Tobin visits Maricopa in spirited, costly congressional race

Republican Congressional candidate Andy Tobin has been everywhere in sprawling District 1, it seems, in the last month of his campaign to unseat incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick.

Tobin typically starts his morning in northern Arizona and spends the night in southern places such as Maricopa, Casa Grande and Tucson. It’s the price the state Speaker of the House pays as he campaigns for votes in one of the most competitive, expensive and spirited races in the country.

“We’re willing to go and work hard for votes,” Tobin said at a speech to the Maricopa Republican Club yesterday. “We’re everywhere, and my opponent is not. We need every vote.

“This district includes 11 of 15 Arizona counties.” he added. “As huge as the district is, Washington has failed us. Rural Arizona has no representation.”

Tobin left Maricopa for a fundraiser with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, and fellow congressional candidate Martha McSally in Tucson. His message continued to focus on whether Kirkpatrick is the right fit for the largely rural district and whether President Barack Obama’s polices have failed.

Arizona’s 1st Congressional District encompasses 55,039 square miles. The voter registration rolls lean Democratic, but Romney won the district over Obama with 50 percent of the vote. Minorities comprise nearly 50 percent of the population, with 25 percent of it Native American and 20 percent Hispanic. 

“This may very well be the most expensive congressional race in Arizona history,” Tobin said. “The truth of the matter is, we always knew it would be a close race. We knew we would have a closer primary.”

Tobin beat Gary Kiehne by just 407 votes in the Republican primary. Rep. Adam Kwasman finished third, more than 3,500 votes behind. 

Tobin and Kirkpatrick have been running full speed, spending millions for advertising and campaign expenses. Since Tobin’s August primary victory, the National Republican Congressional Committee has pledged more than $7 million for his campaign. Kirkpatrick has raised more than $2.1 million and has benefitted from nearly $5 million from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and other Democratic groups.

“We felt if we reached out and worked hard, we would have a good shot from the citizens,” Tobin said. “We knew (former U.S. House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi would pound the dickens out of me. “

Kirkpatrick’s congressional career has been filled with ups and downs. She was elected in 2008 but lost her bid for re-election to Paul Gosar in 2010. She regained her seat in 2012, defeating former state Rep. Jonathan Paton.

Now, she’s facing a conservative Republican who supported Arizona SB 1070, which requires police to determine the immigration status of someone arrested or detained when there is reasonable suspicion. Tobin also presided over the House during years of state budget cuts.

“They (opponents) do not like the Speaker of the House from Arizona who passed 1070 and cut taxes. We’re a success story, so they are coming at us very heavily. We are thrilled with the position we are in. Most people think it’s a pretty big deal to be in the race with such a heavily-funded incumbent.”