PHOENIX -- Michigan is getting more attention from Republican presidential contenders than Arizona though both states share a Feb. 28 primary date and have virtually the same number of convention delegates, but that changes Wednesday, at least for a day.
That's when Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum appear together on a stage in a Phoenix suburb for a CNN debate, and that's to Republican Gov. Jan Brewer's liking.
The Republican National Committee last fall sanctioned an Arizona debate at the urging of Brewer, who said it would focus attention on Arizona issues and concerns.
"It's a big win for Arizona and a big win for America so that we can have our issues discussed," she said at the time. Spokesman Matthew Benson said recently that Brewer hopes the debate hits on topics such as illegal immigration and states' rights.
But of the four major GOP contenders, only Romney so far has campaigned in Arizona in recent weeks, though Santorum has scheduled several Arizona events immediately before the debate and Paul plans a fundraiser the morning after.
But for the most part, Michigan has received more attention, particularly from Romney and Santorum as they battled for delegates in a more populous Rust Belt state where Romney was born and his father was governor.
"Both are going to be battling it out in Michigan whereas Romney has a substantial advantage in Arizona," said Rob Haney, Republican Party chairman in Maricopa county, home to about three of every five registered Republicans in the state.
Romney is thought to have an advantage partly because the state is home to many Mormons. He's also got by far the most endorsements from prominent politicians, though Brewer has yet to announce a favorite.
The candidates' calculations on where to spend time and money also must consider that Michigan allots most of its delegates on the basis of winning its 14 congressional districts. Arizona is winner-take-all statewide, so there's little incentive for a candidate to work the state hard without a realistic chance of winning.
"You come in second places in Arizona, you come out with a goose egg," said Bruce Ash, a Republican National Committee member for the state.
Another factor: About a fourth of the Republican voters in the state's two most populous counties had already cast early ballots by Friday. That means further campaigning - and even the debate - won't impact their choices.
The Arizona debate will be the first in over three weeks and might prove to be the last in a lineup of at least 20 such joint appearances by at least four Republican contenders since last May.
On Thursday, CNN called off a debate scheduled for March 1 in Georgia after at least two of the candidates said they would not attend.
As the campaign now dives into multiple states at a time, it only gets harder to find dates and places that work for all candidates, said Nathan Sproul, an Arizona political consultant who is working for Romney's campaign.
Unlike months past when candidates zeroed in on only a few states, "now you start spreading the map out," said Sproul, a former executive director of the Arizona Republican Party. "To try to align their calendars and schedules to be in one location is much more difficult."
Romney's recent visit probably represents him "not wanting to leave any state untouched" because of any loss or near-miss would damage perceptions of him as front-runner, said Richard Herrera, an Arizona State University associate professor of political science.
Arizona's location along the U.S.-Mexico border and its role as a major entry point for illegal crossings means border security and illegal immigration are likely topics for the debate and pre-primary campaigning, said Fred Solop, a Northern Arizona University political science professor.
However, "like much of the country, we're going to be talking about the economy. We're going to be talking about jobs," Solop said.
Arizona was one of the states hardest hit by the housing collapse that began in 2007, with 250,000 homes lost to foreclosure. The real estate market remains weak, with more half of the homeowners owing more on their homes than they are worth.
"That kind of depressing economic news trumps other kinds of issues," Sproul said.
Arizona's primary falls on Feb. 28 under a state law that allowed a governor to move the date up but not back. Brewer considered doing so on the theory that an even earlier primary would garner even more attention for the date.
But she abandoned that idea last fall in a decision she announced simultaneously with Republican Party officials sanctioning the Arizona debate. It was widely perceived to be a trade-off, but she and Republican Party officials denied it.
"There was no deal," said Benson, the governor's chief spokesman.
But because Arizona's primary is still being held too early under party rules, the state gives up half of its 58 convention delegates, leaving it with 29. Michigan also is in violation, so it gets only 30 delegates.
Despite the greater attention now being paid to Michigan, Ash said Brewer's decision to keep the Feb. 28 primary date is working out well for the state.
"The governor has achieved her goals in spades" with the debate and Arizona's primary both being held before the March 6 contests known as Super Tuesday, Ash said. "Gosh, this could be the last debate of the entire season."
And moving up the primary to late January, as Brewer considered, "would have further messed up the entire primary schedule," he said. "It would have caused a lot of chaos."
DrJCA1 posted at 3:26 pm on Mon, Feb 20, 2012.
What a collection of circus clowns (politicians). If you add up the president, congress, and all the liars & thieves that are running for offices all over the country, you get a big, fat zero. Add in the bribery factor (lobbying), and it turns into a negative number for anthing decent to ever happen. It makes a person want to shoot himself.
Slabside posted at 6:41 pm on Mon, Feb 20, 2012.
Speak for yourself DrJCA1. Wait where you are... I'll find you a pistol.
ralpho posted at 9:50 pm on Mon, Feb 20, 2012.
This is a GOP state but some how everything that is wrong is never the fault of GOP. There is no one to blame about anything wrong in this state except this state.
I know but Obama. High Energy, water, local sky high taxes these are our problems and no one else is ever going to fix them. Locally you charge me 10 bucks for the pleasure of spending a hundred.
Lets change my house tax from 2000 to 200 lets make my local tax 2.0 percent.
Lets quit making robbery legal.
You can not remove the splinter from another's eye while you have a two by four in your own.
mariapar posted at 10:58 pm on Mon, Feb 20, 2012.
32 Entries of SHAMEFULLY opposite Political Posturing by Mitt Romney WILLIARD ROMNEY - SELF DESTRUCTING Remember that the Obama machine have THESE videos and will USE them to pulverize the bishop Romney = 4 more years of Obama doom
Paste in a new page- a must SEE for the love of USA !
http://tinyurl.com/6u643xb
and Jesus Said..... "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No': anything beyond this comes from the Evil One" - Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:37 - The Sermon on the Mount (NIV)
SEE ALL ENTRIES -
SIT DOWN FIRST. LOVE USA? E-mail links to all your contacts . We the people more powerful than money ! and for a little laugh: Mitt Romney pulls a Clinton http://tinyurl.com/7mokeqb
http://tinyurl.com/87pells
Research the candidates for yourself !
REPOST, WE THE PEOPLE DID. We must balance the millions of ROMONEY's pac !!
mariapar posted at 10:59 pm on Mon, Feb 20, 2012.
Bishop Romney 's PACK EXPENT 14 MILLIONS IN NEGATIVE ADDS TO CONFUSE THE MINDS OF THE ARIZONIANS.... JA ! Now ROMONEY WILL PARADE THE DONALD …. DESPERATION TIME !
32 Entries of SHAMEFULLY opposite Political Posturing by Mitt Romney
http://tinyurl.com/6u643xb
MONEY WILL NOT HIDE THE TRUTH or smoke the minds of the arizonians !!
DaneMuhlig posted at 11:56 am on Mon, Feb 27, 2012.
~Mormonism Not Christian
Mormonism [Church of Latter Day Saints] is not Christian is because it denies the doctrines
of Christianity. Mormonism denies that there is only one God, Jesus is God in flesh,
forgiveness of sins is by grace, Jesus rose from the dead physically.
God, One of Many Gods, is An Exalted Man, Who is Married with Many Wives
Mormonism teaches that God is a an exalted man, that he used to be a man on another
planet and he is only one of countless gods and that God is married and he brought one
of his wives to this world and produces spirit children who then inhabit human bodies at birth.
God Had Sex with Mary
Mormons say God had sex with Mary and produced Jesus! According to Mormonism there
was no virgin birth. "The Father came down from heaven...and begat the Savior of the World;
for He is the Only Begotten of the Father which could not have been if the Father did not
actually beget him in person...The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of
our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood." (Brigham
Young, Journal Of Discourses, Vol. 1 page 238 and8:115)
Man Can Become God
Mormons believe that man can become God! "The Lord created you and me for the purpose
of becoming Gods like Himself." Brigham Young (Journal Of Discourses 3:93).
Jesus Was A Polygamist
The reason people "persecuted Jesus Christ, was because he had so many wives; there were
Elizabeth and Mary, and a host of others." [Journal of Discourses, Vol 1. ppl 345-346] "The
Scripture says the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with HIS TRAIN; I do not know who they
were, unless his wives and children." Brigham Young [Journal of Discourses,Vol.13.pg309]
Jesus and Satan Are Spirit Brothers
Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers. [Journal of Discourses, 93:21]
Salvation through Joseph Smith
"No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God
without the consent of Joseph Smith...every man and woman must have the
certificate of Joseph Smith." [Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289-91]
The Bible Is Not Infallible and Is Not Reliable
Mormons teach that the Bible has many errors and is unreliable and was corrupted in
translation and it is not infallible.They believe their Book of Mormon is God's Word. It is
“the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion." Joseph Smith
Polygamy Marriages in Heaven
Mormon’s believe that you can be married to many wives in Heaven.
Baptism for the Dead
Mormon's baptize people in water on behalf of dead people for the forgiveness of their sins.
Mormon's Holy Underwear
Mormons have a Temple Ceremony where the person is given "Mormon
Underwear" that is to protect them against the Evil One.
Joseph Smith, Mormon Founder, Met Jesus
In 1820 Mormon founder Joseph Smith was 14 years old and he said God the Father and
Jesus met him outside of New York. Three years later he said an Angel named Moroni
inspired him to write the Book of Mormon, which is "another Bible" and "new revelation" of
Jesus Christ and it is about an ancient people who came from the middle east to the
Americas. The Mormons follow 2 other books, Doctrine & Covenants & Pearl of Great Price.
Joseph Smith Met John the Baptist
In 1829 Joseph Smith said John the Baptist appeared to him and ordained him.
Christians Are All Wrong...Their Creeds Are An Abomination
Joseph Smith said, Christians were "all wrong... all their creeds were an admonition."
Joseph Smith Greater Than Jesus
Smith said, "I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has
ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam...Neither Paul,
John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I"
Joseph Smith:"I Am Impregnable...God is My Right Hand Man"
Smith said, "The whole Earth shall bear me witness that I, like the towering rock in the
midst of the ocean, am impregnable...I combat the errors of ages... I solve mathematical
problems of universities, with truth, diamond truth; and God is my right hand man...
you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves,"
Brigham Young, Mormon's 2nd Prophet, Creates New Scriptures
Young said, "I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out that they may not call
Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good a scripture"
Mormon Polygamy
After 1852, when the Mormon Church was openly practicing polygamy, the leaders of the
church were declaring that it was absolutely essential for exaltation. A revelation given by
Joseph Smith, "Ten virgins given unto him [Solomon] by this law, he cannot commit
adultery...therefore is he justified."
Joseph Smith A Polygamist...An Adulterer...and A Pedophile
Joseph Smith had 33 wives! He married several who were married to other men." Nancy
Marinda Johnson married Joseph Smith while her husband, Orson Hyde, was on a
mission to Jerusalem." Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, the wife of Adam Lightner,
said that Joseph claimed an "angel" came with a "drawn sword" and told him that if
he did not enter into polygamy "he would slay him."
Joseph Smith's youngest wife, Helen Mar Kimball, was 14 years old!!!!
Joseph Smith Wife Damned If She Doesn't Accept Polygamy
Joseph Smith prophesied his first and only legal wife Emma would be damned
or destroyed if she did not accept polygamy (Doctrine & Covenants 132).
Brigham Young 55 Wives and 57 Children
Brigham Young, the 2nd Prophet of Mormonism had 55 wives and 57 children!!
Must Commit Polygamy to Become Gods
Brigham Young said, "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are
those who enter into polygamy." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 11,269) "If you want to
become a god one day you must violate the already given law of God now.
"[Doctrine and Covenants132 Verses 62-63]
Must Commit Polygamy or You Will Be Damned and Not Enter God's Glory
"He that abideth not this law (polygamy) can in no wise enter into my glory, but
shall be damned, saith the Lord." (D&C,132:27). "Now if any of you deny the
plurality of wives, I promise that you will be damned." Brigham Young
Mormonism is Not Christian