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News & Analysis

South East Arizona Republican Club Applauds AZ GOP Endorsement of PAN Initiative

Dennis Durband, Editor

The South East Arizona Republican (SEAR) Club is applauding Saturday's passage by the Arizona Republican Party of a resolution endorsing the Protect Arizona Now (PAN) Initiative. The State Committee of the Arizona GOP passed the resolution of support by a margin of 317-109.

PAN is a citizens' initiative designed to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote, proof of identity when voting and proof of eligibility for non-federally mandated public benefits. Initiative supporters are currently gathering petition signatures around the state to ensure that the initiative gets placed on the 2004 Arizona election ballot. More than 122,000 valid signatures are required.

Arizona Republican Party Chairman Bob Fannin and the state's Republican Congressional delegation have opposed the initiative, favoring instead pending guest worker legislation.

Todd Evans, president of SEAR, said, "This is a clear demonstration that the will of rank and file Republicans concerning border and immigration issues differs greatly from that of the leadership of the Republican Party. The president has offered a proposal which contains a form of amnesty for illegal aliens that closely mirrors legislation proposed by Arizona Republican Senator McCain and Representatives Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake. This endorsement of the PAN Initiative by the Arizona GOP and the vote last week by the Maricopa County GOP to oppose amnesty for illegals should serve as a message to the Republican Party leadership from Arizona and all the way to the White House, that their ideas and proposals regarding the border and illegal immigration are in conflict with the wishes of the citizens of Arizona."

The South East Arizona Republican Club is a conservative activist Republican club in southeastern Arizona. The club sponsors issue- oriented speaking forums; conservative discussion and activism; support to the Cochise County Republican Committee; and Republican candidate forums, petition drives, and fund-raisers.

For more information on SEAR, including the latest political news and views and announcements of upcoming events, please see: www.searclub.com.