Arizona Secretary of State

Michele Reagan is having a really bad week

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Michele Reagan, the co-author of the GOP Voter Suppression Act (HB 2305) who is running for Secretary of State, is having a really bad week in the press — and it’s only Tuesday.

The Republic’s E.J. Montini hammered Ms. Voter Suppression in his column today. Reagan runs from Pearce’s words. What about his beliefs?:

MicheleReagan[T]here’s no way I can keep pace with all the Republicans sprinting away from former Senate President, state party vice chairman and SB1070 sponsor Russell Pearce.

Folks like Secretary of State candidate Michele Reagan. All of a sudden Reagan doesn’t like Pearce.

(Republicans never liked Pearce, apparently, except back when they loved him.)

Not long ago Pearce said something on his radio show that sounded like he was okay with sterilizing women on Medicaid. Once word of the comments went public, candidates began scurrying like a certain type of insect when the lights go on.

Reagan quickly sent out a tweet saying, “The obnoxious comments made by Russell Pearce were both disgusting and offensive. Let it be known, he is NOT the voice of my GOP. #Resign!”

Weird.

Before the primary election Reagan make a big push to get the endorsement of Pearce’s buddy and law-writing partner Kansas secretary of state Kris Kobach. It was Kobach who did most of the legal work that produced Arizona’s infamous SB1070, which Pearce pushed through the legislature.

When Kobach endorsed Reagan over the summer she proudly told the Republic’s Mary Jo Pitzl, “I voted for SB1070.”

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ICYMI: ‘Arizona Is Becoming The Cayman Islands’ For Dark Money’

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Democratic candidate for Secretary of State Terry Goddard has an op-ed at Talking Points Memo about the massive amount of dark money in Arizona politics, much of it at the direction of Arizona’s Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble Moved the Kochs Cash into Politics and Made Millions. GOP operative Sean Noble is the central figure in California’s Biggest “Campaign Money Laundering” Scheme, and the current wave of dark money in Arizona politics.

Terry Goddard writes, Arizona Is Becoming The Cayman Islands For Dark Money:

goddardDark money groups have already poured more than $5 million into Arizona’s elections this cycle. These organizations, carefully constructed to protect the identities of their contributors, play a heavy hand in influencing election outcomes.

This is because Arizona places no restrictions on the dark money groups, and there is no legal obligation to reveal contributors. As a result, Arizona is quickly becoming the Cayman Islands for moving dark money.

I’ve investigated this kind of activity before. As Arizona’s attorney general, I spent eight years going after drug cartels by following the money. Our team dug through cartel money transfers and seized millions of dollars. Dark money groups are just money launderers by another name. They are moving money, often vast sums of it, while carefully concealing its original source.

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Poll: Terry Goddard leads Michele Reagan 47% to 31%

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The Terry Goddard for Secretary of State campaign issued a press release today for a poll conducted on behalf of the Goddard campaign by Lake Research Partners that shows Terry Goddard leading Michele Reagan, the co-author of the GOP Voter Suppression Act (who promises to bring it back), by a healthy 47% to 31% margin.

Poll shows Goddard leading Reagan 47% to 31%
Goddard winning Independents 2-to-1 in first poll in Secretary of State race

goddardPHOENIX, AZ – The first general election poll in Arizona’s Secretary of State race shows Terry Goddard leading Michele Reagan 47% to 31%.

The poll, conducted on behalf of the Goddard campaign by Lake Research Partners, show that Goddard is not only better liked and known, but also that Goddard has a broad base that reaches across partisan lines.

In a memo on the poll, Joshua Ulibarri of Lake Research Partners explains that Goddard “leads by 24 points with unaffiliated voters, 48% to 24% and draws 20% of the Republican vote.”

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2014 AZ Primary elections results – Southern Arizona (updated)

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AZ Blue Meanie has posted the early statewide results (and will do the final tally tomorrow), and I’m only reporting on the Southern Arizona races for U.S. Congress (CD 1, 2, 3), the Legislative Districts down here (Senate & House), and for the contested Justice of the Peace 1 race.

However, at my press time of Aug 26, 10 p.m. in the contested Republican statewide races: Doug Ducey is leading for Governor, Michele Reagan for Sec. of State, Mark Brnovich for AG, Diane  Douglas for Supe of Public Instruction, and Jeff DeWit for Treasurer.  There’s may be some upsets here esp. for AG and Superintendent of Public Instruction if the voting trend continues into the evening/morning.  The Dems had no primary races statewide except for Supe of Public Instruction and Dr. David Garcia is leading in that race.

UPDATED  8/27 (only for close races  in CD 1, LD 3 Senate, JP 1)

CD 1 (updated 9/2/14)

Ann Kirkpatrick (D), incumbent  50,585

Gary Kiehne (R)  18,157

Adam Kwasman (R) 15,069

Andy Tobin (R) 18,481

Too close to call between the Republicans in their primary.  Stay tuned.  UPDATE 9/2/14: House speaker Andy Tobin has the lead by 324 votes and rancher Kiehne has conceded today.

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