Tuesday, October 17th, 2006...6:07 am
Thanks for All the Help
The Democrats feel that they have a chance to take Jim Weiers out with Democrat Jackie Thrasher. It’s admitedly a long shot, but it can be done. Wow, a chance to take out a prominent Republican who has let the far right pass what ever the heck they want, regardless of constitutionality, practicality or sanity. All of us Democrats would be on board for that one, right?
Wrong.
Weiers has a piece going out listing Democratic elected officials who are endorsing him. One of the people listed is Art Hamilton. I already voiced my consternation about that one.
Another is Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. I keep hearing that Gordon wants to run for higher office at some point. He does want to run as a Democrat, right? Maybe it would help if he actually endorsed a Democrat in a contested race, right? Okay, he endorsed Harry Mitchell. The fact that many of us were suprised by that tells you the problem.
(Gordon’s reason on the piece: “He lives in Phoenix.” Hmm, doesn’t Mike Tyson live in Phoenix these days? Maybe we should elect him State Treasurer. Danny Bonaduce lived there for a while, maybe we can get him to come back and run for Secretary of State?)
Leah Landrum-Taylor is also listed as an endorser. She’s moving on to the State Senate this year, so I guess she feels like she won’t have to deal with the guy. She’s seen the way that Democratic bills and members get dealt with close up, but she still is endorsing him. I’m sure that if he wins with Democratic support, he’ll deal with Democratic members fairly and allow Democratic bills to be heard, right?
I don’t know if the endorsements of Gordon and Landrum-Taylor are tied into the same fit of pique that Hamilton has against the AEA.
After a few weeks of controversies, people have been asking Weiers to remove Russell Pearce from his position as a committee chairman. Weiers has refused to take any action despite the fact that this guy’s statements on race have become an embarassment to his caucus and the state. Why should he take any action? The right loves Pearce, and Weiers knows that he will always be able to find a couple of Democrats who will support him no matter what he does.
2 Comments
October 17th, 2006 at 8:38 am
Don’t worry Ted, our side does the same thing for some of your candidates.
October 17th, 2006 at 5:44 pm
Phx Kid makes a good point, just not the one that he thinks he is making.
Check out the list of “Republicans for Janet.” If there is a single elected official on there, it certainly isn’t someone I recognize. In fact, I see almost no names I recognize, and the ones that do look familiar only elicit a “I think I have heard that name before” sort of reaction.
For all the Republican complaints about RINOs, the fact is that the mugwumps remain loyal to the party regardless of how troubled they are by the direction things may be going. A few of my GOP coleagues in the House have told me that they are voting for Ms. Napolitano, but you do not see any of them coming out and endorsing her publicly.
In contrast, we Democrats jump ship all the time, often for shallow reasons. None of the Democrats cited here are from the “conservative” wing of our party, so this act of going over the hill has little to do with ideology. If it did, I might have some respect for it.
These folks should ask themselves what exactly they are gaining for their constituents by selling out like this.
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