Brewer Clearing GOP Field In AZ GOV
Four days after Treas. Dean Martin (R) suspended his campaign, NRA board member/firearms training center owner Owen 'Buz' Mills (R) has announced he is suspending his own bid, leaving the GOP race firmly in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer (R).
Initially, Mills was seen by observers as a potential threat to Brewer because of his personal wealth and ability to advertise on TV. But the momentum Brewer seized after signing SB 1070 made it difficult for either Mills or Martin to gain any traction in the race.
Mills pointed squarely at SB 1070 in announcing the suspension of his campaign. "SB1070 has regrettably taken the focus off of job creation and fixing the state budget," said Mills in a statement. "So even though the chasm between Brewer's policies and mine is dramatic, SB1070 has politically mitigated those issues. I have therefore decided to suspend the campaign."
With Mills out of the picture, the GOP contest is all but decided, with only pol. sci./gov't Ph.D Matthew Jette (R) standing between Brewer and the party nomination. "I welcome Mr. Mills' supporters to join me in continuing the Arizona comeback with a victory in November," Brewer said, responding to the news that Mills was suspending his bid.