Thursday, December 15th, 2005...10:32 am
No, Not that Alex Rodriguez
Somebody named Annie Mous or something posted a couple of days ago that I missed the Alex Rodriguez story. Yeah, I did. Keep in mind, I’m not paid for this, guys.
I spoke to Rodriguez last weekend, and it never came up. Part of the reason may have been that I was standing next to Spencer Giffords when Rodriguez started talking to me.
At first, I thought that his running for Congress was a boneheaded maneuver. Rodriguez’s first stab at public office was an attempt to get appointed for Raúl Grijalva’s west side County Supervisor’s seat when he stepped down to run for Congress. Rodriguez ended up getting used by various people, many of whom had no actual interest in helping him, as a way of showing Grijalva up. He himself admits that this incident probably damaged him with people who would otherwise be more than happy to help him. He has been gaining more respect as of late, with his service on the TUSD board, even working with Adelita Grijalva on desegregation issues. I thought that a congressional race before he has “paid his dues” has a chance of getting rid of any goodwill that he has built up over the last couple of years.
I’ve talked to a couple of people though, and they have changed my mind a wee bit. Not that I am supporting Rodriguez’s run, but I don’t think it is as much boneheaded hubris as I thought it was before. Since the TUSD board is unpaid, he can remain a board member while running for congress. Technically, he can actually even be on the board if he gets elected to congress, but he would probably lose his seat after missing a few meetings. So, as far as his current office goes, he loses nothing. Plus, he’s basically spending his contributors’ money. He’s got very few downsides here. If he runs a decent race, even in losing he will make himself into a serious political player.
I think he provides some decent competition for Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, who may benefit from stronger primary challengers than those that she got before Rodriguez got into the race. She beats inexperienced competition like Francine Schachter, no one will pay attention, but beating an energetic and experienced challenger like Rodriguez will give her a decent primary bounce.
It’s like the AYSO, everybody wins!
Something funny might happen when the first poll comes out. In the 2002 congressional race, former Sen. Luis Gonzales bandied a poll about that showed him within striking distance of Grijalva. Turns out that the poll was on name ID, and the pollsters admitted that the respondents may have thought that Luis Gonzales was, well, Luis Gonzalez. Compounding the trouble is that there is a Yaqui Tribal Council member named Luis Gonzales that sort of looks like Luis Gonzales. Not the ball player, but…well…never mind. Look for Rodriguez to have high name ID until they find out that they don’t mean A-Rod, or Andy Roddick for that matter.
11 Comments
December 15th, 2005 at 7:09 pm
It was nice that Tim Sultan actually announced he was not a candidate, at least someone in town isn’t running. The 6 D candidates will most likely grow and then shrink before we get anywhere near September due to the $2 million entry fee for legitimate candidates suggested on DataPort.
Giffords now has legitimate competition for the conservative DLC-type funding from A-Rod and from Weiss among the more traditional Democratic funding sources, like Emily’s List (which has not endorsed anybody yet, in spite of an earlier suggestion on this blog). She also has competition now on the family fortune front from Patty Weiss and I’m sure Weiss leads among all of them in actual voter recognition followed by Bacal, due to her recent primary thumping of Sultan and Chimene.
Speaking of traditional Democrats, they almost all still seem to be endorsing Eva Bacal according to her website - what is the etiquette there? Do you have to call to have your name removed, talk about awkward? Maybe the author can ask the Prezelski on the list what she is going to do?
December 15th, 2005 at 8:28 pm
Quoting you:
“Plus, he’s basically spending his contributor’s money.”
Are you saying there is a major contribuTOR behind A-RO’s run?? Inquiring minds need to know!!!
December 15th, 2005 at 8:33 pm
I mislaid the apostrophe…I’m sorry.
December 15th, 2005 at 10:01 pm
More breaking news from the anonymous crowd: Patty Weiss bought the domain pattyweissforcongress.com on December 5 - so please Ted, will you finally believe us that an actual celebrity is running in District 8?
December 16th, 2005 at 11:04 am
What? Celebrity? You mean that Al Perry is running for Congress?
December 16th, 2005 at 11:32 am
That would rock!
December 16th, 2005 at 12:12 pm
The first thing A.Rod needs to learn is how to keep his hands to his own damn self. Also, Bacal did not run a great race in the rest of the district. The reason she won is the fact that there were two dudes who split the vote.
Also, don’t worry about the “List”, yes they have endoresed another Dem woman over another. Case in point a race in Minn.
Giffords In 2006.
December 16th, 2005 at 12:14 pm
$2 million at least to run a campaign. That’s sad. I remember the days of former Sen. William Proxmire, the Wisconsin Democrat who died Thursday at 90. In 1982 he registered only $145.10 in campaign costs, yet gleaned 64 percent of the vote.
::sighs::
December 16th, 2005 at 11:32 pm
Well in CD5 you can run on $4,000 but you will not win.
One probably needs at least $6,000.
December 17th, 2005 at 12:29 am
Good luck with that Liz - perhaps you should try $8 or $9 K - shoot high!
December 19th, 2005 at 10:56 am
Patty is in.
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