AZ-01: More GOP Recruitment Woes

From The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room:

Arizona state Rep. Bill Konopnicki (R) is again weighing whether to get into the state’s 1st congressional district race, according to the Arizona Capitol Times. …

But don’t look for news from Konopnicki anytime soon. He sounds like he’s content to wait a few months to see how Kirkpatrick does. It should also be noted that he opened an exploratory committee last cycle, only to opt out.

There’s also the matter of just how excited he does – or rather, doesn’t – sound. According to the Capitol Times:

Konopnicki said he isn’t interested in serving in Congress unless Republicans take back the majority in the 2010 elections – something that will be difficult to predict in time to mount a serious campaign.

“I’m not interested, quite honestly, in going and being the minority party,” he said.

This is obviously good news for Kirkpatrick, and you have to admire Konopnicki’s candor – most politicians are smart enough not to mouth off like that. But Konopnicki’s bout of honesty just demonstrates how salient this issue is. Around the country, Pete Sessions and his NRCC are trying to dig up candidates to take on Democrats and return the GOP to majority status. There are undoubtedly plenty of state senators, county DAs and rich businessmen who would make decent if not good candidates.

Yet every last one of them has to contend with the near-certainty that even if they win, come January 2011, they’ll go to DC as members of the minority, and likely stay that way for some time. Meanwhile, Democrats hold out the enticement of being in the majority – and have landed at least two major recruits, as well as several more “mid-major” names. It’s hard out there for an NRCC chair.