Lt. Col. Jeff Latas, USAF (Ret.), Congressional candidate for Arizona District 8, has received the official endorsement of
Senator Max Cleland.
"When the paid political assassins come after the Democratic candidates in this race, and they will, Col. Jeff Latas is the one whose battle-tested courage and conviction to serve his country will carry him to victory against any Republican candidate," said Cleland.
Senator Cleland continued, "Jeff has the experience to address the troubling issues our country is facing. He has an engineer's technical understanding, over twenty years experience on the leading edge of our country's foreign policy and national security, and in-depth knowledge of the US Congress gained while working in the Pentagon. His experience as a combat veteran and father of a combat veteran gives me confidence in his ability to make decisions that will affect our children and grandchildren."
Lt. Col. Latas, a highly decorated retired Air Force fighter pilot and JetBlue Airlines Captain, announced his candidacy for his U.S. Congressional bid for district 8 on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2005, two weeks prior to Rep. Jim Kolbe's announcement to resign his Congressional seat.
"I am deeply honored to have the endorsement of a real all-American hero," said Latas.
Lt. Col. Jeff Latas earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism during Operation Desert Storm. He spent over 20 years in the USAF, retiring in 2002. Latas is the only Congressional candidate in Arizona's District 8 who is not only a veteran, but also a father of a combat veteran. Latas' son, Spec. Jesse Latas, of Tucson's 208th Transportation Company, USAR, recently returned from service in Iraq after suffering a relapse of childhood leukemia. Spec. Latas is now undergoing a cord blood transplant at University Medical Center in Tucson.
Only five of 535 Members of the 109th Congress have children who are in the service and could serve in combat.
For more information, see www.jefflatas.com.