9 out of 10 pundits agree: insane dentist Paul Gosar ‘is a disgrace to Arizona’

I recently posted about Arizona’s insane dentist, Rep. Paul Gosar:

Now that Arizona’s most embarrassing member of Congress, Rep. Trent Franks, has resigned in disgrace after soliciting his female staff members to be his sex surrogate (Eeew!), we have a new challenger for the title of Arizona’s most embarrassing member of Congress: Arizona’s insane dentist, Rep. Paul Gosar.

I’m glad to see that the GOP-friendly Arizona Republic editorial board agrees –you see, bipartisanship is possible! – in an editorial. Our View: Rep. Paul Gosar is a disgrace to Arizona. Somebody please unseat him:

Republicans in Congressional District 4 need to find somebody to defeat Paul Gosar in the primary.

His smash-mouth style brings serial embarrassment to our state.

Republicans in this rock-solid GOP district can end Gosar’s regrettable congressional career without losing this seat.

There is a precedent. A model. We’ll get to that later.

First, consider some of Gosar’s more memorable “Hey, look at me!” stunts.

So, there was that ‘traitor’ comment

He delivered gasoline to an explosive debate about the Nunes memo, which was released over the objections of national security experts and raises doubts about institutions and organizations that are fundamental to our country’s security.

The FBI and Justice Department say it presents an incomplete picture. Gosar calls it “truth” and says it demonstrates the need for “criminal prosecution against these traitors to our nation.”

Which traitors? Former FBI Director James Comey, former acting Attorney General Sally Yates, former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who still serves in the Trump administration.

That’s a leap from the fringes of Conspiracy Land.

It does not further discussion. In fact, it helps Democrats discredit Republican concerns about how decisions were reached within the FBI and Justice.

It is not Gosar’s first jump into the wasteland.

And that hateful Charlottesville conspiracy

Even his siblings recoiled at his suggestion that the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville last fall was planned by an “Obama sympathizer,” and that leftist activist George Soros had turned fellow Jews over to the Nazis.

Seven Gosar siblings signed a letter to the Kingman Daily Miner decrying brother Paul’s “deceit and anti-semitic dog whistle.”

“Those aren’t our family values or the values of the small Wyoming town we grew up in. . . . Lies and distortions do reveal much about the character of the congressman of Arizona’s 4th congressional district, however.”

Oh, brother.

And DACA. And the Pope. Oh, brother

Also not to be forgotten:

Gosar took to social media with “evidence” that DACA recipients were crime prone. Two problems. 1. He incorrectly interpreted the statistics, according to the report’s author. 2. The veracity of the report itself is in doubt.

Gosar also demanded the arrest of “any illegal aliens” who attended the State of the Union after Democrats had invited “Dreamers” to attend in support of protecting young people covered under DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

Nor should we forget the Pope.

Gosar dramatically announced he would boycott Pope Francis historic speech to Congress in 2016 because he’d heard reports the pontiff would discuss “flawed climate change policies.”

This isn’t being a conservative. This is being a ninny.

This is a self-serving politician putting puts his love of the sharp elbow and the right jab ahead of both his party and his country’s best interests.

Here’s how to unseat the ninny

Now to the model for how to unseat him.

There was a state legislator who became similarly enamored with his own bad-boy image.

When former Senate President Russell Pearce faced a 2011 recall election after years of divisive antics, it was fellow Republican Jerry Lewis, a conservative with solid business and GOP credentials, who defeated him.

Republicans in CD 4 need to find a candidate with similar credentials to go after Gosar in the primary. Then they need to put their support firmly behind that candidate.

Sure, there are differences. Democrats and independents were able to vote in the recall that defeated Pearce.

But he represented a solidly GOP legislative district, just as Gosar represents a solidly GOP congressional district. It was the Republican vote that mattered.

Nor should CD 4 Democrats cede this seat without a fight. There was a Democrat running against Gosar last time and it looks like he will face one again this time. Good. Competition is welcome.

But political realities remain. This Republican stronghold will likely send a Republican to Congress again this year.

It should not be Paul Gosar, who confuses pugilistic posturing with genuine strength of character.

That’s a mighty short list of “serial embarrassments.” I have posted about these and a lot more over the years. Who could ever forget Rep. Gosar and then state senator Kelli Ward, along with several other elected Arizona Republican politicians, showing up at the Bundy Ranch in their long-awaited  “sagebrush rebellion” against the federal government?

The Republic does have a Top Worst Moments video of Rep. Gosar’s most embarrassing moments to accompany its editorial opinion.

The Republic editorial amounts to wishful thinking and a plea for a savior because currently Paul Gosar does not have a Republican primary opponent. Two Democratic candidates are running, David Brill and Ana Marie Perez Gissy, a Green Party candidate, Haryaksha Gregor Knauer, and a write-in, Thad Andreski.

If the general election comes down to Gosar versus a Democrat, will The Republic endorse the Democrat?