Preston Korn

Preston Korn announced Friday night that he is suspending his campaign in the 1st Congressional District Republican primary. He will back Dr. Sandra Livingstone in her effort to secure the 1st district nomination.

"Our district has an opportunity to elect someone who does value people over position," wrote Korn in a statement. "Dr. Livingstone and I line up very close on the issues, and most importantly, in our belief that honesty and quality of character are of utmost importance in a leader. Because of this, I have decided to suspend my campaign and focus my efforts on supporting Dr. Livingstone for CD-1. In doing so, I believe that we can achieve a Primary victory for all that I have fought for."

CAMP VERDE -- The Congressional Candidate Forum on the Future of Arizona's Natural Resources brought out most of the AZ-1 field, where the candidates who showed up navigated their way through a proving ground of environmental questions. The whole panel was in agreement on the need for renewable energy investment, even if not all saw a consensus on the fact of global climate change. The biggest question of the afternoon wasn't asked by the moderator, however - it was "where is Sydney Hay?"

The seven participants included Democrats Jeffrey Brown, Ann Kirkpatrick, Howard Shanker and Mary Kim Titla, Republicans Tom Hansen and Preston Korn, and independent Brent Maupin. Two other Republicans who filed, Sandra Livingstone and Barry Hall, declined to participate.

However, Sydney Hay, who has been embraced by the Republican establishment, including the state party and numerous Republican state legislators and members of Congress, did not show up. Audience members and press instead received a letter from Hay that apologized for her absence but gave no explanation.

With Gov. Janet Napolitano's endorsement of CD1 Democratic candidate Ann Kirkpatrick, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has all but endorsed the former state legislator as well. Today, DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen announced that Kirkpatrick has been added to the Red to Blue program, which helps Democratic challengers raise money to capture Republican-held congressional seats.

"Ann's experience in city, county and state government and her commitment to promoting economic development, while protecting Arizona’s environment, will make her an effective voice for clean government and change," said Van Hollen, a Maryland congressman.

In addition to financial support, the program also helps "structure" campaigns to become more effective. Kirkpatrick is one of 11 Democrats in the program vying for an open seat.

"The DCCC's decision shows confidence in Ann's ability to win the primary and be successful in the general election," said Kirkpatrick campaign spokeswoman Mary Bradley.

Capping a day when CD1 candidate Sydney Hay picked up the support of ten state legislators in the district she hopes to represent, Hay also gained a backer in higher office: U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-3).

Shadegg is the second member of Congress to lend his support to Hay, who looks increasingly likely to become the Republican nominee to face off against the eventual Democratic nominee for the open seat. U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake endorsed Hay on May 20, and U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-2), for whom Hay was a spokeswoman during his 2006 re-election campaign, endorsed her as soon as she entered the race last August.

"We need you in the halls of Congress," the release from the Hay campaign quoted Shadegg as saying.

CD1 Republican candidate Sydney Hay announced today she has lined up the support of seven state representatives and three state senators, further consolidating her frontrunner status in her primary battle against Preston Korn, her chief rival for the nomination.

The Hay campaign issued a press release saying the legislators have signed a "support pledge" naming her as their pick for the nomination. The list includes state Rep. Bill Konopnicki (R-Safford), state Sen. Jake Flake (R-Snowflake) and state Rep. Andy Tobin (R-Paulden), all of whom had considered running for the seat themselves.

The full list, as given by the Hay campaign, reads:

"Senator Jake Flake and Representative Bill Konopnicki of District 5, Representatives Lucy Mason and Andy Tobin of District 1, Senator Ron Gould and Representatives Nancy McLain and Trish Groe of District 3, and Senator Jack Harper and Representatives Judy Burges and Tom Boone of District 4."

Sydney Hay has heard it all, she is too conservative, she can’t raise the money, she won’t be able to attract Independent voters, she won’t be able to withstand the Republican establishment once they find a candidate. Well here she is, almost certainly on her way to the Republican nomination in Arizona’s First Congressional District.

J.D. HayworthIt was a fun notion that former Congressman J.D. Hayworth might enter the fight in CD1, a large portion of which he represented as the Fifth Congressional District before redistricting changed the map. However, the notion was brief. Today on his KFYI talk show Hayworth definitively denied that he is running to replace Rep. Rick Renzi, leaving the field to Sydney Hay and Preston Korn.

Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen is optimistic about the chances of Republicans to regain lost ground against Democrats in the Arizona congressional delegation, he said today on Grover Norquist's radio show. However, he said that key to recapturing CD5 will be a Republican primary that keeps the fighting above the belt.

After two weeks of deliberation, former State Senate President Ken Bennett has decided he will not seek the Republican nomination to the CD1 seat being vacated by Rep. Rick Renzi. That leaves Sydney Hay and Preston Korn still the only challengers to the eventual Democratic nominee.

Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report has the latest House ratings. Of the races that are up for grabs Arizona has three that have made the competitive grade.

Rothenberg lists CD1 as a pure toss-up. AZ’s CD1 is one of only 15 pure toss-up districts in the country which will mean lots of national attention from both sides.