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Former Go Daddy lawyer to run for Arizona governor

Kevin Murphy, August 12, 2013, Domain Registrars

Former Go Daddy general counsel Christine Jones wants to run for Governor of Arizona, it emerged last week.
Jones is planning to stand for the Republican nomination, filing her paperwork on Friday. She announced the move on Twitter:


Her campaign site plays on her record of testifying before the US Congress on internet-related issues such as fake pharmacies and child abuse materials, saying:

She also helped drive federal Internet-related legislation, including laws to keep the Web safe from child predators and rogue online pharmacies. For example, she helped push through bills such as the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, the Protect Our Children Act, and the Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act.

“Helped drive” appears to be a reference to Congressional testimony such as her statements about Go Daddy’s anti-CAM practices in 2006.
As well as children, her site also ticks the usual Republican politician boxes of religion (she’s a church singer, apparently) and the military (her husband is a retired US Air Force officer).
Jones was with Go Daddy for 10 years, leaving in May 2012.
One of her final projects at the company was her vocal support for the Stop Online Piracy Act in late 2011, which ultimately proved a vote-loser among Go Daddy’s customers, forcing a company U-turn.
Most of Arizona’s governors have been Democrats. The incumbent, Jan Brewer, is a Republican. The last three have been female.
Go Daddy employs thousands of people in the state, when it would be much cheaper to ship those jobs overseas, something that could score Jones brownie points if she can figure out a way to take credit for it.
For Go Daddy, if Jones were to win, having a friend in high places would no doubt prove a boon. The election is next year.