Bitter Smith, Schweikert heat up Fifth District Republican primary
August 25th, 2008, 11:55 am · Post a Comment · posted by Le Templar
The Republican primary race in the Fifth Congressional District just went into overdrive with a handgun taking a prominent role.
Former Maricopa County Treasurer David Schweikert fired off a series of news releases and e-mails complaining over the weekend about a new campaign mailer that he says came from former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Susan Bitter Smith. You’ve got to admit that handgun pointed at the reader does jump off the page and get your attention. But I assume the red banner headline “Bitter-Smith hate mail” was added by the Schweikert campaign.
Schweikert places the image in the same category as a 2006 TV ad by Democrat Harry Mitchell, which put then-incumbent J.D. Hayworth in what appeared to be the crosshairs of a gun sight. One interpretation of that ad (which Mitchell denied) was Hayworth deserved to be “targeted” for potential violence because of his political stances.
There’s no question the flier is trying to frighten Fifth District voters, given the headline on the front-side of the mailer is “What is scarier than this?” The back of the mailer has gas pump nozzle pointing at the reader in the same position at the handgun. (Is the point supposed to be higher gas taxes are more frightening than getting shot?)
Bitter Smith’s mailer arrived on the heels of a television ad targeting her and independently funded by Club for Growth, a political action committee that funnels lots of money to pro-business and low-tax candidates. Not coincidentally, Club for Growth members are supporting Schweikert.
All of this points to the fact that Schweikert and Bitter Smith have emerged as the two leading contenders in a crowded Republican field. Schweikert has gathered more money and purchased more air-time than Bitter Smith. So now she’s trying to make up some ground in the final days of the primary campaign.
