Noel Campbell, Chip Davis Lead LD 1 House Race

This week, a poll was commissioned in the LD 1 race, showing incumbent Noel Campbell and newcomer Chip Davis in the lead for the two house seats. The poll shows Davis' lead within the margin of error - and over 40% undecided - showing that there is still a long stretch and a bit of uncertainty to the finish line. 

With early voting starting today - and election day just 27 days away - this race is far from over. However, as always, candidates would much rather be leading in polls (like Campbell and Davis) than trailing (like Stringer).

LD1

Date of poll: 8/2/2016

Likely GOP Primary Sample

MOE: +/-4.76%

Total Respondents: 420

How likely are you to vote in the upcoming Republican primary elections in Arizona?

a.         Very Likely                      97%

b.         Likely                                3%

Have you heard of Noel Campbell?

a.         Yes                                  66%

b.         No                                   28%

c.          Not sure                            6%

Have you heard of Chip Davis?

a.         Yes                                   72%

b.          No                                    20%

c.         Not sure                              9%

Have you heard of David Stringer?

a.          Yes                                    60%

b.          No                                     30%

c.          Not sure                            11%

If the election were held today for the Republican primary for State Legislature in your district, which of the following potential candidates, listed in random order, would you be most likely to vote for?

a.       Noel Campbell                   22%

b.      Chip Davis                          21%

c.        David Stringer                   17%

d.        Undecided                         41%

What is your overall opinion of Chip Davis?

a.         Favorable                           47%

b.         Unfavorable                        13%

c.          No opinion                          40%

What is your overall opinion of David Stringer?

a.         Favorable                            41%

b.         Unfavorable                        13%

c.         No opinion                           46%

David Stringer Supports Roe v Wade

In a shocking turn of events, Republican legislative candidate David Stringer, has come out in support of Roe v Wade.

From the Arizona Capitol Report's Voter Guide (Stringer's response to the "pro-life/pro-choice" question):

 

Pro-life/Pro-choice:

 

I was born and raised in the Catholic faith. I accept the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church on the issue of abortion. That is my personal view. However, I understand the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution to allow abortion during the early stages of pregnancy. I am not prepared to use the police power of the state to deny a women's right to choose under Roe v Wade and its progeny. I am not prepared to force my personal and religious views on others.

This response from Stringer is a far cry from his Center for Arizona Policy survey response, where he told Cathi Herrod that he supported "Prohibiting abortion except wen it is necessary to prevent the death of the mother."

And his CAP survey response is turning out to be the exception, rather than the norm. Stringer has been trying to hold back his true beliefs on certain issues, but he can't help himself when trying to kiss the rings of certain power players in the state.

Stringer's response in the Arizona Capitol Report should put the fear of God into pro-life and pro-religious freedom advocates in Arizona, who already face an ever-increasing uphill battle to defend laws on the books and to pass new legislation for their interests. Stringer might be a decent fiscal conservative, but he will most likely be a vote against life and religious freedom when push comes to shove at the legislature - his statements leave no doubt on that front.

David Stringer won't protect the most innocent among us if he is elected to the Arizona House of Representatives. He doesn't deserve the votes and support from conservatives in LD 1.

Keeping Up with Kelly Townsend

Kelly Townsend is usually a pretty reliable conservative vote and one who will stick to her principles and show respect to her fellow colleagues and constituents no matter what.

Until recently.

Townsend, feeling heat for turning on her fellow conservatives for helping to pass KidsCare out of the Arizona House of Representatives at the end of this last Arizona legislative session, has attempted to unload blame and misdirection to an easy target - Andy Biggs, running in one of the most competitive primaries across Arizona for Arizona's Fifth Congressional District to replace retiring Congressman Matt Salmon.

(If you remember, Andy Biggs stood courageously against the passage of this program during the last legislative session.)

Townsend has become unleashed and unhinged - mainly on her Twitter account - as she rants and rails against Andy Biggs on an almost daily basis. Townsend is also a known Justin Olson supporter.

One of the most bizarre series of tweets, though, came when Townsend took her beef to an LD 16 constituent Deborah Geesling. Geesling is a warrior and advocate for the mentally ill, going to great and exhaustive lengths to lobby both at a state and a federal level for the protection and safe keeping of those who cannot as easily help themselves.

Mrs. Geesling rightly called out Representative Townsend for her outright slanderous statements directed towards Andy Biggs on social media. A Twitter debate broke out, where Townsend burst out with a tweet that she would later come to regret very much (the tweet appears to have been deleted by Townsend):

Mrs. Geesling has all the right in the world to express shock and dismay over what transpired on Twitter. It is reprehensible and utterly classless for a legislator of any body or jurisdiction to knowingly turn his or her political barbs and irrational anger to a constituent in a public forum - in the way that Representative Townsend did on Twitter on July 21st.

July 21st showed the people of LD 16 that Representative Kelly Townsend has forgotten to whom she answers to and serves. She apparently has been in the legislature too long and becoming too content with establishment legislators who serve only themselves and their interests.

Kelly Townsend should, at the very least, apologize for lashing out in anger to her constituent Deborah Geesling. Perhaps a beer summit should be proposed and accepted by both parties to mend fences?

(More to come on the Kelly Townsend fiascos.)

A Tale of Two Stringers

Just who is David Stringer?

He might remind you of U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. Not a long and transparent paper trail before the nomination to the high court - but confirm him to see what you are buying. That worked out well, right?

Or he might remind you of Obamacare. Pass it - then you can see what's inside. It's the thought and the surprise that counts, eh?

Social conservatives are in for a real treat if and when David Stringer fulfills his lifelong dream of getting elected to well....something.

Right now, he's pursuing elected office for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District One. His website - www.votestringer.com - has undergone major changes since he started running months ago. One of the most substantive changes came not from addition, but from subtraction.

The "About" section of VoteStringer.com originally read: "Stringer describes himself as a conservative on fiscal matters with libertarian leanings on some social issues." However that text has since been scrubbed from the site. See the screenshot below for the original text on the site page.

Just what "libertarian leanings on some social issues" did David Stringer refer to when he authored or approved this language on his own website? Is he a libertarian on life issues? Maybe religious freedom? Perhaps school choice?

This will definitely pique the interest of Cathi Herrod and the Center for Arizona Policy as they watch this race heading into the Arizona primary elections.

Why did Stringer scrub that language from his website? What might he be trying to hide?

Is he trying to skate through the election so that voters of LD 1 can find out who he really is afterwards?

More questions remain answered than unanswered with the curious candidacy of David Stringer. Voters had better educate themselves to determine which David Stringer is the real one - the one who will actually show up to work from January to May for the next two years - before they end up with serious buyers' remorse.

David Stringer Doesn't Know Yavapai County

Primary elections across the state are heating up as we march towards the month of August. One of these races is up in (for the most part) Yavapai County in Legislative District One for the Arizona House of Representatives. Two seats in the Arizona House are up for grabs - Noel Campbell is the incumbent; Chip Davis and David Stringer are also running in the Republican primary.

Chip Davis' candidacy has been previously discussed on this blog. He is a solid conservative Republican, who will do the district proud in the Arizona House of Representatives. Noel Campbell, the incumbent, has been a fairly reliable vote for conservatives in the House and LD 1 voters would do well to send him back to the Arizona Legislature.

David Stringer, however, is an entirely different story. LD 1 Republicans are finding out more and more that they cannot trust him, nor do they have confidence that he has been transparent about his past history.

Take for example - how long he has lived in the county. On Stringer's nomination paper, he notes that he has resided in Yavapai County for three years.

Three years?! That's it?!

Chip Davis, on the other hand, has resided in Yavapai County for thirty years according to his nomination paper.

Chip Davis knows Yavapai County, which takes up a majority of Legislative District One. He understands the needs of rural Arizona and what is needed in a Representative from his region. Thirty years have taught him what he needs to know to take to the Arizona Legislature to be a true and authentic representative of his constituents.

David Stringer doesn't know Yavapai County. His length of residency in the county proves that he would go to the Arizona Legislature and quickly fall into the trap of representing the "state of Maricopa County" (as many in rural Arizona like to quip). Before running for such an important and influential position, perhaps David Stringer should live in Yavapai County for a bit longer - get to know its values, its people, and its needs.

Chip Davis knows Yavapai County. David Stringer doesn't. Voters are taking note and will render their verdict by August 30th.