Kelly’s Second Act

Posted: April 27, 2012 in Daily Briefing

By outspending her opponent two to one, Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D., Ariz.) held onto her congressional seat in the Republican shellacking of 2010. After the horrific shooting that cut her third term short, Giffords resigned in January, and Governor Jan Brewer (R.) called for a special election on June 12 to determine Giffords’s replacement, with a primary on April 17.

Giffords christened as her heir Ron Barber, her former district director, and the Democratic voters complied with her wishes. On the Republican side, four candidates grappled for the nomination, and out of the contest emerged victorious Giffords’s former nemesis, Jesse Kelly. Considering he lost to Giffords by less than two percentage points just under two years ago, Kelly tells National Review Online, “I will be shocked if we lose this race.”

Keep reading this post . . .

  • http://twitter.com/RRowleyTucson Robert Rowley

     Jesse Kelly Supported by Groups Tied to White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis
     
    McCain campaign criticized ALIPAC for being among “extreme groups that condone racism”
    Apparently no longer satisfied to simply spew out-of-touch rhetoric
    about eliminating Social Security and imposing a 23 percent tax on
    southern Arizonans, now Jesse Kelly has doggedly pursued the support of a
    group with known white supremacist, anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi ties.
    Kelly accepted the endorsement of Americans for Legal Immigration or
    ALIPAC – the same group that Senator John McCain’s spokesman condemned
    earlier this year as “backed by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and
    anti-Semites.” McCain’s office went further, characterizing ALIPAC as an
    “extreme groups that condone[s] racism.”
    The neo-Nazi backers of ALIPAC include Stormfront, Vinlanders Social
    Club, European Americans United and David Duke, according to the
    Anti-Defamation League.
    ALIPAC has also come under heavy criticism for “bigotry” and “extreme
    rhetoric” and an agenda that “goes beyond the enforcement of
    immigration laws,” all the way to “demoniz[ing] immigrants as drunk
    drivers, gang members, invaders, murderers, and disease-carriers.”
    Given ALIPAC’s record with the White Supremacist movement, McCain’s
    spokesman Brian Rogers demanded in February that JD Hayworth,
    “immediately disavow this group’s support.”
    Yet Jesse Kelly shows no signs of discomfort with ALIPAC’s “extremist
    rhetoric.”  In his questionnaire seeking ALIPAC’s endorsement this
    year, Kelly signed a pledge that he would use “the full power of my
    office, including impeachment if necessary” to force the President to
    bow to the group’s radical demands.
    “Another NRCC Young Gun candidate, another Nazi tie — it should come
    as no surprise.  Apparently Jesse Kelly’s support is so weak that he’s
    begging for help from groups on the racist fringe — even one that
    Senator McCain’s office has called out,” said Andy Stone, Western
    Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Committee.
    “Jesse Kelly should be strong enough to stand up a group backed by
    anti-Semites and White Supremacists.  But so far, he just hasn’t shown
    the political courage.”
    Background
    According to the Phoenix New Times, the McCain campaign called on JD
    Hayworth to reject the ALIPAC endorsement due to the groups’
    anti-Semitic, white supremacist and neo-Nazi ties. [Phoenix New Times,
    2/24/10]
    The ADL has criticized ALIPAC’s founder for comparing immigrants to
    Nazis and for falsely claiming that immigrants “have set up ethnic
    cleansing zones.”  [Anti-Defamation League website, accessed 10/16/10]
    Jesse Kelly filled out the ALIPAC questionnaire, promising to use the
    full power of the office, including impeachment, to further the group’s
    goals. [ALIPAC website, accessed 10/16/10]http://j.mp/HR9RfR

  • http://twitter.com/RRowleyTucson Robert Rowley

     
    Article and Video: Jesse Kelly Says Health Care Is A “Privilege You Earn” http://j.mp/IrWsia

    Article: Citizens United Endorses Jesse Kelly in Special Election  http://j.mp/w4YGg8
             About “Citizens United”: http://j.mp/zz409s

    Article: Jesse Kelly Trying To Walk Back His Call to Eliminate the Minimum Wage http://j.mp/HYa1SG

    Article: CD8 candidate Jesse Kelly’s and Tea Party’s economic platform similar to Communist nations http://j.mp/zBKXth

    Article: CD8 Republican Jesse Kelly Calls For New National Sales Tax http://j.mp/xNFoui

    Article: Giffords Opponent, Jesse Kelly, Held June Event to “Shoot a Fully Automatic M16 to “Get on Target” and “Remove Gabrielle Giffords” http://j.mp/zsqdwJ and http://j.mp/A5to9a

    Article and Video: Jesse Kelly: “Oil Is A Renewable Resource” http://j.mp/xlm23i

    Article:  Jesse Kelly Supported by Groups Tied to White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis http://j.mp/HR9RfR

    Letter:  Tucson Tea Party Co-Founder: 13 Questions for Jesse Kelly that must be answered before you vote http://j.mp/zCtsMM

    Video: Jesse Kelly’s ENTIRE platform http://j.mp/JjkdXr

    Simply put, Jesse Kelly has neither the brains, credibility or honesty for public office, the will for fighting or the compassion to represent the people of southern Arizona either CD8 OR CD2.