MCRC Endorses Rep. Russell Pearce for State Senate
Written by Maricopa County Republican Party
Friday, 04 July 2008
The Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) has
endorsed current State Representative Russell Pearce in his primary contest for
the vacant State Senate seat in Legislative District 18. The endorsement
was voted upon Thursday evening (July 3rd) during the regular MCRC Executive
Guidance Committee (EGC) meeting held at GOP headquarters in Phoenix.
While not without precedence, the endorsement of a candidate in a primary by
the MCRC is very rare. The last time it occurred was in the 2004 LD20
State Senate contest between John Huppenthal and Slade Mead. According to
MCRC Chairman Tom Husband, like the 2004 endorsement, this decision was not the
result of one single thing, but an accumulation of many things.
"It is hard to imagine a better and more principled legislator than Russell
Pearce" said Husband, who added "What is going on in LD18 is an attempt by
fringe open-border and amnesty advocates to exact revenge on Rep. Pearce for
his brave stands on border security and preserving the rule of law."
Proponents providing major funding to Pearce's opponent, Kevin Gibbons,
are often related to agricultural, fast food, and homebuilding businesses.
Many are also major donors to the perversely named "Stop Illegal Hiring"
initiative that would gut Arizona's
employer sanctions law. Another major factor in the MCRC's decision was
the high-profile support Gibbons is receiving from Democrat legislators and
party leaders, including Yuma State Representative Lynne Pancrazi and 2006 U.S.
Senate candidate and Democrat party boss Jim Pedersen.
As one "Yes" vote observed during the discussion of the endorsement, "The
Democrats already have one candidate in the general election. They don't
deserve to have two shots at the seat."
The MCRC endorsement allows the Maricopa County Republican Committee to use its
resources and large grassroots organizations to get involved on Pearce's
behalf. Several district chairmen involved in the endorsement have
indicated that they will be lining up volunteers to phone bank and door knock
on Pearce's behalf.
