Former state Sen. Russell Pearce will end the silence over his future Monday, at an event that suggests anything but a quiet retirement following a stunning recall that removed him from office last year.
The Mesa Republican and iconic figure in the anti-illegal immigration debate will appear before the Red Mountain Tea Party with other political candidates and his close political ally, Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Recall organizer Randy Parraz expects Pearce will launch a bid for the state Senate.
So does Sean McCaffrey, the founder of Ban Amnesty Now. McCaffrey works closely with Pearce since BAN named Pearce its president in January.
“I do get the feeling that he’s got the political bug and the public service bug,” McCaffrey said. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he jumps back into the fray because despite all the things he has achieved, I think he has the feeling that there’s more to do.”
Pearce did not reply to the Tribune’s emailed request for an interview.
Pearce was behind SB 1070 during his year as Senate president and relentlessly pursued related immigration measures until voters ousted him in November. McCaffrey said Pearce wants to keep pushing immigration bills but is passionate about a wide range of matters that include taxes, the state budget and education.
Pearce lost a November recall to Republican Jerry Lewis, a charter school executive who was well known in the conservative Mesa district but had no political experience. By a 12-point loss, Pearce was the first Arizona legislator to be recalled in the 99 years since Arizona became a state.
That distinction makes Pearce damaged goods, Parraz said. Pearce should have taken the recall as a sign he’d become removed from even conservative voters in his district, Parraz said.
“It’s not about doing whatever the tea party wants you to do. This is not a tea party state, because if we were, Russell Pearce would have won by 12 points,” Parraz said. “I just don’t think Russell Pearce has the pull that he thinks he has among voters.”
Parraz led Citizens for a Better Arizona, which organized voters in west Mesa’s legislative District 18 in response to Pearce’s immigration bills. But the group said Pearce also upset voters by leading the Legislature in making excessive budget cuts that hurt education, health care and other programs.
After the recall was launched, a scandal revealed the Fiesta Bowl had curried favor with lawmakers by providing free tickets and junkets to football games. Pearce took nearly $40,000 in tickets and travel.
Pearce supporters generated intense criticism when some of them supported a third candidate, Olivia Cortes. Critics called her a sham candidate to split the vote, as the retiree had no political experience, shunned most reporters, made little effort to campaign and admitted she didn’t know who posted campaign signs on her behalf.
Pearce was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000, and to the Senate in 2008. The Arizona native previously was a deputy with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, where he worked closely with Arpaio.
McCaffrey said he hasn’t spoken with Pearce about Monday’s announcement. He emphasized neither he nor BAN would be involved with a political campaign, if Pearce were to launch one. The state Senate run seems the best fit for Pearce, he said. McCaffrey said it’s probably too late for anybody to launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate or House.
McCaffrey formerly worked as a campaign consultant and said he doesn’t believe the recall damaged Pearce.
He expects Parraz will work against Pearce but questioned whether Citizens for a Better Arizona can sustain itself beyond a single election. The recall was an abuse of Arizona’s constitution and not a sign of widespread Pearce opposition, McCaffrey said.
“Ordinarily a recall effort is intended for extraordinary situations when an elected official has abused the public trust,” he said. “In this case, the recall provision was taken advantage of by people who didn’t like his legislative agenda.”
The old District 18 boundaries changed since the recall as part of redistricting that takes place every decade. Pearce is now in District 25. That district is currently represented by Republican Sen. Rich Crandall, which could set up a primary battle.
District 25 is further to the east than District 18 but has the same conservative tilt, Parraz said.
He anticipates fighting Pearce in the primary election with the same tactics used in the recall. That involved extensive door-to-door communication with voters to talk about Pearce and build a coalition of independents, moderate Republicans and Democrats. In this case, some Democrats might re-register as Republicans to vote in the primary.
Parraz said he’s been talking with District 25 voters and would only proceed if people in that district want assistance. Parraz said the recall shows Pearce had alienated a wide swath of people, and the result could be repeated this fall.
“If Russell Pearce thinks he’s just going to walk into that seat, he’s going to have a fight,” he said. “Russell Pearce has no idea how many Republican business owners are against him.”
Contact writer: (480) 898-6548 or ggroff@evtrib.com
Rational Human posted at 8:13 am on Tue, Mar 20, 2012.
Yes cockroach we want and will get full implementation of SB1070, and the war against your invasion will continue to grow as states implement similar laws against your kind of vermin. The movement grows daily as more citizens of all color and race wake up to your menace. Cockroaches like you are very common and unspectacular in your monotonous claims to land you have no claim to, but don't stop. Continue to march with your Mexican flags and upside down American flags. Continue to prove to Americans that you are not Americans and do not want to become Americans. You wake more people up with every breath your movement takes.
samkat posted at 5:29 pm on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
con: Which businesses do you operate in Mesa? I am calling your bluff. Name them and I will check them out.
vato: From your past posts, I would say you hold the title for race baiting.
Arch1414 posted at 5:27 pm on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
It's a little late in life for Pearce to prove his manhood! When all of us men were marching off to war in Vietnam, Pearce was hiding in the comforts of the Arizona National Guard! To late! It's time to fade into the sunset!
I heard a report that J.T. Ready once stopped suddenly, three Fire Rescue Teams had to be called to remove Pearce's head from Ready's rectum! Is this true? Or is it still locked solidly in place?
Back to Pearce's National Guard record, I am impressed. not one fatality due to slow response during a hurricane in Arizona! Also, not one student shot during protests in Arizona during the Vietnam War, also impressive!
This is another man strong on crime from Mexicans but can't keep it out of his family! At least his son is not criminally insane like our Governor's son! The fact that none of Pearce's kids are insane is some sort of miracle! All I can say, Pearce's wife really must be a lot more stable than Russell is?
azconan posted at 9:43 am on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
Im a tea party republican and have businesses in Mesa. I grew up in Mesa and have employed Pearces family members in the past. I tell you I did ALL I COULD to see him defeated and kicked out of politics and will do so again. He sponsors nothing but racist bills. he does NOTHING that isnt tinted with race. Hes done nothing for the schools, nothing for the housing, nothing for the economy while he ran the Senate. For those of you that dont know he would retaliate against other senators who voted against him. Goodbye and good riddance.
phxvato1202 posted at 6:19 am on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
what is so sad is the level of hypocrisy from pearce and his supporters. they try and spout some facts that will make him look like a great leader when in reality he is nothing more than a racists who insists that the laws of the land be followed but yet he is one of the ones who breaks so many. Just the fact that his own family have broken so many laws in so many ways is what makes them such hypocrites. One must wonder how he expects others to support the laws of this state when his own family can't is really crazy. It is said to lead by example but his family values aren't as honest as pearce wants everyone to think they are. His family is rooted in deep hatred and the hatred would be there even if there was not one single illegal in arizona or this coountry. As the word would say he couldn;t even govern his own kids and yet he wants to make kaws governoring all the citizens of this state. The spin that he spouts that if you don't agree with him means your an illegal supporter. And as so many have previously have said he feeds on the taxpayer support which is tatamount to getting state welfare since he can;t seem to keep his jobs with any type of integrity. There is a reason he was recalled and if by now he does not realize why then he is truly a lost cause.
phxvato1202 posted at 8:07 pm on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
@rathuman--you make so many of us chuckle with your ignorance and stupid support of a deadbeat politican like pearce and arpaio. you would love to believe that sb-1070 will be fully implemented and like pearce who said it would become law when all those lawsuits were filed and yet the heart of sb-1070 is on hold. and if your such a reader of minds that you are so sure that the supremeb court will rule in pearces favor. Even the people in pearces district didn't want him anymore, and that was white people, mormons, who said they were sick and embarrassed of him so the only game your playing is in your mind. whether pearce wins again in any district is up to the voters but truth comes first and it's common knowledge that pearce has relied on the taxpayers to support him for the last 25 years or so, and it's called political welfare. he does not even deserve to get the title of dog catchercause i'm sure the dogs would committ suicide before being under his control. so go ahead and try to convince yourself what a God he is to you. but as has been said in the past that God does not have to prove himself but pearce wants to prove he is God but only in his own head.
Rational Human posted at 7:07 pm on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
Most of SB1070 is in fact law, and the rest will be when the US Supreme Court makes their ruling soon. That will be in time for Pearce to use for any election he wishes to participate in. You, Cerulean, may have had many reasons but SB1070 was the reason El Reconquest Parratz and his many pro illegal alien supporters went after Pearce. Why do you have so much trouble admitting the obvious?
Cerulean posted at 5:56 pm on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
Groff said, “Pearce was behind SB 1070 during his year as Senate president and relentlessly pursued related immigration measures until voters ousted him in November.”
Groff failed to mention that SB1070 is not yet a law, nor are any of the relentlessly pursued immigration measures. Like Arpaio, Pearce is/was a failure at everything except for ‘show businesses’ and spending A LOT of tax money on lawyers’ fees.
Groff said, “Parraz led Citizens for a Better Arizona, which organized voters in west Mesa’s legislative District 18 in response to Pearce’s immigration bills.”
Groff, that is not true. The recall election was held because of many things; using the one cent sales tax to authorize a new prison complex in Yuma, cutting public education funding while increasing funding for private schools that only those with money can afford to attend, accepting $40,000. In bribes from Fiesta Bowl are just a few.
Groff, As you might tell, I think this article is flawed!
Trans posted at 3:39 pm on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words! It's hard to imagine more hate and ugliness than what is displayed above.
Rational Human posted at 8:12 am on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
You were all warned way ahead of time that all this recall would do is to give Pearce a long PAID vacation.
"Pearce damaged goods, Parraz said. Pearce should have taken the recall as a sign he’d become removed from even conservative voters in his district, Parraz said"
Even the illegal alien supporter knows that is pure nonsense. Conservative voters voted for Pearce in very high numbers. But let's not go into how Republican Jerry Lewis, a charter school executive beat Pearce by 12 points with the total vote from the democratic party. We all know that was a recall law trick that wont happen again and can't happen in a regular election. Pearce has tons of campaign money and will easily win reelection as easily as the sheriff will if either chooses to.
Dale Whiting posted at 7:33 am on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
If I recall correctly the primary is in August. And as long as Pearce is pictured standing next to Arpaio, he'll loose. Arpaio is becoming known for his political connections. While East Valley conservatives may love some of the Arpaio themes, they distain "secret combinations!" Quite frankly, Pearce would do better running as a Democrat!