arizona – Page 3

#rsrh Meet Kyrsten Sinema (D CAND, AZ-09).

Actually, before we do that, let’s take a quick look at the Republican candidate: Vernon Parker. Former local mayor, experience in DC, no crazy eyes: OK, done.

It’s difficult to sum up a person in a few words – unless, of course, if the person in question is a socialist-shading-to-Commie nutjob who managed to somehow win a primary in what was supposed to be a new swing district. Then it’s easy. It’s also Kyrsten Sinema, who is currently leading in the contest for ‘Democratic candidate for the House with the craziest eyes’ this election cycle. To give you a taste of what we’re talking about here… well, here’s a quote about how Sinema feels about stay-at-home parents*:

“These women who act like staying at home, leeching off their husbands or boyfriends, and just cashing the checks is some sort of feminism because they’re choosing to live that life. That’s bullsh*t. I mean, what the f*ck are we really talking about here?”

I don’t know, Kyrsten: what are we talking about here? Is it “what’s wrong with a Democratic primary system that lets people like you win?”

Moe Lane

*Ahem.

#rsrh Richard Carmona (D CAND, AZ-SEN PRI) admits his state is NOT in play for Barack Obama.

But you knew that anyway.

Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Carmona distanced himself Monday from President Barack Obama, saying he had “no connection” with the man who urged him to run for office.

His comments come months after it was first reported the president personally called the former U.S. surgeon general and asked him to get into the race.

“Let me set the record straight, OK,” Carmona told 3TV. “I have no connections to President Obama.”

Continue reading #rsrh Richard Carmona (D CAND, AZ-SEN PRI) admits his state is NOT in play for Barack Obama.

#rsrh Did Jesse Kelly BET somebody that Ron Barber wouldn’t support Obama?

Normally I’d just update this post but… watch the clip (via Hot Air Headlines) from the Kelly/Barber AZ-08 debate:

At the end there – right after Ron Barber refuses to admit that he’s voting for Obama – Jesse Kelly holds up what looks like some cash in seeming response, complete with a Yeah, I called this look-around. Which – if true; it may be significant of something else – was pretty prophetic of Kelly, honestly.

Moe Lane Continue reading #rsrh Did Jesse Kelly BET somebody that Ron Barber wouldn’t support Obama?

Ron Barber (D CAND, AZ-08) refused to say whether he’d vote for Barack Obama in November.

Spoiler warning: he will.

Apparently, Ron Barber – the Democrat running to replace Gabby Giffords in the AZ-08 special election – has a bit of a problem with the entire ‘Democrat’ thing: “[Republican nominee Jesse] Kelly asked Barber to declare who he’ll vote for in November for president, and Barber – although a Democrat with an incumbent president of his party – refused, saying he’s focused on his own campaign.” This is a somewhat eyebrow-raising evasion – one would think that a Democrat currently running in a Democratic-held seat with a Democrat in the White House would be less coy – and it tells us several things: Continue reading Ron Barber (D CAND, AZ-08) refused to say whether he’d vote for Barack Obama in November.

#rsrh Jesse Kelly wins AZ-08 Republican primary.

Via @SissyWillis. Basically, Jesse Kelly is up against former Gabby Giffords staffer Ron Barber, who is already allowing the Democratic party to try to couch the whole contest in apocalyptic terms. Because that’s what Democratic candidates do, these days. The special election is in June; the primary for next year’s term will be in August; and the election will of course be in November. In other words, expect this seat to be in the news for a while.

Also, let me make a prediction: if Kelly wins the special election, expect the GOP to declare this a harbinger of the 2012 elections, the Democrats to deny that, and the media to be divided (they like selling papers). If Kelly loses, reverse the party names. Reality is, I don’t know which side is favored; I just know… Jesse Kelly for AZ-08.

#rsrh Obviously, AZ & MI primaries tonight.

My gut’s telling me that if Mitt Romney wins, it’s going to be by a bit; if Rick Santorum wins, it’s going to be by a hair; if Newt Gingrich wins, it’s going to be a miracle; and if Ron Paul wins, it’s going to be this.

Mind you, there’s a big dividing line between ‘Rick Santorum wins’ and ‘Newt Gingrich wins.’

Moe Lane

PS: As to who will win? Don’t know, don’t really care.

#rsrh Another angle on Jan Brewer’s Mitt Romney endorsement.

Ed Morrissey’s thoughts on Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s endorsement of Mitt Romney make sense, but there’s another thought: could this simply be about immigration? Romney’s portraying himself as a hardline immigration hawk at this point*, and Brewer got herself elected in 2010 largely on her willingness to take and keep a hard line on the topic herself. Not too surprising that this might translate into an endorsement, honestly.

But will it work? Don’t know, don’t care.

Moe Lane

*Note my choice of verb.

Paul Babeu’s career is over.

Strikes one and two:

An Arizona sheriff who became the face of Sen. John McCain’s stand against illegal immigration threatened his boyfriend, an illegal immigrant himself, with deportation if news of their relationship ever leaked out, an alternative newspaper in Arizona reported Saturday.

[snip of Paul Babeu denying that he threatened his ex with deportation]

The Phoenix New Times first reported the threats early Saturday after interviewing the boyfriend, a 34-year old Mexican man, and his lawyer. The boyfriend alleges Chris DeRose, Babeu’s campaign manager, demanded he sign a confidentiality agreement; if the relationship became public, the boyfriend says DeRose hinted it would focus attention on the boyfriend’s immigration status.

I don’t care whether Babeu’s gay or not, of course; and under normal circumstances bringing it up would be irrelevant to the situation. The man’s not married and what two consenting adults get up to in their private lives is largely a matter of indifference to me. And, of course, a person’s sexuality is independent of his or her views on illegal immigration. There are plenty of gay people out there who take a tough stance on the issue.

But. Those people generally don’t go out with allegedly illegal immigrants and then threaten them later. The Phoenix New Times article can and will be contested, but it’s definitely clear that there was a relationship, it went fairly spectacularly south, and Babeu made some statements in the aftermath that do not reflect well on him. As in, statements that can be construed as being potentially abusive-of-power.

And then there’s strike three: Continue reading Paul Babeu’s career is over.

#rsrh Obama meets, and is a schmuck towards, Jan Brewer.

Come, I will conceal nothing from you. Jan Brewer of Arizona is not… my favorite Republican governor, on paper. I won’t get into why; if you must have a reason, call it ‘stylistic differences’ and be done with it.

But dang if she’s not able to get under President Barack Obama’s skin like nobody’s business:

[Gov. Jan Brewer] said the president brought up [her new book Scorpions for Breakfast*].

“I thought we probably would’ve talked about the things that were important to him and important to me, helping one another. Our country is upside down. Arizona was upside down. But we have turned it around. I know again that he loves this country and I love this country.”

It was clear from the moment they greeted one another that this would not be a run-of-the-mill encounter between the president and a local official. At one point, she was pointing her finger at him and at another, they were talking at the same time, seemingly over each other.

He appeared to walk away from her while they were still talking, and she confirmed that by saying she didn’t finish her sentence.

More here and here. I have to say, it’s amazing just how awful the President is at being pleasant in somewhat awkward situations. It’s like nobody’s ever taught him how to exhibit basic social graces under adverse conditions… oh, right, that’s because nobody ever did.

Moe Lane

*The full title is Scorpions for Breakfast: My Fight Against Special Interests, Liberal Media, and Cynical Politicos to Secure America’s Border; I give you the title in full in the hopes that it will act as what we in this business call a ‘tell.’

Breaking: Gabby Giffords resigning from Congress.

Congresswoman Giffords, of course, was gravely wounded in 2011 in a murderous attack by a madman that left six dead and thirteen injured. Since then, Giffords has made a remarkable recovery; unfortunately, it apparently has not been enough of a recovery, so she’s resigning in order to concentrate on her health. The video below of the announcement both shows the extent of her injuries, and the impressive extent to which she’s already surmounted them: I don’t know if Congresswoman Giffords will ever heal fully, but she’s already doing much better than I privately expected.

More here (via Hot Air Headlines): as this is a House seat, the Governor of Arizona will schedule a special election for the remainder of Giffords’ term. Obviously, our best wishes and prayers for Congresswoman Giffords’ continued recovery.

Moe Lane (crosspost)