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Ben Quayle Wins Tight GOP Race for House Seat in Arizona

1 year ago
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Ben Quayle, the 33-year-old son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, narrowly topped a crowded GOP field in the contest to succeed retiring Rep. John Shadegg (R) in Arizona's 3rd congressional district.

Quayle collared 22.7 percent of the vote. Steve Moak, a successful Paradise Valley entrepreneur, was in second place with 18 percent, while Jim Waring was third with 17.4 percent, trailed by seven other candidates.

The bitter contest pitted 10 candidates against one another in the conservative district, where three state legislators, two mayors, several businesspeople and the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle have been battling for months to win the nomination. Local reports calling the race "atomic" seem to understate the vitriol the candidates have spewed in recent weeks.

Quayle emerged from the field early as the best-financed and most controversial candidate, raking in more than $1.3 million in campaign cash and engaging in heated attacks with nearly all of his more seasoned Republican rivals.


The waning days of the campaign drew national attention as it grew more ugly and the other candidates accused Quayle of being everything from misogynist to spoiled to racist and unprepared for elected office.

Pamela Gorman, a conservative state senator, said Quayle was trying to buy the election and called him "Hillary Lite," referring to the fact that he has lived in the district intermittently for the last 14 years. Vernon Parker's campaign called foul on Quayle for referring to Parker a "poster boy," and implied that using the word "boy" against the African-American mayor of Paradise Valley was racially motivated.

Moak engaged in a nasty fight with Quayle over Moak's family foundation, leading an angry Moak to release an ad days before the election hammering Quayle over his involvement with DirtyScottsdale.com, a website Quayle wrote for that the ad called "raunchy" and said "degrades women."

"Is this the type of behavior we want from our next congressman?" the ad asked.

But the attacks on Quayle failed to deter voters -- 22.7 percent of them, anyway.

The winner of the Republican contest will face Democrat Jon Hulburd in November. Hulburd, a lawyer and father of five, has raised more than $700,000 for the race so far, and will likely see his coffers swell with cash from national Democratic donors if he goes up against Quayle in the fall.
Filed Under: The Capitolist

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14 Comments

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Hello alby

a win is a win

August 25 2010 at 10:20 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Sevensfatboy

Ben had me with his first line of his commercial .... Obama is the worst president ever elected! ...gotta vote for someone who knows the score.

August 25 2010 at 10:01 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
Richard Havron

Another Republican lightweight. No experience, no intellect, no military service. But they love to play those culture wars against fellow Americans. GOP divide and conquer......again and again. These Tea Party candidates are cannibalizing the GOP. They've eaten the brain, the heart & the spine.

August 25 2010 at 9:34 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Richard Havron's comment
Sevensfatboy

I'm sorry what experience and military service did Obama have?

August 25 2010 at 9:59 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
ry1susan

Seriously Arizonians.....that is the best we can do??? How embarressing!!!!!

August 25 2010 at 8:34 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Steve

I was with Steve Moak until he launched the ad attacking Quayle. Quayle is what he is, but Moak came out of the closet and showed me who he really is too. Just like the rest that think they can't win on their own merits and have to start mud slinging. So disappointing. Aside from the issues on which the candidates stand [which by itself has become almost meaningless anymore], I look at the character of the candidate and how they conduct themselves during the campaign. The one that breaks rank and starts the mud slinging first and then the worst, don't get my vote. It becomes a challenge when they all do it. We all know the definition of insanity; it would be refreshing one day that there would be a ban in place to prevent the public bashing by candidates. Since they can't behave themselves, we'll continue to get what we get - junk politics = junk results.

August 25 2010 at 2:30 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
mweberhbr

GO QUAYLE GO !!!!!!!!!!!

August 25 2010 at 1:44 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
pete

Scot Brown won in liberal MA with tough anti-Obama talk. Ben Quayle comes out on top of 9 other candidates calling Obama the "worst ever President" Scott in FL is ratcheting up the rhetoric in FL and Republican turnout is WAY WAY WAY up..........double DEM turnout.....this could be UGLY this Novemeber And the Democrats Keynesian fairy tale Hopie Change record IS SO POOR all they've got is to keep blaming Bush..... the Dem gift that keeps on giving..... as more and more Americans just don't believe it.

August 25 2010 at 1:41 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
wolflake740

Well, I certainly hope he can spell potato!

August 25 2010 at 1:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to wolflake740's comment
pete

LOL!!!! I remember that too.....and the Murphy Brown Bruuuhaha.

August 25 2010 at 1:57 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
Amo

I’ve seen young Quayle several times on TV, and if first impressions count for anything…I was totally unimpressed by him…I found his narrative of the issues to be of little substance. Name recognition not withstanding, he does indeed appear to be a light weight…and if recent history is any guide…”PLEASE” enough of “on-the-job” training. Amo

August 25 2010 at 1:28 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
William J Quinn

His Dad has the best golf swing outside the pro's, and I like his characterization of Obama.

August 25 2010 at 1:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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