Posted on 10/09/2006 2:26:40 PM PDT by axes_of_weezles
Arizona Sen. John McCain has endorsed conservative Tucson congressional candidate Randy Graf despite a split between the two on immigration and the Mexican border. Graf is also a member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a controversial group that patrols U.S. border and wants tougher immigration controls. The Minutemen have opposed McCain's approach to immigration, including a guest worker program.
Graf faces an uphill climb against Democratic rival Gabrielle Giffords in a southeastern Arizona U.S. House seat being vacated by retiring Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe. The Arizona House race is one of the most competitive contests nationally and a top target of Democrats.
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Dems hopes the affable Giffords can win the Arizona contest and help them gain control of Congress in the wake of the increasingly unpopular Iraq War and GOP ethics scandals including the recent incidents involving Mark Foley and male congressional pages.
McCain is backing Graf, according to Graf's web site and a Sunday story in the Arizona Daily Star. McCain and Graf have profound differences on the issue of illegal immigration. The Republican senator favors a guest worker program and some sort of legal path for some illegals already in the U.S.
Graf opposes McCain's guest worker plan and favors the Minuteman approach to immigration including tougher security and opposing legal paths or 'amnesty' for illegals already in the U.S. Graf has been critical of President Bush on immigration. Bush favors a guest worker program. National Republicans and business groups backed state Rep. Steve Huffman, R-Tucson, over Graf in the September GOP primary but the latter prevailed. Graf challenged Kolbe in 2004. The retiring congressman backed Huffman in the primary and is not supporting Graf. Kolbe also supports a guest worker plan.
Graf, a former state lawmaker, has the backing of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and security-first immigration hawks. Polls show Giffords, a former state senator, leading Graf and national Republicans have been hesitant to focus on the race.
Giffords has the backing of Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson/Yuma/Nogales; labor unions and environmental groups. Giffords - whose boyfriend is an astronaut and U.S. Navy fighter pilot - is telegenic and considered an upcoming star in the Democratic Party.
If Giffords defeats Graf in November, she could also be eyed in future runs for Arizona governor or U.S. Senate.
McCain is expected to announce a second run for president after the November elections. He has been campaigning hard for Republicans in key contests and has sought to heal old wounds with conservatives. That includes backing conservative candidates such as Graf.
Giffords has recently joined other Arizona Democrats, including Grijalva, in calling for House Speaker Dennis Hastert to step down in the wake of the Foley scandal. They say Hastert and other GOP leaders did not act fast enough when first informed of Foley's inappropriate advances towards male pages.
Let's hope Giffords good sense rubs off on McCain.
What? Wrong Giffords?
Never mind
Yep.
I thought it's kind of funny this article is reduced to pointing out her "boyfriend" is an Astronaut.
Hahahaha.
Good post Johnnie. With the bogus USA today polling coming out today, it is nice to get some facts from Rasmussen.
"Let's hope Giffords good sense rubs off on McCain."
What, you want McCain to marry an astronaut?
Axes, if McCain can pull out a Graf win, he will get credibility from the Conservatives.
I want Hastert to stay and McCain, "The Manchurian Canidate" can shut up.
I wonder who the astronaut is. They should have named him. I am a space enthusiast so I am curious.
Gah, I meant Graf. I'm underslept.
Oh, OK. LOL.
How many Navy Astronauts are there?
No, he won't.
At least not this conservative.
McCain is endorsing a number of politicians (or wannabe politicians) because he wants their support in his '08 Presidential run. I will not extend ANY praise or credit to Johnny for a political calculation that as always is meant to serve himself. I am willing to use McCain to get the petulant Kolbe Reps onboard...if he even has the ability to bring them on...but I won't empower McCain in any way, shape or form.
The last time I praised him was the '04 Convention when he smacked Michael Moore with Moore in attendance. One of the highlights of the convention and most of us cheered him for it. Not an hour later he was on cable apologizing for having done so. He'll take the praise and turn around and smack you with it.
I don't know but check out her web site, she is definitely easy on the eyes even though she is a dim....
Not sure but I checked her website and got the answer. I feel dirty just for going to a Demo website. ;) But the astronaut is Mark Kelly, who flew on mission STS-121 last July.
She has such a weak personal identity (id/ego/superego) that she has to identify with an Astronaut, instead of talking about issues.
I can only think of the Rolling Stones song StarF***aStarF***.
ping
If I were a GOP candidate for office, the LAST thing I would want is an "endorsement" from John 'closet lib' McCain!
McCain is living in a dream world if he thinks he has a hope in h**l of ever being president!
This story has no legs and will be yesterdays news in a day or two, despite all the desperate attempts by the left and the MSM to revive it. ........and Giffords can eat my shorts!!
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