Candidate challenges filed with Arizona Secretary of State

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As expected, operatives for Martha McSally have filed a claim in Pima County Superior Court challenging the candidacy of Chuck Wooten in the CD2 Republican primary race. In fact, there were few surprises in the list of candidate challenges filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office this primary season.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, as of yesterday, a total of 17 legislative and statewide candidate challenges had been filed with the Arizona Superior Court.

The Secretary of State’s Office reports that four of the 17 cases have already been resolved. The cases against Randy Camacho and Ruben Gallego, both running for Democratic nomination in U.S. Congressional District 7, were dismissed and they will appear on the ballot in August. Miguel Olivas (Libertarian) and Johnnie Robinson (D) who had been running in U.S. Congressional Districts 3 and 7, respectively, withdrew their nominations.

The democrat operative’s challenge to Sharon Thomas in the Democrat’s Superintendent of Public Instruction primary race comes as no surprise to anyone. The Party establishment has been furious that Thomas dared to challenge their hand-picked candidate David Garcia. The Sharon For Arizona Team broke a record for the most signatures turned in since 2002. On June 1, 2014, after turning in her signatures, Thomas thanked the Party’s grassroots, and said the number of signatures were, “a clear sign that Arizonians want a better public education system that is led by someone with actual experience in the classroom.”

In addition to the legislative and statewide races, candidate challenges also are occurring at the county and municipal levels and go through the court process in a similar fashion.

candidate-challenges-mcsallyFew were surprised that the candidacy of Cesar Chavez was challenged. According to Ballotpedia.com, “Chavez is a 2014 Democratic candidate seeking election to the U.S. House to represent the 7th Congressional District of Arizona. In November 2013, he changed his name from Scott Fistler to Cesar Chavez. Chavez also switched party affiliation from Republican to Democratic along with it. Chavez was a 2012 Republican candidate for District 24 of the Arizona State Senate. He was defeated by Rep. Ed Pastor.”

UPI reported that the grandson of the civil rights leader by the same name intended to sue Chavez/Fistler. “What drew the attention of Alejandro [Chavez] was Scott sort of cynically changing his name to Cesar Chavez,” attorney Jim Barton told the Washington Post. “We wanted to basically call out what we saw as an effort to confuse the voters.” Barton filed the complaint and is representing Alejandro in the suit according to the UPI report. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/06/11/Grandson-of-Cesar-Chavez-sues-Arizona-House-candidate-Cesar-Chavez/4911402509084/#ixzz34URZn5V2

Chavez announced on his website that the court date set for a hearing in the matter is June 17, 2014. He also posted a message for supporters, “Our freedom of speech is in jeopardy, but we are standing up against the corporate elite who want nothing more than to control an election. Spending millions on high profile lawyers just to challenge a candidate who is a military veteran who has a passion to effect change. A candidate who goes to the VA Hospital looking for much needed care only to wait a ridiculous number of days to be seen. We are living in days where we are discouraged from protesting. Media control to spread hate filled propaganda about a candidate they have never met.”

Chief Master Sergeant (ret) Chuck Wooten is not at all surprised by the challenge against by GOP establishment operatives, “I learned today that at least one of my opponents for the Republican CD2 race has formally challenged my signature count as being insufficient. However, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Shelley Kais, who has been rumored to be running in the race to provide cover for McSally, has had campaign workers threatening a challenge against Wooten since April. However, it was McSally operatives that finally followed through on the threat.

“In short, there is a bogus assertion regarding my voter registration and how it should invalidate 472 signatures,” says Wooten. “None of it is true – it’s just a smoke screen to divert precious campaign dollars and voter attention. As I’m certain my attorneys will prove – it’s all a fabrication of their active imaginations. Sadly, it seems likely one of two scenarios is unfolding. One, McSally’s camp has chosen to join the Kais’ claim about the validity of the signatures my campaign collected, or two, she is working alone individually dispute them.”

McSally earned a reputation for dirty politics when she lost to Jesse Kelly in the 2012 Republican Primary. After losing to Kelly, McSally’s operatives worked against Kelly in favor of democrat Ron Barber. Barber beat Kelly in the General Election. McSally has already lost two races for Congress. Wooten noted, “Although there has been wide and frequent media speculation about the two candidates working together to secure a previously illusive win for McSally, perhaps she’s now stooped to an all-time low.

Wooten continued, “If McSally is truly employing Chicago Style politics – then the voters of CD-2 have a right to know because it would mean a serious case of election fraud. While I may not have time to prove her tactics – it all seems likely. After all, McSally refuses to debate me on a single issue, which is pathetic – because I know the voters of CD-2 would like to see what she really stands for.”

McSally operatives Shaun McClusky and Lori Dzuban-Oien discuss their challenge
McSally operatives Shaun McClusky and Lori Dzuban-Oien discuss their challenge of Wooten’s candidacy

Wooten issued a statement promising to maintain “an honorable campaign,” and that he wants to avoid McSally’s “small-ball” or “Chicago-style” politics.

The courts have 10 days to hear arguments and render a decision.

Currently, the county recorders are vetting the names of the challenged voter signatures and will submit their findings to the courts, according to a statement released by the Secretary of State’s Office. The courts will then hear arguments and decide whether or not a signature is valid, and whether the candidate ultimately possesses enough signatures to remain on the ballot.

Should the court find a candidate guilty of petition forgery, the candidate may be disqualified for running for public office for at least five years.

(View candidate challenge document here.)

The status of legislative and statewide challenged candidates is available in the elections section of the Secretary of State’s website www.azsos.gov.

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