Arizona began looking like a much friendlier place for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama after Gov. Janet Napolitano endorsed him last week. Many political experts say the endorsement could push Obama ahead of other Democrat candidates heading into the Feb. 5 primary.

Gov. Janet Napolitano and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama met privately at the National Governors Association meeting in Traverse City, Mich., last July. They clicked, and the rest is history.
Napolitano placed a call to Hillary Clinton Jan. 9 to inform the former first lady of what she was about to do — a call described as two lawyers hashing it out. Reaction was immediate and mixed when Napolitano’s endorsement was made official two days later.
“If it weren’t for Bill Clinton, she would never even have been in the public eye,” said Judy Nagle, who serves on Hillary Clinton’s Arizona steering committee, referring to the former president’s appointment of Napolitano as U.S. attorney for Arizona in 1993. “Janet stabbed us all in the back. That’s the way we feel. We feel like Janet has turned on women, basically.”
Democrat Rep. Pete Rios of Hayden agreed in part with Nagle.
“I thought her loyalties would have been to the Clintons since they’re the ones that basically gave her her first opportunity to really make a name for herself,” he said.
A top Clinton aide, however, did not criticize Napolitano. Kathleen Strand, campaign spokeswoman at Clinton headquarters in Virginia, said Clinton respects the governor’s decision.
“They are friends. She (Napolitano) is a tremendous public servant,” Strand said. “We have tremendous support from leadership across the state, including elected leadership.”
The governor said it was a difficult decision, but she opted for a fresh voice and vision.
“In my view, it wasn’t about gender and it wasn’t about race,” Napolitano said. “It was really about between eminently qualified individuals… either one of who would serve well as president. To me this election is fundamentally about change.”
Napolitano told The Washington Post that Obama “is a powerful persuader.” “He really is. As good as he is at motivating a large hall, he’s as good or better one-on-one.”
In a telephone conference call with Arizona Capitol Times~and other news outlets, Obama said any Democrat would do well with Napolitano in his or her administration.
“What I admire most about her, I think, is her hallmark is common sense,” he said.
Many state lawmakers endorsed presidential candidates last fall, and Clinton backers had mixed reactions to the endorsement. Rep. Linda Lopez, said she was extremely disappointed.
“I had thought she was going to wait until after the Arizona primary to make an endorsement, and she didn’t,” Lopez said. “Everyone was very, very upset by that.”
Senate Minority Leader Marsha Arzberger said, “I respect people endorsing whoever they want to. A couple of years ago we had elected officials all across the board on presidential candidates, so this is not new.”
Sen. Ken Cheuvront, D-15, said: “I’m not quite sure that endorsements by anybody at the end of the day really have that big of an impact. I think there are a lot of angry people out there who support Hillary.”
In a related development, Clinton aide Isaac Baker denied reports that Republican Anne Mariucci, part-owner of the Phoenix Mercury, an Arizona Regent and close friend of the governor’s, would be named chairman of the Clinton campaign in Arizona.
“I can tell you definitely that is not true,” he said.
Instead, the campaign named a 48-member steering committee Jan. 16 to run Clinton’s campaign in the state. The committee is composed of state lawmakers, other elected officials and community activists.
“I’m sure Janet will join us when Hillary wins,” said committee member Rep. Robert Meza.
The group is hoping Clinton will visit the state at the end of January.