Posted on 08/31/2006 11:17:40 AM PDT by 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.
Look, I am a Graf-type guy and I hope he wins the primary.
But I also think he'll lose the general.
Well, since I live here and am very involved with this District's politics and have been for years...I think you're wrong.
It really shouldn't be a surprise by now. The Rove's Gallery in Washington *always* takes the side of the RINO. Always.
From the time they turned their backs on Bret Schundler in New Jersey for upsetting their annointed RINO, they've always shown their support for the "electable" RINO instead of the conservative.
Arlen Specter was the final straw. Any thought I had of giving to any nattional GOP organization went out the window with that little sabotage.
I'll say it again: NRCC, RNC, etc., have no legitimate business whatsoever in a primary.
Well, I"m glad people aren't giving up.
The sellout continues.
Read this this AM in the Tucson Red Star as they gleefully reported it as a way to keep a Kolbe Clone in office if it does go GOP. ARRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!!!
Huffman, like Kolbe, is a GOP centrist.
A centrist? I do not know Huffman, as I have not lived in Tucson or even AZ for many years, but I did know Jim Kolbe and he has never been a centrist. He has always been left of center. If Huffman is anything like Kolbe I would hope the citizens of Tucson and Green Valley pull together and elect Graff.
Don't donate to these committees until after the primaries are over.
Kolbe, unlike Huffman, was actually more loyal to the Republican Party and voted surprisingly often, given his liberal views, with the Party when it really counted. Huffman, on the other hand, has always been at odds with Republican majority leadership in the AZ House, he turned coat with a cabal of 12 reps and joined with the Dems to pass the liberal Dem governor's budget over the Republican majority budget, and he votes far too often with the Democrats. He's not a centrist, he's a liberal and he's worse than Kolbe. His record proves that.
Geez Louise! I thought it was a bad situation here in Tennessee when one conservative cancelled the other out (Van Hilleary vs. Ed Bryant) enabling blatant Democrat-appeasing RINO Bob Corker to run against Tennessee's Obama, John Ford Jr. - scion of one of the most corrupt politically connected families in recent history.
We don't know if Corker can take Frist's seat because of all the bad blood. Had one of the conservatives won it would have been no contest. It's looking like one (Van Hilleary) was pushed to stay in the race just to take votes away from the certain winner, Ed Bryant. I added it up myself and that's what happened.
So we have a weak psedo-conservative Republican famous for cutting deals versus a Democrat who's party is turning out all guns to get that Senate seat. I hope your state has better luck.
This is inexcusable. This is all about the Washington, D.C. establishment not being serious about border security.
Typical.
It's about getting to the point where an endorsement from the GOP in a primary is going to have to be used as a red flag. Same as when the NYT's endorses someone.
This makes me sick. The party should never have endorsed either, but if they felt like they should have, it should have been the Republican.
I called Randy this morning; had to go to work, but I asked him to send out a blast e-mail to his campaign supporters about contacting the NRCC.
I also spoke to Paula Maxwell from the Hellon campaign. We are united on this.
I've met Randy a couple of times. He's an awesome candidate.
Personally, I think he's going to win in spite of this treachery by our squishy GOP leadership.
Once again, they've put their base's hard-earned money on a broken-down liberal nag.
Here are the main points:
| Issue | Graf | Huffman |
| National Guard on the Border | Supports | Voted "No" |
| In-State Tuition for Illegals? | Opposes | Voted "Yes" |
| Proposition 200 (No Benefits for Illegals) |
Supported | Opposed |
| School Choice | Supports | Opposes |
| Taxes & Spending | Rated "Friend of the Taxpayer" |
Wors Grade of any Republican State Rep. |
| Protecting your 2nd Amendment Rights |
"A+" NRA Rating GOA Endorsed |
8-Year Record of Anti- Gun Owner Votes |
| Marriage Only Between One Man and One Woman |
Supports | Voted "No" |
| Eliminating Marriage Penalty Tax |
Supports Eliminating the Tax |
Voted to KEEP the Tax |
| Pro-Life | Yes - Only Pro-Life Candidate in Race |
No - Earned Pro Abortion Rating |
| Parental Consent for Abortions for Minor Children |
Yes | Voted "No" |
| Tort Reform to End Frivilous Lawsuits |
Supports | Opposes |
| Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) |
Supports | Opposes |
| Arizona Tax Revolt | Supports | Opposes |
Graf is clearly the real Republican in this race. Huffman can run but he can't hide from his liberal record.
(raising hand) Yep, that's me. I cut 'em off because of crap like this.
Yes, there is only one Republican in this primary, yet the GOP gives money to the scumbag liberal.
Un-friggin-believable.
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