Posted on 02/15/2010 12:32:01 PM PST by SandRat
Capitol Media Services photo by Howard Fischer
J.D. Hayworth gets the endorsement Monday of Chris Simcox, one of the founders of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. Simcox shelved his own bid to oust incumbent John McCain in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, a move that could give a boost to Hayworth. Behind them is Rob Haney, chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Party.
PHOENIX — With a blast at what he called John McCain's liberal leanings, former Congressman J.D. Hayworth launched his bid to oust the four-term incumbent in the Republican primary.
At an event outside his Phoenix headquarters Monday, Hayworth hurled broadsides at the senator, saying McCain is on the wrong side of all the issues important to GOP conservatives. That includes the incumbent's call to close the prison for enemy combatants at Guantanamo, his support for some sort of cap-and-trade system of cutting pollution, his vote for the Troubled Asset Relief Program to help bail out financial institutions and his efforts to limit campaign spending.
That's not all.
"Just like the liberals, John opposes waterboarding captured terrorists like the Christmas bomber,'' he said.
And if that weren't enough, he uttered the dreaded H-word.
"John's problem is not that he likes Hillary (Clinton),'' Hayworth said. "John's problem is he's like Hillary.''
His bid got an immediate boost Monday when Chris Simcox shelved his own Republican campaign against McCain to throw his support behind Hayworth. Simcox, a founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said his supporters told him the move was necessary to have a united conservative front.
The race shapes up to be one of the most contested -- and potentially divisive -- intraparty campaigns in Arizona history.
McCain, hoping to shore up support for his nomination and election, set off this week on appearances around the state. That began Monday with a press conference in Tempe to announce his endorsement by 31 mayors from around the state. He also scheduled appearances this week in Thatcher, Flagstaff, Yuma, Phoenix, Tucson and Payson.
While McCain seeks bipartisan support, Hayworth pokes fun at the incumbent's working with Democrats. Instead, Hayworth, who served 12 years in Congress before being defeated in 2006 by Democrat Harry Mitchell, is making a clear bid for the backing of those who identify themselves as part of the Tea Party movement.
While that may work in a Republican party, it remains unclear how that plays out in a statewide general election.
In 2002 and again in 2006 Republicans chose those who identified themselves as conservatives to run for governor. Democrat Janet Napolitano won both times.
Those same years the Republican candidates for attorney general came from the GOP's conservative wing. The result was victories for Democrat Terry Goddard.
But Hayworth told Capitol Media Services he doesn't foresee his nomination as giving a political leg-up to Rodney Glassman, a Democratic city councilman from Tucson.
"This is an entirely different campaign and an entirely different year,'' he said. Hayworth said while his focus now is corralling Republican votes, "in the fullness of time we're reaching out to independents and to disaffected Democrats.''
He said the political climate has changed since then.
"The political wind is at our back,'' Hayworth said. "People recognize that the change they need is conservative change, not someone who's going to go there, as Mr. Glassman would, and be a rubber stamp for Barack Obama.''
Nor did he believe that a brutal primary battle would leave whoever survives too politically scarred to win in November. That's what happened in the 1970s when two GOP congressmen, John Conlan and Sam Steiger, battled it out, with Democrat Dennis DeConcini from Tucson snatching the seat in November.
"I believe that a good, old-fashioned primary is a good thing for the party,'' Hayworth said. "It will help both John and I prepare for the general.''
Hayworth was careful to thank McCain, a former prisoner of war, for his military service, and even admitted campaigning for the senator during his failed 2000 presidential bid.
"He still fights hard, all right," Hayworth said. "But too often, for the wrong causes.''
I hope JD is worth his salt...
I just wish they’d call these “liberals” and “rinos” what they really are...PROGRESSIVES!
And they ALL need to go.
Palin endorsing McAmnesty couldn’t be more misguided.
Bingo!
And we should be thankful that his campaign was so pathetic, for we now have a clearly defined enemy - Barry and Co. Conservatives are united and energized like never before!
Thank you Juan! Now go away and leave it to the adults...
McCain supported Napolitano, ensuring her election and defeating on two occasions a conservative Republican. He has been lukewarm on nuclear power, despite the presence of a huge complex west of Phoenix. He has fought any drilling in ANWAR. He and his buddies in Phoenix support unlimited illegal migration. Though his support for US military is strong, his support for the proetection of our borders is weak to non-existent. His radio ads in Arizona blast JD for supporting a Guam payment to eliminate snakes, although those who know Guam well know the island is overrun by the reptiles. The same ads hit JD for support of the “Bridge to Nowhere”, although it was proposed by Stevens, a Senator from Alaska and good McCain buddy. In the end, McCain will try to keep the Senate seat warm for his daughter, the “Progressive Republican.”
Then pony up for the JD money bomb going on today at his new website.
It will be interesting to see what the TV news has to say about this race today. ABC radio just announced that J.D. is running with a snip of his speech.
They will say that extreme Right Wing Nuts are ruining the Republican Party. And that they can not win a general election.
Memo to conservatives: please remind Mrs. Palin that McCain does not deserve conservative support in the Republican primary.
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That is a highly disturbing thought, but you might be right.
“Instead, Hayworth, who served 12 years in Congress before being defeated in 2006 by Democrat Harry Mitchell, is making a clear bid for the backing of those who identify themselves as part of the Tea Party movement.”
There is the money line folks!
This is the bellwether race in regards to the TPM and it’s influence on an election. With the spotlight shining brightly on JD vs. McLame, the lamestream cannot control the narrative if things go our way. If however, McCain wins....they will attack tea partiers mercilessly.
It will be interesting to see if Palin simply campaigns for McCain, or will she sand blast JD? McCain will most certainly ask her to do both.
You got that right! And tell Sarah, she’d better sit this one out till the dust settles... if she goes stumping for McLame, whether he wins or losses, it will badly tarnish her conservative credentials.
Today! I've already donated once. And, if McCain says anything dumb before midnight, I might just donate again! I dare ya John!
Good deal every time McCain does something stupid send $10 to JD.
The worse that could happen is to push McCain to the right. The only problem is that John seems to be tethered to the left by a rubber band, so that after he is elected he inevitably moves back in that direction.
It will at least give JM a run for his money. What we’ll see is, all the celebs who like him and support unrestricted illegal immigration will campaign for him and raise money for him. But basically, he’s in a tight spot.
Just think of her as the face of the GOP from Arizona in a few short years.
...he says as a sudden smile flashes across the face of Obama.
Both barrels!
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