Darin Mitchell

Republican
Phone: (602) 509-0553
Email: electdarin@rocketmail.com
Website: www.darin-mitchell.com
1150 E Acacia Circle, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340.
Age: 47. (12/05/64, Alma, MI).

Arizona since: 1980.

Occupation: Small business owner, Landmark Inspections Inc., since 2011; realtor, DPR Realty 2007; general contractor, custom home builder.

Marital: Single.

Religious preference: Christian (non-denominational).

Education: B.S., political science, ASU, 1988; Mesa High School, 1983.

Political experience: I imagine navigating through the business world takes some political instincts as well. This is the world in which I live and the experience of which I am applying to the political process in my campaign for the Legislature.

Memberships: West Maricopa Assn of Realtors, Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce, ASU Alumni Assn, AZ Assn of Realtors, Scottsdale Area Assn of Realtors, American Society of Home Inspectors.

Interests: Building, camping/hiking, traveling, jogging.

Political influence: My formative years during high school and college coincided with the Reagan presidency. Ronald Reagan was easily the greatest influence on the development of my personal political philosophy. I consider myself a “Reagan Republican”.

Job creation measures: The state government should not be in the business of creating jobs but should very much be in the business of creating an economic environment in which private enterprise thrives and expands. This “pro-business” environment would include a tax system that does not punish success and a regulatory environment that is fair, efficient, and does not prohibit the expansion of job creation through business expansion.

Top Issues: We need to get our long term economic life in order. This includes an overhaul of the tax system and a major reform in entitlements including our state pension funds.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: I oppose it. I am in favor of using this looming budget crisis to implement major tax reform rather than continuing with stop gap gimmicks. We should stop picking winners and losers and create a fair and equitable tax collection system.

Illegal immigration: It is my hope that the Supreme Court will uphold SB1070. This is primarily a federal issue. There is little more we can do as a state until we elect a new president in November. We need a new president who will work with us rather than against us as this administration is doing.

Background & experience: I believe, as our founding fathers did, in the concept of citizen politician. That each of us can temporarily take our experience gained in the private sector to the public arena to do the peoples work. As a small custom home builder and realtor, I experienced the economic downturn in a very harsh way. I know what small businesses and home owners have gone through in the past few years because I am going through it too. Arizona taxpayers will have a friend in the Arizona Legislature if I am elected; someone who will not waste their hard earned money on unnecessary government projects!

Pro-life / pro-choice: I am opposed to abortion on demand. I am absolutely opposed to tax dollars funding, or in any way subsidizing, abortions or abortion clinics. I believe in exceptions for the life of the mother and rape and incest.

One last thing: I am a private citizen, just like you. I have never run for office, and I am not a professional campaigner. But like you, I have been frustrated with the political process for some time now. It seems that our country is going in a direction that I do not like. I am tired of yelling at the TV news and complaining to friends and neighbors. This is why I have chosen to run for the Arizona Legislature, and this is why I need your support. Together we can make a difference!

Campaign finance: public.