David Bradley Has Some Unexpected New Friends

By Michael Bryan

Boy, a campaign's financial reports can be really interesting. Take for instance David Bradley's pre-primary report. David is the presumptive Democratic nominee for the State Senate seat in LD 10. David has some new supporters who might be surprising to some.

Many of you will know John Charles "Chuck" Coughlin, President of Highground Consulting and a lobbyist widely known as Governor Brewer's Brain, or the Shadow-Governor. This is a man so deeply plugged into the GOP establishment in Arizona that if you were to disconnect him, the whole machine would grind to a halt.

One guess who is showing up as a donor to David Bradley's campaign against Frank Antenori, in one of the few truly competative districts in the state.

 

 

One guess who does NOT show up in Frank Antenori's report.

Many also know of Douglas Cole, Vice President of Highground Consulting and another GOP powerbroker lobbyist.

One more guess who donated to David Bradley, and not to Frank Antenori.

 

 

Finally, many of you will know Don Diamond, local mega-developer and deep pocket for conservative pols.

Yet one more guess as to who gave a maxed-out contribution to David Bradley, and NOT to Frank Antenori.

 

 

Now, one thing is for certain, these GOP heavyweights are not contributing to David's campaign because they agree with his policy preferences. David is about as blue and bleeding-hearted as they come.

So, this is... curious. I wonder if some of the top GOP movers and shakers in the state are just not that into Frank Antenori any more? Perhaps they've decided that he's just more trouble than he's worth?

Comments

[Steve Turley]

Aren't Chuck Coughlin and Doug Cole the lobbyists for private prisons? What's up with Dave Bradley taking their money?

[Arizona Eagletarian]

Ugh. It's all so unseemly. Yet, Bradley's hardly the only candidate Chuck and Doug are backing for the legislature this year. One has to wonder what they will expect as a return on their investment.

[Steve Turley]

Don Diamond also doesn't come cheap. He's been trying to take out Antenori since 2008. He funneled $10,000 to an IE to defeat Antenori in 2010. We all know how that ended. I don't know if this hurts or helps Bradley. Did Antenori get any money from private prisons?

[Mariana Spier]

Arizona Eagletarian, you -of all people- should remember this episode:
"I'm not going to let this freaking governor push me around. This is pure, stupid, stubborn Jan Brewer," Antenori told the Arizona Capitol Times about a year ago in regard to the Governor's push to impeach the Chair of the redistricting committee. Later, he voted for it anyway.

[AZ BlueMeanie]

Relax people. I have it on good authority that the Capitol lobbyists, as well as Senate President Steve Pierce -- who will never admit this in public -- do not want Frank Antenori back at the Capitol. NOBODY likes this guy, especially his fellow Republicans. I understand that there will be a "Republicans for David Bradley" announcement shortly after the primary.

And what's up with you political virgins worried about the source of campaign donations? As Jesse Unruh, at one time the powerful Speaker of the California State Assembly famously said, "If you can't drink a lobbyist's whiskey, take his money, sleep with his women and still vote against him in the morning, you don't belong in politics." Words to live by, my friend.

[Jeff Rogers]

Expect to see a lot more Republicans endorsing Bradley in the days ahead. As meanie says, they are sick and tired of Antenori's outrageous statements, threats and bullying. Stick a fork in him - he's done.