[Cross-posted at My Left Wing.]
Well, it looks like one of the nation's thirteen most corrupt Republican Congressmen, and a man who has already announced his intention to run for Arizona Governor in 2010, is going to get a free pass.
I received this message in my e-mail box this morning from Jack Jackson, Jr., the Arizona Director of Indian Affairs who was Congressman Rick Renzi's main challenger:
Friends and supporters,
Regretfully, I am writing to inform you of my intent to withdraw from the race for Arizona's First Congressional District. I have worked hard over the last 10 months to build a strong and viable campaign in order to face Rick Renzi in November. Unfortunately, the financial requirements of a congressional campaign proved too difficult to meet this time.
I would like to thank all of you who gave graciously to my campaign. I would also like to thank those of you who gave your time over the last few months. Your commitment to Democratic values and change in Washington is inspiring. I'm sure that our paths will cross again in the future.
I want you all to know that my commitment to our issues does not end with this campaign. I will continue to work with our leaders here in the state to ensure that all Arizonans have access to healthcare, quality education, and good jobs.
Like many of you, I am still excited about this election year. I still believe that this November, the people of this country will choose change and to end the Culture of Corruption in Washington. Please continue to support our Governor and Attorney General in their re-election bids. Please support Jim Pederson in his very important race for the Senate as well as all of our legislative candidates and other Democrats running for office across the state.
Again, thank you all for your support over the last few months and for your commitment to making a positive change in Arizona and America.
Sincerely,
Jack Jackson, Jr.
I'm a resident of this district, and this is absolute crap. Jackson raised $140,000 for this race, a disappointing amount against Renzi but certainly enough to make a race in a district dominated by a Navajo Reservation where Jackson's family is worshipped. I offer my own explanation for why Jackson quit: the campaign was, quite simply, mismanaged on a scale dwarfing even that of the hapless Babbitt campaign of 2004. I served as a volunteer blogger for that campaign, and I e-mailed the Jackson campaign at the beginning of the cycle offering my services in the same capacity; the campaign manager, David Schapira, waited THREE MONTHS to get back to me, at which point I was no longer interested.
So it looks as if we're going to have another two years of Renzi. But it's extremely important that we dent Renzi's armor as much as possible, because he's looking like a formidable opponent for the Dem governor nominee in 2010. To that end, there remain three Democratic candidates in the race to challenge Renzi: marketing executive and former state senate nominee Susan Friedman, retired dentist and former county assessor nominee Vic McKerlie, and Mike Caccioppoli, a radio journalist and member of DFA who moved to the district in 2004 to support Babbitt.
In my opinion, unless someone else gets into the race and soon, Caccioppoli should be the clear blogosphere choice. McKerlie is part of a group of Conservative Dems in Yavapai County, and Friedman does not seem to have an active campaign operation. Caccioppoli, on the other hand, despite having raised only $7,000 for his campaign last year, has turned his candidacy into a bullhorn against Renzi, issuing press release after press release and ably covering print, visual, and online media with a blur of anti-Renzi statements. Caccioppoli's running poor but smart, and he's exactly the type of candidate that can damage Renzi just enough to neuter him for the looming Gubernatorial race. With a little more cash, I feel confident that Caccioppoli can do us all a favor and put some serious dents in Renzi's teflon coating.