Democrats admit to tracking Republican candidate

The Arizona Democratic Party admits it sent an employee to track attendees of a private fundraiser for 5th Congressional District Republican candidate Laura Knaperek, after the incident was exposed on the J.D. Hayworth Show.

Lauren Barnett, Knaperek's campaign manager, decried the incident Wednesday on the KFYI program of former congressman J.D. Hayworth, who was defeated as an incumbent by Harry Mitchell. According to Barnett, guests at a Knaperek fundraising event noticed a man taking pictures of people coming and going and the license plates of vehicles parked outside. The Knaperek campaign asked him who he was, and he told them his name was David Judd, and he worked for the Arizona Democratic Party.

"This is undemocratic, this is reprehensible. What ever happened to freedom of association?" asked Barnett on Hayworth's show.

Emily DeRose, spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party, said she doesn't see anything undemocratic or reprehensible about the Democrats keeping tabs on their opponents. 

"Of course we keep track of what Rep. Mitchell's opponents are saying and doing," said DeRose. "It's part of our due diligence as they run for office."

According to DeRose, keeping tabs on an opponent is a legitimate part of an election fight.

"It’s a common accepted practice among campaigns," she averred. "We accept that it’s part of the process of running for federal office," adding, "we’re not afraid of what our candidates have to say.”

Sean McCaffrey, executive director and acting spokesman for the Arizona Republican Party, disagreed.

"We don't do that, we think it's ridiculous and it contributes to people's low opinion of the political process," said McCaffrey. "If Emily DeRose doesn't think this is a problem then it's not surprising, but it also doesn't fail to disappoint."