Tucson, Arizona Published: 03.26.2008
Article Excerpts....
Barry Goldwater once said, "It's a great country, where anybody can grow up to be president . . . except me."
Forty-four years after the legendary Arizonan lost his 1964 presidential bid, the successor to his Senate seat — John McCain — has essentially clinched the GOP nomination.
And this time around, it turns out that McCain has the home-court advantage in a region that will be heavily targeted by both sides in November.
For Arizonans, that could mean a lot for the state's national profile.
"I think a large portion of the voting Hispanic
population will feel we have to secure the border, while also being respectful
to the Hispanic community," said Alberto Gutier, a longtime Republican activist
and a McCain supporter.
McCain's nomination also adds a new dimension to the Democratic Party's goal of targeting the West — Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado. Combined, those swing states have 29 electoral votes, more than Florida or Ohio, which were crucial in the last two presidential elections.
Republicans and McCain supporters say that Democratic strategy has basically been quashed by McCain's nomination, and issues that are particularly important to Arizonans will be spotlighted more than they otherwise would.
The Republican senator even views California — where he's campaigning this week — as being in play, although the state has voted for a Democrat in every election since 1992.
"If you look at his record in the Senate, he is
certainly better versed on Indian issues, on water issues, on land-use issues
than any other nominee from either party in recent memory," said Tucsonan Mike
Hellon, co-chairman of McCain's Arizona campaign. "To the extent those issues
require attention in the West, you're talking about someone who has firsthand
knowledge of them."
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