Interest in the Maricopa County Special Healthcare District?

I admit, I know very little about the Maricopa County Special Healthcare District except for the fact that they are elected, they don't get paid, and they direct the Maricopa Integrated Health System which is basically the county health system which cares for any and everybody.

Mesa is currently represented by Charlie Gail Hendrix who is not seeking re-election. However, there are three candidates who are running to replace Hendrix on the board. They only reason I figured it out is that I started seeing signs popping up all over town.

One candidate is fellow blogger Greg Patterson (his website is the famous Espresso Pundit), another is former deputy AG Rob Carey (who announced the launch of his website), and the third candidate is Harlan Stratton.

This is where some of the drama sets it. Interestingly, the lesser-known Stratton appears to have gotten an endorsement from the PAChyderm Coalition and he may also be backed by the Maricopa County Republican Party. Three observations:

First, its curious how he received this support over the also conservative Patterson. You'd think with Patterson consistently writing and preaching the conservative standards, he would have had a shot. He is also clearly a more known commidity having served in the House.

Second, in this more moderate General Election, its unclear if this type of endorsement will even be all that helpful. Plus, I am sure that some will question Stratton's efforts to team up with the controversial Collette Rosatti who has experience being too conservative in a bigger turnout election.

Finally, you have to hand it to Rob Carey for not taking the snub lying down. Someone forwarded me a copy of the email he sent last week, which is pretty great:

"Dear Officers of the Maricopa County Republican Party:

I found out last night that you endorsed another candidate in the upcoming election--I can't recall his name, as he has never done anything in Arizona. You selected him without ever talking to me (and likely the other candidate) or reviewing the issues. I have been an Arizona Republican since I could vote and have worked on the campaigns of many elected officials in city, county, state and federal campaigns. I have contributed time and money to them. I have responded every time I have been asked for help. Instead of me (or another qualified candidate--Greg Patterson--who, although I don't know him, has from what I can tell served Arizona honorably as a Republican and demonstrated competence in the issues), you chose a candidate who has been in Arizona for two years and whose grasp of the issues is, to be charitable, weak. He doesn't know if a new hospital is needed; doesn't have an opinion on whether the district should partner with the University of Arizona; is undecided on the most critical funding issue relating to the district; and, shockingly, doesn't believe there are any healthcare, management or other important issues that have been overlooked in the public healthcare system. (see http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/questionnaire2008/mcshd08.php?action=ViewAns&canname=strattha.) I am struggling to understand why you would look past two long-time residents, both of whom, though they have different views of the needs of the district, have demonstrated some grasp of the issues, and instead endorse a newcomer with seemingly little knowledge of the issues. If your organization is to have any legitimacy, you should strive to be more open and professional in your endorsement process. Your selection was not based on facts or substance, or even what is best for the party or the state; rather, it seems to have been based on some personal agenda that has no place in your organization. This is just a low-profile race, so impact is minimal, but if this is the way you choose to operate as a group, it will most assuredly hurt your efforts to be successful in the long run.

Robert B. Carey"

Since the legislative races haven't been all that interesting so far, perhaps this will be a fun one to follow.