Arizona's public campaign finance commission on Thursday considers a housekeeping matter stemming from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to block so-called matching funds.

When state Treasurer Dean Martin entered the race in January, he had long looked like Gov. Jan Brewer’s most dangerous adversary in the Republican primary. Brewer was floundering in her budget battle with the Legislature and reeling from conservative opposition to her proposed sales tax hike.

Traditionally funded candidates may not all have the financial wherewithal of businessman Buz Mills, but the latest reports showed they’re in a position to far outspend their Clean Elections foes, thanks in large part to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to block matching funds this election cycle.

Gov. Jan Brewer is asking a federal judge to let her become a late participant in a major campaign finance case. That's in order to request permission to bolster her publicly funded campaign with private contributions.

A state commission said Monday it will not ask a federal judge to clarify her ruling invalidating a key portion of Arizona's public campaign finance system — a setback for Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, who is being outspent by a wealthy opponent.

Gov. Jan Brewer's campaign attorney accused the Citizens Clean Elections Commission of abdicating its responsibility after commissioners decided not seek help for publicly financed candidates who are now forced to run their campaigns without the benefit of matching funds.

Without additional campaign cash to fend off better-funded opponents, some Clean Elections candidates will be in dire need of help from their allies.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission decided there is little it can do to help publicly funded candidates who are suddenly without matching funds, and Gov. Jan Brewer won't throw it the lifeline it's asking for either.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission may consider enacting an emergency clause that would allow publicly funded candidates to raise additional campaign cash, a change that Gov. Jan Brewer's campaign is hoping can alleviate the sudden loss of matching funds.

Tucson attorney John Munger says he doesn't regret his decision to drop out of the governor's race now that the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked matching funds for publicly funded candidates.