| Author |
Message |
    
Foj
Citizen
Username: Foger
Post Number: 1278
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 9:29 am: | 
|
Ex-GOP state lawmaker to join U.S. Senate race as Dem
Robbie Sherwood
The Arizona Republic
May. 5, 2006 12:00 AM
The high-profile race between Republican U.S. Sen. John Kyl and Democrat Jim Pederson is about to get more crowded.
Former state Sen. John Verkamp, who served 10 years in the Legislature as a Republican from Flagstaff, has switched over to the Democratic Party and plans to run on an anti-war platform.
Verkamp, a 65-year-old attorney and Arizona native, will make a formal announcement Tuesday at the Capitol where he plans to lay out his platform. But Verkamp said he grew concerned because neither Pederson nor Kyl was talking about the war in Iraq. advertisement
"That's the Number 1 issue for me, that and the pending nuclear war on Iran," Verkamp said.
Verkamp faces long odds of making the ballot and even longer odds of beating the well-financed Pederson in a Democratic primary. Both Kyl, the Republican incumbent, and Pederson, a developer from Casa Grande who served as chairman for the Arizona Democratic Party, are already going at each other over the airwaves with television ads, mostly focused on illegal immigration. Verkamp would face a steep fund-raising disadvantage with his late entry and would also be challenged to gather the required 4,455 nominating signatures by June 14 to make the ballot.
"It's going to be difficult, but we've already started gathering signatures, so I think we can do it," Verkamp said.
Pederson campaign manager Mario Diaz had little to say about Verkamp but denied Pederson has ignored the Iraq war.
"Jim Pederson is locked in on Jon Kyl all the way to November," Diaz said. "If Mr. Verkamp qualifies for the ballot, we will take the necessary steps to defeat him. And rest assured, the Pederson campaign will be discussing all federal issues important to Arizonans."
A spokesman for Kyl's campaign said the senator had no comment on Verkamp's candidacy.
Verkamp said he switched parties in December after a lifetime as a Republican because of President Bush's handling of the war and scandals involving Republicans.
"It's not the Republican Party I was a member of years ago," Verkamp said. "Under President Bush, under Cheney, under Jack Abramoff, I couldn't handle it any more. I got really discouraged and switched over."
Verkamp, an Army veteran, also served 12 years as Coconino County attorney. He now lives in Phoenix. Verkamp was elected to the House in 1992 and served eight years. He won a Senate seat in 2000, but did not run for re-election in 2002. During his House years, Verkamp was a member of a powerful group of moderate Republicans dubbed the "Sue Nation" because three of its members were named Sue.
Verkamp got into legal hot water in late 1999 when he was arrested for extreme DUI after driving the wrong way down a one-way street in Flagstaff. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, which he served on weekends because the Legislature was in session. Verkamp was arrested again in 2002 on suspicion of interfering with Scottsdale police officers and resisting arrest. The officers had pulled over a car Verkamp was riding in and were attempting to arrest the driver on suspicion of DUI.
Verkamp said his past brushes with the law could come up during his campaign. He said he'd rather talk about the issues but is set to address questions.
Two other candidates are also trying to make the ballot: Democrat Leonard Clark, a schoolteacher and Iraqi war veteran; and Republican Mike Aloisi, a former advertising executive.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0505verkamp0505.html
|
Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 999
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 5:23 pm: |
|
Good. A Republican in Dem clothing to siphon off the wacky lib vote. Great strategy. Rove has his fingerprints all over this one. |
anon
Supporter
Username: Anon
Post Number: 2690
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 5:56 pm: |
|
Southerner:
Two points:
1. Do you understand that he is running in the Dem Primary?
2. It's Arizona. There are no "wacky libs".
|
Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 1001
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 8:20 pm: |
|
anon,
Two points:
1)Extra money will have to be spend to win the primary instead of being used against the evil Incumbent.
2)There are wacky libs everywhere just like there are neo-cons everywhere. We just have more. |
Foj
Citizen
Username: Foger
Post Number: 1286
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 9:06 pm: |
|
Jim Pederson (D)
Former State Democratic Chairman & Real Estate Developer
Campaign Website: http://www.pederson06.com
Jon Kyl (R) Incumbent
US Senator
Campaign Website: http://www.jonkyl.com
Oh and running in Arizona 06 CD:
Jeff Flake. OK.
http://www.jeffflake.com |
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page