Jeff Flake

Republican
Candidate for U.S. Senate
Phone: (602) 845-0333
Email: jeff@jeffflake.com
Website: www.jeffflake.com
Twitter: @FlakeforSenate
(Mail: PO Box 12512, Tempe, AZ 85284)
Age: 49. (12/31/62, Snowflake, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Member of Congress since 2001; executive director, Goldwater Institute, 1992-1999.

Marital: Married (Cheryl, homemaker).

Children: 5.

Religious preference: LDS.

Education: M.A., 1987, B.A., 1986, BYU.

Political influence: Former Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater has had a profound impact on the development of my political philosophy. Senator Goldwater was able to articulate the case for limited government and personal freedom in a way that shaped my ideology and moved me to action. In the Senate, he demonstrated that it is just as important to block bad legislation as it is to pass good legislation.

Top priority: There is no issue as serious and pressing right now as addressing our debt and deficit. The implications of inaction will affect every other federal issue. Not only does the federal debt make our current economic recovery difficult, but it makes sustained economic growth impossible. The inability and unwillingness of Congress to address the federal debt jeopardizes everything from Social Security and Medicare to defense spending. Reducing the federal debt and tackling our fiscal crisis will be my top priority in the U.S. Senate.

Respected opponent: I’ve always admired former Arizona Congressman Mo Udall. Despite a long career in the U.S. House, Congressman Udall never lost his reformist streak and, just as importantly, he never lost his sense of humor.

Job creation measures: The federal government needs to create a tax and regulatory environment that allows the private sector to create jobs. Tax reform is badly needed to provide U.S. business with certainty and make them more competitive in the global economy. A dysfunctional Congress has allowed various federal agencies to hamper economic growth with cumbersome regulations. An overhaul of the tax code and more oversight by Congress with regards to overzealous federal regulators will spur job creation by the private sector.

Illegal immigration: Arizonans are justifiably skeptical that the federal government will actually secure the border if other elements of immigration reform are addressed before the border. Until the federal government can demonstrate operational control along the entire border, as it has in the Yuma Sector, other components of immigration reform, like addressing the illegal population, will have to wait.

Federal deficit: Congress will be unable to tackle our fiscal crisis without reforming entitlement spending, like Social Security and Medicare. If these programs are reformed now, it could be done in a way that will not affect the millions of Americans currently receiving benefits or nearing retirement. Congress will also have to address discretionary spending, which means that nearly every area of the federal budget is going to have to be reduced. However, given the explosion in federal spending over the last decade (under both Democratic and Republican leadership), reducing spending levels will be not as draconian as it may be portrayed.

President Obama’s qualifications: While I have serious questions about President Obama’s performance, I do not doubt his eligibility.