Dems worry that Brewer could replace Napolitano

The thought that Gov. Janet Napolitano might quit her job to take a spot in a Barack Obama administration has Sen. Jorge Garcia lighting candles and saying a little prayer.

The Tucson Democrat worries what will happen if Napolitano leaves in the middle of her term, a move that constitutionally would elevate Secretary of State Jan Brewer to become governor. And Brewer, a Republican, is making it clear she would do things differently.

"I'm certainly not a tax-and-spend elected official," she said.

It also means Napolitano would no longer be the backstop who enables House and Senate Democrats to have so much influence on public policy despite the fact they are in the minority.

"That is probably one of the biggest fears of many down here in the state Legislature, not only here, but outside the Legislature," said Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix. "We would always wish the best for our great governor. But we would rather see her fulfill her term here in the state of Arizona as our governor."

But the possibility of an all-Republican government has some GOP lawmakers grinning ear to ear. Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, calls Brewer "a lady we can work with."

"We would get government spending under control," he said. And Pearce said Brewer would "protect the unborn."

Both are perennial hot-button issues.

The state is now struggling to manage a $2.2 billion deficit for the coming year, with Napolitano pushing to make up much of that gap with borrowing while Republicans want sharp spending cuts. And Napolitano has vetoed every measure to put new restrictions on abortions since taking office in 2003.

Napolitano's name has been one of dozens suggested as possible running mates for Obama.

But her lack of foreign policy experience, something Obama needs to balance his own limited background, weighs against that possibility. So does being an unmarried 50-year-old woman: It's been more than 150 years since the nation had an unmarried vice president who was not a widower.

More promising is a Cabinet position in an Obama administration. Napolitano has the credentials to be the Attorney General, given her experience both as U.S. Attorney for Arizona and later as state attorney general.

Obama himself told reporters in January - when Napolitano endorsed him - any Democrat would be wise to consider having the governor as a member of the Cabinet.

"She's just a singular talent out there," Obama said then. He said Napolitano has dealt with difficult issues in "a common sense way that brings people together" and has "the kind of tone and temperament I'd want to see in my government."

The question that remains is whether Napolitano would willingly hand over the reins of state government to a woman whose views on so many issues are so different from hers.

"I don't think Janet would be so mean to Arizona Democrats to leave us with Jan," said Garcia, the No. 2 Democrat in the state Senate. But Garcia said he's not leaving anything to chance.

"I've lit so many candles," he said. Garcia said, though, he has looked at the "stark reality" of what would happen if Napolitano decides her political future lies not in Phoenix but in Washington.

One likely scenario, he said, is that Democrats would take their issues directly to voters to get their programs enacted. That has an additional advantage for a party in the minority: Anything approved by voters cannot be altered by the Legislature.

But Kevin McCarthy, executive director of the pro-business Arizona Tax Research Association, looks at the possibility of an all-Republican government exactly the reverse.

McCarthy said the current divided government has resulted in a paralysis on significant issues extending beyond the inability to enact a budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. He said it also led to some bad public policy - at least from his organization's perspective - like Napolitano's veto of permanent repeal of the state's property tax.

He said if the situation continues his group may have to take issues like tax cuts directly to voters, something that would not be necessary with Brewer at the helm.

There are some Republicans, however, whose political leanings, especially on social issues, are closer to those of Napolitano than to Brewer.

"It'll be a different dynamic," said Rep. Pete Hershberger, R-Tucson, of a possible Brewer administration. "But I don't think it's the end of the world."

And not all the Democrats see a possible Napolitano departure as political Armageddon.

Rep. Jack Brown, D-St. Johns, has served in Legislatures with governors of both parties. He said Brewer won't get her way even if both the House and Senate remain in GOP hands.

"I think she'll learn that she has to work with both sides of the aisle if she wants to get something accomplished around here," Brown said.

Having the governor and Legislature of the same party doesn't always mean friendly relations. Just ask Republican Fife Symington who vetoed his share of bills. Symington, who had a Democrat-controlled Senate his first two years in office, said accomplishing his goals became easier when the GOP controlled of both chambers. But he said there is a political risk.

"If you don't make significant progress and accomplish notable things, the reaction (from voters) will be, 'Well, what are you doing because you've got a unified government and you're not performing,'" he said. "It's almost like the 'expectation game' is raised."