AZ Elections

Some primary surprises (and some “not surprises”) on Tuesday…

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By Craig McDermott, crossposted from Random Musings

Note: All results are tentative and subject to change as late-arriving mail in ballots and provisional ballots are counted.  Most races seem settled, though there are a few that may flip.  And at least a couple seem headed for recounts…

Note2: Results from Maricopa County-specific races are from the website of the Maricopa County Recorder; results from races that cover other counties or the entire state are from the website of the Arizona Secretary of State.

Note3: The geographic descriptions used are for reference only, to give a general idea of where a district is located.  They are not, nor are they meant to be, definitive descriptions of the geographic area covered by a particular district.

I actually think that the a few of the primary results will serve to help Democrats make some gains, but this is turning out to be a weird electoral cycle.

In other words, no predictions.

On the Democratic side…

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Know who had a bad week this week? Joe Arpaio

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By Craig McDermott, crossposted from Random Musings

Note: there are a couple of changes to adapt this post to BfA’s format.

It is far too early to gloat – Arpaio has a seemingly uncanny ability to weasel out of trouble, often by throwing others under the bus.

He did that a lot this week, only to see many of his “throwees” drag him under the same bus.

Video

First up: a primer (see the video linked above).

Note: it isn’t perfectly accurate (for example, the infamous nativist bill SB1070 became law in 2010, not in “the 2008 – 2009 time frame“) and most lawyers will cringe at it (much of the terminology used is for laymen, not those with JDs).  However, it effectively explains the factors that lead up to the current situation.

 

Second up: what happened this week in federal court in Phoenix.

A. A civil contempt hearing looking into possible violations of a court order by Arpaio took place.

B. At the hearing:

1. Arpaio threw his lawyer under the bus.

2. One of Arpaio’s senior officers threw Arpaio under the bus.

3. Arpaio’s lawyer withdrew from the case.

4. Arpaio admitted, under oath, to news broken last year by Stephen Lemons of the Phoenix New Times – that he had the wife of the judge in this case, Murray Snow, investigated.

Personal observation: I don’t know if Arpaio is a praying man, but if he is one, he should give a heartfelt prayer of thanks that Snow is the judge hearing this case.  Upon hearing that admission, most other people, including many judges, would have simply turned to the nearest court officer and ordered that Arpaio be taken to the darkest, dankest hole in the federal prison system and dropped in it.

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