For Ariz. election, it’s all about the issues
By Valerie Richardson

The Washington Times 8:38 p.m., Tuesday, July 19, 2011

He’s an Arizona state senator who probably wouldn’t be recognized on the street outside of Mesa, yet the recall election of Russell Pearce is poised to become the biggest race of the 2011 cycle.

Whether Mr. Pearce should be able to keep the seat he won in November isn’t really the point. This race is all about subtext. It’s border security versus immigrant rights. It’s guns versus butter. It’s the power of the state to enforce its laws versus the authority of the federal government.

“Russell Pearce is the poster boy, but the real issue is whether a state can take these problems and deal with them themselves when the federal government won’t,â€