Who’s Gonna Clean Up This Mesa?

MESA, AZ (KPHO/AP) -Voters have ousted state Sen. Russell Pearce in an unprecedented recall election, a first for an Arizona legislator.

With a majority of the precincts reporting, the top vote-getter, Republican Jerry Lewis, steps into the District 18 legislative seat for the second year of a two-year term.

Lewis claimed victory at 9 p.m.

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Cactus Got Your Tongue?

From POLITICAL HOTSHEET at CBS NEWS:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer gave what can only be described as a cringe-worthy opening statement in her debate against Democratic opponent Terry Goddard last night.

Politico’s Ben Smith, who picked the video up off YouTube, wrote that Brewer’s performance “reflects either an amazing lack of preparation, or sheer panic.”

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Gimme a Break, a Prison Break

(CNN) — The escape of three convicts from a prison in Arizona last week has become an issue in the state’s campaign for governor.

Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democratic candidate, is accusing incumbent Republican Gov. Jan Brewer of increasing the risk of jailbreaks by favoring for-profit prisons over state-run prisons.

“The Brewer administration has consistently promoted private over public prisons, in spite of the public safety risk,” he said. “The escape of these two violent offenders makes it clear how dangerous this policy has been.”

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More Baloney in Old Arizony

From the Arizona Daily Star:

PHOENIX – A fight is developing over the unilateral decision by Gov. Jan Brewer to cancel next month’s meeting of 10 border governors, which had been scheduled for Arizona.

The governors of two other U.S. states said they want the annual meeting to go on, but not in Arizona. Aides to both Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat Bill Richardson said the conferences are too important to be disrupted by political fallout from Arizona’s new law aimed at illegal immigrants.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said through a press aide that he would be willing to attend a relocated border governors conference.

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