While I was discussing the coming 2008 congressional race with not-quite-official candidate David Schweikert on Thursday, he noted, as all Republicans do, that Arizona’s 5^th Congressional District ought to be a Republican stronghold.

Check out the voter-registration numbers: 43 percent Republican, 29 percent independent, 27 percent Democrat, less than 1 percent Libertarian. The mostly urban district takes in Scottsdale, Tempe, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee Foothills and west Mesa.

Yet Democrat challenger Harry Mitchell bounced six-term Republican incumbent J.D. Hayworth last year. Schweikert said he doesn’t have a clear read on that race. “It was a really complicated election, because, I think, there were a bunch of different things in play. And I’m not sure I’m smart enough to know what they all were. It is obvious that the election became horribly negative and I think just the voracity of it turned a lot of people off.”

The next batch of candidates might consider taking a different approach along the campaign trail, specifically an approach that would appeal to highly educated and financially successful voters in the 5th District, he said.

“Can you actually have a race these days where you actually say, ‘I’m on this side; here’s my solution. Here’s this person’s solution. Does this make sense? You choose.’ Or do you immediately have to go in there and take shots at each other? I’d love to avoid that,” Schweikert said.

For the moment, Schweikert serves as the Maricopa County treasurer. He turned in his resignation Wednesday and his final day in the county job is Monday. He will formally announce his candidacy for Congress after that. The full story can be accessed here:  Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.