MESA — Republican State Representative Russell Pearce, who has built his infamy on authoring and passing punitive immigration measures, is running for an open Senate seat in the state. His candidacy is being challenged by a fellow Republican, Kevin Gibbons, who is an immigration lawyer making his first run for public office.

Arizona Rep. State Representative Russell Pearce

Gibbons is challenging the four-term state incumbent and is running as an "anti-Pearce" candidate claiming that Pearce's actions in regard to illegal immigration legislature had poisoned the state legislature.

Without asking, Gibbons is being helped by three independent-expenditure committees who have distributed messages portraying Pearce as racist, misogynist and divisive.

The election to decide who wins the Republican slot for the race for the state senate seat is Sept. 2. The winner will then run against Democrat Judah Nativio on November 4.