Millions Of Dollars In, APS Backed Anti Proposition 127 Ads Are Working

By Holliday Moore
Howard Fischer
Published: Wednesday, October 31, 2018 - 4:13pm
Updated: Wednesday, October 31, 2018 - 6:58pm

Less than a week away from election day and political sentiment over Proposition 127 — the Renewable Energy Standards Initiative — appears to be falling in favor of utility company APS.

It's not for lack of money spent on either side of Prop. 127. To date, both sides have sunk at least $30 million into ads.

But, political consultant Chuck Coughlin with High Ground has predicted the APS-backed ads — claiming California billionaire Tom Steyer is trying to alter Arizona's constitution — will defeat the initiative.

If sentiments overheard at a recent East Valley meeting with Republican women ring true, he said APS is not winning over voters either.

"The women themselves started getting into an argument about it in front of me," he said. "They're like '[Prop.] 127's a bad idea but APS has been screwing us for a long time, they're bad people.' It was pretty remarkable."

His research and another political poll indicated voters will take out their frustration on the candidates who have benefited from APS donations, especially in Corporation Commission and Attorney General races.

Politics