Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, we learned earlier this week, is rumored to be planning to base her hypothetical presidential campaign in Scottsdale, but GOP sources tell New Times the one-time darling of the Conservative movement might be coming to the Grand Canyon State for a different reason: to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Jon Kyl.
Sadly, it makes sense.
Arizona is the Mecca of Conservative kookdom, so it would be much easier for someone like Palin to get elected here than it would be for her to get elected nationally -- where the far-right-wing agenda is much less popular.
In fact, early polling numbers show that if Palin were to run for president, she'd probably never make it out of the primary.
According to a recent poll of Republican voters in New Hampshire
-- a critical state in any presidential primary -- Palin is viewed
unfavorably by a full 50 percent of likely Republican primary voters,
compared to the 33 percent who view her favorably.
She trails both Mitt Romney and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
(neither of whom ever starred in their own reality TV show).
In other words, despite her one-time popularity amongst the
far-right-wingers, even Palin has to know that any chance of her
becoming president is slim.
GOP sources tell New Times Palin fell in love with Arizona while
campaigning with Senator John McCain during the 2008 presidential race,
and that she already owns a home here. Although, no record of any Sarah
Palin-owned property in Maricopa County is found on the County
Assessor's website (there are, however, four homes owned by people with
the last name Palin, and homes owned by people with the same names as
Palin's sister and father).
Not to mention, Palin's daughter Bristol's inexplicable move to
Maricopa, which we'll now assume had more to do with her mother's future
plans than her desire to see Mexico from her back porch.
Congressman Jeff Flake is the only declared candidate for the seat,
however, former TV pitchman J.D. Hayworth, fagala-fearing Congressman
Trent Franks, and several other local GOPers have expressed an interest
in the seat.
Palin's capable of raising a lot of money, which spells trouble for
other Republicans looking to run. Hayworth and Franks would likely bow
out (although, watching three crazy people argue over who's crazier
could be fun).
Flake, a refreshing voice of sanity in Arizona's Republican Party, would likely have his hands full, too.
Flake's position on amnesty
doesn't sit well with many brown-fearing Arizonan Republicans, and he,
too, would be at a disadvantage when it comes to coming up with the cash
needed to take on Palin in a primary.
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but if Palin were to run for Senate in Arizona, there's a pretty good chance she'd win.
