In a letter dated July 11, Arizona’s Governor scolded her fellow Republicans for their opposition to her successful effort this past legislative session to introduce Obamacare through Medicaid expansion. Brewer used every tool available in that fight leaving her party faithful bruised and battered and their Democrat opponents crowing.
Brewer invoked the conservatives’ icon; Ronald Reagan in her admonition. Demanding that they remain “allies” she wrote, “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the times is a friend and an ally – not a 20 percent traitor.”
Brewer does not expect reciprocity however. She told the New York Times that she intends to use her influence to help her allies, which doesn’t include candidates that agreed with her Party 80 percent of the time, including using money raised by her PAC to support their candidacies and “also to fight against those who strongly opposed her.”
The article also noted that Brewer’s right-hand man and political consultant Chuck Coughlin implied that they would not support those who would not support corporate welfare. “Ideologues have their agendas. And the part of the party that’s taking issue with the governor right now is all made up of ideologues.” According to a headcount of the Party’s precinct committeepersons, that part is about 80 percent.
While the Governor is demanding that the Party support her for the “80 percent” of her policies with which they agree, she has a history of turning her back on those who do not support her agenda 100 percent of the time.
As an example, in the last General Election, the Governor refused to endorse the Party’s most hawkish fiscal conservative; Senator Frank Antenori, in his reelection bid. Antenori faced progressive Democrat candidate David Bradley in a district that had just been redrawn to favor democrat candidates.
In an back and forth email correspondence between a Tucson newspaper reporter and a Brewer staffer, Matt Benson, the reporter asks in seeming disbelief if it is “still the case” that Brewer will not support Antenori. In the article filed by the reporter, he reveals that “Brewer’s inner circle have contributed to Bradley; Chuck Coughlin, president of HighGround Public Affairs, Doug Cole, vice president of HighGround, and Paul Senseman of Policy Development Group. Coughlin was Brewer’s campaign manager. Cole and Senseman both served as her official spokesman.”
Antenori admitted “that the governor and I are not bosom buddies,” and acknowledged that he “threatens their financial interests in private prisons and healthcare reform;” about 20 percent of her policies.
Brewer didn’t finish her insiders’ campaign against her fellow republicans with Antenori. The New York Times reports that the “governor said she would use money raised by her political action committee to aid Republican incumbents who supported her, but also to fight against those who strongly opposed her” which is about 80 percent of the Republican Caucus.
Brewer told the Times that she chalked up the Party division “to bruised egos, something that time and pep talks could easily resolve. Nobody likes to lose, and that’s what happened.” She said, “I believe we will heal.”
“To which about 80 percent of the Party says, ‘No,’” responded one Republican precinct committeeman.
One PC added, “Reagan was referring to the opposing party members not fellow Republicans when he made the comment about 80% that Brewer misquoted in her letter to all of us. It makes us wonder that if we are to only get what’s best for the state 80% of the time, then it may take 5 years to make up the 20% and rid the Party completely of those who favor OBrewercare? Even many intelligent Democrats, including union members, are starting to realize what a tremendous mistake Obamacare is for all of us.”