David Schweikert

Last night's CD5 Republican candidate forum offered a different take on the contenders from last month's event in Scottsdale. While the candidates fielded questions on earmark spending, border security and cuts in government programs, what emerged spoke less to individual policies as the sense that whoever emerges as the nominee will shoulder a heavy burden for the Party.

The field acknowledged a profound dissatisfaction with the Republican Party among voters and a need to reconnect with conservative principles in action, not just as a campaign ploy. They also pledged not to let the primary get so heated as to destroy the victor's chances of beating Rep. Harry Mitchell, and that, once the ticket was set, the others would unite behind the effort of unseating Mitchell in the general.

Last week Inside Edge pointed out the curious decision of Susan Bitter Smith to make her formal announcement on a Friday, the day typically set aside to release bad or negative news.  Well now that decision also appears to be have cost her a public appearance with her Republican rivals.  While Mark Anderson, Laura Knaperek, Jim Ogsbury and David Schweikert will be appearing in a CD5 Republican forum being hosted by LD8, Smith will not be invited as she will not be an official candidate until the next day.

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On Thursday, May 8th, the LD8 Republican Committee will be hosting a forum for the CD5 Republicans candidates.  Mark Anderson, Laura Knaperek, Jim Ogsbury, David Schweikert and Susan Bitter Smith will discuss the issues and make their pitches at the Mustang Library in Scottsdale starting at 7pm. 

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At 8 o'clock this morning, CD5 candidate Jim Ogsbury became the first of Rep. Harry Mitchell's challengers to file with Secretary of State Jan Brewer.

Even before his official entry, though, the effort to discredit him as a conservative has already begun. In what Ogsbury's campaign manger calls a "whisper campaign" propagated by proponents of Ogsbury's primary opponent David Schweikert, Ogsbury's stance on non-fiscal issues near to conservatives' hearts - most notably abortion - have come into question. 

Thus on the first morning of his official campaign, Jim Ogsbury spoke with PolitickerAZ to explain why he is, as his website claims, "The True Conservative for U.S. Congress." 

Susan Bitter SmithAfter two months of deliberations, Susan Bitter Smith is set to formally announce her entry into the CD5 Republican field. The official rollout will occur on May 9.

Bitter Smith has long been speculated to join the now six-person race for the Republican nomination, and today's news is in line with rumblings that came from the campaign last week to the effect that she was almost assured to enter in early May.

The months-long wait to see if Susan Bitter Smith will join the CD5 Republican primary race is finally wrapping up. A source with an inside perspecive on the exploratory committe said that Bitter Smith is heavily leaning toward jumping in, and a decision will come within days.

Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen is optimistic about the chances of Republicans to regain lost ground against Democrats in the Arizona congressional delegation, he said today on Grover Norquist's radio show. However, he said that key to recapturing CD5 will be a Republican primary that keeps the fighting above the belt.

U.S. Rep Harry Mitchell

So far so good for Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-5). Mitchell, the freshman congressman who four Republican contenders are in a spirited contest to face in November, has outraised his opponents substantially, ending the first quarter of the year with more cash on hand than all of them combined.

Now a new poll indicates that whoever becomes the Republican nominee will not have an easy time unseating Mitchell.

RealClearPolitics has given a rundown of hot Arizona races. It's much as we have been reporting, but always interesting to get an outside perspective. For instance RealClear has it that Rep. John Shadegg (R-3) is a "paranoid incumbent," and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-8) may have a chance to fend off challengers permanently - or make herself a perpetual target of Republicans.

Last week David Schweikert became the first candidate in CD5 to give a glimpse of his fundraising totals. He has since given PolitickerAZ the official tally, putting him well ahead of the other contenders, outraising his nearest competitor in the quarter, Mark Anderson, by a three-to-one margin.