Former Legislative District 11 Republican Chairman Rob Haney is auto-dialing for support in his race to lead the Maricopa County Republican Party. After announcing Saturday that he is seeking to lead the largest of Arizona's county parties, his drive to secure the position is already underway.

"We're calling every PC [precinct committeeman] we identify" as potential supporters, Haney told PolitickerAZ.com. "We're not going to be sending them to Wes Gullett or any of those people. Only to people we consider conservative Republicans."

He was referring to the former U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Phoenix) advisor and political operative, who is one of the people Haney identifies as among the culprits of steering the Republican Party off course.

Haney expects to face Jerry Brooks, the former mayor of Chandler and someone Haney calls a "McCain guy."

"It's going to be the same type of battle as LD11," said Haney.

That contest ended in Haney being voted out of his post as chairman of Legislative District 11 in favor of Steve Tully. LD11 is the home district of John McCain, Wes Gullett and a whole host of highly influential Republicans, and has more PCs than any other district.

Haney's previous fight was one of a series of battles that has amounted to a simmering civil war within the Arizona GOP. It pits allies of McCain against the grassroots conservatives, who stand opposed to McCain's policies on illegal immigration and global climate change.

"We're being described as the polarizing force in party, and there's only been one polarizing force in the party for the last 15 years, and that's John McCain," Haney said. "The schism came because he drove a spike into the party and surrendered our core conservative principles to the bipartisan left."

Haney said he is expecting to get a lot of support from the grassroots community - "Surprisingly we're getting no support from the congressional delegation," he said with a laugh - and thinks he could be backed by state Party Chairman Randy Pullen, who has also been a highly vocal McCain critic in times past and is a former Haney ally.

"I would expect support, though I'm not demanding or even looking for it," said Haney. "He did support me last time, but it was a different situation for him," when Pullen faced a close race for AZ GOP chairman.

However, Brett Mecum, political director of the Arizona Republican Party, said Pullen is remaining on the sidelines of the Maricopa fight.

"We're going to stay out of it and see how it comes down," said Mecum. "The chairman is remaining neutral."

Haney may have a good shot even without Pullen's support. Though Maricopa County turned out for McCain in the presidential primary in February, it also contains strongholds of conservatism such as Mesa and Chandler, and consistently returns legislators and county officials in line with Haney's view of where the party should be.