Pima County Republican Party

A Democratic polling firm has U.S. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Tucson) beating her 8th Congressional District challenger state Sen. Pres. Tim Bee (R-Tucson) by 25 points. A Bee internal poll only has her up by seven, and under the 50 percent threshold. With no third opinion, the truth remains elusive.

Pres. Bush hosted a fundraiser for Bee in Tucson on Friday, which the campaign estimates brought in $500,000 to be split among his campaign, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Pima County Republican Party Federal Fund. At the same time, Bee released a poll, conducted by Margaret Kenski, a highly-regarded Republican pollster, that shows Giffords holds a seven point lead over Bee, 47 percent to 40 percent, with 13 percent undecided.

President George W. Bush is coming to Tucson on July 18 to "honor" state Senate President and 8th Congressional District candidate Tim Bee (R-Tucson).

According to the invitation, the event will take place at the home of Jackie and William Bell, and is being hosted by auto dealership magnate Jim Click, National Rifle Association President Sandra Froman, lawyer and real estate developer Duff Hearon and former Carondelet Foundation CEO Jannie Cox.

The event is being mounted by the Tim Bee Arizona Trust, a joint fundraising venture of Tim Bee for Congress, the National Republican Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Pima County Republican Party Federal Campaign. Contributors of $10,000 or more get a VIP reception and photo op with Pres. Bush, while donations of $1,000 to $9,999 earn the donor breakfast at the event.

The Arizona Republican Party will be handling Sen. John McCain's fundraising in Arizona, according to Sean McCaffrey, the state party's executive director. This is evidence that the rift between the state and national parties, and more specifically the animus between McCain and the state party, has lessened.

"That intra-party stuff is behind us," said McCaffrey. "It's in the past."

The Arizona GOP, led by Chairman Randy Pullen, famously excoriated Sen. McCain over the senator's backing of the Bush immigration plan, which was wildly unpopular with the party's conservative base. Pullen was newly elected when the reform plan came up, and bad blood has existed ever since.

Wrapping up our look at the LD26, we focus on the Republicans running to unseat Rep. Nancy Young Wright and replace Rep. Pete Hershberger, who's undertaking a run at the State Senate. There are three going after the two open slots, which will leave one of the candidates out in the cold after the September 2 primary.

Trent Humphries is considered a cinch to become the top vote-getter among the trio, which would leave Vic Williams and Marilyn Zerull to battle it out for the number two berth.