Ariz. race splits GOP, Tancredo

Rocky Mountain News ^ | 09/08/2006 | M.E. Sprengelmeyer

[Tiger007]

WASHINGTON - An Arizona congressional race has sparked a rift between Rep. Tom Tancredo and the Colorado Republican Party. Tancredo, a Littleton Republican, is backing a fellow, hard-line opponent of illegal immigration, Randy Graf, in Tuesday's GOP primary in an open-seat race.

Much of the national Republican establishment has lined up behind another candidate, Steve Huffman. This week, the Colorado Republican Committee sent Huffman a $5,000 contribution, Federal Election Commission records show.

The Colorado contribution angers Tancredo, who has used his profile on immigration to boost state Republicans recently.

"He's definitely not happy about it," spokesman Carlos Espinosa said Friday. "He wants to talk to them, figure out what's going on. This money should be more of a priority for state candidates."

The Team America PAC, founded by Tancredo and run by Bay Buchanan, has been actively campaigning for Graf.

In a message to supporters Friday, Buchanan denounced national Republicans for spending $150,000 on ads for Huffman, and the Colorado and New Mexico Republican parties for making $5,000 contributions.

"They're working overtime to beat a Tancredo/Team America candidate," Buchanan wrote.

Hans Gullickson, executive director of the Colorado Republican Party, defended the contribution, calling Huffman "clearly the most electable Republican in a district that is key to keeping a Republican majority."

[Maelstorm]

Tancredo is right on immigration and if the national party would come out strong we wouldn't be limping along going into this election. It is good to see things tightening up the Dems having continued to do what they do best which is lose.

[axes_of_weezles]

These anklebiters are going to have fun when Graf wins. I guess they cant read. All the polls say he has the Republican lead in the district, sometimes by a 3 to 1 margin.

[Post-Neolithic]

Putting all issues aside, I want to know why the RNCC and the Colorado Republican party are actively involved in an open primary. And from what I have been reading, supporting the Liberal Republican over the conservative one.

I am starting to think that the RNCC and some of it's affiliates, are being infiltrated by Liberal moles.

[axes_of_weezles]

The NRCC has really irked Southern Arizona Republicans.
They will not support Huffman if he wins. There would be no difference between him and Giffords (D). At least Giffords would be less of a prevaricator than Huffman who is advertising himself as a Conservative; yeah right.

The primaries are for policy debates, not negative advertising.

The district was held by a RINO Homo Soros funded Republican and they are doing their best to coronate someone with a similar ideology.

[RippyO]

I fail to see why that 5 grand wouldn't be put to better use with Beauprez or O'Donnell.

[nathanbedford]

That the National Republican Committee would involve itself so unjustly in an open primary and open its purse to boot, reveals how deeply committed president George Bush is to open immigration and amnesty.

We can expect no real enforcement as long as he is in office. If the Democrats take the House, they will shortly send a version of the amnesty bill to match the Senate's. If the Democrats take the Senate, the House will be very unlikely to be able to withstand the pressure because I cannot imagine Republicans losing the Senate and keeping any decent majority in the House. Under those circumstances, the Rinos with the tipping weight, will be running the asylum.

If the rats take both the House and the Senate, adios.

But if we can hold the House and the Senate, the immigration issue will likely survive in some form for the 2008 election.

Tancredo has good grounds for anger.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Both Team America PAC (Tancredo) and the NRCC (GOP establishment affiliate) needs to stay the F out of primaries. Let the conservative voters decide, and work WITH the Republican nominee whoever it may be.

Meddling in these races are only going to sow seeds of revenge and if elected, the nominee will not act in the best interests of the voters.

[axes_of_weezles]

Team America Pac, The Minutemen, and Pro-Life groups got in the game because the NRCC was asked to get out and stop funding negative ads and they did not respond or refused.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

On top of that, the Rats have attack ads against Huffman.

[axes_of_weezles]

The (R) Nominee will be Graf, who has been on the receiving end of these negative ads.

The RINOs have already pissed off Southern Arizonans. We do not want another Homo Rino Soros funded clone.

Anybody but Huffman. He's a loser, no ideas, no loyalty, no integrity,no conservatism, no honesty. He's also the coronated (R) candidate in the primary

[KevinDavis]

I agree... They should but out....

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I'll agree with you that the RNC election committees are lower than pond scum.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The establishment is at it again. Cannon/Jacobs redux?

[axes_of_weezles]

Worse than that.

The Rats are claiming to be pro border security, anti-tax too.

The only differences between Huffman and the Democrats is supposed support or non support of the GWOT.

[nj26]

The open-borders elitists can go to hell.. we need elected officials like Graf that understand that open borders undermine our nation.

[COEXERJ145]

These anklebiters are going to have fun when Graf wins. I guess they cant read. All the polls say he has the Republican lead in the district, sometimes by a 3 to 1 margin.

So Tancredo found a race where someone was already well ahead and then came out yelling "I support this guy". I guess if he really is that desperate to claim a win, this is the way to get one.

Of course Tancredo will claim he is the reason Graf wins when in reality he had nothing to do with it. Tancredo proves once again he is irrelevant.

[axes_of_weezles]

You are a moron.

Tancredo has visited Tucson numerous times as well as Ken Mehlman and Dana Rorhebacher and Sensenbrenner, and the rest of the party hacks when they were on their "border tour".


I guess you have difficulty reading and comprehending.

The party hacks like you have funded someone with no scruples, no integrity, is a RINO Liberal and is spending cash to say he is tough on immigration and a conservative.

I guess that makes you just as much of a prevaricator as the NRCC and would prefer a Liberal RINO over a Conservative of any stripe.

[axes_of_weezles]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1698462/posts

It's not Tancredo.

It's Lying Leftist Republicans.

[axes_of_weezles]

By the way. What do Colorado Republicans know about Tucson?

You would think they would be saving their own money to cover their own asses.

[skeeter]

Why would you so strongly dislike someone with a near perfect voting record on conservative issues, as Tancredo has?

I thought promotion of conservatism is what FR is all about.

[11th_VA]

I hope the Tancredo side wins, if not, I'm voting Democrat so they'll tax the he!! out of the Bush Republicans - they can pay for the illegals, they brought 'em here ...

[Reagan Man]

Sounds like a dumbass idea for Hans Gullickson and the CRP to work at undermining Tancredo's efforts in support of Graf. This is turning into a crazy election cycle.

Here in southern Colorado my long time Congressman and staunch conservative Joel Hefley, is retiring after 20 years of representing the 5th district. Hefley backed his one time congressional aid Jeff Crank in the primary. In a close outcome, Crank lost to state Senator Doug Lamborn in what was a highly contested race. Now Hefley says he will not endorse the winner because Lamborn ran a dirty campaign. Conservatives battling conservatives, go figure.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

So it's OK for a state GOP party to meddle in a primary race in another state?

[Mount Athos]

Want to see something really sick, look how much money the GOP flushed on trying to help Schwarz, in the Republican primary... A candidate who is a better fit for the Democrat party.

[NapkinUser]

Tancredo supported Randy Graf long before it was cool (in 2004 against Kolbe.)

This time, Graf has an eight point lead in the polls a week out. It's nice to see somebody as strong as Tancredo on immigration and not as weak as Bush leading the polls in this important party.

[Welike ike]

Right Napkin, but can Graf win the General election? We need to hold this seat, not piss it away to Giffords, a liberal Emily's list DEM.

[Tiger007]

GRAF will send the Democ-Rats craterous grave in NOV 2006 election.

[stephenjohnbanker]

B U M P

[stephenjohnbanker]

N O

[stephenjohnbanker]

Let me restructure your tagline....

"Bush derangement is currently causing a pandemic of suffering for Free Republic conservatives"

[carlo3b]

We have a name for the Tancredo types in Texas.. He's all hat with no cattle.. Talk about a man with a selffullfilling mandate.. Tancredo and his followers are hearing their own echo, and mistaking it for a cheering crowd.. Sorry, he might be right on his single issue, but it is becoming irritating.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Tancredo is a conservative through and through. He's not just pro-border enforcement. He supports the conservative agenda down the line and has one of the top ACU percentages in Congress.

[television is just wrong]

Hopefully Graf will win. The GOP needs to get a grip on reality. Our nation is being taken over by foreigners at an alarming rate, and it needs to stop.

[Tiger007]

Establishment ELITISH RINOs are scared to death of TANCREDO tsunami in 2008.

[axes_of_weezles]

Graf can win. If he is allowed a forum.

The NRCC, Leftists,MSM and NRCC are the ones saying he cannot win.

1. He has been an elected State Senator and legislator for 6 years
2. He has run his own business
3. The people of his district have seen firsthand the illegal immigration problems, so he has been at the forefront of the issue, whether you like it or not.
4. AZ CD 8 is less "moderate" than the MSM and pollsters would have you beleive.

This is a "representative" democracy. When a State party monies from a different state, and National monies from the same party endorse someone in an open primary, something that has not happened in my memory, these outsiders are interfering with the "representative" part of democracy.

The outsiders do not represent local interests.

Gibbons the Rat is better than Huffman. At least she does not lie and say she is conservative in ads from monies outside the district.

Graf is going to eat them both for lunch because the National party and Colorado do not represent Tucson and Pima and Cochise Counties.

[carlo3b]

I trust your assessment of this congressman, but he hasn't been able to catch fire and garner any sizable base, so he and his followers have taken to snipping, which isn't very attractive, or constructive..

This may not be fair, or the entire case, but I am a student of sorts in this game and I haven't been impressed after all the noise and, it appears that I am not alone.. But for your sake my FRiend, I'll pay a bit more attention in the future.. :)

[axes_of_weezles]

Hey carlo.

This is an open race.

Kolbe the R-RINO-HOMO quit because Graf gave him a hard time in 2004.

Out of spite Kolbe is using his influence to stop him.

This is an open race. The RINOS and RATS are interfering. This is the kind of crap Graf has had to put up with from the MSM here:

[axes_of_weezles]

2006 Primary Election (Unofficial Results) Produced by the Arizona Secretary of State's Office	U.S. Representative in Congress - District No. 8 Republican

County	ANTENORI	GRAF	HELLON	HUFFMAN	JENKINS	Totals	Polls	Polls Reporting	Percent of Polls
Cochise	0	0	0	0	0	0	64	0	0.0%
Pima	1,247	12,205	4,186	11,999	924	30,561	275	167	60.7%
Pinal	26	510	125	399	29	1,089	2	2	100.0%
Santa Cruz	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0.0%
Totals	1,273	12,715	4,311	12,398	953	31,650	346	169	48.8%
Percentages	4.0%	40.2%	13.6%	39.2%	3.0%

Last Updated on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at 8:17:51 PM

[axes_of_weezles]

2006 Primary Election (Unofficial Results) Produced by the Arizona Secretary of State's Office	U.S. Representative in Congress - District No. 8 Republican

County	ANTENORI	GRAF	HELLON	HUFFMAN	JENKINS	Totals	Polls	Polls Reporting	Percent of Polls
Cochise	0	0	0	0	0	0	64	0	0.0%
Pima	1,318	13,057	4,386	12,677	977	32,415	275	182	66.2%
Pinal	26	510	125	399	29	1,089	2	2	100.0%
Santa Cruz	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0.0%
Totals	1,344	13,567	4,511	13,076	1,006	33,504	346	184	53.2%
Percentages	4.0%	40.5%	13.5%	39.0%	3.0%

Last Updated on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at 8:37:02 PM

[montag813]

The Team America PAC, founded by Tancredo

AMERICA, F**K YEAH!!!