U.S. Senate:

J.D. Hayworth – Endorsed. He is not perfect but he is noticeably more conservative than McCain.

John McCain – NO. He has been in Washington 28 years. Do we need to say more.

Jim Deakin – We have nothing against Jim, we are just going with Hayworth proven conservative record.

CD 1:

Rusty Bowers – Endorsed. A solid conservative record and strong character. A great fit with such a rural district.

CD 2:

Trent Franks – Endorsed+. Explanation not needed.

CD 3:

Sam Crump – Endorsed. There are some other good conservatives in the race but Sam has the most consistent record.

CD 5:

David Schweikert – Endorsed. His conservative legislative record is excellent.

CD 7:

Ruth McClung – Endorsed.

CD 8:

Jesse Kelly – Endorsed.

STATE:

Governor:

Jan Brewer – Endorsed. Yes, she pushed through a tax increase, get over it. She is excellent on all other issues and the other contenders suspended their campaigns.

Attorney General:

Tom Horne – Recommended. We won’t even try to make the case that Horne is more conservative than Thomas. He is more competent though. Horne picks his battles and wins them, notably Horne vs. Flores.

Andrew Thomas – Normally our kind of conservative but his witch hunt against judges was the bridge too far. Worse, he did not win any of those high profile battles. His style would not be effective in the AG’s office.

Corporation Commission:

Gary Pierce – Endorsed. Gary is a solid, free market conservative.

Brenda Burns – Endorsed. Good conservative record from the legislature.

Barry Wong – RINO alert. Wong is a big government regulator who wants to drive up the cost of energy by increasing the alternative mandate. His record from his time in the legislature was not good.

Treasurer:

Thayer Verschoor – Endorsed. Great conservative record.

LD 4 House:

Judy Burges – Endorsed+. One of our top 5 favorite conservatives in the legislature. She earns a + by her endorsement.

Jack Harper – Endorsed. Proven conservative.

LD 4 Senate:

Scott Bundgaard – Endorsed. Good record from previous legislative service.

Shawn Kohner – He looks like an excellent conservative. We are going with Bundgaard because of his record.

Tony Bouie – RINO alert.

LD 5 House:

Brenda Barton – Endorsed.

Chester Crandell – Endorsed.

LD 5 Senate:

Sylvia Allen – Endorsed. Very solid conservative on all issues.

Bill Konopnicki – NO. Weak on illegal immigration and fiscal issues but  generally OK on social issues.

LD 6 Senate:

Lori Klein – Endorsed.

LD 6 House:

Carl Seel – Endorsed+. This guy is the definition of principled conservative.

David Fitzgerald – Endorsed.

LD 12 Senate:

Clark Silver – No mention of social issues on web site issue page.

John Nelson – NO. Moderate voting record.

Eve Nunez – NO. She lost us at “By enabling renewable energy … we can … lower energy demands.” She does not support SB1070.

LD 18 Senate:

Russell Pearce – Endorsed+

LD 23 Senate:

Steve Smith

LD 25

LD 26 Senate:

Al Melvin – Endorsed. No primary challenger but we are still endorsing him.

LD 27 House:

During the concert, Sir Elton didn’t mince words about those demanding that he boycott Arizona and cancel his concert as a protest of SB 1070.  We won’t repeat his exact words but he made it clear that he wouldn’t have missed playing Tucson for the world and curtly told the Boycott Arizona mafia that he did not agree with them.  According to the Justice listener, John’s comments were well received by the audience who gave him a roaring applause.

I thought, wow, this is kind of newsworthy so I went to the Arizona Daily Star to check out the concert review. 

You want to know what the Arizona Daily Star review said about Elton John’s comments and favorable audience response?

NOTHING.  NOT A SINGLE WORD.

A 600 plus word concert review, Cathalena Burch didn’t even mention this.

So then I checked out the comments, and, sure enough, John’s comments were mentioned there.  Barring some hoax about the comments it makes one wonder.

Why didn’t Burch mention that in her review?  Could it be that they don’t want their readers to know that a major musical talent told the boycott Arizona crowd to stuff it?  Could it be that she did write about it and the Star editors cut it from the story because it doesn’t fit the dialogue they are pushing that Arizona is being economically harmed by SB 1070?  Maybe she went to get a soda when he said that.  We’ll probably never know. 

As Twain said, if you don’t read the papers you’re uninformed and if you do you’re misinformed.

Update:  Yesterday the Star added this separate blurb about Sir Elton’s comments regarding musicians boyotting Arizona.  The header says they posted it at 1 PM, three hours after this Gila Courier post.  Coincidence?  We’ll let you decide.

Update #2:  Fox News’ Megyn Kelly mentioned Elton John’s comments citing the Arizona Daily Star’s coverage.  Heya Cathalena Burch and John Humenik–You’re welcome…since the Gila Courier likely got your paper off the dime to report on this.  See?  You got mentioned in the national media.  Like I said, you’re welcome.

Apparently the RTA was sold on bad projections, is overrunning the secret higher projections you were not shown (even at a time when the state is getting more bang for the road construction buck due to hungry contractors COMPETING), and is taking money meant for other projects (such as repaving our atrocious roads) to deliver only 75% of what they promised.  O’Dell’s article is amazing.

Not bad for one of these teeny tiny “it’s only a half a penny, you’ll never even notice it” tax increases.  Cue Sally Struthers “just one half of a penny, less than a cup of coffee, can feed a bureaucracy of dozens and deliver far less than what you were led to expect.”

The article didn’t mention it but I’m sure the “modern” streetcar will get all of its RTA money (along with Gabby’s pork side dish).

And whether or not O’Dell’s conclusions are correct, there was one thing that caught my eye.  It was about the Cushing Street bridge.

Remember the Cushing St. bridge, necessary because of the “modern” streetcar?  You remember, the one that had to be redesigned four times, once to accommodate trees.   It started out at $6 million.  Then last August it was $10 million.  Wanna guess how much it is now, less than a year later?  According to O’Dell it’s–hold onto your hat–FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS!!!  That’s right TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE.  From the article: “Tucson is taking $15 million earmarked to pave roads to instead pay to build the Cushing Street Bridge over the Santa Cruz River for the modern streetcar.”  The 50% overrun on the 4th Ave underpass was apparently only foreplay for what they are doing to us now. 

Only in the magical world of Tucson.

But I digress. looks like you got hoodwinked on yet another tax increase.  Just a reminder since the city wants just another “teeny tiny half cent you’ll never even notice it” tax increase this Fall.

Read more at Arizona Capitol Times.

The YWCA claims they get about $19,000 from the government (your money) in their annual budget.  Another interesting fact is that Barbara LaWall, the Pima County Attorney, is on the board of directors…of an organization that is teaching graffiti to youth.  Next time you see graffiti, thank Regina Romero and Barbara LaWall for encouraging it with your money.

Beyond the graffiti, you have the CountyAttorney, whose job is to uphold and enforce the law, on the board of directors of an organization that is teaching children and young adults that illegal immigration is ok and efforts to fight it are racist.  That is absolutely pathetic.  Your elected leadership, folks. 

Hey Kids--Graffiti is art and there's nothing wrong with illegal immigration

It has given me the biggest grin to finally sit back and watch those on the Left here in Southern Arizona wake up to the realization that this man running for office truly is the ‘Turtle Boy’ -- something we on the Right have been saying for years. It’s nice to look back and see that the donkeys pulling the carts are finally rounding the bend.

Listen in, courtesy of The Three Senorans:

In addition, several local Lefty-Blogs have begun to raise questions regarding Glassman’s campaign choices and, well, the legitimacy of his credentials as a bona-fide Senatorial Candidate. I refuse to link to them, but you can find them quite easy via Google.

I Like Turtles, Indeed!

H/T to Jon Justice -- a HUGE H/T to him to be the first to call Glassman out.

President Obama: “We have a system that is unfair to a lot of people. What I’ve suggested is we have to concentrate on is: ‘How do we secure our borders? How do we track individuals coming into this country who may be engaged in terrorist activity? How do we then provide potential pathways for citizenship to those illegal immigrants who have shown themselves to be good citizens and have shown themselves to be committed to this country?”

And like Kyl said, look at the actions President Obama has taken to show his desire to secure the border. I would point them out to you -- except that there is NOTHING to point to.