State Sen. Robert Blendu is considering a run to become the next chairman of the Arizona Republican Party after he lost the primary election for his district’s House seats.
“This has been something that I’ve been mulling around for a long time,” he said. “I just always wondered whether I was the person or had the time to take on that position. Well, you know, now I have the time.”
But Blendu, a Republican from Litchfield Park, might have to take additional steps before running for the state Republican Party chairmanship.
To be state party chairman, one must be both a precinct committeeman and a state committeeman, said state GOP party spokesperson Camilla Strongin.
Right now, Blendu is neither.
He could still be appointed as a precinct committeeman, but first there would have to be a vacancy in his district, said Strongin. Then, she added, he would have to be selected as a state committeeman.
Blendu acknowledged that he has a few obstacles to overcome, including securing commitments from supporters.
“I want to make sure that if I do this that the money that they say will come in will come into the party. So we can get our message out,” he said. “There are some dots we need to connect and, you know what, if we can connect all the dots, I’m willing to do it.”
Sen. Jim Waring, a Republican from Phoenix, said Blendu has enough experience to do the job.
"I believe he knows all the players. He has had to raise money for himself. The list goes on," Waring said, adding that even if he were to support someone else for that post, he wouldn't campaign against Blendu.
Sen. Jack Harper of Surprise said Blendu is a good Republican, but added he wants to find out if Randy Pullen, the current state party chairman, is going to seek re-election.
Sen. Ron Gould of Lake Havasu said he supports Pullen. 
“I probably would not support anybody that would challenge Chairman Pullen,” Gould said.
Just prior to Blendu’s decision to seek the post of state GOP chairman, he was defeated by Rep. Jerry Weiers and Steve Montenegro in the Sept. 2 primary.
Weiers and Montenegro will face Democrats David Scanlon and Eve Nunez in the Nov. 4 general election.
Blendu took a gamble on behalf of Rep. John Nelson when he decided earlier this year to abandon another run for the Senate — and the chance of becoming Senate president — to run for the House. Nelson had reached a term limit in the House and ran for Blendu’s Senate seat.
Blendu’s campaign was dealt a series of blows when his opponents sent out at least nine hit-piece mailers, one calling him "Open Borders Bob."
Blendu said he is mulling a run for the top post in the Arizona Republican Party for many reasons, chief among them the inability of Republicans to hold Republican seats.
He noted the party lost Jim Kolbe’s congressional seat in southern Arizona, which the GOP had held for decades. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat, is running for re-election in that district against state Senate President Tim Bee.
“It just goes on and on,” Blendu said. “And if we don't really keep the one (seat) in District 1, we would have lost another congressional seat.”
Blendu offered some solutions: Get the message out better. Get back those who have “lost faith” in the party.
“I believe I can do that. I believe I can raise money for the party,” he said. “I really believe that there are some people out there who used to write checks to our party who don’t write checks to our party anymore because they have lost faith in us.”