To sign the online petition supporting Veterans, click here.
Travis Grantham Endorsed by NAIFA
May 23, 2012 By 1 Comment
Tempe – Travis Grantham, candidate for Congress in Arizona’s 9th Congressional District released the following statment regarding his endorsement from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
“I am honored to have received the endorsement from NAIFA. For over twenty years NAIFA has represented over 200,000 agents and associates nationwide in both the insurance and financial advisory fields. During these times of increased uncertainty and burdensome regulation in our private sector, it is important that associations like NAIFA are able to work with members of Congress for the best interests of the people. Like many other industries, the insurance and financial sector job creators have suffered as a result of too much government regulation.”
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Travis Grantham is a candidate for Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District. He serves as the Chief Operations Officer at International Air Response based at the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport. He is also a Captain and Pilot in the Arizona Air National Guard’s 161st Air Refueling Wing based out of Sky Harbor International Airport. Travis and his wife Patricia have two daughters.
CD-9 Leah Campos-Schandlbauer releases new ad: A New Call
May 23, 2012 By 1 Comment
Leah introduces herself and describes why she is running for Congress.
Travis Grantham Wins First CD-9 Straw Poll
May 22, 2012 By 1 Comment
Tempe – Travis Grantham, candidate for Congress in Arizona’s 9th Congressional District released the following statement today regarding his recent CD9 straw poll win.
“We are excited to have won the first straw poll in the race for congress here in Arizona’s ninth district and I am very appreciative of the support for my candidacy by many members of the Ahwatukee Tea Party. This symbolizes that my campaign’s message reaches across many political and organizational lines. This victory exemplifies that my message of lower taxes, reigning in government spending, decreasing government regulation and repealing unconstitutional laws like Obamacare is resonating with the people of Arizona.
I look forward to continuing to build an open dialogue with all the voters in the ninth district and will continue to spread our message across District 9 as I strive to bring Arizona’s best interests to Washington D.C.”
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Travis Grantham is a candidate for Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District. He serves as the Chief Operations Officer at International Air Response based at the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport. He is also a Captain and Pilot in the Arizona Air National Guard’s 161st Air Refueling Wing based out of Sky Harbor International Airport. Travis and his wife Patricia have two daughters.
President George H. W. Bush Endorses Vernon Parker
May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Cites Parker’s life story as “the American Dream”
(Phoenix) – President George H.W. Bush, in a poignant letter recently sent to Vernon Parker, lent his name and support to Vernon Parker’s campaign for Congress in Arizona’s newly created congressional district 9 (CD-9).
In his letter of April 13th 2012, President Bush said:
“Vernon is a good man who served honorably in my Administration.” Vernon is a leader who demonstrates conservative values, love for country, and commitment to excellence in all that he has done.”
“I am deeply honored to have the support of a President I had the privilege to serve and for whom I have the highest regard,” said Vernon Parker.
“President Bush epitomizes all that I aspire to be as an American, a public servant, and as this new district’s first Member of Congress. President Bush is a statesman whose legacy will loom large,” Parker said.”
“In his letter to me, my former boss generously remarked that he regards my life story as the “’American dream.’” “Indeed, in my mind, President Bush is an American icon, whose life story and achievements, I know, will serve to inspire young people for future generations.”
“It is a rare move for a former President of the United States, to endorse a candidate for Congress in a primary election,” said Parker. “President Bush has my assurance that every day on the campaign trail I will aspire to be the kind of candidate, in whom, he placed his trust.”
President Bush letter to Vernon Parker ended simply by saying:
“I encourage you to vote for Vernon Parker.” All the best, George Bush
A copy of the letter from President George H.W. Bush is attached.
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Arizona’s Dubious Distinction as No. 1
April 13, 2012 By 7 Comments
Rogers Vows to Fight for Homeowners: 5-Point Plan to be Released
(Tempe, AZ) The Associated Press recently reported that Arizona overtook Nevada as the Number 1 state for home foreclosures. Nevada had held the record for 62 months in a row.
According to the report, nearly 3,600 homes were repossessed in March 2012. Also, more than 5,900 families received notices of default – the first step toward foreclosure.
“While overall foreclosure numbers are down, too many Arizonans are still losing their homes. Every day in my home inspection business across four Arizona counties, my inspectors see the impact of foreclosures on families. It’s maddening. The Obama Administration stifles job growth, thus in effect, evicts Arizonans from their homes,” said Rogers. “These numbers are a clear example of the Obama Administration’s casual disregard for Arizona,” she continued. “In the coming weeks, I will introduce a 5-point plan to address the housing crisis and propose actual solutions to the problem.”
Lt. Col. Wendy Rogers is a 20-year active-duty veteran of the United States Air Force and was one of the nation’s first female Air Force pilots. She has owned a 10-employee home inspection business for the past 15 years in District 9. The new 9th Congressional District is comprised of Tempe, and parts of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Chandler.
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Will Krysten Sinema Learn from the Democrats’ Solyndra Stimulus Disaster?
April 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Arizona Democrat’s Washington Allies Remain Desperately Committed to their Fatally Flawed National Energy Policy
WASHINGTON — Kyrsten Sinema’s Washington Democrat allies promised jobs and energy independence when they passed their massive $800 billion stimulus, but it became increasingly clear that gambling with taxpayer dollars was going to cause more harm than good. Despite the obvious lessons learned from the unprecedented spending spree, would Sinema also cling to these failed stimulus spending policies like her prospective Democrat leaders after they gave Americans the Solyndra bankruptcy scandal and record-high energy prices?
“Kyrsten Sinema can now see exactly how her Washington Democrat leaders’ stimulus spending spree led to failures like the Solyndra bankruptcy instead of economic recovery and energy independence,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “With this in mind, will Sinema join her Democrat allies’ efforts to continue the same energy policies that gave Americans the $535 million Solyndra bankruptcy, record-high energy prices and broken promises?”
A former FBI agent hired to investigate the Solyndra bankruptcy concluded the Obama Administration was well aware of the risk when they decided to gamble with millions in taxpayer-funded stimulus loans:
“The Department of Energy was fully aware of the risks in backing Solyndra Inc., a start-up company that pocketed a half-billion dollar DOE loan but never turned a penny in profit before shutting its doors, concludes a former FBI agent hired to examine the company’s books…
“In fact, records show, the Energy Department supported the Solyndra financing in the early days of the Obama administration in the face of criticism from officials within several wings of government — the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Treasury and DOE. ‘This deal is NOT ready for prime time,’ one OMB employee wrote March 10, 2009, government emails show. Ten days later, energy officials announced Solyndra was in line to be the first company to secure a green energy loan guarantee.” (Ronnie Greene, “Department of Energy knew of Solyndra risks, former FBI agent finds,” iWatch News, 3/29/12)
And Democrats remained committed to their stimulus energy flops after they managed to achieve little except burning through taxpayer money:
“Week after week, Romer would march in with an estimate of the jobs all the investments in clean energy would produce; week after week, Obama would send her back to check the numbers. ‘I don’t get it,’ he’d say. ‘We make these large-scale investments in infrastructure. What do you mean there are no jobs?’ But the numbers rarely budged.” (Jordan Weissmann, “There Are Way Fewer Green Jobs Than You Think,” The Atlantic, 3/26/12)
Will Sinema Learn from the Democrats’ Solyndra Stimulus Disaster? http://ow.ly/a3agd #powerfailure
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Jerry Colangelo Endorses Vernon Parker in CD-9 GOP Primary
March 27, 2012 By 1 Comment
Momentum growing for Vernon Parker in race for CD-9
Today, Arizona business leader Jerry Colangelo announced his support for Vernon Parker in the race for Arizona’s 9th Congressional District. Parker who recently announced for Congress continues to build momentum and a wide range of support for his bid to represent the new District.
“Arizona has the opportunity to elect a leader who transcends politics,” said Colangelo. “The American dream lives on through Vernon Parker. He will be the champion Arizona business leaders and citizens need to get this economy back on track.”
Colangelo joins the many other Valley notables to endorse Parker’s campaign, including Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, Paradise Valley Mayor Scott LeMarr, Paradise Valley Vice Mayor Mary Hamway, former State Representative Mark Thompson, Paradise Valley Councilmembers Michael Collins, Paul Dembow, Lisa Trueblood, and Dan Schweiker.
“I am honored to have Jerry Colangelo’s support,” said Parker. “He’s an Arizona business icon and an innovator who has changed Arizona’s destiny. I look forward to working with him and other business leaders to enact pro-growth reforms to get Arizona’s residents back to work.”
Parker, 52, is a rising star in the Republican Party. He is current councilman and former mayor of Paradise Valley. Raised by his grandmother in a severely underprivileged neighborhood, Parker was able to escape his environment through love, education, and hard work.
For more information about Parker or his campaign, visit www.vernonparker.com.
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Leah Campos Schandlbauer: Mother of Four, CIA Operations Officer Declares for Congress in District 9
March 26, 2012 By 4 Comments
March 26, 2012 – Phoenix — Leah Campos Schandlbauer, a mother of four, former operations officer in the Central Intelligence Agency and an emerging Hispanic leader in the Arizona Republican Party, today announced her candidacy for the newly-drawn 9th Congressional District.
Campos Schandlbauer, a conservative Republican, said she will ground her campaign in an unreserved defense of free markets, limited government and the vision of our founders for a great nation committed to freedom and integrity at home and abroad.
“The America and the Arizona in which I grew up are under assault, not only from without, but from within,” she said. “I am responding in the best way that one can in our country — stand up, step out and tell the people the truth.”
To make the race Campos Schandlbauer recently resigned her post at the CIA, after more than a decade in the National Clandestine Service, serving in nations around the world. “I am proud of my service in the intelligence community,” she said, “and I loved the work, my colleagues and the honor of serving my country. But I have come to see the Congress as the most important theater of engagement for ensuring American recovery. Everything else will turn on what happens there.”
Campos Schandlbauer is the daughter of Maria dal Pilar and Miguel Campos, who raised their four children at Air Force bases across Miguel’s nearly 30-year military career, including Williams AFB in the east Valley. Leah attended Rhodes Jr High and Seton Catholic High School, where she ran track and played basketball, before graduating from ASU in political science and taking her Masters degree in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
Leah and her husband Alfred, a career Foreign Service Officer, are proud parents of their own four children, Christian, Isabela, Soledad and Xavier. A fuller biographical page is included with this media advisory.
The campaign website is www.leahforcongress.com. In the weeks ahead Campos Schandlbauer will be initiating her conversation with voters across the district through a range of media and through direct contact.
“I have spent my professional life thinking about and working around the world for the security of our country and our way of life, and I can tell my fellow Arizonans something in all confidence: Without freedom, security is an illusion. It has been correctly said that a government big enough to give you everything you want is powerful enough to take away everything you have.”
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Vernon Parker Announces for Congress; Calls on Fellow Candidates to Sign Pledge to Repeal ObamaCare
March 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Vernon Parker Announces for Congress; Calls on Sen. Sinema and Fellow Candidates to Sign Pledge to Repeal ObamaCare
Tempe, AZ – Today, on the second anniversary of Obamacare, Vernon Parker, joined by campaign Co-Chairman Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, announced his candidacy for Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District. At his announcement Parker called on all of his fellow candidates, both Republican and Democrat to join him in pledging to vote for a repeal of Obamacare.
“I was raised by my grandmother and during my early years I saw firsthand the desperation that so many lower income families feel, and came to the realization that the only way to succeed in life is through hard work. It’s a perseverance that my grandmother instilled in me as a young man, through college, law school , in the White House and as Mayor. It’s that tireless perseverance that will allow me to represent the people of Arizona in Congress and to always remember where I came from and what a difference one determined individual can make,” said Parker.
“Today I start the most important journey of my life, to represent the people of Arizona in Congress. We must find common sense solutions to fixing our economy, lowering gas prices, getting our housing market working again and to repealing the disastrous law known as Obamacare,” said Parker. “That’s why I am asking my fellow candidates to join me in pledging to vote for a repeal of Obamacare.”
“I invite the people of Arizona to join me in this struggle and together we can get our country back on track,” concluded Parker.
A copy of the letter sent to all candidates is below.
Vernon Parker previously served in the administrations of both Presidents Bush, and was Mayor of Paradise Valley where he cut spending by 29%, and is currently on the Town Council. Parker is seeking the Republican nomination to Congress from Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District.
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March 21, 2012
The Honorable Kyrsten Sinema
PO Box 25879
Tempe, AZ 85285
Dear Kyrsten:
As you know, today is the second anniversary of Obamacare, and in a few days’ time the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments about the legality of the law. It is my sincere hope they do the right thing and overturn the law for its unconstitutional individual mandate provision. However, we must be prepared to take legislative action, and I write to you today to urge you to join me in pledging to the people of Arizona and the ninth Congressional district to repeal this disastrous law.
Nancy Pelosi infamously said, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” As you know the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office last week reported that the legislation will cause 20 million Americans to lose their employer sponsored coverage, rates for those lucky enough to keep it will rise by more than 10%, and the overall cost of the program more than doubled.
The truth is over 80% of Americans like their existing coverage, and I agree with former Congressman John Shadegg who said it best, “Why don’t the politicians just fix what’s broken—cover those without care and people with pre-existing conditions?” My wife is a cancer survivor, and our family understands how difficult it can be to find affordable health insurance.
President Obama’s plan is the wrong solution to an urgent problem. We can replace this legislation with legislation that improve access and bring down costs. It’s common sense, something that seems to be lacking in Washington, D.C.
As you know the President’s plan adds nearly $2.4 trillion in additional debt to the already massive $14 trillion national debt that has been saddled upon the American people. We can do better than pass these costs onto our children and grandchildren.
It’s also a massive expansion of government creating 159 new government bureaucracies. We can both agree that patients should be in charge of their healthcare, not government bureaucrats.
The law also hurts seniors with a $500 billion cut to Medicare and the elimination of Medicare Advantage. Too many seniors have come to rely on the services they receive and can’t afford to lose them, they deserve better than that.
We can replace this legislation with legislation that improves access and bring down costs. It’s common sense, something that seems to be lacking in Washington, D.C.
Sincerely,
Vernon Parker
Candidate for Congress
Vernon Parker on President Barack Obama
March 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Paradise Valley Councilman Vernon Parker discusses President Obama’s “accomplishments” with Phoenix’s TV-15.
Parker is scheduled to make his announcement for Arizona’s 9th congressional district on Wednesday at noon at ASU.
Wendy Rogers Signs Cut, Cap and Balance Pledge
March 19, 2012 By 3 Comments
“Time to cut up Washington’s credit card”
(Tempe AZ) Lt Col Wendy Rogers has signed the Cut, Cap and Balance Pledge. The pledge was a created by a coalition of over 40 conservative grassroots organizations who are calling on elected officials to support spending cuts and balancing the federal budget.
“Let’s face it,” said Rogers, “Our nation is broke and it’s time to cut up Washington’s credit card once and for all. I refuse to put my children and grandchild deeper into debt,” she continued. “Only by balancing the budget and finally controlling government spending is this going to happen.”
The original bill, which was approved by the House but rejected by the Senate, limited 2012 spending to $82 billion less than current spending levels, and it capped overall federal spending as a percentage of GDP, bringing it to less than 20 percent of GDP by 2017. The bill provided for a debt ceiling increase if and only if Congress sends a constitutional balanced budget amendment to the states for a vote.
The full text of the pledge reads:
I, Wendy Rogers, pledge to oppose any debt limit increase unless all three of the following conditions have been met:
Cut – Substantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next year and thereafter.
Cap – Enforceable spending caps that will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget.
Balance – Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — but only if it includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancing revenues and expenses.
Lt Col Wendy Rogers is a 20-year career veteran of the United States Air Force and was one of the nation’s first female pilots in today’s Air Force. She owns a small business in Tempe with 10 fulltime employees. Lt Col Rogers is running for Congress from where she has lived for the past 15 years in Arizona’s newly created 9th Congressional District, which includes Tempe, and parts of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Chandler. Campaign website is www.WendyRogers.org.
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Wendy Rogers Home Vandalized during Night of Major Congressional Announcement
March 7, 2012 By 22 Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 7, 2012
CONTACT: Joe Giardiello
Giffords Assassination Attempt Weighs Heavily On Everyone’s Mind
(Tempe AZ) The home of U.S. congressional candidate Wendy Rogers was vandalized during the night of March 3, 2012, within 12 hours after the candidate had sent out her first major email announcement of her campaign.
The Tempe Police Department began an investigation into the crime. (Please see right-column photo from March 4, 2012.) Police recommended they investigate because of the coincidental timing of this attack with Rogers’ campaign announcement amid the backdrop of recent history of political violence in Arizona.
“If someone wants to attack Wendy Rogers’ views on the issues, we say bring it on,” commented campaign manager Martin Mastro. “Wendy spent 20 years active duty serving her county in the United States Air Force and I can guarantee she can take whatever someone can dish out. But coming onto her family’s property to vandalize her home to send a message is completely outrageous and unlawful.”
Recent violence against political officials in Arizona is giving many observers reason to take notice of this crime.
“I have been around campaigns for two decades,” said campaign official Joe Giardiello. “I thought I had seen it all. But attacking a candidate’s home and family is something we would expect in a third-world dictatorship.” He continued, “The hatred and anger already coming from the Left because of Wendy’s unwavering commitment is downright frightening. In light of recent events in Arizona, we can’t be too careful.”
Within hours of the Rogers Campaign announcement, the intolerant blog comments began spewing forth in full force.
DeepThought claimed Rogers was “Running as the most extreme Republican.”
Someone going by the name of “Camry” stated military pilots like Wendy Rogers “tended to be half-crazed out of the cockpit.”
Another poster called her a “token candidate”, presumably because she was one of the first 100 women pilots in the Air Force and the only woman in the CD9 race.
To someone going by the handle of AZNativeMod, Wendy Rogers is a “lunatic.”
The vitriol and invective directed at Rogers goes back to her bicycling-door-to-door campaign for State Senate in 2010.
Back then, on the blog Hip Hop Activist, her election was called “unthinkable” and it said she was “extreme.”
Blog for Arizona sneered the Rogers is the “rightest of the right.”
Another poster, fancying himself as “Deep Thinker” said Rogers had a “right wing Big Brother approach to government [sic]. Rogers should scare most folks….”
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Wendy Rogers Announces Run for U.S. Congress, AZ-9
March 3, 2012 By 6 Comments
Dear fellow Americans,
It is time to take action. As such, I have decided to run for the United States Congress in Arizona’s newly created 9th District. I honor my father Harry L. Rogers III, Lt Col, US Army (ret) as I begin this challenge.
At this point, I am the only Republican candidate running who lives, owns a business, and raised her children in this district. Many of you know I’m a 5th generation career military officer, trailblazing Air Force pilot, business owner with 10 fulltime employees, wife of 34 years, and have two children and a grandchild.
I am running because as a retired officer I see our national defense in peril with a porous border to our south and a president who ignores the problem. As a business owner, my employees and I suffer from over-regulation and taxation destroying my ability to create more jobs. As a mother and grandmother, I’m afraid for how we have mortgaged my grandchild’s future.
All boats must be lifted by economic policy that gets government out of our business. As a business owner, it should be my choice to buy my employees health insurance, not the government’s mandate. 2012 is the most critical election in our lifetimes. If we do not get our debt under control, we will drown in our own entitlement spending.
This is your chance to send a principled military veteran and business owner to Washington DC. History-making, I will be the first 20-year-active-duty, career military congresswoman ever to serve in Congress. And from Arizona, I will hail as our first Republican U.S. congresswoman.
If you live in the greater Phoenix metro area, click here to please attend our first fundraising event this Thursday March 8th hosted by Scottsdale City Councilman Bob Littlefield & Manuel’s Mexican at the home of Ms. Kim Kunasek.
Even if you do not live in the region, you still have a stake in this race because this campaign has national impact. Every seat will be vital for our continued control of Congress – and this is a seat we must win.
Here is what you can do to join the fight.
- Donate $250 here or more to receive a free T-shirt “Wendy Rogers for Congress”
- Volunteer in your neighborhood or at our 3030 S. Rural Rd, Tempe AZ campaign office
Together we can restore what is right and good about America – one congressional seat at a time. Please join me in our historic quest.
Very respectfully,
Wendy Rogers, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
Republican candidate for the United States Congress AZ-9
Gary Pierce Statement on Arizona’s 9th Congressional District
February 9, 2012 By 1 Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2012
In 2010, I was honored to have the voters of Arizona elect me to a second four-year term on the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). I currently serve as chairman of the ACC and am scheduled to complete my chairmanship at the end of this year.
Over the past few months I have been monitoring the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission as it drew new congressional districts. During that time, it has been widely reported that I might run for Congress in one of the districts. An overwhelming number of people from throughout the state have encouraged me to run for a congressional seat. After careful consideration, I have concluded that Republicans will have outstanding candidates in each of the congressional districts for the 2012 election cycle. In light of the fact that there are several critical issues before the Corporation Commission, I believe that I can best represent the people of Arizona by continuing to serve as Chairman of the Corporation Commission.
Consequently, I will not be a candidate for Congress in 2012. I do not rule out a run for Congress or another state-wide office in the future.
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Update on Arizona’s 9th Congressional District
February 8, 2012 By 14 Comments
It’s been awhile since I’ve written some original content so I’m gonna throw a quick overview on Arizona’s CD-9 – the crescent-shaped district located in Phoenix.
So who’s in?
On the Democrat side, Kyrsten Sinema, Andrei Cherny and David Schapira have all announced. Schapira won’t get very far. He’s got the excitement of Bradypus variegatus (everybody’s scrambling to Wikipedia) and no money raising skills. On the contrary, Kyrsten has made the contacts and trips to DC having rubbed elbows with DNC mukety-mucks and Obamatons. Andrei “I-can’t-wait-to-get-the-hell-outa-here” Cherny recently abandoned his chairmanship at the Arizona Democratic Party taking his mediocre fundraising skills with him. This leaves the ADP in a frantic scramble to replace him from among a rapidly diminishing talent pool. My assessment: Cherny and Sinema battle for the heart of Arizona leftists while it remains on life support. Close call in the August Primary but I’d have to guess Sinema eeks out a win. Cherny heads back to Califormia.
Travis Grantham
Now let’s talk about Republicans. Republicans actually have some great talent to put up. Some have ooodles of money, some are damn hard workers and others are simply looking for a career change to make a bigger difference. First to enter the race was Travis Grantham, a Gilbert resident, businessman and Air National Guard pilot. Grantham originally staked out a shot east of the new CD-9 but reoriented his trajectory not wanting to get caught in the crossfire of Adams vs. Salmon. Smart move but Grantham doesn’t live in the new CD-9 (although there’s nothing illegal with that.) He has a chance and is sitting on almost $120K.
Wendy Rogers
Next to file is my personal favorite (sorry gents, I always gravitate to the lady candidates), Wendy Rogers. Wendy actually lives in the district and has done so with her family for many years. She’s a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel who works harder than anyone I know when it comes to anything she sets her heart on. Wendy has a loyal following of supporters not only here in Arizona but across the country who can be counted on to raise the money needed in a lickety-split second for this race. Wendy is a perfect match for the district.
In the wings waiting are Steve Moak, Vernon Parker, Gary Pierce and Martin Sepulveda. Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley has also been mentioned but with such high negatives and an already announced re-election campaign underway, his political days are numbered.
Steve Moak
Steve Moak ran in 2010 finishing 2nd in a 10-way primary. He’s likely got the cash but many question if he’s far more risk averse this time hesitant to charge up his 2012 campaign coffers.
Vernon Parker
Paradise Valley councilman Vernon Parker is also eyeing the race. Parker also ran in the crowded 10-way 2010 primary finishing 4th place. Parker is also seeking re-election to the Paradise Valley Council leaving many to question his motivations in seeking any public office. He is expected to decide any day.
Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce also wants in on the action but he’s just settled into another term on the ACC. He’d have to step down under Arizona’s resign to run law given his term expires in 2014. Pierce has obviously run statewide but financed his ACC race using “Clean Elections” money. His ability to raise money for a federal campaign is probably one of the biggest factors he would have to weigh.
Gary Pierce
That leaves former Chandler City Councilman Martin Sepulveda as the last candidate considering. Sepulveda is a fiery US Navy combat veteran who have a great deal of respect for (we even had our own little political brush-up during the 2010 US Senate primary. What is it with us US Navy guys?) Given a sizeable number of Republicans reside in this portion of the district, Sepulveda would be competitive. He also served as a surrogate for our senior senator during the 2010 Republican primary. That kind of help could come in handy with the fundraising if the door is open.
Martin Sepulveda
That’s my assessment. I really can’t say who I’d like to see win the Republican primary but I do know that this will be a very competitive race with plenty of political drama. I can’t wait for the field to be set.
CD-9 Travis Grantham Criticizes Obama on Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline
January 19, 2012 By 1 Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 19, 2012
CONTACT: Evan Kozlow
Tempe – Travis Grantham, candidate for Congress in Arizona’s new 9th Congressional District released the following statement today following President Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline:
“It is inexcusable that President Obama has chosen partisan politics over the people of the United States by rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project. President Obama and his entire administration have shown that special interests far outweigh the needs of the American people in regards to job creation, national security, and reducing our dependency on foreign oil.
The Keystone XL pipeline would have created approximately 20,000 new jobs for American workers throughout the country and into the Gulf of Mexico while bolstering our national security and our economy. I’ve witnessed firsthand the sacrifice that our troops are making on a daily basis defending our foreign sources of oil due to our lack of domestic production. With the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama has further solidified our dependence on foreign sources of oil and has dealt a major blow to the United States of America’s domestic energy production.
The United States is facing an unprecedented economic crisis in addition to an energy crisis that can no longer be ignored or pushed off to the next generation. President Obama has put his special interests well ahead of America’s on this day. The American people deserve far better leadership out of Washington than what is being exhibited now by both our Congress and our President.”
Travis Grantham is a candidate for Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District. He serves as the Chief Operations Officer at International Air Response based at the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport. He is also a Captain and Pilot in the Arizona Air National Guard’s 161st Air Refueling Wing based out of Sky Harbor International Airport. Travis and his wife Patricia have two daughters.
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