Raising Arizona

Okay, Janet, you won. Now what?

A A A Comments By Robert Nelson Thursday, Nov 9 2006

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What if Janet could help make Arizona's government representative of the people again?

As it now stands, a tiny but deeply engaged minority of Arizonans, perhaps 10 percent, push ultra-conservative candidates in gerrymandered districts past moderate Republicans in the primaries, then into office by garnering the majority Republican vote in the general elections.

Joe Forkan

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An overhaul of the system, ungutted like past reform attempts, is badly needed, analysts suggest.

Or, even more daring, what about a new coalition of moderate Democrats and Republicans led by Napolitano, a third party of sorts, an entity that could work to galvanize support, especially in the primaries, for Arizona's moderate, progressive thinkers regardless of political affiliation?

Okay, maybe Janet Napolitano isn't Teddy Roosevelt.

But heck, she's better than John C. Frémont, who often gets the nod for Worst Arizona Governor. And even Frémont was able to make history playing political maverick when the current political system broke down. In 1856, before his failed stint as our governor, he was the first candidate for president for another brand-new political group, the Republican Party.