Free Republic

I think what you are seeing is a response to an undynamic Republican Party. Arizona moved from an agricultural state (copper, cattle and citrus) to an urban one. The needs changed but the Republicans didn't.

Republicans with a clear message (Arpaio) do well. If they get too stultified (that hain't the way my grandpappy done it) they are going to be kicked all the way to Tucumcari. Arizona is well educated but you can't credit the education system. We stole them from out-of-state.

This is where McCain is. McCain is very conservative. He is Goldwater on the budget. He is not a conservative. He is going to be skeptical about say, global warming, but he is not going to reject it out of hand. We are going to have to prove our case to him and the voters of Arizona. We did not do that in 2002 and the warmers did.

"Arizona is far more conservative now than it has ever been."

Despite Castro, Bolin and Babbitt, I grew up believing Az. was a more or less Republican/conservative state. But when it went for Clinton in '96, I thought the trend I'd been seeing had forever taken Az. to the dark side. I want to be wrong about this, so I do hope you're right. If so, I might have to move back...especially to vote against McCain to make up for my earlier mistakes.