Nathan Sproul

The independent expenditure group Mesa Deserves Better has taken the gloves completely off against Representative Russell Pearce in his campaign for senate. In a mailer sent to voters, the group points to 1980 divorce papers between Pearce and his wife that alleged Pearce “possessed a violent temper, and from time to time his and shoved his wife.”

Mesa Deserves Better was formed on 7/18/2008 and is chaired by Republican consultant Nathan Sproul.

H/T to Espresso Pundit

A report by RedArizona that Nathan Sproul is being relieved of his position as an adviser and fundraiser on state Sen. Tim Bee's campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords(AZ-8) is unfounded, according to a spokesman for Bee.

"There's nothing to those reports," said Tom Dunn, Bee's communications director. Dunn told PolitickerAZ.com that Sproul, a former Arizona Republican Party chairman and past Arizona Christian Coalition leader, was remaining on the campaign, and that his position remains unchanged.

RedArizona reported Sproul's exit late Thursday night, quoting "sources close to the senator" as saying: "Nathan Sproul will not be playing a direct role in the campaign." The sources told RedState that Sproul was leaving to work for a ballot initiative, "Stop Hiring Illegals," that would overturn an employer-sanctions law that Bee helped pass.

The early wisdom is former Maricopa County Treasurer David Schweikert is the Republican to beat in the primary to take on Harry Mitchell in CD 5.  Many observers wrote off former state Rep. Laura Knaperek saying she is a nice lady but won’t have enough fire in the belly to compete with the fiery Schweikert.  But don’t look now -Knaperek is running a professional campaign with a top notch team that knows how to win.