Arizona: NRCC Backs GOP centrist in open CD-8 primary

Politics 1 ^ | Aug. 31, 2006 | Ron Gunzburger

[PhilCollins]

THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE.

ARIZONA: NRCC BACKS GOP CENTRIST IN OPEN CD-8 PRIMARY. Retiring eleven-term Congressman Jim Kolbe (R) is strongly supporting State Representative Steve Huffman as his successor -- and now Kolbe has some powerful allies in his vocal efforts to derail the candidacy of former State Representative Randy Graf. The National Republican Congressional Committee spent $122,292 to purchase TV time for a spot in support of Huffman scheduled to start airing later this week, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Journal also reported the individual leadership PACs of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, House Majority Leader John Boehner and House Majority Whip Roy Blunt each gave $5,000 to Huffman within the last week. The NRCC and House Republican leaders purportedly share Kolbe's concern that Graf is far too conservative to win this swing district in November. Graf's campaign responded by claiming these contributions to Huffman will "tick off a whole lot of people." Huffman, like Kolbe, is a GOP centrist. Graf -- a hardcore conservative who has embraced the anti-immigration views of Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) -- lost to Kolbe by a 14-point margin in the 2004 GOP primary. Graf is endorsed by Tancredo, Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ), gubernatorial candidate Don Goldwater, National Right to Life, and the Fraternal Order of Police. Huffman is backed by Kolbe, the NRCC, BIPAC, and Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup. Former State GOP Chair Mike Hellon and two others are also running in the Republican primary. Former State Senator Gabrielle Giffords is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. Giffords is endorsed by Emily's List, the AFL-CIO, the National Education Association, the Arizona Police Association, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club.

[PhilCollins]

Many people, on Free Republic, said that they don't donate to the NRCC because the money might be given to RINO's. Here's an example of that. One republican candidate is conservative, and the NRCC donated to another candidate.

[cripplecreek]

All the GOP support and big name endorsements like Bush and McCain didn't help Joe Schwarz a bit here in Michigan.

[AuH2ORepublican]

The NRCCC is almost as bad as the NRSC; I will never donate to either one again. BTW, the NRCCC is stepping in with money that could be better spent supporting Republicans who are already the party's nominee (such as Meier in NY-24, Gerlach, Fitzpatrick, Weldon and Irey in PA, etc.) in order to prop up a RINO who has very little chance of defeating the conservative, battle-tested Graf in the primary. Here's the latest poll for the AZ-08, courtesy of Politics1.com:

ARIZONA - CD-8 - GOP PRIMARY: Former State Representative Randy Graf - 36%, State Representative Steve Huffman - 13%, former State GOP Chair Mike Hellon - 10%, Others - 2%. (San Pedro Valley News-Sun/Wick).

[JohnnyZ]

Many people, on Free Republic, said that they don't donate to the NRCC because the money might be given to RINO's.

Just remember to give to individual conservatives like Randy Graf!

[reelfoot]

Mainstream GOP organization, if given the choice, is clearly more comfortable with Big Government, establishment, squishy candidates than they are with anti-Big Government conservatives.

[CPT Clay]

You are right!

Give to the individual politician of your choice.

[CPT Clay]

Graff is right... this is going to tickoff alot of folks.

[Spiff]

Huffman has been rated by just about every conservative organizations with the lowest ratings of any Republican in the State House of Representatives. He votes with the Democrats most of the time and even turned coat against the Republicans as one of 12 Republicans who went with the Democrats to pass the liberal governor's budget instead of the Republican majority budget. He's consistantly voted pro-abortion and is rated as one of the "biggest spenders" in the House. He's opposed nearly every immigration reform/border security measure and has always been at odds with the conservatives in the party.

Yet, when he was hand picked by RINO Rep. Jim Kolbe to run for his seat to replace him he tried to reinvent himself as a border hawk conservative. It is riduculous to see someone with a liberal record like Huffman's to try to convince the voter that he's a conservative. His ads even claim that he is a conservative and he, especially if you look at his actual record and views, is NOT.

Graf has been running a campaign based mostly upon grassroots support and volunteers. He's pulled in a few more dollars than when he ran against Kolbe 2 years ago, but Huffman has been plugged in to Kolbe's massive fundraising apparatus and his raking in the big bucks and has made massive media buys.

Graf is the true Republican in this race, a conservative, was elected by his peers in the State House of Representatives to serve as House Majority Whip, and he is very strong on the border issue which is the most important isse (according to the latest opinion poll) by a large margin to 60% of Republicans in the district.

Huffman has based him campaigns on lies about his record and outright lies told in his attack ads againt Randy Graf. The other contender, Mike Hellon, is also somewhat liberal but he too has complained about Huffman's lies and tactics and has even loudly proclaimed that Huffman lacks good character while all of his opponents are playing fair.

Huffman met with scandal as Hellon's home was stalked and photographed by Huffman's campaign treasurer and the photos posted on a website with a bunch of questionable allegations about Hellon's wife (a State Senator) misusing campaign funds. Hellon has obtained a restraining order against Huffman's treasurer and has filed a lawsuit. The treasurer resigned amid the scandal but the stain has not left Huffman's campaign. In fact, last night at a candidate forum there was a character dressed in a long trench coat and dark glasses "stalking" and greeting everyone while wearing a Huffman for Congress sticker.

Despite the fact that this is an open seat (there is no Republican incumbent) and despite the fact that Huffman has pulled in massive amounts of cash, the NRCC took the unprecedented and inappropriate move to interfere with this race and do a massive media buy in support of Huffman. This is wrong! They have never interfered with a open seat primary race and they should not start to now. That they've lent their support to the most liberal of the candidates who consistantly votes with the Democrats more than with the Republicans adds insult.

The NRCC should be condemned for this unprecedented interference in a local, open seat race and pull their advertisements immediately. Further, they should attempt to compensate the affected candidates for any damage they have caused. And they need to NEVER do this again!

I suggest that we get everyone to call the NRCC and deluge them with demands that they pull the ads immediately and attempt to compensate the other candidates for the damage the NRCC did to them through this unprecedented and inappropriate interference in a local, open seat, congressional race.

The NRCC can be contacted at:
Main: (202)479-7000
Communications: (202)479-7070
Politics Dept: (202)479-7050

You can also email website@nrcc.org

Graf was polling ahead of Huffman by a significant margin in the latest opinion polls. Huffman enjoys only 1/3rd of the support that Graf has. And in Cochise County, Huffman only gets 6% of the voters supporting him. Huffman planned to spend $500,000 in the last two weeks of the campaign (right now) in ads to spread more lies and distortions in attack ads against Graf. Graf's conservative Republican record is admirable and worthy of support. Graf's website is at votegraf.com. He's been endorsed by the National Right to Life, Rep. Tom Tancredo, Rep. Trent Franks, and other conservative organizations and representatives who support him to be MY next Congressman.

[Spiff]

Ping.

Why don't you all chime in here about this and ping the other FReepers in this area to this thread? Thanks.

[wmfights]

The article says this is a swing district. What are this districts voting patterns?

[AuH2ORepublican]

Thanks for the update, Spiff.

[Spiff]

The article says this is a swing district. What are this districts voting patterns?

This district has a Republican majority and consistantly voted for Republicans for President.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"The article says this is a swing district. What are this districts voting patterns?"

---

The district leans Republican, having given President Bush 53% in 2004. Its rural precincts are far more conservative than its Tucson precincts, but heavily democrat West Tucson is in the Hispanic-majority AZ-07 and thus the Tucson precincts in the AZ-08 are fairly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. There is no reason why a conservative Republican with strong positions against illegal immigration such as Graf should not defeat a liberal Democrat such as Giffords in the AZ-08.

[JohnnyZ]

Who's running the NRCC these days?? Tom Reynolds of NY, I guess. Can't expect much out of him.

[PhilCollins]

In 2004, Rep. Kolbe got 60% of the vote.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Who's running the NRCC these days?? Tom Reynolds of NY, I guess. Can't expect much out of him."

---

It seems to me that they could name the most conservative guy in the House to lead the NRCCC, and within a year he'd be supporting RINO candidates in conservative districts under the canard that "he can wiiiiiiin." That's why I give to individual candidates, not these national party groups.

[The Old Hoosier]

If only Graf were capable of raising money. :-(

I think this seat is a goner, but at least we're rid of RINO Kolbe.

[youthgonewild]

I think Graf has it, Huffman and Hellion are splitting the RINO/moderate vote and Graf really only has to worry about Hellion dropping out.

[Spiff]

I think this seat is a goner, but at least we're rid of RINO Kolbe.

The seat is not a goner. The Republican candidate will likely win unless he's lying sack of crap like Huffman. I'd take Hellon WAY before I would accept Huffman.

Graf has raised more than 3 times what he raised 2 years ago. Yes, in comparison to Huffman and the massive fundraising machine that Kolbe and the good-old-boys plugged him in to, that's not much. But it came mostly from grassroots Republicans sending in $10's and $20's individually. Graf is a principled conservative candidate who appeals to the grassroots and that's why he deserves support and to win the election.

[Spiff]

I think Graf has it, Huffman and Hellion are splitting the RINO/moderate vote and Graf really only has to worry about Hellion dropping out.

It is too late for Hellon to drop out because he's already on the ballot and early ballots are already being submitted. Plus, through some miracle, Huffman and Hellon got into the feud they're in and Hellon isn't going to back down now. My hope is that he goes for Huffman's jugular in the last days of the campaign and won't let go until Huffman goes down hard on election day. Hellon is pretty mild-mannered though and may not do it.

He reminds me alot of the warden in the movie Shawshank Redemption. The photo comparison here doesn't do it justice. You'd have to meet him.