There have been no live debates between these two candidates for the AZ Primary coming up on August 28.

Congressman Barber was elected to his seat in June, 2012 in a special general election, facing off with Republican Jesse Kelly, who had challenged previous CD 8 Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Nov. 2010. Barber had worked for 5 years as Giffords’ District Director in Tucson, and had been shot twice alongside her on January 8, 2011 at the Tucson Tragedy shooting. Jared Loughner recently plead guilty to the shootings which killed six and wounded 13 others. Campaign website: www.ronbarberforcongress.com.

LD 29 House Rep. Dr. Matt Heinz has served 2 terms in the Arizona House of Representatives, and is a doctor at Tucson Medical Center. He also ran unsuccessfully for LD 28 House in 2006. Campaign website: www.heinzforcongress.com.

Charlie Manolakis, who recently ran for the CD 8 House seat as a Green candidate, has now switched back to a Democrat, and is a write-in candidate for the CD 2 House seat, but was not part of this AZPM debate. He can be contacted at charlesomega@aol.com.

The winner of the Democratic primary will face off in the General election with either retired Colonel Martha McSally, who came in 2nd in the 4-way special CD 8 House Republican primary in April, 2012, or political newcomer Mark Koskiniemi. To view their earlier July 23 debate on AZPM Channel 6, click here.

Vote wisely on or before the Arizona primary on August 28.

Congressman Ron Barber

LD 29 Rep. Dr. Matt Heinz

Dr. Matt Heinz

Press Release:

UPCOMING CD2 TOWN HALLS
Hosted by CD2 Candidate Matt Heinz

Candidate Dr. Matt Heinz invites press and voters in Arizona’s new 2nd Congressional District to upcoming Town Halls in Tucson and Bisbee/Naco, Ariz.

Join us at these local events to learn more about his congressional candidacy and stance on policy issues. Dr. Heinz will deliver opening remarks followed by a Q & A session with the voters and the press. Dr. Heinz and his campaign team look forward to a lively discussion about the issues that matter to the district.

Tucson Area Town Hall
Date & Time: Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 4:00 P.M.
Location: Jewish Community Center
3800 E River Rd, Tucson, AZ 85718
https://www.facebook.com/events/263175740449738/

Bisbee/Naco Town Hall
Date & Time: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 6:00 P.M.
Location: Turquoise Valley Golf Club
1794 West Newell, St. Naco, AZ 85620
https://www.facebook.com/events/199815533479100/

More events will be scheduled in the upcoming weeks. For the latest information about CD2 events, visit http://www.HeinzForCongress.com.

Contact: Kraynal Alfred, Communications Director
kraynal@heinzforcongress.com
(404) 751-6152

Tucson Medical Center physician Dr. Heinz is a member of the Arizona state house, having served 2 terms representing LD 29. He is facing a Democratic challenge in the August 28 primary from newly elected Congressman Ron Barber, of CD 8. Then the winner will be running against the Republican winner of their primary, either Martha McSally (who ran in the 4-way CD 8 special primary and lost to Jesse Kelly) or Mark Koskiniemi, a political newcomer.

So if you’re undecided as to whom to vote for in the Democratic CD 2 primary, turn out at these town halls & listen to what Matt has to say about the issues affecting Southern Arizona.

Ron Barber

The Arizona Daily Star, The Tucson Weekly, and The Arizona Republic newspapers have all endorsed Democrat Ron Barber for the vacant U.S.House seat in CD 8 (which encompasses parts of Cochise, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties).

–The Tucson Weekly article on May 17 (click here), “Voters should pick trusted public servant Ron Barber to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ term”

–The Arizona Republic article on May 19 (click here), “Barber provides steady centrism district needs”

–The Arizona Daily Star article on May 27 (click here), “Barber for CD8: centrist, mature leadership on complex issues”

Congressional District 8 has been without a representative in the U.S.House since Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords resigned from the seat she held for 5 years, on January 25, 2012. She had been shot once in the head on January 8, 2011 and resigned to focus on her recovery.

The special primary for that CD 8 race was held on April 17, and 3 nominees emerged from that election: Ron Barber (D), Jesse Kelly (R), and Charlie Manolakis (G). Barber faced no opposition, Kelly defeated LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori and political newcomers Martha McSally and Dave Sitton. Manolakis defeated write-in candidate Richard Grayson.

Kelly is the only one who has run for political office before, having won the Republican primary in August, 2010 for this same seat, defeating former LD 30 State Senator Jonathan Paton, political newcomer Brian Miller and perennial candidate Jay Quick. He then lost to 2 term incumbentCongresswoman Giffords by 4156 votes in November, 2012.

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly) have both endorsed Ron Barber, who was her District Director in Tucson for 5 years, and was also shot twice on January 8, 2011 in the Tucson Tragedy. (Mark Kelly is not related to Jesse Kelly).

Early voting began on May 17 for the special general election on June 12. Early ballots are being returned at a record rate. 187,614 early ballots were mailed out in Pima County, and CD 8 has 424,718 registered voters per AZ Secretary of State’s report of 3/1/12.

For a May 16 online debate/forum between the 3 candidates, log onto PBS-HD 6 (click here for my previous blog).

352 precincts have reported completely. See Secretary of State’s website: http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AZ/37929/78541/en/summary.html

Ron Barber

Jesse Kelly

Barber, Giffords’s former Tucson District Director for 5 years, ran unopposed and got 42,801 votes. Barber was also shot twice on January 8, 2011 in front of that Safeway at Ina/Oracle, and now walks with a limp.

Charlie Manolakis of Tucson, a Green Party candidate prevailed with 113 votes in their primary, easily defeating write-in candidate Richard Grayson of Apache Junction. According to the Pima County Recorder’s Office, Manolakis has been registered as a Democrat since September 1979, and only became a Green on March 12, 2012.

In the heated Republican primary where four candidates ran, here’s the latest results from the Arizona Secretary of State:

LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori 15,732 (21.88%)
Jesse Kelly 25,679 (35.71%)
Martha McSally 17,943 (24.95%)
Dave Sitton 12,261 (17.05%)

There are 414,694 registered voters in CD 8 (Cochise, Pinal, Pima, Santa Cruz Counties), voter turnout was at 27.92%. Stay tuned for any updates.

Charlie Manolakis

For more information contact, Amanda Oien 749-3472 STARs President

The Republican candidates in the April 17 special election primary for CD 8 House are:

Frank Antenori, current LD 30 State Senator & former LD 30 House Rep., ran for this CD 8 seat in the 5-way Republican primary of 2006 (lost to Randy Graf, former LD 30 House Rep.), former Green Beret; www.antenori.com

Jesse Kelly, ran unsuccessfully against Congresswoman Giffords for this seat in Nov. 2010 after prevailing in a 4-way Republican August primary, project manager for family construction business, Marine; www.votejessekelly.com.

Martha McSally, former U.S. Air Force Colonel (first woman pilot to fly in combat), former Professor of National Security Studies at the George C. Marshall Center in Germany, political newcomer; www.mcsallyforcongress.com.

Dave Sitton, sports broadcaster, Marketing Director UA Cancer Center, political newcomer; www.davesitton.com.

Attend this debate to hear from the four Republican candidates for Congress in CD 8, one of whom will challenge Democrat Ron Barber (former District Director for Congresswoman Giffords since 2007, who was also shot on 1/8/11 along with Giffords), and Green Party candidate Charlie Manolakis, a community activist, in the June 12 special general election.

State Senator Frank Antenori

Jesse Kelly

Martha McSally

Dave Sitton