GOP Runs Green Candidate to Siphon Off Dem Votes?

by David Safier

The Dry Heat has a story about a bogus Green Party candidate in LD-10 whose only purpose is to take votes away from Democrat Jackie Thrasher. The evidence? The “Green” candidate, Margarite Dale, was “a loyal GOPer who re-registered four days before the deadline to become a Green party member and candidate.” The Green Party is campaigning against her.

This is a Phoenix-area election, so it doesn’t directly affect us in S. AZ, but it could affect the Democratic push for a majority in the house, so it’s an important election, just like all the other contested races. Jim Weiers is running in LD-10, and he’s a lock. He doesn’t need any help getting elected. But his Republican running mate, Doug Quelland, does. Democrat Thrasher has a very good chance of winning one of the two seats. So the Weier/Quelland plan is, put up a faux Green candidate, take a few votes away from Thrasher, and Quelland may be able to squeak out a victory.

One more thing. Our old friend Constantin Querard is Weiers’ campaign consultant. This sounds like his kind of devious ploy. Though I may be doing Weiers a disservice here. He could probably come up with a rancid scheme like this all by himself.