Fmr Arizona State Senator Handing Over Reserved Twitter Handles To VP Nominee Pence

Former Arizona State Senator Jack Harper today offered to hand over Twitter handles he had reserved in March in case Trump picked Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate. Harper - who is attending the convention as an "alternate" in Arizona's delegation - tells Arizona's Politics he made his offer through AZ GOP Chair Robert Graham.

Harper started becoming a Twitter-handle-squatter last November, when he decided to protect @VPCarlyFiorina. In February, he placed bets* on three female governors: Arizona's Jan Brewer (below), New Mexico's Susana Martinez and Oklahoma's Mary Fallin.

In March, he added Texas Senator Ted Cruz while acknowledging that it would be unlikely. And, in April, Harper reserved accounts for John Bolton and Scott Walker. In May, he was looking out for Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich.

It was not until July 10 that Harper opened @VPMikePence and @VPMike_Pence. Word leaked out a few days later that Trump had picked Pence.

Harper states that "I just did it as a precaution so the DEM's didn't get it and mock him."  He tells Arizona's Politics that he offered the Twitter handles to Pence through Graham today, and that he has not yet had any discussions. (With any luck, Pence could accept the Twitter accounts the same night that he accepts the VP nomination.)

Harper acknowledges that he is also using the reserved accounts as a conversation-starter, and that he has taken a photo with Fallin and has sought out Bolton.

*Unlike domain squatting, Twitter-handle-squatting involves no monetary risk. Only time. Harper indicates he set up a Gmail account for each, in order to open the Twitter account.

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