So David Nir highlighted some news that made me even more excited about the upcoming 2014 midterm elections:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/...
2012 Democratic Senate nominee and former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona is considering a 2014 gubernatorial bid in Arizona, he told the Arizona Capitol Times Wednesday.
Carmona told the newspaper that numerous donors and other supporters have contacted him to urge him to mount another statewide bid. From the Capitol Times:
“I’m being inundated by offers of support, of money, of organization, both from Washington and here in the state,” Carmona told the Arizona Capitol Times. “I’ve still got an open mind on everything. I never intended to run for Senate, but people all over suggested I give it a try. I don’t want to rule anything out right now, but I’ll just keep considering all my options.”
Carmona said he’ll need at least a few months to think about the race and isn’t sure when he’ll make a decision. Sources familiar with his plans said he will likely make a decision during the second quarter of 2013. - National Journal, 1/3/13
You may or may not remember that I wrote quite a lot about Dr. Carmona during the 2012 Election in his race against Tea Party Congressman Jeff Flake (R. AZ). These campaign ads are pretty good recap of Carmona's record as both a war hero and as Surgeon General:
Carmona ran an excellent campaign against Flake but sadly lost by 3 points. Carmona's strong stance on women's reproductive rights earned him the endorsement from the daughter and granddaughter from former U.S. Senator and 1964 Presidential Candidate Barry Goldwater (R. AZ). Flake released this completely false attack ad on Carmona that tried to paint him as being difficult to work with and anti-woman:
Now here are the facts:
THE TRUTH:
These allegations are 100% false and 100% uncorroborated. These allegations were never made or reported to anyone until after Rich blew the whistle on the Bush Administration’s attempts to politicize science when he was Surgeon General. In fact, throughout his Rich’s term, members of Congressman Flake’s party tried to recruit Rich to run for office as a Republican.
What Congressman Flake does not tell you is that throughout Rich’s term as Surgeon General, local and national Republican Party leaders – including Governor Brewer and Sen. Jon Kyl – tried to recruit Rich to run for Congress and for Governor, offering only praise and professing no concern over any so-called temperament issues.
What Congressman Flake does not tell you is that these allegations were never made or reported until after Dr. Carmona testified to Congress about the politicization of science by Bush Administration officials in the office of the Surgeon General – which was over a year after he left Washington.
What Congressman Flake does not tell you is the House Oversight and Investigations committee questioned Dr. Beato’s credibility. While accusing Rich of “not being a team player” while he was Surgeon General, she contradicted herself multiple times in testimony given to congressional investigators and provided absolutely no evidence to back up her claims.
THE FACTS [Sourced]:
Republicans Praised, Recruited Carmona to Run for Office. Then-Secretary of State Jan Brewer was among a "small contingent of Republican leaders" who urged Carmona “consider stepping down early and run as a Republican for Congress." Sen. Jon Kyl also confirmed supporting Carmona, urging him to run for Governor, until Carmona “criticized” and later blew the whistle on the Bush Administration. [AP, 9/10/12]
HHS Officials: “Beato Was Widely Seen Within The Department As Trying To Advance Conservative Agendas.” In the aftermath of Carmona’s testimony to House Oversight, the New York Times interviewed “more than a half-dozen former top health officials.” The Times reported that, “Dr. Beato was widely seen within the department as trying to advance conservative agendas,” according to the statements of officials they interviewed. [NY Times, 7/12/07]
Beato Colleague: Beato Has An “Authoritarian” Decision-Making Style That Caused Friction. The Albuquerque Journal reported that some hospital officials criticized Dr. Beato: “I think she’s very polarizing,” Dr. David Bennahum an emeritus UNM physician who chaired UNM’s ethics committee from 1989 to 1996. “She holds strong conservative views in health care, and that can be divisive in a university.” [Albuquerque Journal, 8/21/12]
Credibility Questioned by Committee Investigators. Rep. Henry Waxman, who oversaw the congressional investigation into HHS, said his committee was aware of Beato’s allegations but could not confirm them. “We interviewed other individuals who knew both of them and reviewed additional information and serious questions were raised about her credibility,” Waxman said in a statement. [Politico, 5/21/12]
No Complaint Ever Filed, No Corroborating Evidence Ever Produced. According to Politico sources, at the time of the investigation, Beato “did not file a police report or formal complaint against [Carmona], and there was no independent way to corroborate” anything she claimed. [Politico, 5/21/12] - Rim County Gazette, 10/16/12
Flake's misleading ad and Carmona's poorly timed joke claiming that the male debate moderator was "prettier than Candy Crowley" did hurt Carmona but voters have short memories and Carmona now has greater name recognition to help him run a winning campaign for 2014:
http://www.voxxi.com/...
Rodolfo Espino, an associate professor of political science at Arizona State University, told VOXXI Richard Carmona’s chances of winning the governor’s seat have increased because he has greater name recognition due to his bid for U.S. Senate.
However, Espino said Carmona would have to start his campaign much earlier than he did during the U.S. Senate race and raise more money. As of Nov. 26, Carmona had raised $6,459,521 in total receipts for his bid for U.S. Senate last year, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Political analysts also contend that Carmona’s lengthy resume—which includes military service and law-enforcement experience—as well as being recruited by former President George W. Bush to serve as surgeon general from 2002 to 2006 helps him attract support from Republicans and Democrats alike.
In 2006, Carmona was also approached by several Republicans who encouraged him to run for governor or Congress. Six years later, President Barack Obama personally called Carmona, who at the time was a registered independent, to encourage him to run as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate seat. - VOXXI, 1/5/13
We came close to defeating Republicans on their home turf in 2012. Democrats won quite a few congressional races in Arizona and the fact that Republicans had to spend a lot of money on Flake and other races just to hold down their own turf. Carmona has proven to not only unite his party in support for him and win over independents, he can also take a good chunk of the Republican vote to help lead him to victory. 2014 could be the year where failed Senate candidates can become successful candidates for governor races. If Carmona's in, I'm in. Now if we can only get this former Congressman, Senate candidate and decorated Admiral to run for Governor of Pennsylvania, I'll be very happy: