Photo: Brant Clinard, Ahwatukee Foothills News

Although many politicians are dumb schmucks, they aren't keen to advertise the fact. Unfortunately for one aspiring legislator in Phoenix's Ahwatukee neighborhood, he can hardly help it.

Frank Schmuck's campaign signs have become quite the collector's items:

"I put them up on Saturday and by Monday they were all gone. The only one left up is in my yard," said local attorney Guy Wolf, who volunteered to help Frank Schmuck in his bid for the Arizona Legislature. Wolf put up the signs along Desert Foothills Parkway, Pecos Road and on Chandler Boulevard...

"I do have a funny last name," he admitted, "but this early in the campaign season?"

Schmuck is running as a publicly-financed candidate, which means that in return for not raising money from traditional donors he will get a fixed amount of public funding for the primary and, if he wins, the general election. So when people take his signs, they are really taking public money from the Arizona Clean Election Commission.

"You're not stealing from Frank Schmuck, your stealing from the public," he said.

Words to live by. Thankfully, looking at his Web site, Schmuck seems to have a good sense of humor about his name. And as a decorated Persian Gulf War veteran, you look like a mensch to us here at ExLg. Good luck with the campaign!