GOP Rep. J.D. Hayworth made a curious claim Tuesday during a debate with Dem Harry Mitchell, who's been gaining on the incumbent in recent polls. Discussing Iraq, Hayworth told the audience, "if we abandon Iraq, what our enemies refer to as the central front in the war on terror, we are inviting a raft of problems..." (emphasis added) At first glance, this statement seems like the average GOP talking point on Iraq, but Hayworth does something kind of new here. He directly attributes the phrase "the central front in the war on terror" to the enemies of America, though it is actually terminology popularized by the Bush administration, which they have been using since at least Sept. 7, 2003. Unless Hayworth is referring to the Bush administration as "our enemies," his reference to the phrase seems to be factually challenged. More after the jump.

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Democrat Harry Mitchell released his first TV ad this past week ominously painting GOP opponent Rep. J.D. Hayworth as corrupt for his connections to Jack Abramoff and $100,000 his wife recieved from his political action committee. Citing news reports of Hayworth's alleged corruption, Mitchell implores that Arizonians "deserve a Congressman who will make headlines for the right reason." It's hard to tell whether the ad will find traction with voters in the Fifth District, but Mitchell must be hoping it will as the latest poll by Survey USA had Mitchell trailing Hayworth 52% to 40%. Dems have sought to turn the GOP "culture of corrution" into an effectivve campaign issue this year, but thus far have met mixed results, though recent polls have found a broad majority of voters upset with Congress' ties to special interests. The Hayworth campaign has responded by calling the ad "a lie inside a distortion wrapped around innuendo."

Yesterday we brought you word that Ohio GOP Senator Mike DeWine is taking a beating from Dems over reports that the pharmaceutical industry is helping fund pro-DeWine ads. Now it turns out that two more Republicans are enjoying the benefits of Big Pharma's ad funding: Senator Jon Kyl and Rep. J.D. Hayworth. As in the case of DeWine, the pharmaceutical industry thinks it's doing GOPers a favor by helping fund their ads -- when in fact it's actually helping their Dem challengers better make the case that their Republican opponents backed the new Medicare drug benefit for seniors as a favor to special interests.

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Rep. J.D. Hayworth -- proud author of a book on illegal immigration -- is now starring in a new documentary on the subject! The film, which looks to us like a species of right-wing anti-immigration porn, is produced by Citizens United, the conservative group that brought us Celsius 41.11. The doc also carries an appearance by right-wing bete noir Mel Gibson, who's role in the movie is as yet unclear. Hayworth's ideas on immigration policy are getting hammered by Dem challenger Harry Mitchell, and Hayworth has recently taken flack for quoting notorious anti-semite Henry Ford in his book. The movie premieres next Thursday. For now, the trailer is right here:

Rep. J.D. Hayworth's efforts to get the Times' press credentials revoked may not have paid off, but he just won a smaller battle against the paper. Today, under pressure from Hayworth, the paper printed a correction to a graphic linking the congressman to lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Hayworth is being clobbered by Dem challenger Harry Mitchell for his Abramoff ties, so he's particularly sensitive on the matter. Under Hayworth's picture, the Times' erroneously wrote that Hayworth took money from Abramoff's gambling cruise-ship company. That, the paper corrected. But the Times also reported that Hayworth took contributions from Abramoff's associates and tribal clients. That part was accurate -- and still stands.

There are 303,600 legal immigrant in Arizona, enough to swing a few elections. But Latino immigrants historically participate in elections less than other immigrant groups. Advocates are hoping to change that:

By flooding polls, advocates aim to push the immigration debate away from the enforcement-heavy approach supported by many key lawmakers in favor of comprehensive immigration reform that offers a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and more visas to reunite families.

[Activist Ruben] Villarreal and others will concentrate on voter drives in Republican J.D. Hayworth's District 5, in parts of Mesa, Tempe and Phoenix, and Republican Jim Kolbe's District 8 in southern Arizona. Hayworth, a staunch immigration-control advocate, faces Democrat Harry Mitchell this fall, and a slew of candidates is battling for the seat Kolbe is giving up.

Not such good news for Rep. Hayworth, Randy Graf, or Don Goldwater.

If you run for office in Arizona, tradition dictates that you fill out the Arizona Republic's candidate questionnaires. It's not a bad idea. Voters get to know candidates' positions on the issues, which is kind of useful in deciding who to vote for.

Well, this time some candidates don't appear too eager for voters to know where they stand on things. The top three Republicans running for Jim Kolbe’s (R-08) seat -- Randy Graf, Steve Huffman, and Mike Hellon -- have taken a pass.

Meanwhile, if you want to know where other candidates in Arizona stand -- Who still denies the existence of global warming? Which Republican congressmen are dissatisfied with the Republican-led Congress? Whose immigration plan is based on football? -- then you can find out after the jump.

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The Minutemen -- you know, those whack-jobs who run around in night-goggles looking for illegal immigrants trying to cross the Mexican border -- are calling for a tourism and economic boycott of the state of Arizona because one of its senators wrote some immigration legislation that was too lenient for them.

GOP Rep. J.D. Hayworth represents part of the state of Arizona. So you'd think he'd denounce the Minutemen for trying to hurt his home state. Wouldn't you?

Well, Hayworth -- a longtime friend of the group -- hasn't uttered a word of condemnation. And his Democratic opponent, Harry Mitchell, is wondering why Heyworth values the Minutemen more than he values his own state. More after the jump.

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Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R), who's facing a serious challenge from Harry Mitchell (D) this fall, just loves the Minutemen Project, that hearty band of patriots who patrol the Mexican border in night-goggles. Last year Hayworth held a press conference insisting that President Bush apologize for maligning the group, which he has called “extraordinary Americans.”

Well, here's something that Hayworth might not find so extraordinary: The group is facing questions about its finances. It looks like some of the border-patrol boys are wondering where the money they collect has been going, and they can't quite fathom how it ended up at a charity controlled by conservative commentator Alan Keyes. How can vigilante border cops do their duty if the money isn't there to pay for radios and night-vision scopes?

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Who says voters can't be legally bought?

Over in Arizona, a novel way of juicing up people's interest in politics and getting them to vote has just landed on the November ballot. If you vote, you qualify to win a million bucks. It's that simple.

Nothing if not creative.

Rep. J.D. Hayworth wants the New York Times stripped of its credentials to cover Congress from inside the Capitol because of the article it printed on anti-terrorism surveillance in banking. He’s circulating a petition asking Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to rescind the paper’s press passes.

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Harry Mitchell, the Democratic candidate for Arizona’s 5^th District, released a list of 13 Republican elected officials, current and former, who support him over Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R) this weekend.

Not to be outdone, Hayworth publicized his own cross-party support: Craig Columbus, his 2002 general election opponent. Columbus will head up “Democrats for J.D.”

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When the House takes a field trip to the border states this August, they’ll probably spend some time in Arizona. Rep. J.D. “Whatever It Takes” Hayworth (R) will welcome them with open arms. He praised the House’s decision to hold off a vote on immigration until after a series of field hearings in the Southwest as “excellent news.”

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