Legislator’s e-mail draws fire from challengers

Conservative Scottsdale lawmaker Colette Rosati inflamed her fellow Republican opponents when she wrote in a recent e-mail that the "entire homosexual community" is rallying against her and then raised questions about her challengers’ family and marital status.

Unfortunately for Rosati, a comment about one of her opponents’ inability to have children backfired on the District 8 legislator.

In an Aug. 6 e-mail sent to rally support among Rosati vol unteers, the selfproclaimed "real estate mom" said that one of her opponents "is not married and the other is but has no children. Hmm . . ."

The comment hit political newcomer Royce Flora in the gut, he said. Flora’s wife of six years, Ann, has had three miscarriages, cancer and a hysterectomy, Flora said.

"It hits women hard, saying things like you can’t have children," Flora said. "(Rosati) claims to be a good Christian, yet these are the tactics she stoops to? My intention is to stay out of the mud, which is where she is most comfortable."

Reached Tuesday, Rosati said she had time for a telephone interview, but immediately ended the conversation when asked about the e-mail.

On Wednesday, a spokesman returned calls on Rosati’s behalf.

"It was an offhand comment that she regrets making. She never intended to hurt the feelings of either Royce orMr. Flora’s wife," said Chris Baker, a consultant for Rosati’s reelection campaign. "At some point in the near future she will contact them and discuss the issue privately."

Rosati is in a heated threeway race against Flora and Rep. Michele Reagan in a district that covers Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and Rio Verde. The top two vote-getters in the Sept. 7 primary will advance to the Nov. 2 general election.

Reagan, 34, who is unmarried, said she was offended by the e-mail, but quickly moved on.

"Is she trying to refer that I’m a lesbian?" Reagan asked. "My boyfriend got a kick out of that. I have a voting record. Go after that."

The e-mail addressed the need to get fellow mothers, students and church members to call voters on Rosati’s behalf.

"Can we moms and students multitask or what?" she wrote.

It’s not the first time Rosati has been criticized for campaign tactics. Two years ago, she ignored requests by a Scottsdale Catholic church to stop campaigning on its grounds. Parishioners were eventually told to call law enforcement officials if they saw her campaigning on the property.

The anti-abortion and protraditional marriage candidate took some criticism among colleagues during her first term for offhand remarks, but that was moderated by what some described as a strong work ethic. Rosati has earned praise from the conservative Goldwater Institute for education issues.

The e-mail criticized a recent effort among the gay community to register voters. She went on to mention Planned Parenthood among her foes.

It is those groups "against one mom with a husband — and two teens in her kitchen," she wrote. "The dark side is actually going to . .. certain types of bars to register voters."

Former state Rep. Steve May, an openly gay Republican, said the e-mail was an attack on the recent campaign among gay and lesbian groups to register voters.

"The fact that she can’t even say the word ‘gay’ is fascinating," he said. "I think she is really out of step with the dignity that most citizens afford most other human beings."

Baker said Rosati was not referring to the gay community as the "dark side" nor was she trying to imply her opponents were gay. He said the comment was directed toward groups that openly oppose Rosati.

Planned Parenthood’s political committee endorsed Reagan, among other candidates, and the Arizona Human Rights Fund, a gay rights political advocacy group, wrote in its endorsement pamphlet: "Do not vote for Colette Rosati."

"It was the heat of the campaign," Baker said. "I think she was just jokingly saying the ‘dark side,’ much like one side versus the other."