Originally Posted by By DENNIS WELCH [url=http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/tags.php?tag=

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TRIBUNE ]Mitchell running against Hayworth


Dem senator resigns to focus on campaign for U.S. House


One of the top-ranking Democrats in the state Senate resigned from office Thursday after serving nearly eight years to focus on a run for a U.S. congressional seat.
Sen. Harry Mitchell, who also serves as president of the Arizona Democratic Party, said he decided to leave midterm because he could not concentrate on the campaign and his legislative duties at the same time.
“I think the people of this district deserve a full-time legislator,” Mitchell said after announcing his resignation on the Senate floor.
Mitchell will take on Republican Rep. J.D. Hayworth in Arizona’s competitive 5th Congressional District, which includes Scottsdale, Tempe, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee Foothills, Rio Verde and parts of Mesa, Phoenix and Chandler.
Mitchell’s political career began in the East Valley more than 35 years ago when he was elected to the Tempe City Council. He then served as mayor of that city from 1978 to 1994 before being elected to the Senate in 1998.
The elected Democratic precinct committeemen in District 17 will meet Saturday to nominate three candidates to fill the vacated seat.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will then select one of the nominees.
The leading candidate is Rep.
Meg Burton Cahill, D-Tempe,
who already planned to run for Mitchell’s seat in the fall.
“I think I’ve served the people in my district as well as the people of Maricopa County during my term here,” said Cahill, who was elected to the House in 2000.
Mitchell’s entry into the race already has made waves. As a result of Mitchell’s planned candidacy, the national political Web site CQPolitics.com changed its rating of the race from “Safe Republican” to “Leans Republican.”
“The new rating means that Hayworth is still favored, but that the race is expected to be highly competitive,” reporter Marie Horrigan wrote March 16.
This year it has been an unusually turbulent session at the state Legislature. So far, three seats have been unexpectedly vacated for various reasons.
Rep. David Burnell Smith, RPhoenix, became the first elected official in the country to be ousted for campaign finance violations.
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, DTucson, resigned to run for Congress shortly before the session started.
Additionally, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors had to appoint a replacement for longtime Mesa lawmaker, Sen. Marilyn Jarrett, who died earlier this month.

Originally Posted by CardLogic

What do you think? (Regardless of your opinion of Mitchell, Hayworth, or Mitchell vs. Hayworth.) Mitchell was elected to office for a specific term (length of time). Should he serve out the term of his current office?

It seems to me that he is being self-serving in seeking to gain a more prominent office, rather than to meet the commitment for which he was already elected.

Originally Posted by Chris_Sanders

I think it is a smart political move.

Originally Posted by jenna2891

how?

Originally Posted by Chris_Sanders

Because his situation is a double edged sword. Hayworth has been locked in his district for years, and any fight with him will really take every bit of resource a man going against him has.

It will require constant campaigning. It isn't because Hayworth is this paragon of popularity, but because he is a recognizable name. By publicly declaring he is going after Hayworth and leaving his public office to do so, it is a ton of free publicity.

Republicans will slant it as him jumping ship. Democrats will slant it as him being responsible to his constituents. The rest of us will find it intriguing and learn who the guy is. I wouldn't have recognized his name prior to this, but I certainly know who Hayworth is.

Originally Posted by Ryanwb

Who are these people who vote for Hayworth? Seriously, the guy is a moron