Posted on 04/21/2009 11:51:46 AM PDT by rabscuttle385
Sen. John McCain will face a challenge from the right in next year's Republican primary, as one of the country's most prominent border hawks will announce his candidacy for Arizona's Senate seat on April 22.
Chris Simcox, who founded the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, will file campaign paperwork today to formalize his challenge of McCain, who has angered conservative Republicans for his stances on a variety of issues - most prominently, illegal immigration and border security.
Simcox will represent a stark contrast in Republican ideology compared to that of McCain, said Eric Johnson, a senior advisor to Simcox and former staffer for Don Goldwater's gubernatorial campaign in 2006.
"He is a true, conservative Republican. His platform is what it should be," Johnson said.
Some of McCain's clashes with conservatives in the Republican Party include his sponsoring 2006 effort in Congress to reform American immigration policies and allow a "pathway to citizenship" for millions of immigrants in the country illegally. He also spearheaded campaign finance reform in 2002 and has supported efforts to limit sales of firearms at gun shows.
Johnson said Simcox's proven ability to organize a grassroots campaign will give him an advantage over McCain. And Robert Kiley, a California political consultant who will manage the campaign, said Simcox's national profile will allow him to raise the $10 million to $15 million needed to take on the entrenched senator.
"We don't think there's going to be an issue raising money," Kiley said. "There's a lot of anger out there."
Although Kiley and Johnson touted Simcox's stances on other GOP issues, such as abortion and gun control, they said immigration will play a larger role in the campaign. Simcox will push to secure the border immediately by using the National Guard. But unlike in President Bush's 2006 Operation Jump Start, in which thousands of guardsmen were sent to the border to support the Border Patrol, Simcox wants the soldiers to take an active role in stopping illegal activity and detaining people who are trying to enter the country illegally.
Johnson said the campaign also will target voters who have left the Republican Party in recent years because of dissatisfaction with elected officials whom they believe abandoned the party's principles.
"There are a lot of people who left Republicans and became independent because of McCain," Johnson said.
Finally, some new blood.
Although Kiley and Johnson touted Simcox's stances on other GOP issues, such as abortion and gun control, they said immigration will play a larger role in the campaign. Simcox will push to secure the border immediately by using the National Guard. But unlike in President Bush's 2006 Operation Jump Start, in which thousands of guardsmen were sent to the border to support the Border Patrol, Simcox wants the soldiers to take an active role in stopping illegal activity and detaining people who are trying to enter the country illegally. Simcox 2010! Toomey 2010! DeMint 2010! Purge the RINOs! |
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Wow, sounds like he has met his match. Makes me want to move to AZ and help.....
Hell I’ll send him a few bucks.
Longshot. But I can hope and I can pray.
Sounds like the RNC will start pumping in money to beat Simcox in the primary...
woooooo hooooooooo!! Minutemen founder runs against illegal immigrant lover/ supporter and WINS in Landslide.....
Great headlines coming for AZ!
Send him 10$ freepers, we gotta support the guys we don’t want, McCain has alot of money power behind him......
The entrenched incumbents protect their own, so this will be a steep uphill battle.
It’s time. I applaud Mr. Simcox and will send him some money. I’m from Pa and we are trying to get rid of Arlen Spector in 2010 also.
We need to make a serious effort to purge these RINOs.
Not familiar with Simcox. Has he run for office previously ?
Guaranteed.
“we gotta support the guys we dont want”
?????????
this should start to happen all over the country. High profile CONSERVATIVES who are ready to kick ass and chew gum; and be all out of gum.
No. And running for the Senate is a little ambitious as an opening gambit. He is the head of the Minutemen. His heart is absolutely in the right place, but I don’t think he has a prayer of winning, even if he wins the primary.
It’s took bad one of the conservative congressment from Arizona won’t challenge McCain.
“We need to make a serious effort to purge these RINOs.”
AMEN!!!!!! And the national GOP needs to either get onboard or get lost! The future of our party is conservatism; we don’t care how much how the RINOs whine, scream and squeal!!!!
One can only hope. For all we know, they may dust him off and try to run him again in 2012.
That’s, “It’s TOO bad . . .”
I’ll be sending money for him too . The sooner we get rid of the likes of McCain the better.
Thought JD Hayworth could have run as well
Will Mccain bring in the big guns of Graham, Giuliani, Lieberman
ARF
* To Lose!! sorry about that. fat fingers to go along with the rest of me LOL
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