This was a far bigger game, and Arpaio truly was Goliath to Democrat Paul Penzone's David. Except, this time around, Goliath lifted one colossal foot and brought it smashing down on David's head.
Penzone's camp did well in fundraising for any normal county sheriff's race, more than $500,000 according to Penzone's pre-Election Day finance report.
He was able to buy targeted ads on TV and radio. But what I mostly saw were Arpaio ads.
And that was deadly. Not only was Arpaio able to reframe his image and portray himself as a grandfatherly lawman who loves little kids, hugs former inmates, and keeps the county safe — contrary to his record — he was able to label Penzone as a wife-abuser in mailers, robo-calls, and in one particularly devastating TV ad.
To its credit, the local news media followed my lead and exposed the ad for the massive lie it was. I first wrote about Penzone's 2003 altercation with his ex-wife in July. After Arpaio's dirty commercial dropped in October, TV news outlets and the Arizona Republic rewarded Penzone with positive coverage, pointing out how misleading the Arpaio ad was.
Penzone's name recognition was relatively low, despite his stint as the face of the Phoenix Police Department's Silent Witness program, and the attack by Arpaio was the first introduction many ever had to the former Phoenix police sergeant.
Realistically, Penzone started with baggage. That baggage could have been negated, but as I pointed out in my October 4 cover story on the race ("Paul Penzone Can Beat Arpaio If He Turns Up the Heat"), people had to see and hear Penzone for him to win their support.
Although I believe the Penzone camp could have done a better job scoring earned media, they were hobbled by the presence in the race of Republican-turned-Independent goofball Mike Stauffer.
Just as Arpaio refused to debate or appear with Penzone, the Democrat turned down any media opportunities in the general election that would include Stauffer. Because Stauffer's name was on the ballot, many media outlets felt obliged to cover him.
The strategy may have held Stauffer to his meager 4.5 percent, which is where his numbers were as this column went to press.
That 4.5 percent did not cost Penzone the election, though if you add it to the Democrats' 44 percent, it brings Penzone within three points of Arpaio: 48 percent to the incumbent's 51 percent. And that gap may narrow more as the county completes its count of early and provisional ballots.
But if the votes for Stauffer would not have gotten Penzone over the hump (assuming that Penzone garnered them in Stauffer's absence), Stauffer — along with Penzone's primary challenger, fired Goodyear cop John Rowan — hurt Penzone's chances in another way.
According to Penzone communications director Stacy Pearson, some contributors stayed away from Penzone, first because he had a primary challenger and later because of Stauffer's futile bid.
Maricopa County Democratic Chair Ann Wallack helped recruit Penzone, and she and others attempted to dissuade Rowan, knowing that his entry into the Democratic field would hurt the larger goal of beating Arpaio.
As with those deeply disturbed individuals who championed Stauffer, a guy who did little campaigning and even less fundraising, there should be some special ward in the state mental hospital reserved for Rowan supporters. That is, unless their goal was helping Arpaio win.
"Arizona's national reputation is one that's pretty squirrelly," Pearson noted. "Despite our guarantee [to potential donors outside the state] that Paul was going to get out of the primary, no one can realistically guarantee anything in Arizona politics."
Republican operative Carlos Sierra started off as a Stauffer supporter but switched as soon as it became evident that Stauffer and his screwy Svengali, West Kenyon, were not intent on running a credible campaign.
So he teamed with Democratic state House member Ruben Gallego to run the independent expenditure committee Citizens for Responsible Law Enforcement. Sierra says they ended up raising about $300,000 to target Arpaio in the hope of helping Penzone, and the group was able to run TV ads.
But CRLE got a late start, and though the group scored more big contributions toward the end of the campaign, that's the worst time to buy advertising in a state where most people mail in early ballots rather than go to the polls.
Stauffer definitely harmed their fundraising efforts, Sierra told me.
"When we were trying to raise funds, that was a concern to people," he said. "It's like, 'Well, you guys already have an uphill battle, and it's even harder with a third-party candidate.'"
Sierra says he and Gallego could have "raised more money and convinced more people that it could have been done" if Stauffer had not been a factor.
Perhaps that's why, in the wake of Penzone's loss, restlessness and discontent plague all those who backed Penzone — because they know the job is left undone.
Citizens for a Better Arizona (as well as Adios Arpaio, the ACLU, and the local Progressive Democrats of America) have complained loudly, demonstrating in Central Phoenix over the number of provisional ballots handed out on Election Day.
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Enjoy your victory while you can, Obamacare is going to tank the economy and the Fed's ability to prop up the Democrat spending machine is already losing steam fast. 2013 is going to be an ugly year no matter how you look at it, and the Dems now own it lock, stock and barrel.
and maybe arizona can seccede too. brewer wants to patrol the border as do two other sherriffs. let them seccede then the federal government can say good luck arizona, you're on your own. course we can always apply for foreign aid.
I thought we should now announce our Victory - us hippie community organizers kicked the bully right wing conservatives out of power - let this be a lesson to you on the right - Don't Fugk with ACORN!
i'm ready for a shooting war...fags and homos don't stand a chance against heavily armed men. don't think the 2nd ammendment is for shooting furry eoodland critters. it's so i can form militia to shoot big government politicians
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@reelman Us hippie community organizers kicked your butts this election and if you try any crap again, we'll take away your toys and make you go sit in a corner.
if i remember correctly Odumbo thought it would be a great idea to "dig a moat along the U.S. Mexico border then fill it with alligators"
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@reelman No, you're not remembering correctly - President Obama stated: ""Maybe they'll need a moat. Maybe they'll want alligators in the moat. They'll never be satisfied." He was referring to your LOSER buddies in the bigoted anti-brown immigrant movement. Despite having secured the border (more so than at any time during history!) and deported significant amounts of people here with improper documentation - you still are crying like little children. Wah Wah Wah. Hey - buck up buddy - you 're not a real man unless you can stand to lose and not stamp your feet and cry. Real Men, like Washington and Jefferson didn't jump up and down and throw a tantrum every time they lost - they realized that the method of democracy our Republic set in place wasn't something that was all about them. It was about our country and the citizens coming together, win or lose, and building a better nation and a more perfect union. You're a fugking crybaby that has no business being in any sort of leadership position. You don't love this country and you certainly don't mean me or mine any good - so get to stepping A-Hole!
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@ExpertShot I believe that people born here should have first shot at jobs. That does NOT make me a bigot. That means that I know what is going on and I do not appreciate the PTB pitting one population against another. I believe that our antiquated concepts of nationhood only serve to pull the wool over our eyes so we can be useful idiots for the 1%. Anybody can see that all our politicians and business people have gone global. Allowing illegals to stay serves multiple purposes of the 1% - not we the people. At least the government of Mexico knows what's up and let's them keep their citizenship - you can tar us all with the same brush but in truth there are many complex reasons that people are against illegals and they do not all add up to racism and bigotry. Repeated inability to grasp these complexities proves the intellect or agenda of the name caller. . . or both. Many of us understand all too well the position the illegals are in and we do not support it - we have just come to a different conclusion than yourself as to proper course of action. Meanwhile I think that the ability to keep permanent records of everything people say and do is a very scary thing. While many of us dislike much of what Krysten has said and done in the past we also suspect that it is just the unfortunate result of having growing pains in the public eye. So we hope that our support of her was not misplaced. I don't know if Washington & Jefferson jumped up and down with tantrums when they lost cuz I wasn't there. They were of a class (wealth) that permitted them to go down in history and also to control info that was left to posterity. There was much argumentation that only landed gentry be allowed to vote but to keep the illusion alive so as to promote economic growth they decided on the Electoral College instead - citizens coming together is mostly also illusory. Maybe those 2 newscasters in Bangor ME can afford to make a statement but most of us would have our families be homeless in a few short weeks if we tried to stage, say, an Orange Revolution. Free Speech is sufficiently stifled, especially in this conservative right to work state, by necessity home of the world's first and largest food bank.
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"racist tea party" ... you're putting down a black man for disagreing with your wrong opinion . sounds more like a donkey writer stuck squarely in obamas ass .
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Sorry to burst your democratic bubble but OUR ELECTIONS ARE RIGGED by corrupt government workers. There is no doubt about it. Check out FB page "PDA Clean Fair Transparent Elections" for specific details. Flake and Arpaio never "won" anymore than their opponents lost. I am just wondering when the media will really take up this subject? I think they're afraid to.
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Great Article Mr. Lemons, thanks! As for @legitquestions; : I remember back in the 80's when some bigshot Texas politician wanted to sell bricks, (for donations,) to build a "wall" around Texas to keep all of us out. I was thrilled, & was going to buy as many as I could to help keep them IN! On a side note, I lived for a couple of years in Key West, who just this Spring celebrated the 30-year anniversary of their famed, but very short-lived, (try exactly one minute,) secession, thus creating their Conch Republic. The whole thing was in response to the U.S. Border Patrol setting up a check-point/blockade at the Northern border to the Keys to search cars for illegal aliens, resulting in a massive traffic jam, loss of revenue from tourists, as well as cutting the islands off from deliveries of pretty much everything. After seceding by breaking a loaf of Cuban bread over a man dressed as a Naval Officer, then reading their "Proclamation of Secession," their Mayor, and self-proclaimed Prime Minister, surrendered to the Feds who had already gathered, he demanded one billion dollars in foreign aid and war relief so they could "rebuild the republic after the long Federal siege." The only result was that they proudly fly their Conch Republic flag underneath the American Flag and celebrate for a week every April with just one more excuse for parades, floats, public drinking/partying, and all the revenue that tens of thousands of tourists pump into the economy. While I lived there, it seemed that once or twice a month, there was some week-long festival or another, with street fairs, parades, etc., and the 'Conchs" wore their "independence" proudly, and loudly, if I might add..
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I've started a petition asking that Texas be removed from the United States. I'm tired of and annoyed with their continued veiled and not so veiled threats about wanting to secede. They want to go - I'm willing to push them out. Sign my petition at We The People on the White House website: http://wh.gov/X9J1.
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@LegitQuestions -- OK with me. And let's dump the rest of the Old Confederacy with Texas. Without those 13 states, we would have a great nation once again. The Southern states--and not the 47%--are the real takers in this country. Without them, we probably would not have a debt crisis. Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, etc.---all they do is cost the rest of us money. Get rid of--not just Texas--all of them!
@fredhawley @LegitQuestions True that Fred! These lazy assed hillbillys are taking the highest amounts of federal dollars in assistance. You know what their excuse is? They don't have slaves around to give them an economic advantage anymore so they need assistance to make up for the hard work slaves used to. After over 100 years they're still dependent on others to do their work for them. Lazy assed rednecks! Get a job!
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It would appear to me that the right wing has done quite well in Maricopa County. At a time when their poster boy Sheriff was at his most vaulrnable, they managed to retain him against all odds.
This of course was done with much assistance from the Maricopa County Democratic Party and the brilliant leadership of Ann Wallack. The Tea Baggers and their faithful following owe quite a debt of gratitude to Queen Ann for her brilliant choice of a totally un-electable candidate while purposely snubbing the one experienced and educated candidate that could have unseated their idol.
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The right wing must also acknowledge the crucial assistance rendered by Maricopa County’s newest money driven drama queen/Media whore, Mr. Randy Parraz. From the very beginning and well before the primary election, Mr. Parraz was working hard to lend credibility to the improper selection and immediately jump into the spotlight as the loudest cheerleader for the latest dumbass, doomed to fail attempt to unseat Arpaio.
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The same dumb assed strategies that were used in the three prior elections equaled the same results. Are you surprised? I have a request for Mr. Parraz; either get a damned job and quit trying to make a living off of people’s misery or stick to the small stuff like helping with issues in a single legislative district. Your latest actions have proven that you don’t know your tail end from a torta when it comes to countywide elections. The absolute last thing this community needs is another activist with a personal agenda.
@vlhhwood1626 you are soooo dead on with respect to the idiocy of arizona's democratic party. they are a bunch of silly old government bureaucrats who couldn't win an election if their life depended on it. in addition to their stupidity - our elections are rigged and they refuse to stop it because they would have to stop their own operatives too. and we the public - well we just watch our democracy being taken away from us little by little.
@vlhhwood1626 Parraz recalled Pearce and helped defeat him a second time this year. What have you done lately?
Wallack found the best candidate she could. She approached others that turned the party down. Would you rather no one ran on the D side, like in the county attorney race?
And that "totally unelectable candidate" pulled more than half a million votes, more than 44 percent against an incumbent with 100 percent name recognition and 7 million bucks to spend.
Not bad for his first time. Who would you have picked to run?
It's easy to run your mouth, it's tougher to come up with alternatives.
“Parraz recalled Pearce and helped defeat him a second time this year. What have you done lately?”
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So you would have people believe that the only way to have assisted with the Pearce recall or prevent a Pearce Re-election was to become involved with Randy and the CBA?
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Parraz HELPED and I repeat HELPED recall Pearce. I have done plenty over the years and I also worked hard to try and prevent the recent catastrophe that was fully supported by Randy Parraz. You have another 4 years of Arpaio, that’s the only result you need to address.
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“Wallack found the best candidate she could. She approached others that turned the party down.”
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Really? I was aware of only one, but since you are so much better informed on the topic than I, perhaps you could provide a list of the people that she approached. No?...I thought so.
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“And that "totally unelectable candidate" pulled more than half a million votes, more than 44 percent against an incumbent with 100 percent name recognition and 7 million bucks to spend.”
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Are you truly this ignorant of the facts or are you just desperate for something to say?
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Any idiot knows that you could run ANY candidate against Joe Arpaio and garner 40%-45% of the vote. There is a large amount of Anti-Joe votes to be had by ANY candidate, THIS HAS NEVER BEEN ENOUGH TO MAKE IT OVER THE TOP..DUH!!! Check all of the previous elections, has this EVER worked? Has Arpaio EVER been defeated by nominating a substandard candidate and trying to push him through to victory with ONLY the strong Anti-Joe vote?
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“It's easy to run your mouth; it's tougher to come up with alternatives.”
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I only run my mouth when I become frustrated at the idiots who try and shape the political landscape around here when they don't have a damned clue what they are doing. There are probably few other places in the Country where politics are so closely tied to human rights issues. People suffer, families are torn apart and some people even die because of the choices made in this political arena. This is no place for naive kids and old bingo hall farts that have no life to PLAY politics. And yes I have one very good alternative, ‘keep self promoting, money driven fake activists out of Arizona politics.
@vlhhwood1626 meh, either learn how to craft an argument using fact and cogent thought, and less naked declarations or become accustomed to being ignored.
If your post is an example of how you sought to nominate your "more qualified" candidate, it is no surprise s/he didn't get in.
I posted to make a statement, sorry if you mistook it for an asshole magnet and felt compelled to respond. Put the crack pipe down and type something that makes sense and perhaps I will respond back to you. This is the stupidest attempt at a reply that I have ever read. Nothing you said makes sense, I guess that explains your screen name.
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@truconserv @vlhhwood1626 "meh," isn't that one of those cliches only old smelly farts use?
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Now if we can only get rid of John McCain! McCain is everything that you don't want in a politicians. He's a pathological liar, a racist, a hate monger and a warmonger!
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Even John McCain is now speaking out against Arpaio. Probably just another flip-flop but it was refreshing to hear.
One day Arizona will indeed be blue, but why? Because of law breakers from south of the border. Because their women cross our border pregnant in order to take advantage of us. And now we have a President who has ordered deportations to stop. Apparently there weren't enough lawbreakers registered to vote for Randy Parraz and "Citizens for Arizona to be garbage just like California" to kick good ole Sheriff Joe out of office!
the only one in this entire thread that makes sense'arpaio is the only person that goes by the constitution,if you are illegal in this country you should be deported and not welcmed with open arms.this dream act horseshit is not our problem ,it''s the parents problem .round them up and deport each and every one .young ,old and students also.[casey]
Calling Mitt Romney "lame, Leave It To Beaver" - shows the ignorance of Lemons and is further proof that Obama is nothing more than a celebrity. The most important quality in a President or a leader is NOT how slick or cool they are.
@Z-liberator Your comebacks are weak and predictable, and you call ME stupid? I've worked 40+ hours a week nonstop since I was 18. I haven't once in my life been "unemployed." If I was, I'd support a corrupt, liberal administration who never wants the unemployed to ever work again.
@allanbartlett @swmkm I can't get over how people think people should kiss their a***es because they work for a living. Most people do. It is not at all unusual to work for a living.
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The biggest problem is semi-reasonable Republican legislators (think Burton Barr types), have kowtowed to tea bagged lunatics or they will get a primary challenge. So they have to rant about taxes, and , and immigration hordes to look good and ignore what is best for Arizona. Education funding is joke in this State, but the knuckle draggers will blame budget woes on Health care costs or the high price of State workers, and bubbleheaded Brewer will Repeat whatever Goldwater, ALEC, or Cathi Herrod puts into her head. How about doing something for the actual good of the citizens instead of the three previously mentioned groups for once.
Hey Reggie, "semi-reasonable"? Do you mean the Burton Barr who parleyed the Outer loop freeway into millions by using his Maricopa Assn of Govts membership into a half dozen very "prescient" land deals with the State transportation Dept?
Then these "reasonable" people ran an honest man, Evan Mecham, out of office on trumped up charges he was later cleared of..
The difference here is illegal or legal, not reasonable.
Bill Heuisler @
Comrade Obama fooled you all again. LOL. You bong suckers will believe ANYTHING. Ha ha ha ha ha. You got what you deserve. A big phony. Ha ha ha ha.
speaking of sucking...How does shurff joe wops cock taste? Marinara sauce, grease?
brewers sons asshole?
@robertnovack Bobby - your candidate got beat by a hippie community organizer!!! We WHUPPED your ass boy - now get out there and bring me a bud and I DON'T mean a beer!
This ought to teach you not to Fugk with ACORN!!!!! Associated Community Organizations for Reform NOW! Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country - ACORN - Time to reform and get buzy!http://www.calorganize.org/node/683
Yawn, you lost me when you called the Tea Party racist. Calling people racist without any evidence (I'm not arguing that there aren't any racist Tea Partiers, but any large group of people has its racists, I'm just saying there is no evidence that the platform is racist) is like equating someone to Hitler. It smacks of losing argument resulting to offensive name calling. I'll try again next time.
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@martin_mix Then tell them to stop forwarding my dad hoards of racist emails so he'll stop forwarding them into me and my hispanic wife's shared inbox.
@teknik @martin_mix teknik - I work for one of those people who receives 100s of these bigoted false and misleading emails - it's disgusting. No wonder they lost the election, they are so bald-faced stupid!
@martin_mix So NT is hiring 8th grade writers? Pretty lame and stock article. The democrats do train their sales people well. If you repeat a lie often enough, the sheeple willl soon believe it.
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@martin_mix I think it night be all the Kenya, "not an American", birther crap, hate speech and witch doctor posters that gave us that idea. So if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck.....well you know.
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