Some in Ariz. GOP rejoicing at end of Pierce's leadership

(PNI) Don't let the door hit you on your way out … Senate Republicans put Steve Pierce on his horse and sent him off to the pasture of rank-and-file senators when they opted for a new Senate president this week. And then some disgruntled GOPers fired arrows at his retreating back.

A few of those arrows took a bounce into Insider's in-box.

"Hahahahaha" read a message from Rep. John Fillmore, who lost his bid for a Senate seat in the GOP primary.

"How does it feel to be dismissed and made to feel like your (sic) nothing???" asked another, sent by Joe Ortiz, a Casa Grande Republican who lost a Senate race to Democrat Barbara McGuire.

Grass-roots Republicans in Pinal County started an "oust Pierce" movement last month, upset that the Republican Victory Fund did not send any money to help Ortiz. They also were upset that the fund was used against Fillmore in his GOP primary against Sen. Rich Crandall, saying it should not help fuel intraparty battles.

Pierce did a lot of fundraising for the independent-expenditure committee, but has said he didn't have anything to do with how the money was spent since the law forbids coordination with a candidate's campaign.

Investigation in futility… Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne in October 2011 ordered an investigation into who sent him an anonymous letter describing "interference" during a cellphone conversation.

The undated and unsigned letter states the caller was going to hang up, but remained on the phone to listen to the conversation, allegedly about Horne, in violation of the state wire-intercept statute, according to records.

The writer of the undated, unsigned letter describes him- or herself as a Horne supporter who heard a woman "really raking you over the coals" and complaining about how she has to work under Horne and an "old white country club."

"I support you but if you can't manage your own office, how can you be governor?" the anonymous letter stated.

Public records obtained by Insider show Horne wanted investigators to determine the identity of the letter writer and whether he or she illegally intercepted or listened to the phone conversation.

The inquiry was closed after authorities could not determine who sent the letter.

A fingerprint analysis of the letter and envelope found only the fingerprints of Horne and his staff.

Gone, but not forgotten … Apparently, Insider and its masters at The Arizona Republic aren't on the right e-mail list at the state GOP.

The state Republican Party did issue a statement on the death of former state Rep. Bill Konopnicki, but instead of going to the the media, it went to 100 GOP leaders.

So, for those of you who aren't a leader, here's what party Chairman Tom Morrissey had to say about the veteran lawmaker from Safford:

"Bill's life was full of his good works as a Christian, and we will remember him most for his willingness to reach out and help all people. His influence and especially his generosity stretched far beyond his home in Graham County, where he represented his community in the Arizona House of Representatives. We are sad to lose such a dedicated and knowledgeable public servant, but fortunate to have benefited so much from his leadership and service."

The cold shoulder … State Sen.Ron Gould is tending to his Lake Havasu City air-conditioning business since losing a campaign for Congress. But he couldn't help putting in an icy dig recently at his Republican primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar.

Gosar's old district appears to be swinging the Democrats' way as the race between former U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and Republican former state legislator Jonathan Paton comes down to a few thousand votes left to be counted.

Gosar left District 1 in northeast Arizona this year to run in the more GOP-friendly District 4 against Gould.

"My prediction came true that since Paul Gosar abandoned his district, it appears we've now lost that district to Ann Kirkpatrick, when we could have picked up that seat," Gould said. "I think (Gosar) would have ended up defeating Kirkpatrick," as he did in 2010.

Is a Gosar-Gould rematch in the offing?

"I don't know," Gould said, with a chuckle. "I'm probably going to have a hard time convincing my wife and family I should spend more money on that."

Compiled by Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Rebekah L. Sanders. Get the latest at politics.azcentral.com.

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