By Michael Bryan
The answer is apparently: Yes!
They say that insanity consists in doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. If that's true, then CD8's Republicans might just be crazy.
All signs point to a "Tea Party" upset by Jessie Kelly in the CD8 GOP primary. Now that Brian Miller (whom I personally think would have been the most solid choice for Conservatives who wanted a rock-ribbed Conservative outsider with actual principles to take on Giffords) has dropped out and tellingly endorsed Paton, it looks like the insurgent Kelly might actually defeat the more experienced and more viable general election candidate Paton. Kelly's even managed to raise more money than Paton this month.
I think that Paton's internal polling which showed him in a statistical dead heat with Giffords in a theoretical general election match-up was probably accurate given the mood of the electorate. In choosing Kelly over Paton, CD8 Republicans are giving up a fighting chance of taking back the CD8 seat for an ideologically satisfying snowball's chance in hell.
Does the name Randy Graf ring any bells? Does anyone recall the stunning margin by which Graf lost an open Republican seat to Giffords? Guess who is endorsing Kelly's campaign? What? Graf? Really? Imagine that… Republicans seem to ready to repeat history by nominating a light-weight, big-talking, baggage-laden ideologue over more experienced, more appealing to independents, and more viable candidates. Talk about crazy.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am dancing on the inside as I watch the GOP sabotage their own best chance to mount a successful challenge in CD8, my home district. I love to see the GOP trip over its own feet because it has an irrational conviction that shoelaces are a liberal conspiracy. But, wow, choosing Kelly over Paton is deeply stupid. And I'm loving it.
But it also has a tragic aspect. What is perhaps the most sad about this race is that Jon Paton, who I think is a fundamentally decent guy from my interactions with him, has tied himself to every absurd far-right position and grandstanded endlessly over the past two years to attract the attention and affection of the most regressive faction of his party to so little effect. I have watched with regret as a person who, though clearly deeply conservative, once had fundamentally rational political instincts has sold his political soul for the approval of a primary electoral that is rejecting him as insufficiently conservative in favor of Mr. I-hate-government-even-though-my-family-lives-on-government-contracts. Somehow Paton got labeled as the corrupted, establishment RINO in the race by the primary electorate. It's stunningly ironic and sad.
Jon, stop pandering and come back to the reality-based community, buddy. The wackos can smell that you aren't really one of them.
Aren't I worried that by saying aloud how stupid Republicans would be to nominate Kelly instead of Paton I might help Paton to the nomination? That by admitting that Democrats are deeply concerned about the general election if Paton is the nominee I might inspire Republicans to support him? Nah. Too many Republicans don't listen to reason. The fundamentalists aren't amendable to persuasion. They'll probably think that I am trying to get Paton elected because he's a secret liberal whom I have under mind control (I don't, really… though how could Jon prove that?). They are their own worst enemies. And those are the folks who will be deciding the GOP primary.
Gabby Giffords is safe for another term because CD8's Republicans are just crazy.
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Gabby will win for one simple – albeit obvious reason: She represents her constituency which is broad – very broad. Her votes don’t always please me – and I’ll bet that’s true for the voters who like the votes I don’t like. But she represents us all and that is her job. Her office also understands and fulfills their responsibility for constituent services. As for her name? I personally don’t give a crap whether she uses her name or that of her husband! There are some things I never thought were my business.
And also remember that Congresswoman Giffords already beat a qualified, moderate Republican legislator State Senate President Tim Bee.
Goddamnit, Dwight! Are you off your meds again? Let me type this so that you can understand: YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! We have a deal: I don’t take a shit in your livingroom, you don’t comment on my blog.
Talking about confused, Dwight Leister:
One sentence has the lucid point that Independent voters are key to election, but then another sentence has the absolutely looney implication that Kelly is better choice because he is very tall and Giffords is very short.
Trying to connect those logic dots makes me confused.
Just so you know, short or tall, married name or not, CD8 Independents will vote for Giffords because she voted to keep the state afloat when it was sinking (big block of voters), she has voted to help vets and military in Sierra Vista (huge block of voters), she has voted to curb our growing deficit and voted to help seniors and to save them money by closing donut-hole and supporting Medicare (another huge block of voters).
So, people who care about good government services, people who care about jobs, people who care about education and public safety, people who care about our military, and people who care about feeling more secure in their old age will vote for Giffords.
Heck, she was smart enough to vote to allow people to carry firearms in state parks, remember that? That is the kind of thing that appeals to rural CD 8 voters, and there is a lot of us. Kelly just has more of same-old, same-old that we all know doesn’t work. Trickle-down tax cuts to the top of the food chain will NOT create more jobs; less regulation and smaller government will NOT create more jobs or make our life better; getting rid of the FDA is NOT the way to lower cost of prescription drugs. Only a small percentage of population falls for that flim-flam hockum anymore, and they are the ones voting in Republican primary. But most of the Independents who vote in general will go for proven track record of useful, smart choices that help our lives — and that’s Giffords.
Here is where you have it all wrong in CD8.
Neither the Democratic Party Candidate NOR the Republican Party will choose the Congressman-woman in CD8 it will be the Independent Voters.
The Independent Voters are polling AGAINST Democrats and Obama in the low 30’s.
CD8 is a LOSS for any Democrat who can not win the Independent voter.
Giffords whose married name is KELLY running AGAINST a KELLEY from another party; having a 5 foot Giffords standing next to a 6 foot 7 inch Jesse Kelley is laughable!
Giffords a few years ago WAS a Republican and can’t take the name of her husband?
Sounds like she is a bit confused!
Kelly is the guy promising to repeal the Health Care reform and promise to curtail spending, the same spending that is keeping Arizona teachers, firefighters and law enforcement employed and the same health care reform that actually reduces the defecit. Advertising during the 1830 hour to appeal to all of those seniors watching Wheel of Fortune. It’s like that old joke, how do you know when a Republican is lying, their lips are moving.
What? Shoelaces are a LIBERAL CONSPIRACY? Thank God you warned me. From now on, it’s VELCRO ALL THE WAY!