Great news in Arizona.
Randy Graf, a conservative activist and former state representative, won a bruising Republican primary in Arizona's open 8th Congressional District, despite the opposition of popular retiring Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe and much of the state and national Republican Party establishment.
With his victory over moderate state Rep. Steve Huffman by 43 percent to 37 percent in the three-candidate race, Graf enters the eight-week general election against Democratic former state Sen. Gabrielle Giffords with momentum and a base of fired-up supporters -- many of them motivated by Graf's outspoken advocacy, in a district that borders Mexico, of cracking down on illegal immigration.
But he brings in a "can't win" label slapped on him by the moderate Kolbe -- who had to fend off a primary challenge by Graf in 2004 -- and others who contended during the primary that Graf is too conservative for a district that leans Republican but gave President Bush a very modest 53 percent of its votes in 2004.
The NRCC actually spent money boosting Hoffman with an ad campaign, though that money was obviously not as effective as that spent by the NRSC on Chafee's behalf in Rhode Island. The fact that they felt compelled to dump in hundreds of thousands of dollars in this race was tacit admission that they don't think Graf can win.
Giffords is a fantastic candidate, and this race remains one of the top five Democratic pickup opportunities this cycle.
On the web: Gabrielle Giffords for Congress
Update: The DCCC has more.