CD8

Most people know that 2008 is quite a busy year in Arizona congressional politics, but today the Arizona Capitol Times shed light on just how busy it is. The state boasts four competitive House races - half of its districts - the outcomes of which will help shape Congress for the next two years, but the less-scrutinized races have a wealth of candidates as well.

While the focus may be on contests like the CD1 fight over Rep. Rick Renzi's seat, the CD5 Republican primary and the premier battle between Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and state Sen. Tim Bee in the 8th, voters in all of Arizona's districts will have a choice in November. With the spotlight firmly fixed on the top four, the others have been in the shadows as far as the media is concerned.

Today is different. The Arizona Capitol Times has released a list of all candidates who have filed as congressional competitors for 2008. The litany of incumbents and hopefuls is presented without preference, pretense or puffery, and, at least in this format, all candidates are created equal.

Today former U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-8) bestowed his blessing upon CD5 Republican congressional candidate Jim Ogsbury, who is currently engaged in a five-way primary.

"Jim Ogsbury is a principled conservative with deep Arizona roots and an understanding of the issues that face our state and our nation,” said Kolbe.  “He has the toughness and the experience needed to get the Congress working for the interests of people again."

Ogsbury responded with kind words of his own toward the former congressman.

"I am sincerely grateful to sreceive the support of a statesman like Jim Kolbe,” said Ogsbury. “Congressman Kolbe served his district honorably for more than two decades, advancing free trade, protecting military institutions in his district and attending to the needs of his constituents.”

State Sen. Tim Bee (R-Tucson) today got two boosts to his CD8 congressional campaign: He filed 6,604 signatures, which his campaign claims is the most ever filed by a Republican running for that seat; and a one-time rival, former independent candidate Derek Tidball, dropped out of the race by way of endorsing Bee.

"I am endorsing Senator Tim Bee," said Tidball in a statement, "because he is clearly the strongest candidate in the race for the 8th Congressional District. After discussions with Tim Bee, he made it clear to me that he is committed to veterans and their families. I pledge my full support and ask veterans and all the voters of the district to do the same. Who we send to Washington does matter, and Tim Bee is the person that can best represent us."

Tidball is a former 101st Airborne Division paratrooper and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan.

As the Democratic primary winds down and Barack Obama more than likely moves towards the nomination tonight, it is worth looking at the three superdelegates in Arizona who avoided taking a stance. 

Democratic Party Chairman Don Bivens is uncommitted, and of the three uncommitted he probably has the best reason to remain so.  His Governor is with Obama, some of his biggest donors are with Hillary Clinton and his delegation is split.

There's a new blog on the block, and this one is all about State Senate President Tim Bee (R-Tucson) and his run against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-8)... and it's not from the Bee campaign.

The week-old Southern Arizona Sting bills itself as "Supporting Tim Bee and the commonsense GOP," who include, to date, Tim Bee, Tim Bee and Tim Bee. The Stinger, as the site administrator goes by, is so far a one-person cheering section for Bee, but promises to support more candidates as the season progresses.  

The price of oil, which is almost certain to be among the top issues in the 2008 election, is the issue of the day in the CD8 congressional race, which is almost cetain to be among the top contests in the country.

State Senate President Tim Bee (R-Tucson) went after U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-8) over climing gasoline and food prices and plummeting consumer confidence, claiming she is part of a Congress that has ignored or bungled the serious issues of the day. Meanwhile the Giffords camp hit back, portraying Bee's charges as "mindless criticism."

Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-5) is playing up the drama of his re-election fight. Though he enjoys a commanding money lead over the field of Republicans vying to face him in November, his razor-thin margin of victory in 2006 and the vulnerability inherent to most freshmen in Congress is seen as a cause for concern.

He and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-8) are assessed to be early favorites to retain their seats, but there's a lot of time left in an election season that has yet to kick off in earnest.

A new video put out by the Arizona Democratic Party today is attempting to use fundraising allies of State Senate President Tim Bee (R-Tucson) against him. The new addition to "crAZyspace," the MySpace-esque website Dems have set up to lampoon who they dub "the right-wing wackos who put the AZ in crAZy," is a video that plays up Bee's associations with Grover Norquist, Steve Forbes and Karl Rove, set to the Garth Brooks classic "Friends in Low Places."

Don't forget to vote in this week's Cartoon Caption Contest. Voting ends on Friday at noon.

Gabrielle GiffordsGabrielle Giffords has been named the top U.S. House of Representatives for using taxpayer dollars for mailings to constituents. The Pima County Republicans have accused Giffords of abusing the system.

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