Name ID abounds in crowded House primaries

House District 8

This affluent district that takes in most of Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and parts of the northeast Valley boasts a crowded Republican field for the two House seats.

Political observers said incumbent John Kavanagh, who chairs the powerful Appropriations Committee, will be nearly impossible to unseat in the district he’s represented since 2006.

So the six remaining challengers are gunning for the second seat vacated by Rep. Michele Reagan, who is making a run for the Senate.

“You have the 800-pound gorilla in Kavanagh, and then you have everyone else,” political consultant Jason Rose said. “You have very credible people, and many times, credible people with money that are able to raise significant campaigns.”

One of those candidates boasting his financial wherewithal is physician Ray Mahoubi, who as of Dec. 31 – the most recent campaign reports available – had already raised $20,000.

“The key in this race is to differentiate yourself in the crowded race,” said Mahoubi, who is trumpeting his perspective on health care, being a small-business owner and an Iranian immigrant as issues that separate him from the pack.

Another candidate will be a test case about whether the Tea Party movement will have an effect on local legislative races. Michelle Ugenti, who recently gave a fiery anti-illegal immigration speech at a Tea Party convention, is running as a publicly funded Clean Elections candidate.

House District 10

While the contested Republican primary involves a big name in Rep. Jim Weiers, a longtime lawmaker and former House speaker, most political observers will be watching whether voters embrace Rep. Doug Quelland at the polls Aug. 24.

That’s because Quelland’s success or failure hinges on whether Republicans retain control of a swing district that takes in parts of northcentral Phoenix and Glendale.

Quelland was ordered to be removed from office and fined $40,000 last year after the Citizens Clean Elections Commission determined he overspent his public campaign money by using his business to pay a campaign consultant. Quelland has remained in office as he fights the charges.

“Simply based on name ID, Quelland has a decent chance of winning the primary,” said Republican consultant Constantin Querard, noting that the crowded ballot will give incumbents an advantage. “The problem is, if Quelland wins the primary, Republicans lose that seat in the general (election).”

Quelland disagrees, saying he’s been campaigning door-to-door for two months, and nobody he’s talked with has brought up his Clean Elections fight, and instead are concerned about the economy, home foreclosures and illegal immigration.

If Quelland does win, former Democratic Rep. Jackie Thrasher will be waiting to unseat him in the general election. She was elected in 2006, and narrowly lost to Quelland in 2008. Among the challengers in the crowded GOP primary include former District 10 GOP Chairwoman Kimberly Yee.

House District 11

This district that takes in central Phoenix and Paradise Valley features a five-way race in the GOP primary and some recognizable names in political circles.

It’s also a district where Republican Rep. Adam Driggs is vacating his seat for a run in the Senate and the other seat is held by Democrat Rep. Eric Meyer. The open seat and the vulnerability of a Democrat in this reliably Republican district have GOP candidates lining up to challenge.

Two notable names include Shawnna Bolick, the wife of Goldwater Institute attorney Clint Bolick, and Kate Brophy McGee, a member of the Brophy family from southern Arizona.

Name recognition alone doesn’t get you elected, but it can help.

“There is a rule if you’re named after off-ramps, like Don Stapley, or well-known educational institutions (like Brophy College Preparatory), that’s certainly helpful,” Rose said, at the same time pointing out that Don Goldwater failed in his bid to become governor in 2006.

Bolick and Brophy McGee both said education is the bedrock issue in the district.

Bolick has been a consultant for the Alliance for School Choice and the Arizona Charter School Association. Her campaign has already raised more than $55,000, she said.

Brophy McGee is a former member of the Washington School District Governing Board and the Arizona School Facilities Board

House District 16

One of the seats in this south Phoenix district has been held by Ben Miranda since 2002, but the attorney is termed out and retiring from politics.

The family, however, is looking to extend its political streak. His wife, Catherine Miranda, is running in his place.

In addition to Miranda, the race features a crowded Democratic primary, including incumbent Cloves Campbell Jr., and former Arizona Democratic Party vice chairman Ruben Gallego.

“It’s likely to depend upon who has the best ground forces to get out the vote in the competitive primary,” said Democratic strategist Barry Dill. “I would have to give a nod to Cloves Campbell. He would probably have a leg up in name ID to return. Ruben has done a good job in raising money. Just like all first time candidates, there are two things about money and politics: No. 1, can you raise it? No. 2 is how do you spend it and not be wasteful?

And you can’t discount the “Miranda machine” in any political race, Dill said.

House District 22

One of the most crowded primary races is the six-way Republican contest in District 22, a traditionally conservative powerhouse.

Those who are running include former House Majority Leader Eddie Farnsworth, former Gilbert Town Councilman Steve Urie, Kelly Townsend, Paul Howell and Matthew Petillo. Adam Armer has stepped out of the race and is endorsing Farnsworth.

Seeking reelection is Rep. Laurin Hendrix of Gilbert.

Some of the candidates have very well-established names, such as Urie, and Farnsworth, who was one of the most conservative lawmakers in the House. It remains to be seen whether that would translate into legislative victories.

Hendrix also likely has an advantage being the incumbent. He did very well in the four-way primary race two years ago.

But while they have the biggest name ID, the race won’t necessarily boil down to the three of them, according to Farnsworth.

“The thing that I’ve learned is that when you put different people in the mix, you never know how it’s going to come out,” he said, particularly because people would be voting for a two-name combination instead of just choosing one candidate as in the Senate race.

Indeed, Hendrix said a number of quality candidates are running and he wouldn’t count anybody out at this point.

Current, former lawmakers banking on experience in Senate races