GOP Operative On Homeless Greens Campaign

A few political newcomers running for statewide office in Arizona are raising some eyebrows. That's because the candidates, running as members of the Green Party, are homeless. Republican political operative Steve May helped sign up some of the candidates, and Democrats are crying foul. He discusses the candidates and why he wants them running for office.

ROBERT SIEGEL, Host:

And the allegation here is that by getting candidates on the Green Party line, you can siphon a few votes away from a Democratic candidate. Is that true? Is that the purpose here?

STEVE MAY: I had no intention of running for office this year. But I got together with my friends on Mill Avenue - we call ourselves Mill Rats, because we hang out on Mill Avenue. That's where I live. That's where they live. And five of us decided to run for office. Four of them are Green, and I'm a Republican.

SIEGEL: And did you encourage them or help them become candidates on the Green Party line?

MAY: Well, they are Green. That's who they are. That's what they believe. We don't agree on a lot of things.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

MAY: Although there are a lot of things on the Green Party platform that, frankly, aren't that extreme and are very reasonable and rational. I encourage people to look into the Green Party platform. But...

SIEGEL: But I gather the state Green Party in Arizona has disowned these candidates.

MAY: Well, the grand poobahs of the Green Party don't get to decide who's on the ballot. It's up to the people. And that's kind of the point, Robert, is I'm a post-partisan. You know, I affiliate with the Republican Party, but I don't obey them. I don't have to do what they want. They don't get to decide whether I run or not. I ran without their support. I ran on my own. I - as a write-in candidate. I got 11,073 votes, and I'm on the ballot, and it has nothing to do with parties. This is about power to the people.

SIEGEL: Now, is that a serious run for office, or is that a prank or a dirty trick?

MAY: The dirty trick here is coming from the Democrat Party. These guys have a right to run. They're wonderful people. They're wonderful candidates, and I'm looking forward to allowing their campaigns to develop and helping them where I can so they can tell their story. They deserve a voice.

SIEGEL: Well, if they're such great potential candidates, why don't you try to get them inside the tent of the Republican Party, where you belong?

MAY: Well, because they're not Republicans. They don't believe in the Republican Party. I mean, you should hear their...

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

MAY: ...what they say to me about my beliefs. They're not Republicans.

SIEGEL: Here's what Paul Eckstein, a lawyer who represents the Democrats, told The New York Times. I'm going to quote now. "These are people" - he's talking about your friends. "These are people who are not serious and who were recruited as part of a cynical manipulation of the process. They don't know green from red."

MAY: Get to know these people. These are quality candidates. They have every right to be on the ballot. I'm proud of them for what they've done. The fact is voters deserve a choice and regular people deserve a voice, and if the Democrat Party doesn't like that, too bad. Welcome to the democracy in America.

SIEGEL: Well, Steve May, thanks a lot for talking with us about it.

MAY: Thank you. Hope to be back sometime after we all win.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

SIEGEL: Okay. Steve May, who is a Republican in Arizona, speaking to use from Tempe.

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