Wednesday, February 22, 2006
A dozen battle to succeed Kolbe
Hopefuls try to stand out from crowd
BLAKE MORLOCK
Tucson Citizen
Voters who don't know a Hellon from a Huffman should prepare for a political desert swarm of candidates scouring southeastern Arizona for the votes to get to Congress.
A dozen candidates - almost all lacking household names - are going to spend the next six months on airwaves, filling mailboxes and shaking hands from Swan Road to Sierra Vista in their efforts to succeed Jim Kolbe in representing Arizona's 8th Congressional District.
They have until the Sept. 12 primary to stand out and convince voters they have congressional timber.
Experts say the campaign is shaping up as a battle of women in the Democratic Party and an ideological decision for Republicans. But a host of military veterans could turn their combat experience into an election victory. Also, a crowded field could leave front-runners wondering how they lost.
The six Democrats, five Republicans and one independent are out there campaigning, raising money and lining up support needed to get even more money to get their names in voters' minds.
"Name recognition gets less important as the race goes on," said Earl de Berge, president of the Phoenix polling company Behavior Research Group. "The key candidates are all going to have enough money to get their own name out there. People will know who they are."
Gaining recognition will initially be the challenge for all the candidates, save, perhaps one.
Former news anchor Patty Weiss' face was beamed into homes for 32 years and it's already paying dividends.
The United Transportation Union of Arizona has endorsed her simply because of it.
"We think she has the best chance because people know who she is," said Scott Olson, the union's state lobbyist.
A poll she commissioned before entering the race showed 65 percent of registered Democrats have a favorable impression of Weiss - more than double that for former state Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, whom insiders call Weiss' chief foe.
But star power can be bought and Giffords has more money in the bank than any other candidate. Her campaign raised more than $250,000 in a month.
Giffords also spent five years in the state Legislature, giving her more political experience than any of the other Democratic candidates.
"It seems there's another candidate jumping into the race every day," Giffords said. "A lot of candidates. A lot of promises. But not a lot of proven records."
Weiss seems to be aiming her candidacy straight at the more liberal primary voter, telling an audience "I carry in my soul" the party's principles and "learned to never cross a picket line." Giffords, a former Republican, speaks of herself as the moderate to follow Kolbe.
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