Republican candidate James Molina is rumored to be considering dropping his bid for a state senate seat in District 19. The implications of such a move in a key district could be wide ranging, allowing State Rep. Rich Crandall to run unopposed for the seat vacated by Sen. Chuck Gray.
Senate Majority Leader Gray has endorsed Molina.
Seeing Red AZ exposed Crandall’s pathetic voting record during the past legislative session.
The Arizona House of Representatives held 382 floor votes during the 2009 regular session. Rep. Rich Crandall didn’t participate in 254 of them – nearly two-thirds of the votes he was elected to cast on behalf of his constituents. Such a lackluster performance is indefensible.
A Constitutionalist with an eye to prioritizing public safety, James Molina has been endorsed by Sen. Russell Pearce, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the reliably conservative PAChyderm Coalition.
Molina, a family man, business owner and fifth-generation Arizonan, would be an important vote for leadership as Russell Pearce eyes the Senate President post.
We urge Mr. Molina to stay put. Arizona deserves better than Rich Crandall.
This is couldn’t be further from the truth!! Molina has NO intention of dropping out of the race. Don’t fall for IT.. This is a CRANDALL tactic to prevent Molina from gaining any further contributions!!!!
I hope you’re correct, wright2b. Crandall deserves to lose and lose big. He is all about Rich Crandall and cares nothing for those of us who desire representation.
You could say “I heard it from the horse’s mouth”
Since you are on speaking terms with the “horse” why not ask him to say it here and quell the rumor? It would be nice to know the truth from the source. I support the candidacy of Mr. Molina and would like facts rather than innuendo. I imagine others would also.
Yes hearing from the “horses mouth” would be preferable over rumors.
Another Crandall “Smoke-and-Mirrors” parlor trick. If Molina had to publicly denounce every Crandall rumor, he wouldn’t have time to campaign. Molina is still in this race 110%. I have no doubts! Crandall and his committee should be ashamed!
This is a very well read political blog. Before the BlogNetNews aggregator recently vanished, Seeing Red AZ was usually number one statewide. If James Molina wants to put an end to the speculation, this is the place to do it. I started coming here when JD Hayworth had a KFYI radio talk show and he talked about Seeing Red so often I started visiting it. It’s conservative and dependable.
This is like the 5th rumor he’s had to squash… I have not doubt he will respond to this one as well… but Molina is a workin man and doesn’t have time to blog. We’ll hear from him AGAIN in a couple days. I’m certain he has more pressing matters than to keep addressing these rumors. Crandall keeps leaking this crap!
Another unsubstantiated rumor from club RINO!
Mr. Molina has a son getting married this weekend and another son returning home from out of country tomorrow. Responding to idle gossip is the least of his worries right now. His campaign is moving full steam ahead!
Visit his website and join the campaign at http://www.JamesMolina.com
Rich Crandall report card UNMASKS the real man. Liberal, tax and spend, Big Government RINO. Crandall Report Card!
Excuse me, but Molina is quoted in the Arizona Guardian as saying he is considering dropping out. Unfortunately, we can’t blame Crandall for that. Either way, if Molina’s heart is not in it he needs to get out. We need conservatives who are in it to win it!
Molina never made a statement to the Arizona Guardian. Just more speculation. His heart is in it 110%. Crandall’s only hope is a Molina fold – thus the increase in chatter. Crandall camp is getting very nervous, as they should be!
EastMesa, you’re excused. If the prerequisite for staying in the race is “we need conservatives” then Crandall should never have signed up. His record says volumes. The facts aren’t misleading and the data doesn’t lie. Crandall is NOT conservative! Rumors are rumors, but truth is truth!
http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/reportcard/
Pachyderm Coalition Republican Legislator Rankings
Haven’t I read…somewhere…& I can’t remember where…that Mr. Crandall is an @$$0c!@+& of th’ head R.I.N.O., ?senator? mCcain? If that information is even remotely accurate, then the “dirty deeds done dirt cheap” alleged against Mr. Crandall should surprize absolutly NO ONE here…If the info I’m thinking of in inaccruate, then…my apologies.
Now the scuttlebutt is that Molina’s own campaign consultant the overrated Constantin Querard is saying Molina might still step aside. With “friends” like this guy, who needs enemies? Molina should send him packing to consultant’s purgatory, w/o pay.
Spoke with Constantin today and he never made any statement to the Guardian RAG. Just more mud flinging from the opposition. The Guardian is receiving their gossip from you know who! Not from the Molina Camp! If Crandall isn’t careful this could backfire on him BIG TIME!
This reads like a gossip column. Does anyone here know how to pick up the phone? Spoke to Molina, and he’s never been more committed. Everybody move along, there’s nothing here to see, go about your way!
Let’s hope Molina remains committed. Rich Crandall sure the hell isn’t. What a Flake! (Not much different from Jeff of the same last name.)
I don’t give much weight to gossip and unconfirmed rumor. Mr. Molina is a respectable man and will fight the good fight. I pray he sees this through. We need him badly.
Constantin never spoke to the Guardian RAG! We all know whose spreading this gossip and it’s not the Molina camp! This is going to backfire on somebody BIG time.
You better believe it!
I have see the Guardian article and Constatine is quoted in it. Until he gets on here and denied it I think you have to believe it.
It’s been said he went to the Secretary of States office this week.
Ok. Someone explain this story from the Repulsive http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/23/20100723mesa-molina-district-19-decision.html.
Molina really is considering dropping out. I’m with EastMesa, we need conservatives who are committed, not second-guessers.
He gave an interview to the Republic that he’s considering it.
If he’s too busy now, I worry about his ability to serve when he actually has to be down there.
Crandall missed all of those days, you can’t turn around and run someone who can’t show up either.
The last I checked, the job of an elected official is to represent his constituents in the duties of his office, NOT to research and respond to every blog site – even one as good as SeeingRed.
Crandall’s job as a State Representative is to show up at the House, go to the committee/ floor and VOTE. To try to equate Crandall’s misfeasance in office with Molina’s situation is beyond sublime.
Sorry, I got distracted by the bumpkin Little League Diamondbacks. What I meant to say was: The last time I checked, the job of an elected official is to represent his constituents by fulfilling the duties of his office. The duties of a candidate does NOT include a responsibility to research and respond to every blog site – even one as good as SeeingRed.
(then add the next PP)
[...] Much of the political buzz this past week has centered on word that James Molina was considering dropping out of the race for state senate in Legislative District 19 — sending shockwaves through the East Valley [...]
The only second guesser is Crandall. He can’t even show up to work when he says he’s committed. Sounds like Crandall is filling Molina’s head with exaggerations and half-truths. Mr. Crandall, it’s time to stop calling Molina, time to stop flapping your gums, it’s time for change… and you’re not part of the equations! East Mesa is looking for new leadership with a backbone. We need someone who will represent our conservative values. Someone who hasn’t been bought!
Gray shouldn’t have stepped down if he didn’t want Crandall in his seat. This is all Gray’s fault. He wasn’t termed out. He chose Molina. This feels like some sort of dirty trick. At this point, Crandall seems like a better choice. He at least seems to know what he’s doing. In the end, it doesn’t matter too much who wins, we’ll have a Republican legislature again and we’ll be able to save AZ.
LD 19 Super Duped:
You can’t be much of a conservative if you think voting for Crandall makes sense. He missed over 2/3 of the votes he ran to cast as a representative. What a loser and fraud! Your attitude is as atrocious as Crandall’s voting record. We need actual representation in the district and someone with more of a commitment than Rich Crandall has. Can you imagine if all of our legislators were as cavalier?