Posted on 10/06/2006 7:02:34 PM PDT by axes_of_weezles
An influential business group is endorsing Gov. Janet Napolitano's election effort. The Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is backing Napolitano, a Democrat, over Republican challenger Len Munsil in this year's governor's race.
Napolitano has carved out a moderate, pro-business path since becoming governor in 2003. That includes approving business and Republican-backed tax cuts the past two legislative sessions.
Napolitano is favored to win over Munsil, a social conservative and Scottsdale attorney. Munsil was head of the Center for Arizona Policy, a Scottsdale-based Christian conservative group, before entering the governor's race.
The Tucson chamber and a number of other business groups supported former Republican Congressman Matt Salmon over Napolitano in the hotly contested 2002 governor's race. At that time, Napolitano was more of an unknown to business interests having served as state Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for Arizona under President Clinton.
Tucson Chamber Vice President John Daugherty said the business group is backing Napolitano for a number of reasons including her support for tax cuts.
Munsil has voiced support for tax cuts and smaller government, but his focus at the Center for Arizona Policy was more on social issues such as abortion, pornography and gay marriage.
The Tucson Chamber also is endorsing Democratic Attorney General Terry Goddard over GOP challenger and East Valley attorney Bill Montgomery and conservative Republican Randy Graf over Democratic front-runner Gabby Giffords.
Giffords and Graf are battling to succeed retiring Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe. Giffords is favored in that race.
You've got to be kidding me. At least we know our enemies. The Chambers of Commerce around the country will do anything to maintain the flow of illegal labor. Anything.
This is not surprising to me. The interests of business and social conservatives are different, and in the past they were somehow hidden or intermingled.
I'll make an effort of trying to avoid businesses that are members of the Chamber here.
There is a list of member businesses here :
http://www.tucsonchamber.org/member_businesses/
Graf is anything but pro illegals, he's a Minuteman. They probably see the writing on the wall, that Graf will win.
There was a Zogby poll that places him within the range of 8-3.5 points behind Giffords, and there has been no debates yet, no public forum to compare them.
Randy has quite an opportunity at the debates.
I think he is going to wipe the floor with Giffords.
She (Giffords) bankrupted the business her family was in for 40 years (el Campo tires), so that's why they had to endorse Graf, FYI.
Giffords is taking serious flack for her out of state $$$$$ form Rosie O'Donnel and Emily's List.
GO GRAF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But didn't I read a bunch of posts about how Graf is a racist?
Oh well, they'll start soon enough. Until then, from a CD-8 resident - Go Graf!
I'm a bit surprised the Chamber backed Graf, considering his tough stance on immigration reform. Giffords must really be terrible.
But didn't the National Republican House Campaign Committee already give up on this seat because Graf beat their preferred pro-amnesty candidate in the primary?
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1295270.php
Aet, many candidates have won thru grassroots with no help from the RNC. Look at Tom Coburn from OK.
The RNC wrote him off for being to right wing, he won by 15%
Graf has rebounded only down 8% from a 20% two weeks ago. the Minuteman have rallied behind him in this Tucson district.
That's what the "conventional" wisdom has been saying for the last 2-4 months. Graf has no chance. He obviously does have a chance. The issue is the local media is probably against him because he is not buying that many media ads.
Sure he may not have been on "par" with Giffords after the primaries, but it's still an open race.
When juvenile DNC smears get taken as gospel by the media and DC heads who have nothing else to truthfully write, it goes to show where their heads are at, and it's not Tucson, and they are not really watching what the candidates are actually running on, reviewing the ads that are being put out, but trusting DNC polling. You would think after numerous DNC polls have been shown wrong, that they would learn enough to do some research before posting rehashed old news.
This quote is wrong and from a Kolbe ad in 2004
"Graf keeps an upside-down picture of Bush in his office to protest the president's position."
They have to make up some more lies at the OC Register.
Claim: Randy Graf turned a picture of the President upside down.
The truth is:
 |
Randy meant no disrespect to the office of the President nor has he ever failed to support our troops as is suggested by dishonest advertisements.
IF DNC media scum polls were right we would have President Kerry and speaker Gephardt right now.
I didn't mean to suggest that this race is indeed lost. I didn't mean to suggest that the National GOP's decision was a good one.
In fact, I'm angry that the national party groups would do so. As you say, the race is winnable. Their decision comes across to me more as sour grapes over their pro-amnesty candidate losing in the primary. I know that the party must spend its money wisely, but surely the NRC could spare a little for this district.
I didn't mean to suggest that this race is indeed lost. I didn't mean to suggest that the National GOP's decision was a good one.
In fact, I'm angry that the national party groups would do so. As you say, the race is winnable. Their decision comes across to me more as sour grapes over their pro-amnesty candidate losing in the primary. I know that the party must spend its money wisely, but surely the NRC could spare a little for this district.
The DNC is advertising so much and push polling by the phone so much in the city, I dont know if money for ads would do much good, yet.
I would have some issue ads, but undecided voters will watch the 6 debates lined up. If things go Graf's way in the debates, no amount of spinning is going to stop him.
People are tired of partisan bickering and want plans of action for the economy, the immigration problem and other issues local to the area. They are less liberal than reported, but the libs here own the media and make all the noise that gets reported. Thats why it's difficult to guage this election.
"You've got to be kidding me. At least we know our enemies. The Chambers of Commerce around the country will do anything to maintain the flow of illegal labor. Anything."
Man, you got that right!!
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