Republicans Fight Among Themselves in LD 23; Eric Kurland may Benefit

This has been a great week for LD 23 State House Democratic Nominee Eric Kurland

Not only has a poll, that the Kurland Campaign paid for, show the Scottsdale Democrat as the first or second choice of a sizable (winning) plurality of the district, but the Republicans have not finished their acrimonious primary contest.

Joseph Chaplik, the Republican Nominee who defeated the incumbent and “I was for Q’Anon before I was against it “Jay Lawrence” is apparently a sore winner.

Upset at Lawrence and write-in candidate Joe Romack’s remarks that alleged he was a “tax cheat” and guilty of civil rights violations, Mr. Chaplik has decided to sue both men for slander.

According to reporting from the AZ Capitol Times, Lawrence and the other Republican incumbent John Kavanagh (who is not getting sued yet; maybe after the election) presented evidence that Chaplik was delinquent on his 2016 taxes during the primaries.

Chaplik has admitted that he was behind and paid off “what he owed”  to the Internal Revenue Service before running for office. He also conceded that his property management company was a defendant in a discrimination lawsuit.

Good luck with the slander suit Mr. Chaplik.

Asked to comment on the Republican infighting,  Mr. Kurland wrote:

“I am completely focused on fighting for my constituents rather than fighting opponents in court over Chaplik’s unpaid taxes and Chaplik’s criminal past. There are too many important issues facing LD23 and all of Arizona right now. We have to get our economy back, get it growing, we have to properly fund our schools and make investments for our future. People deserve safety and security for their elected officials, not toxic, ego-centric fighting about campaign rhetoric.”

While Mr. Kurland has to work very hard to convince Independents and disenchanted Republicans to support him this November, the divisiveness within the GOP ranks is a welcome gift to his electoral prospects.

Many, perhaps a winning plurality of voters, will conclude on November 3, 2020, that it is time for a teacher.

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