Opponents Away While Antenori Focuses on Southern Arizona Congressional Race
TUCSON - Demonstrating a superior grasp of the issues facing southern Arizonans, the Antenori campaign tonight declared victory following the first debate of the Republican candidates seeking the nomination in the April 17th primary for the special election for Congress in Arizona's CD-08."I truly like all the candidates in this race, but they all need some experience fighting and delivering for this community before we entrust them to deliver for us in the major league battles going on in Washington, DC," State Senator Frank Antenori noted, following the debate held by the 388 Republican Club in Tucson.Antenori, who has adopted the slogan "Results for a Change", noted that none of his opponents have "cut one dime from a spending program, reduced the size of government, stopped a politician from spending money he didn't have, or stand in the way of a tax hike"."We have had too many candidates say the right words only to morph into a politician that delivers nothing," Antenori said. "This election is about who will go to Washington to get in the ring with Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to restore our economy and get the government off of our backs. We need experienced fighters, not rookies."Specifically, Antenori chided Jesse Kelly for his inability to attract independent voters in the last congressional election. "Southern Arizona voters are sophisticated and reluctant to take a chance on someone who has yet to prove themselves to this community," the Senator said. "Kelly lost in a Republican district in a Republican year. We cannot afford to take that chance again."The Senator welcomed Jesse Kelly back to Tucson. Kelly has spent his time in Texas since losing the last congressional race. A noted absent from the debate was Martha McSally, who had been living in Germany and was in DC raising money rather in Arizona learning and speaking on the issues."I respect that both candidates had things to do in places far away from here, but while they were elsewhere I was fighting in the trenches of our State Legislature to eliminate a $3 billion deficit caused by politicians spending money they didn't have," Antenori said."We fixed Arizona's budget despite intense opposition from politicians and special interest groups. We stood up to them and I'd love the opportunity to stand up to the politicians and special interest groups in Washington that are bankrupting our country," Antenori said, noting that his third opponent - sportscaster Dave Sitton - was here but not involved or helpful in fixing Arizona's budget."Dave is used to sitting on the sidelines calling the play by play. He hasn't been in the game and when we could have used his help last year he was absent," the Senator said.
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