Posted on 08/28/2007 6:20:40 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Ethics controversies surrounding three-term Arizona Republican Rep. Rick Renzi led to a widespread expectation that he would not seek re-election next year in the state’s sprawling 1st District. But because potential Republican replacement candidates deferred to Renzi until he announced his retirement Thursday, the party has a little catchup to play in what is likely to be one of the most hotly contested Democratic takeover bids next year.
While Republican officials are starting from scratch in their candidate recruitment a little more than a year before the 2008 primary, the Democrats already have a field of active candidates — one that is likely to grow larger — drawn in by Renzi’s problems and the relative close split between Republican and Democrat voters in a district where the demographics include a large American Indian population.
The GOP is unlikely, however, to go very long without a candidate, or candidates, for the 1st District seat. Conservative Sydney Hay, who took third place against Renzi in the 2002 Republican House primary for the then-open 1st District seat, told CQPolitics.com she plans to give it another try. “I fully intend to run,” she said.
“I haven’t made an announcement yet, but I’m putting some things in place. We’ve actually put up a splash page of a Web site and are taking donations and volunteers right now. . . . It will be very, very soon that we’re in it fully.” Hay, president of the Arizona Mining Association, said she already has a big name tied to her candidacy: Trent Franks, a third-term House member from Arizona’s 2nd District, has signed on as honorary chairman of her prospective campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at cqpolitics.com ...
If Sydney Hay had won the primary in 2002, we wouldn’t be in this mess. She sounds like a great candidate, a strong conservative with knowlege of natural resource issues.
The problem is that in too many cases, Republicans value incumbency over integrity.
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