Thread: Immigration, security top start of Munsil-Napolitano gov rac

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Immigration, security top start of Munsil-Napolitano governor's race
The Business Journal of Phoenix - 2:09 PM MST Wednesdayby Mike Sunnucks and Grayson SteinbergThe Business Journal
Len Munsil bested Don Goldwater in Tuesday's Republican primary for governor and on Wednesday took aim at Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Napolitano and Munsil will face off in the November general election.

Munsil criticized Napolitano in a series of media appearances Tuesday and Wednesday for not being tough enough on illegal immigration and pointing out the state's high crime rate and poor education scores.

Munsil faulted Napolitano for not doing more to secure the Mexican border and said the state needs to take more action instead of blaming the federal government. The conservative favors using National Guard troops to patrol the border and construction of security fences to curtail illegal crossers and drug trafficking. Napolitano proposes using the Guard in a support role at the border; backs a guest-worker plan put forward by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and security plan from President Bush.

McCain has endorsed Munsil in the contest which could help the conservative with moderate and independent voters.

Napolitano said Wednesday she wasn't surprised that Munsil won the primary and expected to see the gubernatorial race narrow now that a Republican candidate had been chosen. Pre-primary polls give Napolitano substantial leads over Munsil.

The governor added she would campaign strongly for re-election against a candidate that she said has never held public office and whose claim to fame was as a lobbyist for the Center for Arizona Policy, a socially conservative non-profit organization.

"I think my record is far more substantial," Napolitano said.

Democrats also say Munsil is too conservative for moderate voters while the GOP contends Napolitano is a liberal, especially on social issues.

Munsil opposes abortion rights and supports a gay marriage ban referendum. Napolitano supports abortion rights and opposes the gay marriage ban, but has taken more moderate stances on economic and tax issues.

Both candidates voice support for punishing employers who unlawfully hire illegal immigrants.

Munsil said on KAZ-TV Wednesday he welcomed a comparison of his experience to the governor and made the case for change, pointing to illegal immigration, high crime rates and Arizona's poor education scores.

The Republican pointed to his experience as the head of CAP and work with law enforcement agencies fighting child pornography. He said Napolitano was a trial lawyer before being appointed as U.S. Attorney for Arizona by former president Bill Clinton. Napolitano went on to become state attorney general and then governor in 2003. She is the state's top Democrat. The governor worked for the Phoenix law firm Lewis & Roca before entering public service and represented Anita Hill in her sexual harassment claim against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Munsil is popular with conservative Christians, anti-abortion advocates and hopes to garner support from anti-tax, more conservative quarters of the business community.

Napolitano has good relations with the business community, especially high-tech leaders and private-sector boosters of downtown Phoenix and state universities. The governor is popular with the Democratic base but also moderates, women and independents.

She signed off on business-backed tax cuts the past two years and takes credit for improving the state's fiscal health since she took office in 2003.

Munsil contends it was Republican tax cuts and fiscal policies at the state Legislature -- not the governor -- that helped improve the state's budget situation from a deficit to a surplus.

Munsil beat out Goldwater in the GOP primary for governor thanks to a strong showing at the polls in Maricopa County.

Other key elections on Tuesday saw:

• Scottsdale voters shoot down a proposed ban on lap dances at strip clubs. Strip clubs opposed that ban which was backed by Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross, Munsil and a number of elected officials.
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• State Sen. Carolyn Allen -- business-backed moderate -- defeated conservative state Rep. Colette Rosati in a bitter Republican primary for a seat representing Scottsdale and Fountain Hills.
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• State Sen. Toni Hellon and state Rep. John Allen lost in GOP primary upsets and Jason Williams beat the favored Slade Mead in the Democratic primary for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
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• Pam Gorman trounced fellow state representative Ted Carpenter in an open state Senate seat in a Republican-dominated North Valley district.
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• Immigration hawk Randy Graf won the Republican and former state lawmaker Gabrielle Giffords the Democratic primary to succeed retiring GOP Tucson Congressman Jim Kolbe.
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• Graf, a former state lawmaker, bested business-backed state Rep. Steve Huffman in that race. National Republicans and business groups backed Huffman in that primary tilt. [/*:m:2iqcqk41]

Can someone from Arizona please explain to me why Napolitano is so popular? From what I've read she has vetoed about every bill that comes to her desk.