Mills launches campaign commercial

Millionaire and gun-enthusiast Buz Mills is the first candidate to go on the air with a TV commercial. Here is the latest from Mills.



Doesn't say much, but it doesn't really have to at this point. Mills is a virtual unknown and its going to take a sizeable amount of money just to get his name out there to be part of the conversation.

Hits keep coming for Dean Martin

So far, this has not been a good week for Dean Martin. First, it was revealed that he actually voted for a massive increase in spending during his time as State Senator. Next, it was alleged that Martin claimed that he had "hid" money from Napolitano.

Now, neither story is going away.

The Attorney General is now going to look into these statements to see if Martin "cooked the books" in 2007 after Andrei Cherny called for an investigation.

Martin is also staying very silent on his votes to support Napolitano, which has lead to the launch of another humorous video, this time with Martin disco dancing with Napolitano:

Former GOP Candidate for Gov Endorses Hayworth

While Senator John McCain has been endorsed by former Governors Fife Symington and Jane Dee Hull, one former GOP Gubernatorial hopeful has taken a different path. Former Republican challenger Len Munsil has opted to endorse JD Hayworth over John McCain.

No word on if former candidate and former fellow congressman Matt Salmon will weigh in on the race.

Here is Munsil's endorsement release in all of its glory:

Conservative Challenger JD Hayworth Endorsed by Top Arizona Conservative Len Munsil
FORMER GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, FOUNDER OF CONSERVATIVE THINK TANK BACKS J.D.

PHOENIX, Ariz. March 3, 2010. J.D. Hayworth has gained the endorsement of a man who over the years has probably done more to keep Arizona steering in the direction of family values than anyone in the state: Len Munsil. The founder of the Center for Arizona Policy – and 2006 Republican nominee for Governor – today endorsed the campaign of J.D. Hayworth to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate.

Hayworth is facing 24-year incumbent John McCain.

“I was honored to have Sen. McCain’s endorsement for Governor of Arizona in 2006, and was proud to support him for the presidency of the United States,” said Munsil. “While I am thankful for Sen. McCain’s dedication to Arizona and the country, and his commitment to public service, the time has come for conservative change in Washington D.C. I am therefore pleased to support J.D. Hayworth for the U.S. Senate in 2010. J.D. will be a reliable, consistent conservative vote and voice in Washington D.C,” said Munsil of his endorsement.

Munsil also added, “J.D. is on the right side of issues important to conservatives – opposing illegal immigration, ending bailouts, fighting against Cap & Trade and stopping unconstitutional restraints on political speech. He is consistent in his support for the sanctity of life and the institution of marriage. And J.D. will be an articulate spokesman for conservative principles.”

Munsil not only founded the Center for Arizona Policy - an organization that emphasizes pro-life and pro-family conservative issues and has promoted 60 laws protecting children and strengthening families - he is also a lawyer, an adjunct professor at Southwestern College and a former editor of the ASU State Press where he moved the editorial direction of the university’s newspaper in a conservative direction.

“Len is a man of faith that understands that one not only needs to speak to family values they need to act on them,” said Hayworth. “I am honored to have him behind me as we try to send a conservative senator to Washington that reflects the values of Arizona.”

Vulnerable to the more conservative Hayworth on taxes, pro-life issues and illegal immigration, McCain has resorted to attacking Hayworth on spending, despite Hayworth having a better lifetime rating from Citizens Against Government Waste. Hayworth has a 98-percent rating from the American Conservative Union.

McCain also voted for the $850 billion bailout of the big banks which included $150 billion in earmarks, proposed a $300 billion bailout for mortgage lenders and, according to the Heritage Foundation, sponsored an amnesty bill that would have cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion over the long-term.

Ain't that a kick in the head

Ouch. Governor Jan Brewer smacks Dean Martin down for his spending record in the State Senate. Ain't that a kick in the head!

Hayworth/McCain invade race for Governor

Six weeks ago, the race for the GOP nomination for Governor seemed like it would be the hot ticket for the fall. Enter JD Hayworth challenging Senator John McCain. Since then, the attention paid to the race for the 9th Floor has diminished significantly. In fact, Governor's news has become almost a footnote in the Hayworth/McCain battle.

While the sales tax appears to be the critical issue at the moment, it does raise an interesting question, however, of if any of the other GOP candidates (Munger, Mills, or Martin) weigh in on the race for Senator. If they all endorse Hayworth, do they risk splitting that vote, leaving the McCainiacs for Brewer? If one (Munger, perhaps) or more opts to support McCain, do they risk losing their "anti-tax" base?

With so much at stake, in the end, it's my guess that the only thing we'll hear from the other candidates is silence.

Dems taking on water in Arizona as well

With the victory of Scott Brown in Massachusetts yesterday, it looks like President Obama and the Democrats have started to lose their luster in the eyes of the public. The same can be said here in Arizona where former Governor Janet Napolitano appears to be out of favor not only nationally, but locally as well. With a string of embarassing defeats on the national stage and Napolitano falling out of favor, it looks as if the local Democrats have the potential of facing greater problems in Arizona as well. This appears to be something that Republicans are looking to take advantage of:

Hat tip to Espresso Pundit.

Are these plans realistic?

Despite failing to vote for any revenue for Arizona's budget last year, Democrats in the Arizona State legislature sounded off today, claiming that they do not approve of the Governor's budget and the massive cuts that are being proposed. They now agree that more revenue is needed, but when pushed for specifics, their answer was taxing spa treatments and country club memberships. No more details appear to be available, but it is doubtful that taxes on such items are going to fill the budget gap.

Meanwhile, John Munger took Governor Brewer's slightly challenge seriously, and has unveiled his own plan, one that he claims does not raise taxes. It does have some financial gimmicks that Munger's key endorsement could be proud of. According to Capitol Media Services, Munger fills the budget deficit with $500 million from borrowing against revenue from a mine that hasn't even been approved, and refusing to give the Federal Government $600 million in gas taxes.

While all of these options should be explored, it's important to note that the two main options that were dedicated to taking down big chunks of the deficit are in no way guaranteed. Monetizing the taxes on the coppermine would appear a lot more reasonable if the mine was closer to being approved and operational. Refusing gas tax money to the federal government as a punishment for the costs of illegal immigration is a little more problematic. Punishing the federal government for their inaction is a noble cause, but it may prove difficult to provide a direct legal reason why gasoline income should pay for immigration.

So the question remains, are either of these proposals realistic? Will they fix Arizona's current problems or merely push them down the path so that someone else has to deal with them?

Parker leaves Governor's race - jumps to CD 3 race

Mayor Vernon Parker has opted out of the Governor's race and has decided instead to jump into the crowded race for Congressional District 3. It will be interesting to see how his initial bid for Governor has positioned himself for this next race - his announcement release below was paid for by his exploratory committee, and his twitter account (at least for now) remains Parker4Gov.

Does he appeal to a different constituency than the other handful of legislators in the race or will he be tagged as someone looking for a path of least resistance to a new job? Only time will tell.

Here is Parker's announcement:

HE’S IN: PARADISE VALLEY MAYOR TO RUN FOR CONGRESS

PARADISE VALLEY, AZ. JANUARY 19, 2010. Vernon Parker is in. Today, Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker announced that he will file paperwork this week to succeed Republican John Shadegg.

“Our district has a long history of sending Goldwater conservatives to Congress – public servants who fiercely value liberty, smaller government and personal responsibility,” Parker said. “To follow Congressman Shadegg wouldn’t simply be an honor. It would give me the chance to continue a fight for the hard-working families I have fought for all my life,” he said.

Parker, 50, said that Shadegg’s retirement created a “perfect storm” of opportunity, one he feels duty-bound to embrace. He had spent the past three months exploring the Arizona Governor’s race, which generated enthusiastic support from people across the state.

“The biggest constant in my public life has been the need to serve to the fullest, to use whatever talent God has given me to the utmost degree possible,” said Parker. “I believe my skills, my experience and my passion are made for Congress. I believe I can make the biggest difference for my neighbors and my fellow Arizonans there. Since learning of Congressman Shadegg’s decision my supporters have overwhelmingly encouraged me in this direction.”

Parker said that he will take his message of cutting taxes and creating policies that help the private sector create jobs to the nation’s capital.

Following his filing this week Parker will be hosting a grassroots events on Sunday for 200-300 supporters, followed by a major announcement next week with significant endorsers and a few surprises.

“Like Congressman Shadegg I will do everything I can to roll back the unfunded federal mandates that cripple Arizona and our communities. And I will do everything I can to reform health care that brings real choice to the people and put an end to the insanity that defines America’s immigration policy,” he said.

Dean Martin Announces for Governor, the hits start rolling

State Treasurer Dean Martin announced that he will be running for Governor in this year's Republican Primary. Echoing Governor Jan Brewer's statement on Prop 204, the expanded Medicaid eligibility law, Martin said he will ask voters to revisit the issue.

Martin immediately becomes Gov. Brewer's main opponent and will run on a platform that the state should be cutting to get out of the budget deficit, instead of seeking new revenue. Martin said he would release his budget proposal after Governor Brewer releases hers on Friday.

Martin also announced he would be running as a Clean Elections candidate and immediately found out what it was going to be like to run in a crowded race. Candidate John Munger immediately slammed Martin calling him a hypocrite for taking public funding while suing the very system. Laurie Roberts chimed in on a blog post and by far the most widely viewed piece of all, channel five did a 2:30 segment on Martin's choice in funding.

You can see the Channel 5 video here.