For years itβs been clear that Rep. RaΓΊl Grijalva, the progressive Tucson Democrat, drives Southern Arizona Republicans crazy.
He favors illegal immigration and open borders, heβs an environmental radical, and he only cares about Latinos, many have long said.
It hasnβt been clear till now, though, that Grijalva even makes them suicidal, politically speaking.
Last week, Grijalvaβs latest challenger, Nick Pierson, unleashed a torrent of pent-up Republican anger and frustration at Grijalva during their first debate in the Congressional District 3 race.
βIβve been watching the incumbent since I was in college,β Pierson said, in his second statement of the debate. βHeβs not a good example of a Mexican, heβs not a good example of a Mexican-American, heβs not a good example of an American. Heβs not a good role model for the people in our community. Thatβs why Iβm running.β
Pierson, who grew up in Nogales, Arizona, and is of Mexican ancestry, went on: βIβm very familiar with the Hispanic culture, and in the Hispanic culture, thereβs a properness that people should purport. Itβs not just education. Itβs what you have from your upbringing and your family. People in the community are looking at us as a laughingstock.β
Iβm sure it was cathartic for Pierson to say these things to Grijalvaβs face, and for many of Grijalvaβs critics to hear it said to him. Grijalvaβs personality re-emerged as an issue last year when it was revealed he had approved $48,000 in payments to an employee who complained of him being frequently drunk and creating a hostile work environment, though not of sexual harassment.
But I think Pierson unwittingly brought up sensitive and complicated issues that donβt really benefit him, Republicans or anyone, really. Race, class, ethnic identity and national identity all burst into the open and can as easily be turned against Pierson β a light-skinned, chamber-of-commerce-style candidate of Mexican ancestry β as against his opponent.
When we talked Friday, I could almost hear Grijalva, so accustomed to winning without much of a challenge, chuckling at his good luck.
βI think thereβs a lot of anger there with Pierson. I canβt figure it out. I donβt have the depth of psychology to figure it out,β he said. βIβve never had to deal with self-loathing or denial in my life, so itβs hard to put myself in his shoes.β
Ouch.
Now, Pierson would not consider himself a self-loathing person. What he was talking about when he accused Grijalva of being a bad example of a Hispanic man was comparing Grijalva to the courtly, old-fashioned Mexican-American men he grew up around.
βIn the Hispanic culture on the border, as I was growing up, everybody tried to be very nice to each other and courteous. What I hear in the community is thatβs not the case with the incumbent.β
Letβs assume Pierson is right, though. Why should Grijalva be a good example of a Hispanic, or a Mexican (something heβs not, by nationality), or even a Mexican-American?
Some Republicans may be trying to judge him by an ethnic measure because theyβve seen him playing what they see as racial and ethnic politics for so long. He has regularly criticized politicians and policies he dislikes as βracist.β
When I talked to him after the debate, Pima County Republican Party Chair David Eppihimer was pleased with Pierson for calling out Grijalva on those terms.
βFor him to say that is remarkable and I think true,β Eppihimer said. βNickβs take on that is that he (Grijalva) doesnβt exhibit Mexican character values, which are very high. Honor, integrity, family, reputation β all are so important. And Grijalva is Grijalva. I mean, heβs a mess.β
He went on: βThis is strong, and I donβt know if a white guy like me is entitled to say these things: Heβs a racist in a different direction than the typical accusation of racism. Grijalva is a raging racist.β
When I asked if he meant that Grijalva is racist against whites, Eppihimer said βOf course. Thatβs exactly what I mean. He gets away with it, and he has gotten away with it his entire political career. Now heβs getting called out for it.β
βFor me itβs an overall attitude. He seems to have no interest, no desire to interact with, work with or respect, white people. Thatβs my personal view.β
When I read Grijalva those quotes, he answered, βWhoa.β
Gathering his thoughts, he said, βThe fact that I will push back when things are said about Latinos is me representing my constituents. That doesnβt make you a racist. It makes you someone who will defend constitutentsβ rights.β
Sergio Arellano, the Republican candidate who took second place to Pierson in the primary, didnβt like Piersonβs or Eppihimerβs criticisms. He likened Piersonβs criticism of Grijalva as a bad Hispanic to βputting yourself on a pedestal.β
βPersonally I think that approach is not the best approach. Be knowledgable about policy. Know the policy. Know the issues,β Arellano said. βTheyβve called him everything under the sun, but itβs proven not to stick.β
Pierson has blamed Grijalva on substantive issues such as the high poverty of the district and what he called an anti-business attitude, but in the debate he prioritized going after him on these identity and behavior issues.
βI thought it was important because itβs how I feel,β Pierson said. βI could have brought up other things, but I was nervous. It was my first debate. And thatβs what I felt in my heart.β
Look, it was never going to be easy to beat Grijalva this year, so maybe itβs a good chance for local Republicans to vent their spleen over frustrating issues of ethnicity, racism and behavior. But itβs unlikely to help them win, because itβs fundamentally unfair to ask an American politician to adhere to an ethnic standard of behavior.