Thank you Stephen Lemons

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Stephen Lemons, the "Feathered Bastard" of the Phoenix New Times, has been the most dogged critic of Russell Pearce and Joe Arpaio. He does what a political reporter should aspire to do — "to afflict the comfortable and to comfort the afflicted," as the old axiom goes.

Lemons wrote this propheitc post the other day Prediction: State Senator Russell Pearce Will Be Kissing His Political Career Goodbye on November 8 in which he concluded:

If Pearce is clobbered on November 8, his political career is kaput. Disgraced by the defeat, he would not be able to offer his damaged goods for consideration after upcoming redistricting. That is, Pearce's residence could be in a different district, one represented currently by moderate Republican state Senator Rich Crandall.

Could he run for Congress or even for sheriff, should Arpaio opt out for 2012? He could, but he won't get far. Pearce cannot succeed in a larger political entity without being likable. For all his faults, Arpaio is likable. Nefarious, surely, but a schmoozer nonetheless.

By contrast, Pearce is a mean-spirited ideologue, loathed by Dems and, now, by many Republicans. He was able to rise to power in the manner he did only from the conservative postage stamp of LD 18.

* * *

Pearce will be wounded severely no matter what happens, and attorney Tom Ryan vows to sue again should the incumbent manage a victory. Pearce, Willems, Coughlin, and Querard would be deposed under oath.

"I'm coming at Pearce like stage-four metastatic cancer," Ryan promised, if Pearce wins over Lewis. "We will get to the bottom of what they did [Olivia Cortes scandal] and how they did it. We will leave no checkbook unturned."

And in light of that blood oath, the Pearce camp had better pray that Jerry Lewis is the next state senator from LD 18.

Thank you Stephen Lemons. Here is your song, Kiss Him Goodbye by Steam (plays in YouTube).