In 1992 one-time GOP presidential nominee Barry Goldwater shocked many by crossing party lines to endorse Democratic congressional candidate Karan English over Republican standard-bearer Doug Wead. A former Amway salesman and political slickster, Wead had spent about 5 minutes in Arizona before entering the fray for Arizona’s new congressional seat. 
Goldwater put the state above party. There’s a lesson there as it relates to Tom Horne’s upcoming race for Attorney General.
He believes this week was a good one for him because an administrative law judge decided there wasn’t enough evidence to continue the case of alleged campaign finance law violations against him. But we all know what happened. Voters get it.
They will also understand the avalanche of commercials soon to come featuring ball caps, escapades and questions of judgment plaguing Arizona’s top law enforcement official.
No matter how evolved Tom Horne has become on illegal immigration or any other conservative cause he has fundamentally disqualified himself as an ethical, credible Attorney General.
If Republicans don’t opt for Mark Brnovich in the primary election on August 26th, and they should, even the blind adherents of GOP orthodoxy should not blindly cast a ballot for Horne.
The likely Democratic nominee for Attorney General will not be a comfortable vote for many Republicans . But just as many in the flock abandoned Jeff Groscost for Jay Blanchard, and Doug Wead for English, we have a feeling Goldwater himself will be looking down, giving a thumbs up to those who do.