Lewis’ campaign is vigorously fighting back allegations he “stole” donated items from homeless children, saying Pearce’s camp is morally unmoored.

With early balloting beginning today, the Pearce campaign went on the offensive against Lewis in a mailer targeting early voters that is expected to land in mailboxes alongside the ballots.

The Arizona Constitution, Article 7 section 12, charges the Legislature with the duty to “maintain the purity of elections.” Arizona case law has held that attempting to place a “diversionary candidate” on the ballot is illegal. A “diversionary candidate” is one who is in the race solely to divert votes from a particular candidate so as to give an advantage to another candidate. The recent lawsuit to have Olivia Cortes removed from the race was filed to honor the rule of law.

In his first attack mailer, Senate President Russell Pearce said his challenger, fellow Republican Jerry Lewis, is “embarrassed” to be an Arizonan.

Senate President Russell Pearce’s allies have said that recall challenger Jerry Lewis would be soundly defeated if he faced Pearce in a Republican primary election.

Jerry Lewis, who is challenging Senate President Russell Pearce in the Nov. 8 recall election, is hoping to capture early voters and will air TV ads targeting Mesa residents starting this week.

Senate President Russell Pearce’s first TV ads will cost his campaign $10,000 and will target FOX News viewers, as well as other cable stations.

The ads, set to air this week, are timed to reach early voters in the Nov. 8 recall election against him.

Pearce’s allies have seized on the controversy about donated school items that Lewis gave away when he was serving as a principal to show he’s not as saintly as depicted.

A former employee of a charter school where Jerry Lewis served as principal sued the school for wrongful termination last year and claimed she was fired after questioning him over spending practices and use of donated items.

The lawyers who fought to get alleged sham candidate Olivia Cortes disqualified in the Mesa recall election planned to put Senate President Russell Pearce’s brother on the stand in a now-cancelled trial.