Contested primaries front and center
CD1 - Sydney Hay
CD5 - David Schweikert
Corporation Commission - Joseph Hobbs, Rick Fowlkes, Keith Swapp
County Assessor - Kevin Ross
Justice of the Peace, Desert Ridge - Paul Henderson
Senate:
LD1- Steve Pierce
LD4 - Jack Harper
LD18 - Russell Pearce
LD22 - Thayer Verschoor
LD26 - Al Melvin
House:
LD3 - Nancy McLain
LD6 - Sam Crump and Carl Seel
LD12 - Jerry Weiers and Steve Montenegro
LD18 - Ron Middlebrook
LD20 - Jeff Dial and John McComish
While there are other conservative Republican candidates who are worthy of election and are more than acceptable to the PAChyderm Coalition, they did not rise to meet the rigid standards necessary for the PAChyderm Coalition to formally endorse their candidacy over their rivals.
Working within the caucus to ensure the best possible outcome on overarching critical issues is one significant standard. This year’s budget is a prime example. In our representative democracy, we expect our leaders to have the wisdom and discernment to work for the best possible decision - even when it hurts.
Hopefully, in the future, that lesson will be learned by all Reagan Republicans.
July 17, 2008 at 11:12 am
These are good references. Glad to have the input of a conservative group that has the abilty to vet the candidates. I’d be interested to know any questions they were asked or other pertintent gauging tools.
July 17, 2008 at 11:47 am
[...] add a few names to the list but Seeing Red AZ has the endorsements from the PAChyderm Coalition. [...]
July 17, 2008 at 1:29 pm
John Allen is endorsed by Len Munsil, as is Bob Robson. Bob Stump is endorsed by Len Munsil, Congressman Trent Franks, and Andy Thomas. ‘Nuff said.
July 17, 2008 at 2:14 pm
So what’s your point, Sue? Your insinuations go nowhere.
July 17, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Hobbs, Fowlkes and Swapp actually have experience in the field, which is going to help on the job a lot more than a friendship with Len Munsil.
I’m not sure how thoroughly Congressman Franks vetted all the candidates for AZ Corporation Commission but, I admire Trent’s loyalty to his neighbor, Bob Stump Jr. I’m sure Stump has had much more schmooze time with Andy Thomas than has the other candidates.
It is pretty well appearent Hobbs, Fowlkes and Swapp are likely to vote similiarly. And their values are known to be in the right place. Allen is a McCainiac.
July 17, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Here is what I’ve read on the PAChyderm Coalition.
The main criteria is this question, do the candidate’s actions support the Republican platform? Or, can they be expected to. Following are more issues the PAChyderm Coalition considers. Not all issues are applicable to all offices, of course. Never the less, it makes sense to elect strong conservative platform Republicans to every office possible.
Can the candidate be expected to support establishing a corporate income tax credit for contributions made to scholarship tuition organizations?
Will support establishing a statewide parental educational voucher.
Will support an amendment to the Arizona Constitution limiting the growth of state revenues and/or expenditures to the rate of population plus inflation.
Will support eliminating Arizona’s personal and corporate income taxes in favor of a low, broad-based retail sales tax.
Support Govt. compensating property owners any time govt. regulations reduce the value of real properties by 25 percent or more.
Champions the right to keep and bear arms.
Supports combating illegal immigration through increased law enforcement, prevention of illegal employment and eliminating public services to illegal aliens.
Supports the popular election of judges in Maricopa and Pima counties.
Supports the protection of life.
Supports an Arizona Constitutional Amendment defining marriage in Arizona as a union between one man and one woman.
For Legislative Candidates: will only vote in favor of a state budget that does not include borrowing/bonding.
Supports empowering individuals and private industry over empowering government.
There are more details than what is contained here. But, essentially the questions all revert to the likelihood of the candidate voting in line with the Republican platform. This is just my take on it and others may see it differently than I do. The PAChyderm Coalition works for the election of candidates who champion the Republican platform. This includes the right to life, conservative fiscal policy, fighting illegal “immigration,” securing our borders, championing the 2nd Amendment and championing individuals and businesses over big government.
July 17, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Munsil is yesterday’s news. His sellout to McCain, Sproul, etc two years ago showed his judgment to be flawed. His record of losing a statewide race by the most votes ever in the history of the state for a Republican demonstrated that he should have stayed at CAP, where he knew what he was doing.
What a perfect example of why you need to use good judgment and specific job skill standards when making a decision to endorse.
Thanks Pachyderm for doing the background work for me.
July 17, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Their values are in the right place? Many Republicans are beginning to realize that on Center for Arizona Policy and AZ Catholic conference surveys, Fowlkes has consistently opposed informed consent for abortions, opposed abstinence-only sex education, opposed any restrictions on human cloning, supported legalizing doctor assisted suicide, opposed restrictions on abortions, supported use of the matricula consular card, opposed making the presence of illegals in the US a felony, and opposed amending the US Constitution to define marriage as one man/one woman. Now that he has changed his party registration, he has changed all of his beliefs to appeal to the Republican base.
July 17, 2008 at 10:13 pm
We spend a lot of time and energy in trying to enlighten others to change their position on these moral issues. If someone is resurrected, do we still deem them unacceptable. What a recruiting tool. Change your position to ours and we will continue to beat you up. Those of us who believe in these moral issues are all going to hell if God is as critical and condemning of everyone’s history as some self-fighteous people.
As for me, I am looking for someone who knows the issues facing Corporation Commissioners to protect rate payers with common sense decisions.
July 17, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I agree with LeRoy. Judgment should be restricted to how one can perform the job - if it is legislation, I will bet that the Pachyderm Coalition will continue to evaluate the candidates based on the issues that will come before them in that job.
July 18, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Don’t get too worked up. Many of us think these are excellent endorsements.
July 19, 2008 at 6:44 am
Allen has a long history of nose problems. Could it come from spending so much time with Sproul, Noble, Magruder, etc.?
July 19, 2008 at 9:47 am
I’ve read pachydermcoalition.com and I’ve read the articles. Plain and simple. The endorsements are based on a candidate’s liklihood of following the Republican platform. If you don’t like the “moral issues,” you don’t like those sections of the Republican platform. Most Republicans do align with those platform planks.
It seems obvious to me. Pachyderm exhaustively researches the candidates and considers the candidate’s actions in office (where applicable). I’m glad Pachyderm is performing this research and coming forth with endorsements. Great work! Please keep it up and please keep informing the voters.
btw, John Allen is most definitely on the RINO-magruder, la vecke team. Allen came out very early for McCain. He obvously lied to Kyle, no surprise there. Early on I was so convinced John Allen was THE Republican that I was going to “single-shot” my vote for him. I researched, listened to PAChyderm and learned John Allen is for protecting the illegal employers. Even if illegal hiring is not a function for Corp. Commission, I’m not going to help anybody on that side of the issue. Not even Allen.
July 20, 2008 at 7:47 am
I find it interesting that some of your Legislative endorsements scored lower than their opponents on your own scorecard.
I also find it interesting that you didn’t score Vershoor’s taxing district for amusement parks (FASCIST FUN PARK) bill.
One of your picks for the House, voted for the FASCIST FUN PARK AND THE TUCSON BASEBALL PARK, her opponent who you failed to endorse, didn’t. Come on guys, WHAT WOULD REAGAN DO?
If you do all that work tracking every vote, then throw it all out when you endorse, what have you really accomplished?
July 20, 2008 at 11:33 am
Sen. Gould, well put Sir!!! These endorsements are merely political. I guess the PAChyderms have become political beasts like the rest of them… unfortunate.
July 20, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Todd,
In 06′ When illegals marched on the Arizona Capitol, many legislators made strong coments on the floor and then left for home. Some of us stayed and held our post. John Allen stood with a sign that said “Governor, I’ll keep them occupied till you will round them up”. John was verbally assulted by the marchers and event security. He stayed until THEY left! He was sunburned and tired but he didn’t quit.
I don’t think John Allen supports illegal employers.
September 2, 2008 at 5:10 am
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