Democrat's checkered past comes back to haunt him

Controversy surrounding the upcoming Ward One Council primary in Arizona is stemming from a candidate with a history of selling short term loans, KVOA-TV reports. In a recent news conference, Democrat Joe Flores addressed the campaign directed against him by incumbent Regina Romero's backers - including Pima County Democratic party chairman Jeff Rogers. "We find it kind of laughable," Rogers said, quoted by the news source. "Mr. Flores doesn't represent the best of what the Democratic party represents. He was a predatory short term lender and has tried to say he was just an agent of other people." Prior to his candidacy, Flores ran a short term loan business with billboards featuring his likeness, calling himself Short term Joe. During the conference, Flores recommended that Rogers step down from his position, and that he should "tear down the billboards" instead of "tearing down the Democratic party," the Arizona Daily Star reports. Rogers noted that he has no intentions of stepping down. The Ward One elections will take place August 30, and ballots were sent out this week.