Jim Pederson appears to have picked up some steam in his race with Jon Kyl. The latest polls show him getting closer to Kyl. He still has a ways to go (down 10 points) but this is much better than his standing a month ago. Nevertheless, Jim needs to get more exposure. Click here to read this story from KOLD TV.

Republicans are becoming increasingly anxious about the race for Arizona’s Congressional District 8. Months ago, Jim Kolbe announced his retirement and opened the floodgates for candidates from both parties. Then earlier this month, there were the “Push Polls” designed to suppress Patty Weiss as a Democratic candidate. Now the Republican party is injecting cash into the Huffington campaign in an effort to stop Randy Graf whom they view as non-candidate in the general election despite the fact that he seems to be the favorite of the far right wing of the Republican Neo-Con Party.

The “Push Polls,” as we reported here, were paid for by the Republican National Congressional Committee for a Utah based firm to call thousands of voters in CD8 urging them to dump Patty Weiss and vote for Gabrielle Giffords. Ostensibly, the Republicans believe that Patty Weiss may be “unbeatable” in a general election against any Republican that they may run including Huffington. But polls indicate that both she and Gabrielle Giffords would mop the floor with Randy Graf, the Republican front-runner.

Now it appears that the Republicans are turning their attention to the other side of the equation. Yesterday, a mailer from the Huffington campaign described Graf as “irresponsible and dangerous for our future,” How’s that for “negative campaigning?” Today, the Arizona Star indicates that the Republican National Committee is putting money into the PRIMARY race to boost Huffington. Click here for the story about Republicans putting cash on Huffington. Talk about “eating your young!”

We Democrats follow a strict policy of not endorsing our Democratic primary candidates until they have been selected by the people. The Republicans are simply interested in winning by any means possilble. However, the tactic doesn’t do much for “party harmony and unity.” Tsk, tsk.

Sponsored by The Friends of Janet Napolitano in Oro Valley and Rancho Vistoso, Janet Napolitano will appear at a gala reception at the Hilton El Conquistador Hotel on Sunday afternoon, August 27th. Tickets are $30 for the general reception and $100 for a private event preceeding the general reception. The event will start at about 2pm and run for about two hours. This is a great opportunity for SaddleBrooke residents to meet and greet our Governor. Technically Janet is runing against an opponent but not many see chances for Republicans here!

For tickets or information, call Mike or Chris Dayton at 742-3774.

On Tuesday, August 24th, Elizabeth Hess is hosting an informal brunch and meeting with representatives of Jim Pederson’s campaign staff. The brunch will start at about 10am and run to about 11:30 am. A discussion of Jim Pederson’s stance on the issues and the campaign strategy especially for SaddleBrooke residents will be lead by David Knight, Regional Field Coordinator for the Southern Arizona Campaign.

Please call Elizabeth to RSVP for this event at 818-2557. Her address is 37827 S Ocotillo Canyon Drive in Unit 21.

Rudy Georgini, candidate for Superior Court Judge Div 3, is coming to SaddleBrooke for a house party on the afternoon of August 24th from 4pm to 6pm. The event is hosted by Elizabeth Hess and co-sponsored by Mark & Stephanie Griffith.

Rudy Georgini is challenging to become the Superior Court Judge for Division 3. Come and listen to Rudy tell us why we need a fresh look on the bench. The event will be at 37827 S. Ocotillo Canyon Drive in SaddleBrooke, Unit 21. Call Elizabeth at 825-2577 for information or email to hessel@wbhsi.net

On Tuesday afternoon, August 22nd, from 4pm to 6pm, Jeff Latas candidate for congress in congressional district 8 will be in SaddleBrooke for a house party. Ron and Amelia Stovall are graciously opening their home for the event. Please plan on coming to hear Jeff’s positions and views of the upcomming Democratic primary.

Please call the Stovall’s to RSVP at 818-9459.

John Englebertson, a SaddleBrooke resident, got a telephone call the other evening. He was not alone. It was a Republican sponsored “Push Poll.” Hundreds of calls have come into SaddleBrooke and thousands more may have come into southern Arizona’s eighth congressional district. The calls are from Western Wats, an Orem, Utah-based company, under contract to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

The callers identify themselves as calling from the Mountain West Research Center and state that the purpose of the call is to conduct a “poll.” In the course of the conversation, the caller accuses Patty Weiss of serious wrongdoing and at the same time praises Gabrielle Giffords, her opponent. The calls are targeting Democrats in the Arizona Eighth Congressional District who are consistent voters. After an investigation, the Weiss campaign has concluded that the “Push Poll” smear tactic is actually paid for by the NRCC.

Push Polls have been conducted by Western Wats in various locations around the country. Reports have linked Western Wats to the congressional race in New York’s 20^th District where Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand is campaigning, using the same despicable tactics there. Weeks ago, the same firm conducted Push Polls in the Connecticut primary between Joe Liberman and Ned Lamont. As reported in the Albany-Times Union, Western Wats is under contract with the Tarrance Company, a firm that had received, as of the latest Federal Election Campaign filing $391,087 from the NRCC. The Tarrance Company has also received to date $16,275 from the Republicans.

Reactions among Democrats have ranged from outrage to a rather pleased understanding that the tactic underlies real Republican fear about impending loss of the Eighth District seat to the Democrats.

Paul Eckerstrom, former Pima County Democratic chair, expressed the positive view. “Karl Rove and his cronies would not target a candidate unless they perceived that candidate to be a serious threat,” said Eckerstrom. “This most recent smear tactic just proves what we already knew: Patty Weiss is the strongest candidate – Republican or Democrat – in this race.”

Patty Weiss, for her part, commented “This type of attack is politics at its absolute worst. I believe the voters are smarter than to be fooled by vicious smear tactics.”

Here are several links to other aspects of the story. Click here to read a Patty Weiss press release that gives a good summary of the story. Click here to read the story in the Arizona Star. Click here to read the story in the Albany-Times Union. Click here to read more about Push Polls. Lastly, click here to read a warning about “Push Polls” by the National Council on Public Polls.

If you are outraged by these underhanded Republican tactics, we urge you to call the Arizona Democratic Party (602-298-4200) and the Democratic National Committee at (202-863-8000) express your views and ask them to denounce this interference by the Republicans in our Arizona Democratic primary.

Perhaps the most famous use of Push Polls was in the 2000 United States Republican Party primaries, when George W. Bush’s campaign used push polling to torpedo the campaign of Senator John McCain. Voters in South Carolina reportedly were asked “Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for John McCain for president if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?”, an allegation that had no substance, but planted the idea of undisclosed allegations in the minds of thousands of primary voters. McCain and his wife had in fact adopted a Bangladeshi girl.

Patty Weiss came to SaddleBrooke on Thrusday evening, August 17th “Cool Drinks and Warm Conversation.” The well attended event was a great success. Patty is, as we all know well, runnning for Congress’s Eighth Arizona district in a hotly contested Democratic Primary.

Detriot District Federal Judge Anna Taylor ruled that the NSA’s warrantless wiretap program is an unconstitutional breech of free speech and the right of privacy and that, as such, the program ordered by W (worst ever) is illegal and must cease at once. In a ruling sure to cause lots of discussion, the Judge’s 42 page was unequivocal. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union challenging the right of the administration to listen and record millions of phone converstations here in the United States without obtaining permission (a warrant) from the judicial system. As such, Judge Taylor also ruled that the program amounted to abuse of power on the part of the administration.

The administration was rebuffed in its argument that the program was well within the powers granted to the Presidents. However, government lawyers argued that it could not prove so without revealing “state-secrets”. (As Democrats we are facinated to hear the Bush Administration, talk about “state-secrets” in the same way Khruschev discussed them in the fifties.)

Click here to read the story on the Associated Press.

The Pinal County Democrats hold their meetings at 7pm on the third Wednesday of each month in Florence. We generally gather for a dutch treat supper at about 5:30 pm at the Mount Athos Greek Resturant at 444 N Pinal Parkway, in Florence. This is great opportunity to meet and greet fellow Democrats in informal setting. The meeting is held at the offices of the Pinal County Attorney at 31 N Pinal St. Carpooling is generally available from SaddleBrooke. Hope to see you there!