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Simcox bid will rely on GOP grassroots, but support might be thin
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Race
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| Contributor | Craverguy |
| Last Edited | Craverguy Apr 21, 2009 09:42pm |
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| Category | Analysis |
| Media | Newspaper - Arizona Capitol Times |
| News Date | Tuesday, April 21, 2009 08:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | A top advisor for Chris Simcox said the Minuteman founder will rely on ground-level support in his bid to knock off incumbent Sen. John McCain, but so far it's not clear whether Simcox will be able to rally the necessary support and financial assistance from Arizona's grassroots GOP.
Hours after news broke that Simcox is gearing up to take on McCain, some Republican Party activists said a Simcox candidacy is good for Arizona and will provide voters with an option between McCain, who has shown a moderate streak on immigration, and Simcox, who started the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and has aggressively pursued increased military presence along the border and the construction of a border wall to halt illegal immigration.
Eric Johnson, an acting advisor for the Simcox campaign and a former staffer for Don Goldwater's gubernatorial bid, said the plan is to target Republicans who feel disenfranchised and may have left the party in recent years.
"There are a lot of people who left Republicans and became independent because of McCain," he said.
Rob Haney, chairman of Maricopa County Republican Committee and one of McCain's most vocal detractors, told the Yellow Sheet Report he's glad Simcox is running.
"I think we need someone in there that represents the grassroots, and certainly John McCain does not," Haney said.
Others, though, flatly refused to consider Simcox over McCain.
Farrell Quinlan, a lobbyist who is also a Maricopa County Republican Party precinct committeeman from District 20, was skeptical of Simcox's ability to mount a viable campaign against such a strong incumbent.
"It looks like this is a vehicle to make a point on certain issues," Quinlan said. "I think McCain has strength in Arizona that has yet to be tapped... McCain will do a thorough job of defending his seat."
Some Republican leaders were circumspect about which candidate they would support. |
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