Democrat Governor Napolitano is vulnerable, but Republicans have yet to field a candidate with a strong enough political base to win, a veteran and often outspoken legislator says.

Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-8, says “the odds are stacked against” former Senate president John Greene because he is a moderate on social and moral issues, and current Senate president Ken Bennett might experience an “unspoken” bias against Mormons.

In an interview, Ms. Allen said Don Goldwater is trying to get elected on the family name, and Rep. Russell Pearce, R-18, who is considering a run for either governor or Congress, “won’t sell with the moderate crowd.”

“That’s a joke,” she said of a Pearce candidacy. “He’s so full of himself. The rest of the media has created a monster with its coverage of Mr. Pearce’s campaign against illegal immigration.

Ms. Allen said Mr. Goldwater will have the support of the Pachyderm Coalition, a Reagan Republican political action committee.

“We need a candidate with a base,” said Ms. Allen, who is in her 11th year in the Legislature. “I don’t know what base any of them have,” she said, including the possibility of a run by Marilyn Quayle, wife of former vice president Dan Quayle.

The Arizona Republican Party did not return calls requesting comment.

Mr. Greene, a former state senate president, will not be accepted by “those farther to the right,” Ms. Allen said.

In response, Mr. Greene said building support is a challenge. He said he’s been traveling the state and feels he will be successful with moderate Republicans and “energizing independents.”

If moderates turn out for the primary election, Mr. Greene said, moderate candidates would prevail in the general election.

Although he says his decision whether to run for governor is coming later, Mr. Bennett sounds like a candidate.

“There may be a lot of people who don’t know John [Greene] and I as well as they eventually will,” Mr. Bennett said. “The bases will automatically materialize. They understand we are mainstream Republicans. A lot of what we stand for will easily be embraced by most Republicans.”

He and Ms. Allen agree there is an anti-Mormon sentiment in Arizona. “I’m sure there is,” he said in an earlier interview.

“Maybe Matt Salmon paid that price,” said Mr. Bennett, referring to his fellow Mormon who lost to Governor Napolitano in 2002.

Says Ms. Allen, “Bigotry is ripe in many areas, perhaps not openly. There are those who don’t believe Mormons are Christians. That isn’t intended a slur against Ken or the Mormon Church. Nobody’s in a position to judge who’s Christian.”

Mr. Bennett placed some of the blame on the news media.

“Why don’t they say, ‘Linda Aguirre [Senate Democrat leader], a Catholic≠” he asked≠

Mr. Pearce told Arizona Capitol Times July 27 he is weighing the possibility of either running for governor or for the U.S. House from Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District, a seat currently held by Republican Jeff Flake.

Mr. Pearce said Mr. Flake broke his promise to serve only two terms, and his immigration bill gives amnesty to illegal aliens.

“This is a dangerous, dangerous bill,” Mr. Pearce said.

He said that if he and his wife cannot find a candidate for governor they could support, he would be more inclined to run.

Ms. Allen said Congressman J.D. Hayworth would have had the best chance to defeat Ms. Napolitano, but he has a chance to become chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and “that would be important to us.”

She said Ms. Napolitano can be beaten, but “We haven’t identified the horses to do it.” —

House reporter Jim Small contributed to this article.