PEARCE RECALL LOOMS, WITH NATIONAL ATTENTION

posted by Lucy Valencia

An election that might otherwise escape much attention is the object of intense national interest and is splitting Arizona along racial and political lines.

The election will decide on the recall of Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, the author of the anti-illegal immigration law known as SB1070. Pearce is opposed by fellow Republican Jerry Lewis, considered a moderate.

A driving force behind immigration reform, Pearce is one of Arizona’s most powerful politicians.

Supporters describe him as a principled lawmaker, trying to protect his state. His critics shun the health and education budget cuts he has passed, but set out to recall him based on his immigration stance.

As the election draws closer, Pearce has doubled-down and isn't apologizing for anything.

On Nov. 8, voters in west Mesa’s Legislative District 18 will decide between Pearce and Lewis, who is a political newcomer.

Pearce is making U.S. history as the first sitting state senate president and the first sitting state lawmaker in Arizona to face a recall.

He was reelected last November with 57 percent of the vote, but activists began asking for a recall three weeks after the legislative session started.

At the start of the recall, Pearce faced two opponents: Lewis and Olivia Cortes.

But soon, Cortes’ candidacy was challenged. People speculated she was a sham, recruited by Pearce’s supporters to snag Latino votes from Lewis.

In court, Cortes said she did not know who paid for her signature gatherers or designed her Website, according to the Arizona Republic. She actually had not done much of her own campaigning.

A judge then agreed Pearce’s supporters had drafted Cortes in hopes of splitting votes, but that since she had done nothing wrong, Cortes could stay on the ballot.

Pearce opponents felt this was all they proof they needed to link Cortes to Pearce’s campaign, and immediately pushed the judge for a second hearing.

But before that, Cortes dropped out of the race due to “constant intimidation and harassment,” the Republic reported.

It is too late to take Cortes' name off the ballot, and some people feel this could still allow her to peel away votes from Lewis, thereby helping Pearce win.

Tune in to Arizona Week next week to hear more about the issue.

AZ SENATE RACE ALREADY GETTING EXPENSIVE

posted by Michael Chihak

Campaign financing reports for U.S. Senate in Arizona show more than $3.7 million in hand for three candidates. And that's just the beginning, a political and campaign analyst predicts.

The Arizona Capitol Times reports that Republican Jeff Flake, now a member of Congress, had the most in hand as of the end of September, $2.3 million.

The Capitol Times also reports that Republican Wil Cardon had $1.1 million, including $770,000 of his own money, and Democrat Don Bivens had $325,000.

Flake brought in the most in the third quarter, $556,000. Cardon and Bivens also raised significant sums. Cardon brought in $402,000. Bivens raised $325,000 in six weeks following his candidacy announcement.

Norman J. Ornstein, a research scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and an expert on campaign financing, predicts in an interview for Friday's Arizona Week that the campaign will get much more expensive, driven perhaps by groups not directly affiliated with the candidates.

"We're going to see millions poured into advertising," Ornstein says. " ... So brace yourselves. For the commercial television stations, it's going to be a great year, because they're going to get full-priced or even premiums paid for advertising. For the rest of us, it's going to be awful."

Watch the full interview with Ornstein Friday at 8:30 p.m. MST on PBS-HD-6.