Moak says former vice president tried to talk him out of CD3 race

Steve Moak said former Vice President Dan Quayle tried to talk him out of the race for Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District – in which Quayle’s son, Ben, is a candidate – and encouraged him to run for a lower public office.

Moak, a business owner, is one of 10 Republicans seeking the nomination in CD3. He and Ben Quayle have raised the most money in the race so far, and political observers have said both men are among the top-tier candidates.

Moak said he and the elder Quayle know each other and had breakfast together earlier this year. At that meeting, Quayle “encouraged” Moak to seek a state-level office, Moak said.

“(He) tried to candidly encourage me to do something else other than this race,” Moak told the Arizona Capitol Times.

“I told him that I thought, actually, that Ben starting at the state level and learning and gaining experience there would seem to make more sense,” Moak said.

Attempts to reach Dan Quayle for comment were unsuccessful.

Ben Quayle told the Arizona Capitol Times he’s unaware of any discussion between his father and Moak about the race.

“I don’t recall the conversation,” he said.

Ben Quayle said his father isn’t involved with the campaign, and he rejected the notion that his father was working for him behind the scenes.

The younger Quayle said he bounces ideas off of his dad and at times seeks his counsel on campaign matters, but that’s about the extent of the elder Quayle’s involvement in the campaign.

Still, it was the former vice president who announced last February that his son was running for Congress. Ben Quayle said he was in U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl’s office when he learned of the announcement.

“We had no idea that that was going to happen,” Quayle said.