Posted on 07/01/2010 8:04:24 AM PDT by SandRat
SIERRA VISTA — Calling himself the true Republican conservative, Jesse Kelly said come Aug. 25, it will be he who has received he GOP nod to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in November.
While another Republican candidate in the primary, former State Sen. Jonathan Paton, believes he has the party’s nod to be the candidate “sewn up,” Kelly disagrees.
Tuesday, Kelly was in the Sierra Vista area doing a number of meet-and-greet visits, and in the afternoon he was at the Cochise County Republican Committee headquarters on Fry Boulevard.
Kelly has joined Paton in a strategy largely focused on attacking Giffords, who represents an 8th Congressional District that includes all of Cochise County.
But his message of why he is the best candidate for the GOP also includes a number of increasingly strong attacks on Paton. Three other Republicans are in the primary — Andy Goss, Brian Miller and Jay Quick.
Unlike Paton, who is calling himself a conservative Republican, the truth is “He’s one of the big spenders and big government Republicans,” Kelly said.
The people do not want Republicans who join Democrats in spending money and increasing the size of government to the harm of the people, Kelly remarked during an interview with the Herald/Review at the county Republican headquarters.
What Paton has is a record as a state legislator which shows he — as a representative and senator — has not been conservative in his approach to working for the people of Arizona, Kelly said.
In 2007, Paton was ranked more liberal than former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano, he said, adding Paton voted for her proposed budget which added $1.5 billion to the state’s deficit.
Paton’s other votes in the Legislature, which are on record, shows he voted against tort reform on three separate occasions, against charity tax credits and school choice three times, Kelly said.
Tort reform is a conservative Republican issue, as are the other issues, but now Paton claims to support them, he added.
As for Paton’s receiving support from former presidential adviser Karl Rove, who was a power broker during the tenure of President George W. Bush, it is an indication the primary candidate is a supporter of the party that is a big spender and for larger government, Kelly said. Rove has contributed $4,800 to Paton’s campaign.
“He’s no Reagan conservative,” Kelly said, comparing Paton to the late president Ronald Reagan, a hero of the conservative GOP right.
Kelly said he’s being viewed as the true conservative among GOP hopefuls, citing a pair of wins in two recent straw votes as his evidence.
Kelly said in a vote in Green Valley he received 45 percent to Paton’s 32, and in the Ironwood appearance, it was 52-20 in his favor.
If Paton happens to take the party’s nomination and win in November, the end result is he will revert to his true beliefs and will work with Democrats to the harm of real conservative values, Kelly said.
“I’m the true conservative,” he emphasized.
1) Are you a progressive?...
2) Are you for elimination of MOST of the federal government?..
3) Which gov't bureaucracy's would you cut first?..
By how much?...
Like that...
For what its worth, I like Jessie better.
When you hear Jesse speak he’s the real deal. Straight talking, direct, the Constitutional way no HWY, and honest.
He comes at you like Gunny R.Lee, be honest with him and all is OK, do otherwise and ......
To anyone technically proficient enough -— which I’m NOT -— I would LOVE to have an “I’m Not a RINO” button either jpg or gif for my website!!!
Sounds good... I can live with that..
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