Posted on 02/15/2010 12:32:01 PM PST by SandRat
Capitol Media Services photo by Howard Fischer
J.D. Hayworth gets the endorsement Monday of Chris Simcox, one of the founders of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. Simcox shelved his own bid to oust incumbent John McCain in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, a move that could give a boost to Hayworth. Behind them is Rob Haney, chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Party.
PHOENIX — With a blast at what he called John McCain's liberal leanings, former Congressman J.D. Hayworth launched his bid to oust the four-term incumbent in the Republican primary.
At an event outside his Phoenix headquarters Monday, Hayworth hurled broadsides at the senator, saying McCain is on the wrong side of all the issues important to GOP conservatives. That includes the incumbent's call to close the prison for enemy combatants at Guantanamo, his support for some sort of cap-and-trade system of cutting pollution, his vote for the Troubled Asset Relief Program to help bail out financial institutions and his efforts to limit campaign spending.
That's not all.
"Just like the liberals, John opposes waterboarding captured terrorists like the Christmas bomber,'' he said.
And if that weren't enough, he uttered the dreaded H-word.
"John's problem is not that he likes Hillary (Clinton),'' Hayworth said. "John's problem is he's like Hillary.''
His bid got an immediate boost Monday when Chris Simcox shelved his own Republican campaign against McCain to throw his support behind Hayworth. Simcox, a founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said his supporters told him the move was necessary to have a united conservative front.
The race shapes up to be one of the most contested -- and potentially divisive -- intraparty campaigns in Arizona history.
McCain, hoping to shore up support for his nomination and election, set off this week on appearances around the state. That began Monday with a press conference in Tempe to announce his endorsement by 31 mayors from around the state. He also scheduled appearances this week in Thatcher, Flagstaff, Yuma, Phoenix, Tucson and Payson.
While McCain seeks bipartisan support, Hayworth pokes fun at the incumbent's working with Democrats. Instead, Hayworth, who served 12 years in Congress before being defeated in 2006 by Democrat Harry Mitchell, is making a clear bid for the backing of those who identify themselves as part of the Tea Party movement.
While that may work in a Republican party, it remains unclear how that plays out in a statewide general election.
In 2002 and again in 2006 Republicans chose those who identified themselves as conservatives to run for governor. Democrat Janet Napolitano won both times.
Those same years the Republican candidates for attorney general came from the GOP's conservative wing. The result was victories for Democrat Terry Goddard.
But Hayworth told Capitol Media Services he doesn't foresee his nomination as giving a political leg-up to Rodney Glassman, a Democratic city councilman from Tucson.
"This is an entirely different campaign and an entirely different year,'' he said. Hayworth said while his focus now is corralling Republican votes, "in the fullness of time we're reaching out to independents and to disaffected Democrats.''
He said the political climate has changed since then.
"The political wind is at our back,'' Hayworth said. "People recognize that the change they need is conservative change, not someone who's going to go there, as Mr. Glassman would, and be a rubber stamp for Barack Obama.''
Nor did he believe that a brutal primary battle would leave whoever survives too politically scarred to win in November. That's what happened in the 1970s when two GOP congressmen, John Conlan and Sam Steiger, battled it out, with Democrat Dennis DeConcini from Tucson snatching the seat in November.
"I believe that a good, old-fashioned primary is a good thing for the party,'' Hayworth said. "It will help both John and I prepare for the general.''
Hayworth was careful to thank McCain, a former prisoner of war, for his military service, and even admitted campaigning for the senator during his failed 2000 presidential bid.
"He still fights hard, all right," Hayworth said. "But too often, for the wrong causes.''
GREAT rejoinder, FRiend.
;-)
can you believe the wonderful level of hate here for that amnesty loving POS McCain? I just sent JD money and next month ,I will send him more. Go to hell McAmnesty.
Palin is finished if she opens her mouth for this liberal amnesty loving POC. She has a chance but if she sides with this anti american she can kiss it good bye. Like Evan Bye.
I agree. Although it will be interesting how fine a line she can walk. She’s almost put herself in a no win situation. Not an enviable executive position.
Now that she has thrown her hat into the ring w/ McCain, eventually she WILL be asked about her thoughts in regards to Hayworth. IF, she snipes at JD, which may be inevitable, she will have a tough time convincing TPM’s of her loyalty to them.
Loyalty to McCain, or to the movement? I suspect she has some sleepless nights ahead.
Well she needs to cut bait. McCain treated her like S . She is loyal for the opportunity “he” gave her but he went for sexist demographics to try to save his failing campaign. She is a fine conservative an I am willing to give her a chance but if she cheeks up to this compromising loser, she is finished and it will be Newt all the way.
Memo to conservatives: please remind Mrs. Palin that McCain does not deserve conservative support in the Republican primary.
I know you mean well, but don't comments like these insult Sarah's ability to make intelligent and strategic decisions?
“but don’t comments like these insult Sarah’s ability to make intelligent and strategic decisions? “
Selling your soul to the devil takes neither strategy, nor intelligence.
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It's meant to. When she announced would campaign for McCain, that reflected poor decision making. It's not fatal to her conservative cred, but it certainly damaged it.
As I said in an earlier post, she can mitigate her error by keeping her support for McCain low key, by not appearing in McCain ads in the primary, and by not bashing J.D.
“since going radio he’s acquired a certain used car-salesman style.”
It’s funny, a guy like Doug Hoffman isn’t charismatic enough and perhaps JD too much...I just want to see them stand on principle. But I get your point. :)
Gingrich supported that creepy Dede in the NY race. Great comparison.
“As I said in an earlier post, she can mitigate her error by keeping her support for McCain low key, by not appearing in McCain ads in the primary, and by not bashing J.D.”
Agreed. Or just get *really* busy, as you suggested earlier...:)
There’s plenty of material to hit McCain with. Hope he keeps it up.
This is good news, Sandy! What are you hearing from people
in your area?
...I don’t think McCain is radio material.
Doesn't J.D. have some "baggage" regarding the Indian Casinos? or can he explain that? What about his wife's pay awhile back that someone else mentioned from AZ? Can that be explained?
Senator McCain is a shoe-in, I would think......
I would think.
that’s not makeup. That’s Photoshop
” Both Palin & Brown are going to campaign for McCain!!”
and that is why what happens in MA, stays in MA
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