Quayle's Opponent Accused Of Going Dirty

U.S. Rep. Ben Quayle with U.S. Rep. Dave Schweikert (right) (AP photo)

The younger son of former Vice-President Dan Quayle, Ben Quayle, is locked in a tight primary race with U.S. Rep. Dave Schweikert as a consequence of redistricting that is now turning dirty, a word that surfaced often in Quayle's first run for elective office two years ago. The Daily Caller reports on a controversial mailer Schweikert's campaign sent out that accuses Quayle of "going both ways" on "important conservative issues." Quayle's campaign believes the language of the mailer implies that Quayle is bisexual. “The mailer is utterly false regarding Congressman Quayle but accurately demonstrates the two sides of Dave Schweikert: the usual dishonesty and lies combined with a sleazy smear tactic,” Quayle spokeswoman Anna Haberlein told the Arizona Republic. Schweikert's campaign responds that the message clearly referred to Quayle's position on taxes, immigration and gay marriage. The Schweikert campaign’s says that people interpreting it that way “should get their minds out of the gutter,” Chris Baker, a spokesman for the Schweikert campaign, told the Republic.

Quayle barely survived a hotly-contested primary race in his Republican-leaning district two years ago after it was revealed that he wrote racy columns using the handle Brock Landers for "Dirty Scottsdale," a locally-based sexually oriented website published by one of his friends, which has since gone national and is now known as "The Dirty." Quayle chose to run in a newly-drawn district adjacent to the district in which he currently resides because it comprises most of the district he currently represents. Quayle's campaign is not shying away from negative attacks on Schweikert. It has launched a website, "Dishonest Dave," which accuses Schweikert of saying or doing anything to get elected. Schweikert's campaign recently released a poll claiming that he has a substantial lead over Quayle. Quayle's campaign disputes the poll's results.