8th District Republican candidates forum Campaigning tactics a sore spot for some

The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson,AZ) ^ | 08.31.2006 | Daniel Scarpinato

[axes_of_weezles]

8th District Republican candidates forum

Campaigning tactics a sore spot for some

By Daniel Scarpinato

arizona daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.31.2006

Voters are "going to see an awful lot of Steve Huffman" over the next two weeks, congressional candidate Randy Graf said at a forum Wednesday night, citing rival Huffman's advertising support from national Republican Party leaders.

The comment came after the National Republican Congressional Committee made the unusual move of deciding to spend more than $122,000 on local advertising to promote Huffman in the District 8 GOP primary.

"They're going to try to re-create Steve Huffman," said Graf, who is running for the open seat along with Huffman and fellow Republicans Frank Antenori, Mike Hellon and Mike Jenkins. All five took part in the forum.

Graf has been critical of Huffman's statements about being tough on the border, which he says contradict Huffman's record.

"I'm very disappointed, very disappointed, in Mr. Huffman," Graf said, citing a mailer of Huffman's that, he said, suggests Graf supports cross-burning and taking prescription drugs from elderly seniors.

Huffman, a state legislator, never directly responded to the criticisms. But after Huffman referred to his legislative record, Graf later played off a quote from a District 8 Democrat debate Tuesday night.

At that event, Democrat Patty Weiss criticized rival Gabrielle Giffords by saying she voted with Huffman "90 percent of the time." Graf said the distinction works both ways.

"I guess you could say the same — that Steve voted with Gabby 90 percent of the time in the state Legislature," Graf said.

Both the Democratic and Republican forums were sponsored by the Arizona Daily Star and Access Tucson and hosted by Pima Community College.

On a question about the tone of the campaign, Hellon said he thought the way in which the Republican primary has unfolded could endanger the party in the general election.

"You go into battle, and the ideal environment is to be very positive and talk about the issues and stay on the issues," he said. The good news, he said, is that the Democrats in the race are battling as aggressively as the Republicans.

The five Republican contenders in the Sept. 12 primary drew on their experiences to say why voters should choose them.

Huffman said his work in the Legislature, notably tax cuts, makes him best suited to take the seat in Congress.

"We can't afford to have someone back in Washington that can't get things done," he said.

Graf, who has been criticized by Huffman as too "extreme," said it's important to elect the best Republican candidate to contrast with the Democratic nominee.

"Unfortunately, Steve isn't change," he said. "He has (outgoing Rep. Jim Kolbe's) endorsement."

Hellon, a former national Republican committeeman, said he's not new to the issues.

"I think I have the broadest, most relevant experience of any candidate for this job," he said.

Antenori, a retired Army sergeant and Iraq war veteran, said he would rein in the power of the federal government. He also touted his military experience, saying he is the only candidate who has met and talked to an al-Qaida terrorist.

Jenkins, a manager of an auto-repair shop and a Vietnam veteran, said he's running because he's a "frustrated American." The candidate said politicians in Washington "want to become stars" more than they want to legislate.

"I've had bullets flying around me — there's nothing Congress is going to do to intimidate me," Jenkins said.

[axes_of_weezles]

Attack of the RINO's. NRCC is funding attack ads against conservatives in the AZ District 8 Primary.

This is a conservative Republican district that covers territory bordering on Mexico and has bore the brunt of illegal immigration.

Huffman is running a dirty campaign, his workers are trashing campaign signs and have started to run attack ads on his Republican conservative opponent.

When you speak of politics and the Republican party, look where they put their campaign money and do not donate to the NRCC. Support Conservative candidates directly.

[axes_of_weezles]

related thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1693272/posts

[gaspar]

Grar and Hellon are far preferible to Huffman. It was Graf's campaign in 2004 that finally drove the feckless Jim Kolbe from the House in 06. Apparently the NRCC is taking orders from John McCain (who appears ready once again to support Janet Napolitano, the Democrat Governor). Once the word gets out, Huffman is dead meat.

[axes_of_weezles]

I sure hope so. We need better than Kolbe.