National Consequences of Arizona Primary Election

The Democrats need 6 new US Senators and/or 15 new US Representives to take over at least one House of Congress and give them some leverage to actually challenge White House policies, rather than just complain about them.

How can Arizona help?

It depends who you talk to. Right now the US Senator who's running for office, US Senator John Kyle is considered a safe bet to win re-election and his opponent, Jim Pederson didn't do a very good job on national TV last night, when stumbling over attempted answers to Cris Matthews on MSNBC's 'Hardball."

Pederson didn't have any 'plans.' But he thought we should 'plan' to make a 'plan.' All attempts to get straight answers from the man failed, questions like: "Are you in favor of the War in Iraq," or: 'How do you feel about immigration policies?

Despite overwhelming popular disgust at thousands of illegal immigrants invading Arizona Every Day it seems Pederson couldn't even come up with a straight answers about this, perhaps because the national Democratic Party is still playing softball on this crisis.

Something to think about: Conservative Republican Randy Graf won the party's nod to replace GOP Rep. Jim Kolbe, who is retiring. National Republicans had jumped in to support a more moderate rival, state Rep. Steve Huffman, worried the seat might go Democratic if a conservative candidate won.

So, despite the National Republician also trying to play softball on this immigration (perhaps not wanting to go against the President), the real voice of the people in Arizona shouted out loud and clear: 'Illegal trespass into the USA is not only a security concern -- Wake Up America! -- but is just destroying the economic and social fabric of our state.

But despite US Senator Kyle's seat appearing super-secure and Randy Graf getting strong support there now does appear to be two (2) seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs, at least in the view of some pundits.

Ellen Simon, in District 1, A former attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, won a 5-way primary to challenge hidious Rep. Rick Renzi. There is a substantial Democratic registration advantage in the district, but Renzi enjoyed strong bipartisan support in his 2004 re-election bid. He's now considered vunerable.

Many think the Republician incumbent in District 5 is even more vunerable, and claim this race will rise to be one of the most watched in the nation as Democrats attempt to reclaim Congress in November!

Republician Rep. J.D. Hayworth has served six terms in Congress. Challenger Harry Mitchell is a popular former mayor of Tempe who most recently served in the state Senate.

The races are off and running now. The smell of hot dogs in the air. Buttons popping up on jackets and banners waving in the air. Let's hope we can kick these mean-spirited, divisive, lying, war-mongering Republicians out of office.

Click title, above, for Primary election summary from the Arizona Republic.