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Brewer, Goddard begin campaigns for governor
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Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer testifies during the U.S. Senate's homeland security and governmental affairs committee meeting, along with Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard. April 20, 2009.
The Associated Press
The 2010 campaign for Arizona governor is taking shape with the standard-bearers for both major parties moving into the race.
Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, announced Thursday she will seek a full, four-year term after months of almost complete silence about her intentions. There has been speculation that Brewer might already be too wounded politically because of the state budget crisis and her proposal for a temporary sales tax increase that is widely unpopular among Republican activists. Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker and former GOP party chairman John Munger of Tucson have been raising support for weeks, and other Republicans such as state Treasurer Dean Martin also could take up the challenge.
But as Brewer made her opening move Thursday in Glendale, she was flanked by two GOP insiders who also had considered their own bids for governor. Former state Attorney General Grant Woods and Mary Peters, former director of state and federal transportation agencies, will co-chair Brewer’s campaign. Their commitment served notice that Brewer still is the candidate to beat for the Republican nomination.
Then on Friday, current state Attorney General Terry Goddard created an exploratory committee for the Democratic nomination. Goddard made it known sometime ago that he wanted to move up to the governor’s office.
But he’s had no need to rush into the race as it appears he will be largely unopposed in the 2010 primary.
The immediate political fortunes of both Brewer and Goddard have been heavily influenced by the January departure of former Gov. Janet Napolitano for a cabinet appointment in Washington. Brewer took over as governor and now has the benefits, and curses, of campaigning as the incumbent. Goddard has been able to step out of Napolitano’s shadow and become his party’s most visible champion.
This could be one of the most important campaigns in state history as candidates will have to explain how they would approach state government’s huge budget deficits that will require significant policy changes to resolve. The field isn’t completely set yet, but the debate can begin.
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