994-1181.
...At last night's meeting of COGS, I heard about another candidate entering the race for City Council, but I haven't been able to confirm it as yet. Another candidate would balance the apparent non-candidacy of Richard Mueller. Mr. Mueller has filed organizational paperwork but has yet to exhibit any real activity, including responding to emails from me and MSM representatives seeking to learn about his candidacy.
Later!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Another corporate lobbyist "explores" challenge to Harry Mitchell
In a long-expected development, telecom lobbyist Susan Bitter-Smith has announced the establishment of an exploratory committee for the race for CD5 Republican nomination.
Her announcement can be found here.
In her announcement, she cites her experience as a member of the Scottsdale City Council and Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD).
Not mentioned or even hinted at is her long-time job as director of the Arizona Cable Telecommunications Association, an industry lobbying group.
While the lateness her pseudo-entry into the race makes it tougher for her (the other Rep candidates in CD5 have had time to bank contributions and lock up endorsements), however, she will be well-funded by her clients and is sure to have the backing of GOP Chamber of Commerce types like Virginia Korte.
Evaluation: She could make an impact on the race with her money and her ties in north Scottsdale. Working against her are the facts that she has almost no visibility in the Tempe part of the district and the fact that even Republicans aren't too enamored with lobbyists these days.
Caveat: take any of my speculations on the mindsets of Republicans with a grain of salt (maybe the whole salt mine!) - I'm not a Republican...not even close.
...In the category of "Interesting 2006 Replay" - the press contact listed on the announcement press release, Brian Hummell, seemed familiar. Turns out that he is a lobbyist too, sometimes representing organizations such as the Arizona Film and Media Coalition before the AZ legislature.
And the "2006" part?
He was JD Hayworth's spokesman that year. :)))
Her announcement can be found here.
In her announcement, she cites her experience as a member of the Scottsdale City Council and Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD).
Not mentioned or even hinted at is her long-time job as director of the Arizona Cable Telecommunications Association, an industry lobbying group.
While the lateness her pseudo-entry into the race makes it tougher for her (the other Rep candidates in CD5 have had time to bank contributions and lock up endorsements), however, she will be well-funded by her clients and is sure to have the backing of GOP Chamber of Commerce types like Virginia Korte.
Evaluation: She could make an impact on the race with her money and her ties in north Scottsdale. Working against her are the facts that she has almost no visibility in the Tempe part of the district and the fact that even Republicans aren't too enamored with lobbyists these days.
Caveat: take any of my speculations on the mindsets of Republicans with a grain of salt (maybe the whole salt mine!) - I'm not a Republican...not even close.
...In the category of "Interesting 2006 Replay" - the press contact listed on the announcement press release, Brian Hummell, seemed familiar. Turns out that he is a lobbyist too, sometimes representing organizations such as the Arizona Film and Media Coalition before the AZ legislature.
And the "2006" part?
He was JD Hayworth's spokesman that year. :)))
Thursday, January 31, 2008
FEC reports are in
Edit to update: Turns out that Bob Lord's (D-CD3) financial report is up; I just missed it. I've updated the appropriate section of the post. Thanks to Drew for the comment...
End edit.
It's that time again - time for a quick summary of fundraising results for the various Congressional campaigns in AZ.
Key - Total raised, $ from individual donors, $ from PACs and committees, Cash on hand, and (where applicable) debts or loans.
I'll comment between CDs.
CD1
Kirkpatrick (D) $186108.71, 166108.71, 24000, 292867.66, 20000 loan
Renzi (R) $0, 0, 0, 1786.60, 456058.23 debt
Hay (R) $41822.32, 23935.92, 17886.40, 155727.77, 20000 loan
Shanker (D) $17517.18, 17517.18, 0, 4069.89
No info as yet from Mary Kim Titla (D) or a Democratic candidate that I've never heard of but who has filed organization paperwork, Jeffrey Brown. He's serious enough to have a real, though under construction, website, so I'll mention him here.
It's early still, but pending the still only rumored entries of other Republicans into the contest, right now the race is shaping up to be between industry lobbyist Hay for the Rs and DCCC-annointed Kirkpatrick for the Ds. Their early money and organizations will be tough to beat.
CD2
Franks (R) $72691, 42191, 30500, 86274.1
Thrasher (D) $8543, 8543, 0, 10693.56
Nothing too surprising here; while Franks is beatable, Thrasher needs support to do it. Surf to his website to volunteer or contribute.
CD3
Shadegg (R) $494544.92, 362794.92, 131750, 863636.22
Loyd (I) $14226.55, 0, 14226.55. 8884.33
Lord (D) $211071.23, 187821.23, 18250.00, 503182.54
Something tells me that Shadegg didn't raise half-a-million dollars in what is traditionally the slowest fundraising quarter of the year in response to Annie Loyd's $14K. While Shadegg has, and is expected to maintain, a fundraising advantage (incumbents usually do), he's in the race of his political life. Perhaps his efforts on behalf of John McCain's presidential campaign have an ulterior motive - he realizes that he benefits with McCain at the top of the ballot in November. McCain's presence, while it may not help Rep candidates nationwide, should fuel increased Rep voter turnout here in AZ.
Shadegg should keep something in mind as the campaign unfolds - by sacrificing his constituents and constituent services to campaign for McCain, he could cost himself more votes than he gains with McCain at the top of the ballot.
CD4
Pastor (D) $80125.63, 38120, 42005.63. 1222975.39
$1.2 million CoH and no opponent (as yet, anyway)? Pastor should expect lots of pressure to help out other Democratic candidates this summer.
CD5
Hayworth (R) $-2200, 0, 0, 15310.3
Mitchell (D) $210680, 137255, 71800, 868883.55
Ogsbury (R) $34880, 33380, 1500, 349191.47
Schweikert (R) $505,993, 246393.51, 9600, 412030.69, 250000 loan
Hatch-Miller (R) Just filed organizational paperwork; don't expect financial numbers until April.
Anderson (R) Just filed organizational paperwork; don't expect financial numbers until April.
Knaperek (R) $19948.54, 19948.54, 0, 27356.99
Even without the quarter million dollar loan, Schweikert is the one to beat (money-wise, anyway) in the Rep primary here, though Knaperek and Anderson are veteran campaigners and will know how to use their more limited funds to good effect.
Note: Telecom/cable industry lobbyist Susan Bitter Smith has said that she will make her run/don't run decision sometime after Super Tuesday. As of tonight, no paperwork for her, organizational or financial reporting, has been posted by the FEC.
CD6
Flake $305414.48, 258613.52, 46800.96, 999110.50
Richard Grayson is running a (self-admittedly) quixotic challenge to Flake, but that million dollars CoH of Flake's isn't aimed at him, it was aimed straight as erstwhile primary challenger Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance).
Pearce has recently set his sights somewhat lower - convincing LD18 State Senator Karen Johnson (R-UFO) to step aside and not run for reelection.
Pearce will face Democrat Judah Nativio for the seat.
CD7
Grijalva (D) $40475, 7975, 32500, 99351.11
The Reps are sure to run someone against Congressman Grijalva (they always do), but unless I miss my guess, Grijalva's organization will expend more effort on rounding up votes for presidential candidate Barack Obama than they'll have to expend on rounding up votes for Raul.
CD8
Bee (R) $151074.24, 141324.24, 9750, 161246.04
Giffords (D) $272253.88, 161209.45, 111044.43, 1317357.30
Unless Tim Bee can pull of a miracle dealing with the state's budget deficit, he may come to regret not resigning his seat in the Arizona State Senate. Giffords has an almost 9-to-1 CoH advantage, and Bee is stuck in Phoenix most of the week.
If he leaves the Senate now, he'll get roundly criticized for abandoning his constituents (something that a candidate for another office doesn't want to deal with); if he doesn't leave, his campaign can't get up to full speed until June or July, by which time, Giffords could have a 20:1 money advantage.
PolitickerAZ has a report on the numbers as well, and they have most of the duelling press releases that accompany the releases of fundraising numbers on the main site.
Later!
End edit.
It's that time again - time for a quick summary of fundraising results for the various Congressional campaigns in AZ.
Key - Total raised, $ from individual donors, $ from PACs and committees, Cash on hand, and (where applicable) debts or loans.
I'll comment between CDs.
CD1
Kirkpatrick (D) $186108.71, 166108.71, 24000, 292867.66, 20000 loan
Renzi (R) $0, 0, 0, 1786.60, 456058.23 debt
Hay (R) $41822.32, 23935.92, 17886.40, 155727.77, 20000 loan
Shanker (D) $17517.18, 17517.18, 0, 4069.89
No info as yet from Mary Kim Titla (D) or a Democratic candidate that I've never heard of but who has filed organization paperwork, Jeffrey Brown. He's serious enough to have a real, though under construction, website, so I'll mention him here.
It's early still, but pending the still only rumored entries of other Republicans into the contest, right now the race is shaping up to be between industry lobbyist Hay for the Rs and DCCC-annointed Kirkpatrick for the Ds. Their early money and organizations will be tough to beat.
CD2
Franks (R) $72691, 42191, 30500, 86274.1
Thrasher (D) $8543, 8543, 0, 10693.56
Nothing too surprising here; while Franks is beatable, Thrasher needs support to do it. Surf to his website to volunteer or contribute.
CD3
Shadegg (R) $494544.92, 362794.92, 131750, 863636.22
Loyd (I) $14226.55, 0, 14226.55. 8884.33
Lord (D) $211071.23, 187821.23, 18250.00, 503182.54
Something tells me that Shadegg didn't raise half-a-million dollars in what is traditionally the slowest fundraising quarter of the year in response to Annie Loyd's $14K. While Shadegg has, and is expected to maintain, a fundraising advantage (incumbents usually do), he's in the race of his political life. Perhaps his efforts on behalf of John McCain's presidential campaign have an ulterior motive - he realizes that he benefits with McCain at the top of the ballot in November. McCain's presence, while it may not help Rep candidates nationwide, should fuel increased Rep voter turnout here in AZ.
Shadegg should keep something in mind as the campaign unfolds - by sacrificing his constituents and constituent services to campaign for McCain, he could cost himself more votes than he gains with McCain at the top of the ballot.
CD4
Pastor (D) $80125.63, 38120, 42005.63. 1222975.39
$1.2 million CoH and no opponent (as yet, anyway)? Pastor should expect lots of pressure to help out other Democratic candidates this summer.
CD5
Hayworth (R) $-2200, 0, 0, 15310.3
Mitchell (D) $210680, 137255, 71800, 868883.55
Ogsbury (R) $34880, 33380, 1500, 349191.47
Schweikert (R) $505,993, 246393.51, 9600, 412030.69, 250000 loan
Hatch-Miller (R) Just filed organizational paperwork; don't expect financial numbers until April.
Anderson (R) Just filed organizational paperwork; don't expect financial numbers until April.
Knaperek (R) $19948.54, 19948.54, 0, 27356.99
Even without the quarter million dollar loan, Schweikert is the one to beat (money-wise, anyway) in the Rep primary here, though Knaperek and Anderson are veteran campaigners and will know how to use their more limited funds to good effect.
Note: Telecom/cable industry lobbyist Susan Bitter Smith has said that she will make her run/don't run decision sometime after Super Tuesday. As of tonight, no paperwork for her, organizational or financial reporting, has been posted by the FEC.
CD6
Flake $305414.48, 258613.52, 46800.96, 999110.50
Richard Grayson is running a (self-admittedly) quixotic challenge to Flake, but that million dollars CoH of Flake's isn't aimed at him, it was aimed straight as erstwhile primary challenger Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance).
Pearce has recently set his sights somewhat lower - convincing LD18 State Senator Karen Johnson (R-UFO) to step aside and not run for reelection.
Pearce will face Democrat Judah Nativio for the seat.
CD7
Grijalva (D) $40475, 7975, 32500, 99351.11
The Reps are sure to run someone against Congressman Grijalva (they always do), but unless I miss my guess, Grijalva's organization will expend more effort on rounding up votes for presidential candidate Barack Obama than they'll have to expend on rounding up votes for Raul.
CD8
Bee (R) $151074.24, 141324.24, 9750, 161246.04
Giffords (D) $272253.88, 161209.45, 111044.43, 1317357.30
Unless Tim Bee can pull of a miracle dealing with the state's budget deficit, he may come to regret not resigning his seat in the Arizona State Senate. Giffords has an almost 9-to-1 CoH advantage, and Bee is stuck in Phoenix most of the week.
If he leaves the Senate now, he'll get roundly criticized for abandoning his constituents (something that a candidate for another office doesn't want to deal with); if he doesn't leave, his campaign can't get up to full speed until June or July, by which time, Giffords could have a 20:1 money advantage.
PolitickerAZ has a report on the numbers as well, and they have most of the duelling press releases that accompany the releases of fundraising numbers on the main site.
Later!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Short Attention Span Musing - campaigns edition
...Well, in a shock to the MSM, but not to anyone else, both parties' races for the Presidential nomination are wide open right now. Pundits are trying to spin Tuesday's results from New Hampshire as a "major" Clinton victory and a serious blow to Obama's White House aspirations.
Of course, a few days before the NH primary, those same pundits had pronounced the Clinton candidacy DOA and were writing Obama's inaugural speech.
Things aren't much clearer on the Republican side, with McCain newly-reannointed as the frontrunner after winning in New Hampshire.
Of course, he won in NH in 2000.
In other words - it's not over.
...As in Iowa, the most disappointed candidate coming out of the New Hampshire primary has to be Mitt Romney. In addition to the vast amounts of money that he spent here and the hundred-something campaign events, he had home-field advantage - not only was he the governor right across the border, he even has a vacation home there.
He was practically a resident, and still couldn't win there.
His candidacy is definitely in trouble; on the other hand, he hasn't exactly been trounced in Iowa or New Hampshire, and he still has oodles of money.
Next week's primary in Michigan is his last stand. He has to win in his home state (his father was governor there for a while), otherwise his candidacy will lose whatever momentum and support it has left.
...The phrase "It's not over" may not apply to Fred Thompson. At 1% in New Hampshire, he has rapidly gone from "Republican savior" to "Are his SAG dues up to date?" He may try to stay in through South Carolina, but he's done.
...Michigan could cause a big headache for the Democratc Party leadership. It was stripped of its delegates as a penalty for holding its primary before February 5. Hence, most Democratic candidates aren't on the ballot there.
In fact, there are only four candidates, and one of them, Sen. Christopher Dodd, has already dropped out. In fact, the only major candidate on the ballot there is Hillary Clinton, and there lies the problem.
There have been strong rumors that Michigan would have some or all of it 156 delegates restored, rumors that weren't discounted by a highly connected former DNC member at last night's D17 meeting.
If that comes to pass, and the race is close enough for Michigan's delegates to make a difference in the nomination, expect some justified howls of outrage from the non-Clinton campaigns (and from Democrats everywhere) at changing the nomination rules after the fact.
It would look like 'insiders' protecting one of their own, which brings up another point.
Another possibility that the 'powers-that-be' of the national party would have to consider is that even the appearance of inappropriate activity regarding the nomination could give the Republicans the kind of issue that they could use to pry Independent voters away from the Democrats.
I honestly don't think that they really *want* to restore Michigan's delegates, but the longer the race for the nomination stays a race, the more pressureto do so will be brought to bear by certain elements within the Party.
Best scenario for the Democratic leadership: the eventual nominee pulls away before any decision is made regarding Michigan, so that a restoration of its delegates doesn't make any difference.
...In disappointing news, for me, anyway, Governor Bill Richardson is apparently dropping out of the race. While he is far and away the best-qualified and best-suited candidate for the job, he doesn't have the 'rock star' qualities of Obama or Clinton (or even Edwards.) Therefore, he hasn't gained much traction with voters.
Our loss.
Note to the eventual nominee: consider Richardson for the VP slot on the ticket or for the Secretary of State job in your administration. It'll be the best appointment you could make.
...Matt Benson of the AZ Rep's Plugged In has a report that Governor Napolitano "may" endorse a candidate prior to the Presidential primary.
She shouldn't - either she'll have to work with the eventual nominee as Governor, or she'll work for the eventual nominee in his/her cabinet.
Doing anything more than helping the eventual nominee in the general election campaign does nothing for her or for Arizona.
CD5 race news -
...According to PolitickerAZ.com (a relatively new site, so I can't vouch for its accuracy yet. It seems to be pretty decent, though.), Susan Bitter Smith, a possible candidate for the Rep nomination to challenge Harry Mitchell, is waiting until February 5th to decide whether or not to enter the race.
Her stated reason for waiting?
Well, at least she's consistent; once a corporate tool, always a corporate tool. Her public disdain of Huckabee, the least corporate of the Republican candidates, clearly indicates where her true loyalties lie.
Bottom line - she's not running to represent the residents of CD5.
...In other news from PolitickerAZ, Jeff Hatch-Miller, member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, will be entering the CD5 race, joining Jim Ogsbury, Laura Knaperek, Mark Anderson, and David Schweikert (and possibly the aforementioned Bitter Smith) in the race for the Rep nomination.
He's termed out at the ACC, and as no statewide offices are up this year, it's a run for Congress or two years of toiling in the private sector for him. The field is crowded, but his connections should generate enough in contributions to make him viable in the primary.
Later!
Of course, a few days before the NH primary, those same pundits had pronounced the Clinton candidacy DOA and were writing Obama's inaugural speech.
Things aren't much clearer on the Republican side, with McCain newly-reannointed as the frontrunner after winning in New Hampshire.
Of course, he won in NH in 2000.
In other words - it's not over.
...As in Iowa, the most disappointed candidate coming out of the New Hampshire primary has to be Mitt Romney. In addition to the vast amounts of money that he spent here and the hundred-something campaign events, he had home-field advantage - not only was he the governor right across the border, he even has a vacation home there.
He was practically a resident, and still couldn't win there.
His candidacy is definitely in trouble; on the other hand, he hasn't exactly been trounced in Iowa or New Hampshire, and he still has oodles of money.
Next week's primary in Michigan is his last stand. He has to win in his home state (his father was governor there for a while), otherwise his candidacy will lose whatever momentum and support it has left.
...The phrase "It's not over" may not apply to Fred Thompson. At 1% in New Hampshire, he has rapidly gone from "Republican savior" to "Are his SAG dues up to date?" He may try to stay in through South Carolina, but he's done.
...Michigan could cause a big headache for the Democratc Party leadership. It was stripped of its delegates as a penalty for holding its primary before February 5. Hence, most Democratic candidates aren't on the ballot there.
In fact, there are only four candidates, and one of them, Sen. Christopher Dodd, has already dropped out. In fact, the only major candidate on the ballot there is Hillary Clinton, and there lies the problem.
There have been strong rumors that Michigan would have some or all of it 156 delegates restored, rumors that weren't discounted by a highly connected former DNC member at last night's D17 meeting.
If that comes to pass, and the race is close enough for Michigan's delegates to make a difference in the nomination, expect some justified howls of outrage from the non-Clinton campaigns (and from Democrats everywhere) at changing the nomination rules after the fact.
It would look like 'insiders' protecting one of their own, which brings up another point.
Another possibility that the 'powers-that-be' of the national party would have to consider is that even the appearance of inappropriate activity regarding the nomination could give the Republicans the kind of issue that they could use to pry Independent voters away from the Democrats.
I honestly don't think that they really *want* to restore Michigan's delegates, but the longer the race for the nomination stays a race, the more pressureto do so will be brought to bear by certain elements within the Party.
Best scenario for the Democratic leadership: the eventual nominee pulls away before any decision is made regarding Michigan, so that a restoration of its delegates doesn't make any difference.
...In disappointing news, for me, anyway, Governor Bill Richardson is apparently dropping out of the race. While he is far and away the best-qualified and best-suited candidate for the job, he doesn't have the 'rock star' qualities of Obama or Clinton (or even Edwards.) Therefore, he hasn't gained much traction with voters.
Our loss.
Note to the eventual nominee: consider Richardson for the VP slot on the ticket or for the Secretary of State job in your administration. It'll be the best appointment you could make.
...Matt Benson of the AZ Rep's Plugged In has a report that Governor Napolitano "may" endorse a candidate prior to the Presidential primary.
She shouldn't - either she'll have to work with the eventual nominee as Governor, or she'll work for the eventual nominee in his/her cabinet.
Doing anything more than helping the eventual nominee in the general election campaign does nothing for her or for Arizona.
CD5 race news -
...According to PolitickerAZ.com (a relatively new site, so I can't vouch for its accuracy yet. It seems to be pretty decent, though.), Susan Bitter Smith, a possible candidate for the Rep nomination to challenge Harry Mitchell, is waiting until February 5th to decide whether or not to enter the race.
Her stated reason for waiting?
Bitter Smith, the Executive Director of the Arizona Cable Television Communications Association, says that her decision depends on what happens on February 5 – the day Arizonans go to the polls to participate in the state’s presidential primary. She said that a strong Republican turnout would be encouraging.Not really news that; rumors about a possible run have been swirling for months. What is interesting is the rest of the quote from the article -
Bitter Smith also said she was looking for a “strong Republican” to head up the Party ticket in November.
When asked which candidate she preferred, she laughed. “McCain, Rudy (Giuliani), Romney,” she said.
Well, at least she's consistent; once a corporate tool, always a corporate tool. Her public disdain of Huckabee, the least corporate of the Republican candidates, clearly indicates where her true loyalties lie.
Bottom line - she's not running to represent the residents of CD5.
...In other news from PolitickerAZ, Jeff Hatch-Miller, member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, will be entering the CD5 race, joining Jim Ogsbury, Laura Knaperek, Mark Anderson, and David Schweikert (and possibly the aforementioned Bitter Smith) in the race for the Rep nomination.
He's termed out at the ACC, and as no statewide offices are up this year, it's a run for Congress or two years of toiling in the private sector for him. The field is crowded, but his connections should generate enough in contributions to make him viable in the primary.
Later!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Quick update - upcoming elections and legislation
There's nearly a year to go until next November's elections and nearly a month and a half before the start of the next session of the Arizona Legislature, but campaign announcements, endorsements, and proposed legislation are already hitting the news and the email inbox every day...
...Republican State Senator Jim Waring is mad as hell at his cell phone provider and isn't taking it anymore. :)
From the Arizona Daily Star -
For the article, Susan Bitter Smith, lobbyist for the cell phone providers and possible 2008 challenger to Congressman Harry Mitchell, said that her industry hasn't taken an official position on the bill as yet; however, she and her organization, the Arizona Competitive Telecommunications Association, have historically opposed any efforts to strengthen consumer protections.
My prediction: since the AZ lege is still controlled by a Republican leadership that believes that 'caveat emptor' is responsible government policy, this bill is either DOA or will be watered down to the point of uselessness.
Note to Sen. Waring - Is something only a problem when a sitting Republican legislator faces that problem? People have been complaining about the cell phone industry for years. Where was the respect for consumers then?
Still, Republican proposal or not, DOA or not, SB1010 is a good start.
...Democratic Reps. David Schapira (LD17) and Jackie Thrasher (LD10) have already submitted HB2001, a bill to ban smoking in cars with minors present.
From the AZ Daily Star -
I'm pretty sure this one won't pass, either, since tobacco giant RJ Reynolds has already expressed opposition.
...While the bill hasn't been submitted yet, LD17 State Representative Schapira and State Senator Meg Burton-Cahill are working on legislation to regulate the tattoo industry.
From an Arizona Republic article -
Stay tuned on this one.
...Democratic State Reps. Kyrsten Sinema, Chad Campbell, and Tom Prezelski have submitted HB2002, a bill that bars employment discrimination based on "gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation."
Nope, this one won't pass, either. I can't see the likes of Russell Pearce or Jack Harper or any of their ideological cronies letting this one get even a committee hearing.
Note: On December 4, 2007, the Scottsdale City Council is tentatively scheduled to consider adding similar language to its employment policy; sometime in the weeks thereafter it will consider adding that language to the non-discrimination ordinances and policies that contractors with City and businesses operating in Scottsdale must adhere to.
...In Scottsdale election news, as expected, Mayor Mary Manross announced her candidacy for reelection.
From her press release -
More substantively, she touted her efforts to "to reduce Scottsdale’s property tax rate. . Over the past decade the rate has dropped from $1.57 to $. 79. Our tax rate, today, is less than half of neighboring Phoenix’s tax rate. That’s being fiscally conservative."
That's an argument that will play well in Scottsdale.
East Valley Tribune coverage here.
As of right now her rumored opponents are current Council member Jim Lane, who can't officially announce his candidacy until January due to AZ's pesky 'resign to run' law, and lawyer Jim Derouin, who has said that he won't run if Lane does (see the Trib article at the link).
I'm not a huge fan of Manross (as anyone who has read this blog already knows), but I'm not convinced that either of the rumored candidates is a better alternative, especially since the major plank of their campaign platforms seems to be "I'm not Mary Manross."
More as the campaign season unfolds.
...The Club For Growth, an anti-government, pro-privatization, right-wing group, has endorsed David Schweikert in the CD5 Republican primary.
From The Politico, via CBS News -
Also from the article -
Umm, regarding the endorsement - *yawwwwn.*
Later!
...Republican State Senator Jim Waring is mad as hell at his cell phone provider and isn't taking it anymore. :)
From the Arizona Daily Star -
PHOENIX — When Jim Waring got what he considered a runaround from his cell phone company, he got mad.He has already submitted SB1010 for the 2nd session of the 48th Arizona legislature.
But when he continued to hear similar stories from others, he did something else: He used his power as a state senator to introduce legislation that, if approved, would create a cell phone users' "bill of rights" for Arizona customers.
For the article, Susan Bitter Smith, lobbyist for the cell phone providers and possible 2008 challenger to Congressman Harry Mitchell, said that her industry hasn't taken an official position on the bill as yet; however, she and her organization, the Arizona Competitive Telecommunications Association, have historically opposed any efforts to strengthen consumer protections.
My prediction: since the AZ lege is still controlled by a Republican leadership that believes that 'caveat emptor' is responsible government policy, this bill is either DOA or will be watered down to the point of uselessness.
Note to Sen. Waring - Is something only a problem when a sitting Republican legislator faces that problem? People have been complaining about the cell phone industry for years. Where was the respect for consumers then?
Still, Republican proposal or not, DOA or not, SB1010 is a good start.
...Democratic Reps. David Schapira (LD17) and Jackie Thrasher (LD10) have already submitted HB2001, a bill to ban smoking in cars with minors present.
From the AZ Daily Star -
"There isn't a single person in this country who doesn't know that smoking causes cancer," said sponsoring Rep. David Schapira, a Tempe Democrat. What that means, he said, is that adults who smoke in front of children, particularly in enclosed places, are knowingly causing them harm.
"That's the definition of child abuse," he said.
I'm pretty sure this one won't pass, either, since tobacco giant RJ Reynolds has already expressed opposition.
...While the bill hasn't been submitted yet, LD17 State Representative Schapira and State Senator Meg Burton-Cahill are working on legislation to regulate the tattoo industry.
From an Arizona Republic article -
Valley tattoo-parlor owners, eager to protect and burnish the reputation of their industry, are calling for state regulation of the tattoo trade.
Shop owners have teamed up to form the Arizona Tattoo and Piercing Association, and one of the organization's first steps was to meet this week with state legislators who say they now intend to introduce legislation to regulate the tattoo industry.
{snip}
State Rep. David Schapira, D-Tempe, said that on Wednesday, he and Sen. Meg Burton-Cahill, D-Tempe, met with Dowdell and Sage O'Connell, owner of Urban Art Tattoo & Piercing in Mesa.
"What we heard from the tattoo industry is that they want to be more respected, and unless there is some sort of regulation, shops can exist which will give a bad name to the whole industry," Schapira said.
He said he intends to introduce legislation to bring regulation to the tattoo industry at the upcoming session of the Legislature.
Burton-Cahill said she considers the matter "an issue of public health."
"When you get your hair cut, you know that person has met a basic standard, and when we have tattoo artists putting holes in people, you want to know you are going to a shop that has met basic health standards," she said.
Stay tuned on this one.
...Democratic State Reps. Kyrsten Sinema, Chad Campbell, and Tom Prezelski have submitted HB2002, a bill that bars employment discrimination based on "gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation."
Nope, this one won't pass, either. I can't see the likes of Russell Pearce or Jack Harper or any of their ideological cronies letting this one get even a committee hearing.
Note: On December 4, 2007, the Scottsdale City Council is tentatively scheduled to consider adding similar language to its employment policy; sometime in the weeks thereafter it will consider adding that language to the non-discrimination ordinances and policies that contractors with City and businesses operating in Scottsdale must adhere to.
...In Scottsdale election news, as expected, Mayor Mary Manross announced her candidacy for reelection.
From her press release -
“We are truly a community where the Old West meets the New West; working to preserve our historic past while building Scottsdale’s sustainable future. A clear vision and an unwavering commitment to building a bridge to the future are paying huge dividends for Scottsdale. The clouds of uncertainty that hung over our city just eight short years ago have been lifted and Scottsdale’s future has never been brighter. Today is a time of tremendous confidence, enthusiasm, and momentum."
More substantively, she touted her efforts to "to reduce Scottsdale’s property tax rate. . Over the past decade the rate has dropped from $1.57 to $. 79. Our tax rate, today, is less than half of neighboring Phoenix’s tax rate. That’s being fiscally conservative."
That's an argument that will play well in Scottsdale.
East Valley Tribune coverage here.
As of right now her rumored opponents are current Council member Jim Lane, who can't officially announce his candidacy until January due to AZ's pesky 'resign to run' law, and lawyer Jim Derouin, who has said that he won't run if Lane does (see the Trib article at the link).
I'm not a huge fan of Manross (as anyone who has read this blog already knows), but I'm not convinced that either of the rumored candidates is a better alternative, especially since the major plank of their campaign platforms seems to be "I'm not Mary Manross."
More as the campaign season unfolds.
...The Club For Growth, an anti-government, pro-privatization, right-wing group, has endorsed David Schweikert in the CD5 Republican primary.
From The Politico, via CBS News -
“It is clear that David Schweikert is a tireless defender of taxpayers who will continue to fight for taxpayers in the U.S. Congress,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey in a statement.It's interesting that CFG is endorsing a candidate before all likely candidates have had the opportunity to enter the race; maybe they're trying to change their recent spate of bad luck.
Also from the article -
The Club for Growth has been off to a slow start this election cycle, with two if its endorsed candidates losing in competitive GOP nomination battles.
In Ohio’s 5th District, Club-backed candidate state Sen. Steve Buehrer lost to state Rep. Bob Latta in this month’s GOP special election primary. And activist Paul Jost, who headed the Virginia chapter of the Club for Growth, narrowly lost the GOP nomination to succeed the late Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.) to state Del. Rob Wittman.
Umm, regarding the endorsement - *yawwwwn.*
Later!
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Another corporate lobbyist to run against Harry Mitchell
From the AZ Republic -
In addition to all of her corporate ties listed above, within the last year she has been working to raise her "community group" profile with her involvement in 'Citizen Advocates for Southern Scottsdale' (CASS).
I put "community group" in quotes because CASS seems less a genuine grassroots group and more an astroturf operation run by the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Korte.
Her lobbying activities have led her to espouse some politically touchy views. For instance, as chair of the Arizona Competitive Telecommunications Coalition she opposes the recent City of Phoenix ban on sending text messages while driving.
"Corporate profits over the safety of the general public" is not a campaign slogan that will fly too far at a time when the country, left, center, and right, is in an uproar over George Bush's veto of SCHIP to protect insurance industry profits.
It's late, and I have to work in the morning, so I don't have time to do a campaign contribution search for her and the various groups that she's been affiliated with tonight, though I will do one later in the week.
Her interest in Harry Mitchell's seat in CD5 has long been rumored, and she is the fifth candidate to express a strong interest (Mark Anderson, Jim Ogsbury, Laura Knaperek, and David Schweikert). While the field is getting crowded, and may see still other entries, I don't expect to see more than three or so names on next fall's Republican ballot.
At least a couple of the candidates will find fundraising in that crowded field to be an overly daunting task. In addition, some will find the task of raising their name recognition among primary voters to be an insurmountable hurdle.
I won't start speculating on who is going to fall by the wayside even before the primary vote until fundraising figures start rolling in.
Later!
SCOTTSDALE: Former Councilwoman Susan Bitter Smith said she likely will run in next year's Republican primary in the 5th Congressional District. The seat is help by Democrat Harry Mitchell.Bitter-Smith, in addition to being a former member of the Scottsdale City Council, she is also a former candidate for Congress (2000), current chair of the Arizona Competitive Telecommunications Coalition (at least according to an AZ Rep article; the Coalition's website is unavailable), current President of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (aka - Central Arizona Project), and long-time Executive Director of the Arizona Cable Telecommunications Association.
In addition to all of her corporate ties listed above, within the last year she has been working to raise her "community group" profile with her involvement in 'Citizen Advocates for Southern Scottsdale' (CASS).
I put "community group" in quotes because CASS seems less a genuine grassroots group and more an astroturf operation run by the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Korte.
Her lobbying activities have led her to espouse some politically touchy views. For instance, as chair of the Arizona Competitive Telecommunications Coalition she opposes the recent City of Phoenix ban on sending text messages while driving.
"Corporate profits over the safety of the general public" is not a campaign slogan that will fly too far at a time when the country, left, center, and right, is in an uproar over George Bush's veto of SCHIP to protect insurance industry profits.
It's late, and I have to work in the morning, so I don't have time to do a campaign contribution search for her and the various groups that she's been affiliated with tonight, though I will do one later in the week.
Her interest in Harry Mitchell's seat in CD5 has long been rumored, and she is the fifth candidate to express a strong interest (Mark Anderson, Jim Ogsbury, Laura Knaperek, and David Schweikert). While the field is getting crowded, and may see still other entries, I don't expect to see more than three or so names on next fall's Republican ballot.
At least a couple of the candidates will find fundraising in that crowded field to be an overly daunting task. In addition, some will find the task of raising their name recognition among primary voters to be an insurmountable hurdle.
I won't start speculating on who is going to fall by the wayside even before the primary vote until fundraising figures start rolling in.
Later!
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