Meet the challengers in Pearce recall election

Posted by AzblueMeanie:

First up, there is Jerry Lewis from Mesa. Lewis makes run against Pearce in recall official – East Valley Tribune:

Charter school executive Jerry Lewis announced Wednesday morning that he will challenge state Senate President Russell Pearce in the Nov. 8 recall election.

The Mesa Republican also filed election paperwork Wednesday, more than a week after signaling interest. Lewis said he would do more to promote economic and education polities if elected while working more closely with others. He said he was drafted by community members to challenge Pearce.

“I believe it’s time to restore a style of leadership to Mesa that its residents can be proud of,” Lewis said.

Lewis announced his candidacy to more than 200 supporters at the Wright House in Mesa, where he referred to Pearce as a friend. Both are Mormons and Lewis said he’ll run a positive campaign without making personal attacks.

“Our faith teaches us to treat each other with respect and kindness,” he said.

Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley said a groundswell of support has been building for Lewis and that the candidate is well known in Legislative District 18.

“He’ll restore sanity to the process instead of this concept that we’ll rule by fear,” Stapley said.

Supporters said they expect Pearce will dwarf the amount of money Lewis can raise, given Pearce’s national prominence on immigration issues. Already, a nationwide campaign has started to raise money for Pearce in what is Arizona’s first-ever recall of a lawmaker.

The campaign is Lewis’s only venture into the political arena. He is an assistant superintendent for Sequoia Schools, a Mesa-based charter school organization with 13 Arizona locations. He is a former certified public accountant and has been a vice president with the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts.

His campaign is headed by Mesa attorney Dea Montague, former Mesa Vice Mayor John Giles and attorney Clint Smith.

Mr. Lewis has already been physically assaulted by a member of the goon squad. Potential Pearce challenger struck by padlock – East Valley Tribune:

Jerry Lewis was hit about 6:30 a.m. Saturday while jogging with another person near Brown and Harris roads, Mesa police said Tuesday.

[A] padlock was thrown from a truck and struck him in the groin.

Lewis described the truck as a white, lifted Chevrolet pickup with chrome rims. It was pulling a black trailer. The passenger was a man about 35 to 40 years old with short brown hair, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt. Police took the lock into evidence and will determine if they can recover fingerprints, Wessing said.

Lewis declined medical attention at the scene.

Any guy who can take a shot to the nuts and shake it off ought to be able to take anything that the cowardly bully "King" Russell Pearce can throw at him.

The other candidate is an Independent who filed to run as a $500 threshold candidate. Get serious, Dude. First declared candidate enters recall against Pearce; another one likely – East Valley Tribune:

Tommy Cattey, [a 62-year-old audiologist] has filed paperwork with election officials and has gathered about 100 of the 621 signatures required to get on the November ballot. The Mesa resident decided to run because of Pearce's signature issue, SB 1070. That law targeting illegal immigrants has since had major provisions put on hold.

"It has been pretty emasculated by the courts. I believe his intention for it is harsh," Cattey said. "We do need to control the borders and it does need to be done in a better way and more humane way."

Cattey registered with the Secretary of State July 17, organizing a campaign that's limited to raising or spending no more than $500. Cattey said he plans to refile soon he can raise more.

* * *

Cattey is a registered independent and an ordained minster. He is retired from the U.S. Marine Corps and has no political experience.

* * *

Cattey has lived in the Valley 57 years and 11 years in Mesa. His organization consists of him and his wife now but will expand soon, he said. Cattey expects to announce endorsements within days. He has a website, www.catteyville.com.

[UPDATE: A third candidate has filed paperwork. Multiple Pearce challengers emerge Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required):

Olivia Cortes, a Republican who used to work in the semiconductor industry, on Tuesday opened a campaign committee. “The district’s Hispanic voters deserve a choice,” Cortes said when asked why she’s running. “The district is changing, so why shouldn’t the make up of the candidates?”]

Because recall organizers have hoped to keep the number of challengers low – perhaps to just one person – to avoid splintering the anti-Pearce vote. Let's keep this in mind, people.