With Arizona Changing, McCain Focuses on Home

[kevinmc]

PHOENIX— As a general rule, Senator John McCain does not alert the news media when he eats breakfast in Arizona.

But on a Monday morning this month, Mr. McCain campaigned in a local diner, after a Sunday stop at his campaign office here, where he urged volunteers to “make sure we get our voters registered, to make sure we are organized.”

In the sea of uncertainty that defines American politics, presidential candidates have generally been able to count on the residents of their home state, Al Gore’s loss of Tennessee in 2000 being a notable exception.

But a variety of factors have made Mr. McCain’s chances in Arizona less assured than they ordinarily would seem, which his campaign has acknowledged.

The number of independent voters in Arizona has risen 12 percent since 2004, and those voters have helped send a Democrat to the governor’s mansion and given the party four of the state’s eight Congressional seats — including two in 2006, one in a historically Republican district.

At the same time, Arizona Democrats, like many of their counterparts around the country, have outpaced Republicans in voter registration, adding almost 20,000 voters to the rolls since March, compared with the Republican majority’s 8,600 new voters. The second-term Democratic governor, Janet Napolitano, remains wildly popular.

Last month, the McCain campaign startlingly added Arizona to its list of 24 “battleground states,” a fact that state Democrats have clung to like sprinkles on a soft-serve ice cream cone................

[saltpoint]

1. I'd love it if the Obama campaign forced McCain to fight for his home state

of Arizona.

And it would be an expensive undertaking for John and Cindy. You can only really get around by private jet, you know.

[azmouse]

2. McBush commercials are being shown here in AZ.

I find that interesting and horrifying at the same time. The less I have to see him the better.

A repairman at my house yesterday asked me who I was voting for. I told him Obama.
He said that's the answer he's getting from everyone he asks. It's gonna be interesting here.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. My poor hairdresser got frisked by Secret Service while picking up a to-go order that day

He is very excited about doing my "do" for the Convention next month.

It's true, John McCain can't even count on his own state for him in Novemeber. He had a hard time getting elected as a State Committee member in his own district, due to the hardliners being peeved by his immigration stance. The guy he endorsed for State Chair lost the election. As for everyone else, most people here have moved here within the last 10 years and don't know him from Adam. There's really no McCain brand here. It's not like back in Goldwater's day when he was the Golden Son. John McCain is nobody. And our Governor, Janet Napolitano, is hugely popular. Obama has a shot. He may not win this state, but mark my words he'll do better than Kerry did against Bush.

[grantcart]

4. thank you for posting this

I have been tracking McCain's problems in AZ and you may be interested in the last installment from July 2nd.

McCain's Growing Arizona Problem (Update III) McCain campaign now calls AZ "Battleground State"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6446699

When I posted the first one there were several posters here who said that it was ridiculous.

Here are some key points besides what your article shows

1) McCain got less than 50% in his own party's primary.

2) McCain has raised only 39% of the money raised in Illinois - the lowest of the Obama, Clinton and McCain.

3) He is consistently polling at less than 50% and Obama is rising


I wonder if NYT has been peeking around DU??



edited to add this

[kevinmc]

5. I don't think it's ridiculous …..

He has to defend his home state.

If he has to do that....... He can lose it.

Bottomline is he has to spend money and time there.

:)