I'm Not Sick -- And My Opponent's Gay! Jan Brewer's Campaign Fights Health Rumor by Trying to Out Terry Goddard

Jan Brewer's campaign fought back hard today against rumors that the Arizona governor's health is in question -- by questioning the sexuality of her opponent. Brewer issued a strong statement today denying rumors that she might be too ill to serve a four-year term. Former New Times reporter John Dougherty repeated the rumor on...

By Ray Stern

October 12, 2010

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Jan Brewer's campaign fought back hard today against rumors that the Arizona governor's health is in question -- by questioning the sexuality of her opponent.

Brewer issued a strong statement today denying rumors that she might be too ill to serve a four-year term. Former New Times reporter John Dougherty repeated the rumor on his Facebook page recently.

HighGround, the PR firm used by Brewer's campaign, then posted an old court transcript citing rumors that Brewer's Democratic opponent, Terry Goddard, is gay.

Na-na-na-na-na.

The unsigned HighGround post comes complete with a Seinfeld-esque disclaimer that there's nothing wrong with being gay.

Of course, the post itself and link say it all.

We're not sure where the "Brewer is sick" rumor came from. She looks, well, offbeat in her new TV ad, her head bobbling around like it's on a spring. And we're guessing she drove, not hiked, to the top of South Mountain for that viewpoint shot.

Barring health issues, her appearance isn't what's at stake in the November election. Neither is Goddard's sexuality.

But Brewer clearly wants to be the state's biggest Queen of Gossip.

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Ray Stern is the former news editor of Phoenix New Times. He worked as a newspaper reporter in Arizona for more than two decades. He's won numerous awards for his reporting, including the Arizona Press Club's Don Bolles Award for Investigative Journalism.