We're combing through the rumor mills, news stories, and blogs to give you the latest on the Governor's race in 2010.
Is Jan Brewer thinking about 2010?
She has been front and center a lot lately with the initiative qualification process. She is defending herself against the allegations made by Democratic Party Spokeswoman Emily DeRose. She also challenges Napolitano on Obama's fiscal policy. She is also in the Arizona Capitol Times spotlight. She is also off to the RNC, which as the highest ranking Republican from the Nominee's home state, she'll likely play a role.
Is she getting ready for 2010 or the potential rise to power in 2009 if Obama wins and Napolitano jumps ship?
If you have any juicy gossip or more information, please let us know at GovRace2010@yahoo.com.
Friday, August 29, 2008
A question to the Home builders
A quick look at the transportation initiative campaign finance report shows that the committee raised about $1.1 million and spent a little over $1 million on their petition gathering effort. In all, the committee paid $617,323.69 to Petition Partners and $324,682.23 to Ziemba Waid.
The committee only received $27,129.34 from the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona. As we have pointed out, they feel that they have met their obligation through the donation and the signatures. Ironically at the time, their campaign said:
"Tom Ziemba, the campaign consultant, criticized Wilhelm's decision to do her own petition circulating. Ziemba said the campaign needs financial support, not signatures."
Looks like they could have used the signatures.
However, our real question is, did the Home Builders ever agree to give the money instead? If so, are they now off the hook because the initiative crashed and burned?
The committee only received $27,129.34 from the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona. As we have pointed out, they feel that they have met their obligation through the donation and the signatures. Ironically at the time, their campaign said:
"Tom Ziemba, the campaign consultant, criticized Wilhelm's decision to do her own petition circulating. Ziemba said the campaign needs financial support, not signatures."
Looks like they could have used the signatures.
However, our real question is, did the Home Builders ever agree to give the money instead? If so, are they now off the hook because the initiative crashed and burned?
Napolitano at DNC
Washington Post reports on Napolitano's big day jitters.The Arizona Republic heaps on even more praise.
The AP points to Napolitano to defend Obama's speech.
No comment yet from the Star Trek villain from whom she stole her outfit.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Napolitano in Denver - Her initiatives are in the tank
While Governor Janet Napolitano goes around the DNC shaking hands and meeting delegates, her Transportation and State Trust Land initiatives have been permanently removed from the ballot.
The State Supreme Court upheld the ruling last week that the challenges to the Secretary of State were not filed in time. The result is that Prop 103 "Conserving Arizona's Water and Land" and Prop 203 "Transportation Infrastructure Moving Arizona's Economy" will not be on the ballot.
Espresso Pundit is covering the Channel 12 round table where Arizona Democratic Party spokesperson Emily Bittner-DeRose is claiming that Secretary of State Jan Brewer somehow "fixed" the process to skew the sample. While the statement is ludicrous, don't think that this is the last time that the finger is going to be pointed away from the people who were really responsible. The fact is, the Governor and her handpicked people dropped the ball on these initiatives. Ultimately, they didn't fail because of the sample, they failed because they didn't challenge in enough time.
We're sure that not taking the signatures from the Home builders to make a point seems very foolhardy at this point. It would be interesting for them to run some validity checks on their sample to see how they did compared to the abysmal results that those guys were able to achieve.
The State Supreme Court upheld the ruling last week that the challenges to the Secretary of State were not filed in time. The result is that Prop 103 "Conserving Arizona's Water and Land" and Prop 203 "Transportation Infrastructure Moving Arizona's Economy" will not be on the ballot.
Espresso Pundit is covering the Channel 12 round table where Arizona Democratic Party spokesperson Emily Bittner-DeRose is claiming that Secretary of State Jan Brewer somehow "fixed" the process to skew the sample. While the statement is ludicrous, don't think that this is the last time that the finger is going to be pointed away from the people who were really responsible. The fact is, the Governor and her handpicked people dropped the ball on these initiatives. Ultimately, they didn't fail because of the sample, they failed because they didn't challenge in enough time.
We're sure that not taking the signatures from the Home builders to make a point seems very foolhardy at this point. It would be interesting for them to run some validity checks on their sample to see how they did compared to the abysmal results that those guys were able to achieve.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Governor 0 for 2 on initiatives
The State Trust-Land initiative has been officially kicked off the ballot. It joins the transportation tax increase as initiatives supported by the Governor that are having a hard time making it onto the ballot. It appears that the same lawyer who is representing the Transportation plan will also be working to get State-Trust back on the ballot.
With the Medical Choice initiative making it back, Napolitano backers may be able to save her initiatives as well. The question is, how do they sell their issues to the public starting from such a depressed position?
Let's assume for a minute that one of them makes it back. The first thing that opponents will say is that these guys had to sue to get their ballot heard. What is their response going to be? If they had started to educate the public before now and had people to stand up and come to their defense, perhaps they could withstand such negative statements. However, odds are, they are going to roll out the Governor to come to their defense because its easy and she is popular.
In this case, that is not going to be enough to get them over the hump. First, she is going to have a prominent role in the presidential race, so she is going to be busy and she is going to turn off a significant base of the Arizona folks who are voting for McCain. Second, with such complicated issues, voters are going to want to know the details and how it impacts them. That isn't something you start doing after the primary. That is a process that takes a little while.
With the Medical Choice initiative making it back, Napolitano backers may be able to save her initiatives as well. The question is, how do they sell their issues to the public starting from such a depressed position?
Let's assume for a minute that one of them makes it back. The first thing that opponents will say is that these guys had to sue to get their ballot heard. What is their response going to be? If they had started to educate the public before now and had people to stand up and come to their defense, perhaps they could withstand such negative statements. However, odds are, they are going to roll out the Governor to come to their defense because its easy and she is popular.
In this case, that is not going to be enough to get them over the hump. First, she is going to have a prominent role in the presidential race, so she is going to be busy and she is going to turn off a significant base of the Arizona folks who are voting for McCain. Second, with such complicated issues, voters are going to want to know the details and how it impacts them. That isn't something you start doing after the primary. That is a process that takes a little while.
More Napolitano wheeling and dealing
Governor Napolitano has cut a deal with Honeywell to divert $1 million of their fine for polluting to her pet project, the Western Climate Initiative. This story was first broken by Espresso Pundit and has since by picked up by the Tribune and others.
Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce takes the Governor to task saying that the money should be used for environmental projects impacted by the pollution, instead of Napolitano's hand picked projects. You can read Pierce's letter here also thanks to Espress Pundit.
This is the latest example of a deal coming public that may have made it outside of Napolitano's spin machine. Between this and the secret deal with the Homebuilders that seems like it will never die, she doesn't appear to be doing as good of a job of either a) masking her agenda or b) selling the state on her big ideas.
Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce takes the Governor to task saying that the money should be used for environmental projects impacted by the pollution, instead of Napolitano's hand picked projects. You can read Pierce's letter here also thanks to Espress Pundit.
This is the latest example of a deal coming public that may have made it outside of Napolitano's spin machine. Between this and the secret deal with the Homebuilders that seems like it will never die, she doesn't appear to be doing as good of a job of either a) masking her agenda or b) selling the state on her big ideas.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
State Trust Land reform also in trouble
The Governor's other big initiative also looks to be in trouble. According to the Arizona Capitol Times, the initiative is suffering the same low validity rate that plagued the transit initiative.
Not surprisingly, if you look at the finance reports for both groups, State Trust and TIME, you'll see that they used the same company to gather their signatures. One has to assume that this is not going to be a good business development move for Petition Partners.
Not surprisingly, if you look at the finance reports for both groups, State Trust and TIME, you'll see that they used the same company to gather their signatures. One has to assume that this is not going to be a good business development move for Petition Partners.
Napolitano believes that transit plan will make it
Governor Napolitano believes that voters will have a chance to weigh in on the $42 billion dollar transportation plan in November. The plan supporters are busily trying to do their own signature checks and push through their lawsuit.
Meanwhile, the Tucson Citizen is gearing up to help shift the blame in case the plan doesn't make it. They claim that the failure in transportation is not by the Governor, the consultants or the petition gatherers. Rather, all of the transportation woes should be blamed on the legislature.
Meanwhile, the Tucson Citizen is gearing up to help shift the blame in case the plan doesn't make it. They claim that the failure in transportation is not by the Governor, the consultants or the petition gatherers. Rather, all of the transportation woes should be blamed on the legislature.
Governor defends Pearce?
Check out the window. Are pigs flying? First, the Arizona Republic defends Russell Pearce against personal attacks, and now Governor Napolitano is following suit.
According to the Political Insider, Napolitano said:
"I am concerned about tone. Do I support Russell Pearce? No. But I think there are ways to talk to voters about that without the personal attacks."
Now bear in mind, they are not saying that they support Russell Pearce or his policies. What they are really saying is that the people who are using personal attacks to go after him have crossed the line.
Apparently, there is a line that can be crossed.
Now, the question is, when campaign finance come due in the next week or two, are any of Napolitano's supporters going to be on the donation list to the committees doing the personal attacks?
According to the Political Insider, Napolitano said:
"I am concerned about tone. Do I support Russell Pearce? No. But I think there are ways to talk to voters about that without the personal attacks."
Now bear in mind, they are not saying that they support Russell Pearce or his policies. What they are really saying is that the people who are using personal attacks to go after him have crossed the line.
Apparently, there is a line that can be crossed.
Now, the question is, when campaign finance come due in the next week or two, are any of Napolitano's supporters going to be on the donation list to the committees doing the personal attacks?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)