National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman John Cornyn made the following statement this evening regarding the Arizona Senate race and the nomination of Jeff Flake as our Republican candidate:

“I congratulate Jeff Flake on winning the Arizona Republican Senate Primary.  The difference in this race is clear.  Jeff Flake has spent his entire career leading the charge against wasteful spending in Washington and trying to balance our budget.

“Meanwhile, his opponent Richard Carmona is too liberal for Arizona, because not only is he the only Democrat to be personally recruited by President Obama, but he has also expressed strong support for Obamacare.

“It’s time we balance the budget and get our country working again and we can do that with Jeff Flake as the next U.S. Senator from Arizona.” 

BACKGROUND….

Last year – despite the fact that in 2010 Senator John McCain was easily reelected, we picked up two U.S. House seats, increased our majorities in the statehouse by a two-to-one margin and outnumbered Democrats by 150,000 people – national Democrats consistently talked about widening the 2012 battleground map into Arizona.

Since that time the condition has actually worsened for Democrats in Arizona.  Republicans now hold a 180,000 voter registration advantage over Democrats and President Obama remains deeply unpopular in Arizona.

The Cook Political Report rates Arizona’s Senate race as “likely Republican,” likewise the Rothenberg Political Report rates it as “lean Republican,” and the National Journal rates this contest as the 14th most likely race to change hands in November.

With the Arizona wind at our back, Republicans will continue to tout Jeff Flake’s fiscal, pro-jobs record, while contrasting that with the fact that Richard Carmona was the only Democrat who was personally recruited by President Obama.

JEFF FLAKE’S FISCAL, PRO-JOBS RECORD:

• Lead the charge against earmarks and wasteful spending in Washington.  (Jeff Flake, Government Reform, Accessed 8/27/12)
• Voted against ObamaCare.  (H.R. 3590, CQ Vote #165: Motion Agreed To 219-212: R 0-178; D 219-34, 3/21/10, Flake Voted Nay)
• Voted against President Barack Obama’s failed $825 billion stimulus.  (H.R. 1, CQ Vote # 46: Adopted 244-188: R 0-177; D 224-11, 1/28/09, Flake Voted Nay)
• Supports extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for families and small businesses in Arizona.  (Andrew Taylor, House approves Bush-erta tax cuts, Associated Press, 8/2/12)

DEMOCRAT RICHARD CARMONA’S RECORD:

• “On September 23, President Obama called Richard Carmona to encourage him to run,” said one Democratic strategist.  (Alexander Burns, Obama courts Ariz. Senate candidate, may contest state ‘heavily’, Politico, 10/06/11)
• Carmona Supports President Obama’s Job-Killing Healthcare Law.  “Carmona served as the 17th surgeon general of the United States under President George W. Bush. Last year, he participated in series of health care town halls that the congresswoman held in Tucson, Sierra Vista and Green Valley. ‘The issue facing our country is how do we get the best care for the most people at the least cost,’ Carmona said. ‘We spend more for health care than any other nation on Earth, but the metrics of our results don’t reflect that. We need to move toward a health care system, not the sick care system that we have today. This legislation moves us closer to that. This bill is not perfect. But these are complex issues and we must move forward. And then I hope we can sit down with level heads and make it even better for the benefit of the American people.’” (“U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Announces Support For Historic Health Insurance Reform Legislation,” Congresswoman Giffords Press Release, 3/20/10)