By Fernanda Santos | The New York Times
State Treasurer Doug Ducey takes every opportunity to highlight his “real-world experience” as the former president of a chain of ice-cream parlors. Christine Jones, a former Internet company executive, says her “technological sophistication” is just what Arizona needs to become more efficient. Al Melvin, a state senator, asserts that the Tea Party “saved the United States as a country in 2010,” when it took control of Congress, and “will save the country again this year.”
In the weeks since Gov. Jan Brewer announced that she would not run for re-election, the already crowded field of Republicans looking to replace her has grown noisy, with nine candidates of widely varying interests and experiences vying for attention. The very definition of “Republican” in this state of traditional social conservatism and a booming Latino population is up for grabs — perhaps a harbinger of a national identity crisis as the 2014 elections approach.
