AZ-3

In both the 3rd and 8th Congressional Districts, challengers and incumbents have begun the process of negotiating when and how debates will occur between them. Sen. Pres. Tim Bee (R-Tucson) is in talks with his opponent, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Tucson) about the possibilities, as are U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) and his challenger, Bob Lord. 

On July 30, 3rd district Democratic contender Bob Lord's campaign sent a letter to the campaign of U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) requesting a series of three debates during September and October, each to focus on "a related set of issues facing our nation," suh as "national security, foreign policy, and veterans issues," etc. Andrew Eldredge-Martin, Lord's campaign manager and the one who sent off the letter, stipulated that his organization wanted the debates prior to the start of early voting on Oct. 2. The Lord campaign officially announced the invitation Thursday.

Shadegg has responded with a counter-offer: "six televised debates with each covering the broad range of issues important to the voters of Congressional District 3." Shadegg campaign manager Sean Noble said in his letter to the Lord camapign, "We agree there should be some debates prior to early voting, but in fairness to all of the voters in the District, there should be others after early voting starts." Noble proposed the first debate be on KAET's Horizon program. So far the Lord campaign has not responded back.

Today marks the six-month anniversary of the day Rep. John Shadegg decided to retire from Congress. To celebrate the anniversary the Arizona Democratic Party has launched the website ShadeggforSenate.com, “to help him explore his options about what job to take next.”  Shadegg recently said he would be interested in running for the US Senate if John McCain were to win the White House. 

Could Shadegg have been that interested in running for the US Senate if he didn’t have the domain already reserved?

The Republican takeover of the out-of-session U.S. House will continue into the foreseeable future, said U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) Wednesday.

"We're going to keep it going as long as we can," Shadegg told PolitickerAZ.com. Shadegg, the most senior Republican in Arizona's House delegation and a close ally of the GOP leadership, said the minority Republicans plan to continue to take to the floor of the House throughout the summer recess in protest of inaction on the expansion of domestic oil production, even though the House remains officially out of session and is not scheduled to resume legislative business until Sept. 5.

"The bottom line request of Republicans is that [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] allow the question of domestic oil production to be debated and voted upon," said Shadegg. "So far she has precluded a debate, and has certainly precluded a vote," he said.

Based on a couple of email updates that went out last week you would have to say Congressman John Shadegg is either having the time of his life as a member of a modern day revolt of is completely bored with his job in Congress.

Friday afternoon the Bob Lord for Congress campaign sent out an email saying “John Shadegg made it clear Friday to reporters that he hates his job and he doesn't want to represent Arizona's Third District,” the email stated.

It went on to call Shadegg the “Reluctant Representative” and chronicled his statements this year including , Feb. 12, 2008: Shadegg retires from office, Feb. 14, 2008: Shadegg was asked by more than 130 House Republicans to reconsider his decision to retire at the end of his term, Feb. 17, 2008: Shadegg said, "Washington is a place for young people with new ideas and to take the fight forward. I think it's time for someone else to have a chance,” Feb. 22, 2008: Shadegg gets back in the race, July 30, 2008: Shadegg said he wants to leave Congress for U.S. Senate, Aug. 1, 2008: Shadegg calls his job “boring”

Later that afternoon Shadegg’s office sent out an email that made it sound more like he was a kid in a candy store than a bored Congressman. Below are parts of his email update.

History was made today.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) is making no bones about it: He has his eye on John McCain’s U.S. Senate seat.

“I see my friends in the Senate deeply engaged in fights where even in the minority you matter,” said Shadegg, who won a seat in Congress in the GOP’s 1994 rout but has since seen his party lose its majority. “Yeah, I could find that very interesting, very appealing.”

Asked point-blank if he would take McCain’s current position if given the opportunity, Shadegg responded: “Yes.”

But as Shadegg himself acknowledged in an interview with PolitickerAZ.com at the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday, winning the seat, which McCain has held for four terms, has one big obstacle: Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-Phoenix).

The Arizona Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against 3rd Congressional District Democratic candidate Bob Lord, who is challenging U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) for his seat.

"Lord, a Democrat, filed a campaign finance report showing a number of contributions made on the last day of the reporting period," read the release announcing the complaint. "But an online news site, Politickeraz.com, reported that Lord's campaign manager also expected to report additional contributions that had not yet been received by the campaign."

The Republican attack is based on remarks Andrew Eldgredge-Martin, Lord's campaign manager, made to PolitickerAZ.com on July 3, that the campaign was still counting contributions sent on or before June 30, the last day of the second quarter.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Chandler)U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Chandler) probably doesn't have to worry about re-election. The 6th Congressional District is reliably Republican, and voters there returned Flake to Congress by a 50% margin in 2006. Also, thus far Flake has $1,820 on hand for every dollar his opponent, Chris Gramazio, has in his war chest. If Flake outspends his rival by a 100:1 ratio this cycle, he will still have well over $1 million in his re-election fund. That puts him in an excellent position to help out Republican incumbents and candidates who face tougher battles this year.

“Definitely,” said Matthew Specht, Flake’s Deputy Chief of Staff, when asked if other Republicans would be recipients of Flake’s largesse this cycle. “We have contributed to a lot of campaigns already.”

Bob Lord, the Democrat opposing U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) in the 3rd Congressional District, held a press event today during which he attacked his opponent for supporting the "privatization" of Social Security.

Flanked by senior citizens from the district, Lord addressed a small gathering of supporters and staff at his campaign office and condemned Shadegg for supporting Pres. Bush's plan to create "personal accounts" within the Social Security structure.

Lord also discussed second quarter fundraising totals, which, while robust, paled in comparison to Shadegg's take of more than half a million dollars.

U.S. Rep. John Shadegg: Campaign photoIn a statement, U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) is touting his record-breaking second quarter fundraising total.

"In the most recent quarter, our campaign raised $564,205, which is well over twice as much as the $235,000 raised by my opponent," wrote Shadegg. "This figure is well above our prior record for any fundraising quarter.

"While total dollars raised is an important indication of support, even more important is the amount netted after deducting ongoing campaign expenditures. By this measure, we did even better. In the most recent quarter, after deducting ongoing expenses, our campaign netted $416,000 while my opponent's campaign only netted $74,000. This means our campaign netted almost six times as much as my opponent."

Congressional candidate Bob Lord: Campaign photo3rd Congressional District candidate Bob Lord reportedly took in over $235,000 in the second quarter of the year, bumping his on hand total to about $706,000, according to his campaign.

"Bob Lord now has raised 10 times more than any other candidate who has ever challenged Rep. John Shadegg in Arizona's 3rd District," read a campaign press release announcing the figures.

Last quarter, Lord outraised incumbent U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) by close to $70,000, which took both the Democratic and Republican leadership by surprise. Lord's 1Q total was $220,000, making 2Q his best to date, and the fifth consecutive quarter in which Lord has increased his fundraising totals.