With the reputation for crAZy richly deserved by Arizona Republicans, generally speaking, I would not have guessed this result amongst the primary voting here yesterday. And although some media reports question whether this will be the end of Russell Pearce, sponsor of SB 1070 and various and sundry anti-immigrant legislation...well, I was never much of an optimist. But it would be nice.
Don't go away mad, just go away.
I like the contrast in the election-night parties of the respective candidates.
Pearce, 65, banned reporters and photographers from attending his election-night party at Rockin' R Ranch, an Old West dinner theater in southeast Mesa. He refused to come out of the event and make a comment as the results began rolling in. His gathering was to have featured several other candidates from the "tea party" wing of the GOP.
It's not as if the Democrat, Greg Gadek, who will run for this seat in the fall, is characterized as having much of a chance, so it's likely to stay Republican. This is much like the recall, where Pearce was replaced by another, if somewhat less execrable Republican, Jerry Lewis. But a win over Russell Pearce is a win, keeping him out of office is a step in the proper (if not
right, heh) direction.
Meanwhile, there is Bob Worsley, the Republican who beat Pearce...
As results rolled in, Worsley, 56, welcomed friends and political allies to a backyard party at his north Mesa home and allowed media free access to the gathering.
I guess that's an easy decision when you're winning. Although, as was pointed out at the
Feathered Bastard, Russell can't blame this loss on an election open to all eligible voters. This time the Republicans of his district alone told him to shove it. But I still find the comparison amusing. The articles I've read mention that he hadn't even called to concede yet.
Many Mesa residents said Pearce had focused so much on immigration that he had forgotten to represent his hometown's interests in the Legislature.
I can only hope that in the fall, this same kind of effect happens to Joe Arpaio. Not very optimistic about that, either; but again, it would be nice. And I realize, in the Baja we have other election results to be happy about, like Grijalva crushing his opposition and seeing them driven before him. But it's Russell's comeuppance, take two, that makes me laugh.