Big names in Mitchell-Hayworth contest spell big trouble for Hayworth

As this article in the Business Journal of Phoenix notes:

Some big political names -- including First Lady Laura Bush; Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.; Democratic firebrand James Carville; and former vice president Dan Quayle -- are getting involved in two key Arizona contests.

Kerry is helping former Tempe mayor Harry Mitchell challenge Scottsdale Republican Congressman J.D. Hayworth. Kerry also criticized Hayworth in a fundraising e-mail to Mitchell backers.

"A Democratic win in this critical race would be a double victory," said Kerry of the Mitchell-Hayworth battle for a U.S. House of Representatives district that includes Tempe and Scottsdale. "We'd bring a powerful new voice to Congress and we'd send packing one of the more wrong-headed GOP politicians of our time."

... The Hayworth-Mitchell race is also garnering some national attention as Democrats look to knock off the outspoken Republican in November.

Carville, a top Democratic consultant, will keynote a fundraiser for Mitchell in central Phoenix on Thursday. Polls show Mitchell running close to Hayworth in a district that includes Fountain Hills, Tempe, Ahwatukee and Scottsdale.

No matter how much the Republicans may want to spin this, the reality is this: big names like this do NOT get personally involved in House campaigns unless they smell blood in the water. Hayworth would not be getting Dan Quayle's help if he didn't suspect he might be in trouble. And Kerry and Carville wouldn't be stumping for Harry Mitchell unless they strongly felt the seat was in play and a little boost from them could make a difference.

It tells us what political intuition, as well as the polls, have been indicating for the past few months. Harry Mitchell is a serious candidate with a real chance of unseating J.D. "Foghorn Leghorn" Hayworth in November.