Russell Pearce Recall Election: Arizona Immigration Law Architect Defeated By Lewis

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press / Huffington Post

Russell Pearce Recall Election: Arizona Immigration Law Architect Defeated By Jerry Lewis

AP/The Huffington Post Posted: 11/8/11 11:09 PM ET

In Arizona, state Sen. Russell Pearce, architect of the tough immigration law that put the state at the forefront of the national debate, faced a recall attempt led by a fellow Republican. He was defeated by challenger Jerry Lewis on Tuesday night.

Pearce held a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage.

This is a developing story... More information to come...

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/08/russell-pearce-recall-election-jerry-lewis_n_1083129.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

[cal04]

1. Russell Pearce Recall Election: Arizona Immigration Law Architect Defeated By Jerry Lewis

Source: Huffington Post

In Arizona, state Sen. Russell Pearce, architect of the tough immigration law that put the state at the forefront of the national debate, faced a recall attempt led by a fellow Republican. He was defeated by challenger Jerry Lewis on Tuesday night.

Pearce held a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/08/russell-pearce-recall-election-jerry-lewis_n_1083129.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

---

Arizona Topples Senate President Russell Pearce, SB 1070 Immigration Law Architect, in Historic Recall Vote
http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2011/11/08/breaking-arizona-topples-senate-president-russell-pearce-sb-1070-immigration-law-architect-in-historic-recall-vote/


Jerry Lewis claims victory over Russell Pearce in recall
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2011/11/08/20111108russell-pearce-recall-trailing-jerry-lewis.html

(snip)
"This is the definition of a grass-roots campaign," said former Mesa Vice Mayor John Giles, co-chair of the Lewis campaign.

Supporters were cautious with their optimism, however, saying that their exit polling showed the race could be so close that it could be decided by a few hundred votes.

Voters in Arizona's first recall election of a sitting lawmaker may not know the final results until next week.

Elections officials may still need to count more than 12,000 provisional ballots.

[alp227]

2. Is Jerry Lewis similarly conservative? Without a Dem challenger

(there was only an independent alternative) this recall was sorta useless.

[Daemonaquila]

7. If you think that, you don't know AZ politics.

That's like saying that replacing a neo-nazi with a mere centrist wouldn't matter. There are different levels of evil - and in Pearce's case, "evil" is not hyperbole.

[SoapBox]

3. I don't know much about Lewis BUT...excellant that Pearce is out.

AND it shows that we can get some of these Baggers and Haters removed.

[NBachers]

6. I got this email tonight from Jennifer Johnson of the Arizona Democratic Party

Arizona Democrats seem pretty happy with today's results:

Statement on tonight's election results
Andrei Cherny, Arizona Democratic Party chairman, issued the following statement tonight:

"Tonight, mainstream Arizona dealt a bitter blow to extremism. In choosing Greg Stanton as Phoenix's mayor, in electing Jonathan Rothschild as Tucson's mayor, and in recalling Senate President Russell Pearce, the voters have launched a new era of responsible leadership.

"I congratulate Greg Stanton and Jonathan Rothschild, two honorable public servants who share the voters' priorities for their cities. For the first time in a generation, there will be Democratic mayors in both Phoenix and Tucson -- a victory not just for Democrats but for every citizen who cares about the future of these great cities. And I especially congratulate the voters of Legislative District 18 for their courageous decision to stop Russell Pearce's reckless reign of power over their district, the state Senate and the state of Arizona. Voters are fed up with overreach, abuse of power and attacks on common sense. They expect leaders who will focus on a stronger economy, safer streets and better schools. Tonight, voters are the real winners."


More Democratic victories tonight:

Daniel Valenzuela, Phoenix City Council

Paul Cunningham, Tucson City Council

Regina Romero, Tucson City Council

Shirley Scott, Tucson City Council

John Williams, Surprise City Council

[Blaq Dem]

4. AZ too???? Are you serious???

Maybe AZ is just missing their cheap labor force.

[freshwest]

5. That's what I suspect. He's GOP which means he's for screwing the working people.

[midnight]

8. Arizonans oust immigration firebrand Russell Pearce

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

Defiant until the end, Pearce made no apologies for his tough immigration laws — including SB1070 that sought to turn local police into immigration enforcement officers. The law was partially held unconstitutional in federal court.

But Lewis said the message sent out of Mesa was one of a new beginning.

"The biggest hurdle for Arizona to get over that was just what happened," Lewis said in an interview with The Tribune. "Mr. Pearce was the man. He was SB1070. He was the president of the Senate, the architect of that bill and that was his claim to fame. That message was defeated tonight. I don’t think there is anything the state of Arizona could’ve done more significant than this."

Opponents to Pearce began circulating a recall petition earlier this year and needed to gather a little more than 7,700 valid signatures. The opponents turned in about 10,000 signatures validated by the Secretary of State.


Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/52873568-90/ballots-church-election-immigration.html.csp

---

I grew up near Camelback Mountain, and spent many Sundays at friends of my parents eating tamales and visiting and playing with children who would be considered illegal by today's standards. It has been very tough reading the news from Arizona for the past decade.... Thank you Arizona.... Would love to hear from those who are witnessing this change first hand...

[DesertRat]

9. It's a great night!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2268130

[pinboy3niner]

13. Also threads by kpete and lonestarnot:

DEFEATED!!! Arizona Immigration Law Mastermind Russell Pearce Crushed By Jerry Lewis
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2267955


Fuck yeah! Hot diggity!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2268467

It's a great night!

[midnight]

20. Thank you.... Better info. about Jerry Lewis....

[midnight]

15. Are you in the Arizona desert? It is a great night. Thanks for the link...

[DesertRat]

18. I'm in Phoenix

Here's another good post about it:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2268637

:party:

[midnight]

21. Thank you for this... I was wondering who this guy was...

I miss those palm trees and mountains...

[No Elephants]

10. Buh bye. Pearce. Don't come back.

[Kali]

11. I'm pleasantly shocked, to tell you the truth

kind of thought the nut jobs really had a lock on things. so glad to see some sense showing up there in Maricopa county.

[midnight]

16. So glad for your pleasant surprise... We in Wiscosnin could use a similiar event...

[HuckleB]

12. And the citizens of Phoenix elected a "liberal" for mayor.

Yeah, I'm using the term "liberal" loosely, but Stanton is quite liberal for the, uh, environment, no?

[midnight]

19. Good. I smile... because I know. Got to start somewhere...

[DesertRat]

22. And so did Tucson!

:party:

[tblue]

14. Thank goodness!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Take that, you blowhard bigot!

[SoapBox]

17. Buh-Bye Mr. Asshole...

You are SO FIRED!

Don't let the door hit you in your RACIST ass, on your way out.

[pampango]

23. Author of Arizona immigration law Pearce loses recall fight

Source: Los Angeles Times


Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa), left, prepares to address the media
late Tuesday in Mesa as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio stands at his side.

Russell Pearce, the controversial president of the Arizona state Senate, conceded to Republican challenger Jerry Lewis late Tuesday in the first recall of a sitting lawmaker in state history.

Lewis had a 53% to 46% lead over Pearce, with all precincts reporting in their suburban Phoenix district. There were about 1,600 votes separating the two.

Lewis, an assistant superintendent of an Arizona charter school chain and a former accountant, entered the race after Citizens for a Better Arizona, led by Democratic labor organizer Randy Parraz, turned in about 17,000 signatures in May to recall Pearce, arguably the state's most powerful politician. More than 10,000 were validated by county election officials. The group needed at least 7,756 to qualify for the ballot.

Recall backers argued that Pearce's focus on illegal immigration — he wrote the state's controversial immigration law known as SB 1070 and a host of others — has distracted him from the needs of his district and damaged the image of the state.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-pearce-arizona-election-20111108,0,2391614.story

---

Reaction to state Sen. Russell Pearce's apparent defeat by political novice Jerry Lewis came swift and sure, with Pearce supporters lamenting the loss of a patriot and Lewis backers saying they had struck a blow for civility.

Jerry Lewis, the apparent victor:

Saying his campaign took the high ground, Lewis told more than 300 cheering supporters that his victory brings "a fresh voice to Mesa and a civil tone to politics.

"We showed that civility is a sign of strength, not weakness," he said from the back yard of a supporter's west Mesa home where his campaign was conceived.

"We now have an opportunity to heal the divide in Mesa."

Randy Parraz, recall organizer:

Parraz, who was vilified on pro-Pearce signs that appeared around Mesa for the past two months, called the election "a huge correction in the political landscape in Arizona. Russell Pearce had overreached. He had gone too far."

Parraz said he and his allies may go after other politicians whom he blames for poisoning Arizona's political discourse, singling out Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was at Pearce's side throughout the recall campaign.

"We're looking at other people, like Sheriff Arpaio," Parraz said. "If that's the type of politics Sheriff Arpaio wants, we'll see what happens in the new year."

State Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, a Pearce supporter:

"I think Legislative District 18 really made a big mistake by changing out someone like Russell Pearce for Jerry Lewis, who has the support of the extreme left wing."

State Democratic chairman Andrei Cherny:

"Tonight, mainstream Arizona dealt a bitter blow to extremism . . . in recalling Senate President Russell Pearce, the voters have launched a new era of responsible leadership . . . I especially congratulate the voters of Legislative District 18 for their courageous decision to stop Russell Pearce's reckless reign of power over their district, the state Senate and the state of Arizona. Voters are fed up with overreach, abuse of power and attacks on common sense. They expect leaders who will focus on a stronger economy, safer streets and better schools. Tonight, voters are the real winners."

Ruben Navarrette, political columnist and USA Today contributor, via Facebook:

This just in: Ladies and Gentlemen, Evil has left the building! Muy bien hecho, 'Zonies.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2011/11/08/20111108russell-pearce-recall-vote-reaction.html

[opihimoimoi]

24. Awesome rejection of LOLOness The US House is Nx...them Baggers gatta go. Boner Issa McConnell

yup Them Too

[Magoo48]

25. Jailhouse Joe has gotta go too...

[lovuian]

26. woohoo

:woohoo:

[Dutchmaster]

27. Did some research on this guy for a Policy presentation 2 years ago.

Rotal asshole with white extremist ties. Good on AZ for showing him the door.