By Ronald Sampson
Michael Way. Photo Credit: Ballotpedia
It should have been a case as common as a 100-degree day in the Valley: a Republican won one of the top two seats in a primary race for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 15, a district that covers parts of Queen Creek and San Tan Valley. The district is an extremely Republican one, essentially ensuring that this candidate would then be a Representative.
Except…then a lawsuit hit, alleging that the candidate in question, Michael Way, didn’t meet the residency rules for being able to run for office. The lawsuit, if successful, would have knocked him off the ballot and ensuring that a Democrat wins a two-year term in the House, potentially upending the balance of power at the State Capitol (where Republicans hold a perilous one seat lead, and where every seat is critical), and handing Democrats a win where they had no business getting one.
You would probably assume that the lawsuit was from Democrats doing some deep digging and playing some semi-dirty pool. But what if I told you that it seems as though the enemy was from within? That the lawsuit was likely filed by Republicans?
You heard that right. The lawsuit was actually filed by a Republican Precinct Committeeperson, or PC (note: a PC is the lowest level of elected official and is essentially a boots-on-the-ground warrior for a political party). And the lawsuit was brought to the courts by Timothy La Sota, a well-known attorney that works almost exclusively with Republicans and conservative causes.
So how could that be? Why would Republicans be purposely shooting themselves in the foot when so much is at stake? Not just the battle to maintain control of the House, but also new leadership elections within the party, such as the election of the next Speaker of the House? Was it that this outsider wasn’t trusted to do what is in the “interest of the party”? He certainly seems to have conservative bonafides; what was the issue?
For now, it looks like Way is safe, as a judge ruled that he can stay on the ballot…for now. But that could certainly change, as powerful people are often known to challenge until they find amenable judges. But until then, if I was a Republican I would be enraged that my party was willing to put personal interests in front of the issues I care about and the party I belong to all for what appears to be personal enrichment.