Tim Steller has a column in today’s Star putting a “Moderatometer” to LD-9 Republican Rep. Ethan Orr. When Steller covered the Moderate/Not-A-Moderate debate before, he leaned toward thinking Orr was more moderate than not. This time, though, Steller isn’t taking sides. He’s letting Orr, his legislative record and Democratic candidate Randy Friese duke it out for themselves.
For me, the most interesting line in the whole column is this observation by Steller:
Speaking of one of his many votes, Orr seemed a bit tired of the “moderate” discussion.
Hmm. When does a politician grow tired of having himself discussed in print? Only when the evidence is turning against him. And it looks like Orr is wondering whether the discussion of his moderate cred is beginning to take a nasty turn.
Steller points out three pro-gun votes Orr made this session. The bills were apparently too out-there for Gov. Brewer, who vetoed all three of them. By going to the right of Brewer on guns, Orr certainly earned his 92% rating from the NRA, but he didn’t do much to bolster his claim to being a moderate.
And on women’s health issues, Orr has a solid right wing voting record.
On what is perhaps even a hotter-button issue [than guns], abortion, Orr voted in favor of the bill that allows for surprise inspections of clinics providing abortions. Orr, who opposes abortion in general, said it’s a fair law since other medical facilities are subject to surprise inspections, too.
In Steller’s column, Orr claims bragging rights for helping to criminalize the pointing of lasers at airplanes, easing the liability rules on private space flight and revising the pension system of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. And he was one of eight Republicans who voted against this year’s most onerous voucher bill.
Weighing Orr’s votes, it’s hard to call him a moderate without dumbing down the term beyond recognition. Somehow, I don’t think slogans like these are going to win Orr many votes from Democrats or swing voters:
Ethan Orr: Not Bat-Shit Crazy Like Those Other Republicans
or
Ethan Orr: Moderate (But Not As Moderate As Jan Brewer)
Orr has done enough to get the Republican and right-wing Independent vote in the November election. But to retain one of the district’s two seats in the house, he has to beat one of the Democrats in the field: Rep. Victoria Steele or newcomer Randy Friese. To do that he’s going to need help from some Democrats and middle-of-the-road Independents. The more his moderation is questioned, the harder that’s going to be.
This article appears in Apr 24-30, 2014.
The question on Representative Orr is not his limited number of “moderate votes” or his campaign song and dances to that tune to corral votes in the next election? Orr must be judged on the total product of the legislative session.
He voted to put the Republican right-wing leadership in place and with their solid control sending forth the results and sorry laws that even their Republican Governor felt the need to veto. It is pretty bad indeed when the Governor has to veto so many bills passed by members of her own party. Did they produce the best legislation for the whole state or did they perform in a dysfunctional irrational manner following recipes for legislation from out of state special interest groups?
Just because Orr may not have voted with the rest of the right-wingers in his party all the time, they had their way and left him sitting alone. Did Orr produce any worth while legislation to invite jobs, a better environment and way of life for all Arizona? I saw guns over too many other desperate needs of the citizens of this state.
Moderate or conservative what was the end product? Something he can point to with pride or more of the same twist and tangle? Time to elect new leadership, put more reasonable people in charge. Representative Orr needs to be replaced, just to get rid of legislative leadership so far out of step with Arizona.
Why would anyone care what the author or the Tucson Weekly think about Ethan Orr. Or anything dealing with Conservative/Republican issues. Stick with Open Borders, and Progressive Socialist issues.