After coordinating legal challenges to most of the candidates running for mayor of Tucson, Pima County Democrat Party chairman Jeff Rogers does an early victory lap:

In a stunning show of incompetence, four would-be challengers for mayor proved themselves failures at “Running for Office 101,” failing to meet the basic standards to get on the 2011 ballot.

Mayoral candidates Shaun McClusky, Ron Asta, Pat Darcy and Marshall Home are simply shrugging off the rules that apply to all the other candidates and showing blatant disregard for the law.

McClusky, Asta and Darcy inconceivably failed to file enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. They did turn in signatures — just not enough valid ones. Their petitions were chock full of unregistered voters and voters from as far away as Phoenix, admitting as much on the petition.

“It's incomprehensible that these candidates failed so miserably at Step One of public service,” said Jeff Rogers, Pima County Democratic Party chair. “How is it possible they failed so badly?”

Home, meanwhile, didn't register as a city resident until two days before he filed, and then only became a Democrat a few days after that. The law says candidates for mayor must live in the city for three consecutive years immediately before qualifying for the ballot.

Tucson should count itself lucky that candidates so inept won't be in a position to lead this city.

“The next mayor of Tucson will face serious challenges and we need to elect someone who will build a strong and competent team to help tackle those challenges,” Rogers said. “These four candidates couldn't build up enough support to qualify for the ballot. The fact that they couldn't clear the lowest political hurdle speaks volumes as to their inability to inspire or lead others.”