By Rebekah L. Sanders | The Arizona Republic
Arizona’s U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar and Ann Kirkpatrick once were campaign rivals. Gosar called Kirkpatrick a “harm” to the country. She described him as “staggeringly vulnerable.” They represent opposite sides of the political spectrum and rarely vote the same.
Now, the two are working hand in hand on major legislation that, if successful, would end eight years of stalemate on a proposed copper mine near Superior that is expected to create thousands of Arizona jobs and pump billions into state coffers.
Experts say it’s a rare kiss-and-make-up partnership on Capitol Hill. Only a handful of congressional representatives who have squared off in past elections are now serving together in their state’s delegation to Washington, according to an analysis by political-research non-profit Ballotpedia.
Gosar, a Republican, and Kirkpatrick, a Democrat, appear to be the only pair so far this session to have joined forces on a significant bill. The Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act would allow Resolution Copper Mining Co. to dig the largest copper mine in North America.
“I have become so cynical in the last couple of years because of this horrible partisanship,” said Bruce Merrill, a veteran Arizona political scientist. “You’ve got these two rivals. I mean, these people didn’t like each other very much (during their campaigns). … A great deal of money was spent on both sides.”
But Gosar and Kirkpatrick have put aside their differences.
