Carville, known as the "Ragin' Cajun" for his animated debating style and Baton Rouge, La., roots, will be in Phoenix next week for a $100-a-person fund-raiser to benefit Mitchell, a former Tempe mayor, former state senator and former chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party.
Mitchell and Hayworth are expected to face each other in the Nov. 7 general election.
The 5th Congressional District race has been in the national
spotlight since Democratic organizations put Hayworth's seat in the
crosshairs.
"It's an important race on the national level," said Seth Scott, a
spokesman for Mitchell. "We're getting an awful lot of national
interest. And we're happy about that. But at the end of the day,
Harry's running to do what's right for Arizona."
Carville will speak at 7:30 a.m. June 8 at the Cheuvront Wine and
Cheese Bar, 1326 N. Central Ave. Anyone paying $100 can come.
Hayworth spokesman Matt Lambert acknowledged that the race has been
targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee but
would not say how that has affected Hayworth's plans.
Carville, a lawyer, former high school teacher and U.S. Marine,
managed President Clinton's campaign in 1992 and since has been a
regular face on CNN political shows. He is married to Bush
administration adviser and Republican strategist Mary Matalin.
Arizona's 5th District race is popping up on watch lists of
competitive congressional races. For example, the Cook Political
Report, a Washington, D.C., newsletter, has lumped congressional
seats into four classifications. Most members of Congress are on the
safe end, called "solid" and "likely" winners. On the other end of
the spectrum, the at-risk seats "lean" toward the incumbent party or
are a "tossup."
Hayworth's seat, according to the newsletter, "leans" Republican. Of
the district's registered voters, 44 percent are Republicans, 28
percent are Democrats, 27 percent are independents and 1 percent are
Libertarians.
