Giffords New Ad: Energy Independence

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is facing Republican Tim Bee in Congressional District 8, has debuted a new ad focusing on energy independence. Just like her first TV ad–and as Bee has done in both of his–she makes no mention of party affiliation.

Bee’s Latest Fundraising Report: $280K

Republican congressional candidate Tim Bee, who is seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords in Congressional District 8, raised just under $280,000 in the six weeks between July 1 and Aug. 13, according to his latest filing with the FEC.

Bee’s take, which includes some of the money raised by a fundraiser headlined by President George W. Bush, exceeded the amount Giffords for the first time in a reporting period, but not by much. Giffords raised about $230K.

Bee reported $589,887 remaining in the bank at the end of the filing period. Giffords had $2,147,240.

OpenSecrets.org has a breakdown of contributions to both Bee and Giffords through June 30.

Giffords’ Latest Fundraising Report: $230K

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords reports raising $230,000 over the last six weeks.

As of last week, when this reporting period ended, Giffords had $2,147,240 remaining in the bank for her re-election campaign.

“We were pleased,” says Giffords campaign manager Zach Wineburg, who expects that Republican Tim Bee will report a much higher take as a result of a fundraiser headlined by President George W. Bush.

The Bee campaign has not yet released a report, which is due tomorrow.

Democrats have recently complained that the Bush fundraiser cost local taxpayers more than $99,000 in law-enforcement costs.

OpenSecrets.org has a breakdown of contributions to both Bee and Giffords through June 30.

Here is the press release from Giffords:

TUCSON — Giffords for Congress announced today that 1,235 contributors paved the way for its latest fundraising success: $230,000 in the six weeks.

According to a federal financial disclosure report released today, more than 500 new donors contributed to the campaign to elect Gabrielle Giffords to her second term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The average contribution from individuals for this reporting period, which includes

Giffords Vs. Bee: Where’s the Party?

We’ve noted that Republican Tim Bee, who is hoping to unseat first-term Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, didn’t mention his GOP affiliation in his first two TV spots.

Giffords is likewise downplaying her party affiliation in her first TV spot, which has no mention that she’s a Democrat. Giffords talks about her support for veterans in an effort to inoculate herself against any upcoming attacks that she’s soft on national defense. This ad hit last week as she was rolling out Veterans for Giffords, a group co-chaired by John A. Wickham, a retired four-star general who served as chief of staff for the Army in the Reagan Administration, and Bill Valenzuela, a local businessman who served in the Marines in Korea.

Bee and Giffords have different reasons for wanting to downplay their party affiliation; Bee has to worry that the Republican brand ain’t selling so well this year, while the Giffords team is well aware that Republicans have the voter registration edge. But both sides probably realize that the election will be decided by the moderate middle, so playing to the base isn’t the smart strategy in 2008.

Sierra Club Endorses Gabby Giffords

The Sierra Club has endorsed Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is facing Republican Tim Bee in Congressional District 8.

From the Sierra Club release:

The Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced its endorsement of Representative Gabrielle Giffords in the 2008 election.

“We are very pleased to announce today that the Sierra Club officially endorses Gabrielle Giffords for re_election,” said Lynn DeMuth, Political Committee Chair. “She has demonstrated leadership in the effort to support clean, renewable energy and protect Arizona’s wild lands and endangered species habitat. We are confident that Representative Giffords will continue work to protect Arizona’s environment, for our families and for our future.”

In her first term, Representative Giffords has either sponsored or co-sponsored several pieces of legislation to address climate change, water conservation and the preservation of public lands. She has also has fought to ensure an open, transparent and comprehensive evaluation of the proposed Rosemont Mine in Southern Arizona. In addition she voted to revise the outdated and environmentally damaging 1872 Mining Law, as well as to protect the Grand Canyon environs from uranium mining. Her top priority is clean, especially solar, energy.

“I am truly honored to

A Photo of Bee and Bush!

The Bee campaign didn’t release any photos of their man standing proudly with President George W. Bush from last week’s fundraiser, but a 12-year-old girl did manage to get a pic of the two Republicans together.

Thelma Grimes of the Vail Sun brings us the story of Andi Elena O’Bert, who scored a shot of herself next to Bush thanks to a handy cell phone. Walking behind them is Bee, a state senator who is challenging Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Congressional District 8.

UPDATE: Sonoran Alliance has obtained the official photo of Bush and O’Bert.

Grimes writes:

President George W. Bush’s visit to Tucson last week wasn’t just about raising money for a fellow Republican and Vail School Governing Board member Anne Gibson and her special guest, 12-year-old Andi Elena O’Bert, who took advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Air Force One touched down late Thursday night. Bush visited Tucson for

New Bee TV Ad

Republican congressional candidate Tim Bee, who is challenging Democrat Gabrielle Giffords in Congressional District 8, has a new TV ad. Like his first ad, it does not mention that he is a Republican.

Democrats Drop $700K Into Giffords/Bee Race

Republican state Sen. Tim Bee was probably feeling pretty good about the half-million-dollar haul he brought in on Friday, thanks to an appearance by President George W. Bush.

But the latest twist could stomp on Bee’s cash-induced buzz: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has reserved more than $700,000 in television advertising in Congressional District 8 to help out freshman Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, according to Washington Post reporter Chris Cillizza.

A reservation isn’t a guarantee that the money will be spent. The DCCC could still cancel if campaign officials decide Giffords has a big lead.

The big reservation could mean that the DCCC thinks the race will be closer than last week’s Democratic poll shows. Or it could be a little psychological warfare designed to take some of the luster off the Bee campaign’s Bush fundraiser, which set a new record for a one-day event for a local candidate.

Democratic Poll: Giffords 59%, Bee 35%

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has a 24-percentage-point lead over Republican challenger Tim Bee in the Congressional District 8 race, according to a new poll that we’ve been sent by a Washington Democratic operative (who, by the way, evidently likes Tedski more than us).

Giffords had the support of 59 percent of the 502 likely voters in Congressional District 8 who were surveyed, while Bee had the support of 35 percent. The poll, taken in June by D.C.-based Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, also shows that 57 percent of voters had a favorable opinion of Giffords, while 26 percent had an unfavorable opinion. More than 9 out of 10 voters–92 percent–recognized Giffords’ name.

Poll numbers released by the Bee campaign earlier today showed a much tighter race, with Giffords leading by just 7 percentage points.

Bee Campaign Poll: “Within Striking Distance” of Giffords

A poll done by state Sen. Tim Bee’s congressional campaign shows the Republican challenger just seven percentage points behind Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the race for Congressional District 8.

Margaret Kenski, the longtime local pollster who used to survey the district for former congressman Jim Kolbe (and who did the Tucson Weekly’s polls in CD8 in 2006), says the Bee campaign’s mid-May survey puts Bee “within striking distance” of Giffords.

Kenski says Giffords had the support of 47 percent of the 500 likely voters polled, while Bee had the support of 40 percent.

“As an incumbent, you’re not comfortable until you’re quite a bit past 50 percent,” Kenski says. “It’s competitive. It’s very competitive.”

Kenski’s 2006 polls never showed GOP nominee Randy Graf within single digits of Giffords.

Tom Dunn, spokesman for the Bee campaign, also announced that Bee had raised more than a half-million dollars at today’s fundraiser with President George W. Bush.

Giffords campaign manager Zach Wineburg declined to release any of the Democrat’s internal polling, but said that “poll numbers will go up and down” between now and Election Day.

“The race will be decided on the issue and Congresswoman Giffords has a track record of hard work and fighting for Southern Arizona and the issues that voters care about,” Wineburg said.

Wineburg added that the Giffords camp would be bringing Gov. Janet Napolitano to town on Monday, July 21, for a fundraiser at the Viscount Suites at 5 p.m. In contrast to the Bush event for the Bee campaign, tickets to the Napolitano fundraiser will be only $25.

“While Tim is bringing in an unpopular president, we’re bringing in a popular governor,” Wineburg said.