A CLEAN ELECTION?

From the beginning of this campaign we have presented our vision of policies that would improve Arizona by securing our border, lowering taxes, providing accountability and opportunity in education, and protecting children. At the same time we have accurately and effectively critiqued Janet Napolitano’s failures in these areas, and her willingness to take credit for tax cuts she opposed and an economic recovery that happened because we followed none of her economic policies.
All of my critiques have been fair, accurate, and have avoided personal attacks. In the Republican primary I defended Napolitano when she was unfairly attacked for issues related to her personal life. Even the Arizona Republic acknowledged last week that I have a run a “clean and aggressive” campaign.
When my family and I were falsely attacked, Napolitano was silent.
Now Janet Napolitano is running ads claiming that she is the victim of negative attacks, but that she is conducting a “positive” campaign. To coin a phrase, this is hogwash.
After four years as Governor, Janet Napolitano controls the Democratic Party. (In a state with so many Republican elected leaders, as a first-time candidate I have no similar control over the Republican Party.) She has presided over a Democratic Party machine that has produced numerous false attacks on me — from falsely accusing me of being a divorce lawyer, to mocking my physical appearance, to falsely suggesting I met with Jack Abramoff.
Moreover, the Democratic Party funded efforts to deceive Republican voters in the Republican primary and cause them to vote against me by pretending to be a conservative, values organization. Then the Democratic Party lied about it for nearly two weeks, until they were forced to respond to a Clean Elections complaint.
This was a malicious, fraudulent attempt by Democrats to keep me from winning the primary. These dirty tricks are cynical and manipulative of voters. I’ve asked Janet Napolitano to repudiate these tactics, and she has failed to do so. In fact, they have continued in the general election.
So the next time you see a Napolitano ad claiming she is running a positive campaign, enjoy a good, hearty laugh. And then remember that her Democratic Party funded completely false attacks on me, then lied about it, while she remained silent.