Is The Tea Party Backing A Fake Latina Candidate In Arizona?

In light of allegations of a fake Latina candidate in a Senate recall election, the Arizona Secretary of State has been asked to undertake an investigation into the campaign of Olivia Cortes.

As reported in the Arizona Republic, current state legislator Russell Pearce, a Tea-Party leader and author of SB1070, is fighting to keep his seat in a recall campaign against two fellow Republicans. His main opposition, the moderate Jerry Lewis, former CPA and educator, has attracted broad bi-partisan support for his bid by running on a reportedly “positive campaign for jobs, education and a balanced approach to immigration.”

Pearce’s other opponent, Mexican-American Olivia Cortes, seems to have no campaign at all, prompting the investigation by Arizona’s Secretary of State, and causing local press to question her validity as a candidate. According to the Arizona Republic:

While Pearce and Lewis have already packed their schedules with fundraisers and begun walking the neighborhoods to talk to voters, Cortes has so far remained invisible except for campaign signs that have popped up around the west Mesa district. She has not responded to numerous media requests asking about the allegations that she is running to help Pearce, nor has she responded to requests for more information about her political positions.

Pictures of Cortes’ campaign signs show the slogan, “Si, Se Puede!”, and “I Will Represent the People,” which critics say are designed to detract Latinos from voting for Lewis, splitting the opposition vote and giving an edge to Pearce.

All of this has even caused the National Tequila Party to speak out against Pearce and Cortes, releasing this statement:

We believe the public is being misled by Olivia Cortes who is running for Arizona State Senate because we believe she is receiving support from Russell Pearce’s supporters and the Tea Party.   The Arizona Tea Party groups in the state of Arizona have made it absolutely clear that they are not in support of open borders; however, they are fueling and helping the Cortes campaign.

Though Pearce denies knowing Cortes or anything about her or her campaign, suspicion in his district began to rise after some of his most ardent supporters were spotted circulating petitions trying to get the third candidate on the ballot, later confronted about it, and reported and captured on video by journalists at the Phoenix New Times.

An invisible candidate without any opinions, fundraising gatherings, who’s declined helped from the founder of the Tequila Party, nor has any real web presence sounds pretty strange indeed.  Since Cortes won’t come forward to defend herself, it looks likes it’s up to Pearce to make the next move, and for voters in Arizona to decide in November.