Susan Bitter Smith

L to R: Joe Arpaio, Susan Bitter Smith, Ed PhillipsAt her Scottsdale home Friday evening, Susan Bitter Smith at last officially entered the six-person Republican primary field in CD5. Though some have questioned the soundness of her last-in-the-water strategy, Bitter Smith sought to belay any doubts by beginning her campaign surrounded by political supporters, including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and replete with an oversized Taxpayer Protection Pledge that the campaign claims is "the biggest of any candidate."

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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Susan Bitter Smith announced this week she will be formally entering the Republican Primary for the 5th CD.  Bitter Smith has been considering joining the crowded field for a few months now.  She first started looking at entering the race in mid-January. 

The decision alone is not what makes the story interesting to the Inside Edge.  What is interesting is her announcement date of Friday May 9th.  There is a long standing tradition in political news cycles, you air your dirty laundry on Fridays. With Saturday being the day the least amount of people read the paper or watch the news, Friday is the perfect day to get out the bad info and save the good news (like an announcement) for the rest of the week. 

Bitter Smith is late enter the race and will need to rally some heavy hitting financial backers to play catch-up with the other candidates.

One plus for Bitter Smith is she has retained Brian Hummell to run her campaign.  Hummell is a well respected and experienced campaign operative in the 5th Congressional District having worked for former Congressman J.D. Hayworth. 

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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.

Susan Bitter Smith was absent from last night's CD5 candidate forum, but she may not be absent from the race for long.

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Jeff Hatch-Miller has dropped out of the primary race for the 5th Congressional District.

As East Valley Tribune's Paul Giblin reports: