At least two Republican state senators are seriously considering a congressional bid after U.S. Rep. John Shadegg announced he will not seek re-election in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District.
“I believe I will be a candidate,” said Sen. Jim Waring of Phoenix.
A source close to Waring’s office told Arizona Capitol Times he will make the announcement to run for Congress on Feb. 15.
Sen. Pamela Gorman of Anthem said she, too, is considering a congressional run.
“I really have the greatest respect for Mr. Shadegg, and feel like my politics strongly emulate his politics, and so one of the reasons I’m even considering it is because I want to be sure that that particular set of views stays in that seat,” she said.
For the two lawmakers, the chief consideration will be the financial strain of running a congressional campaign. Then there are the matters of legislative measures they would leave behind, as well as concerns over who would replace them.
“I want to be sure that if I leave this body, my values are carried on after me,” Gorman said, adding, “I think it is important to have a very conservative voice in this Legislature.”
Another question is whether they would resign their Senate seats. Waring said that probably would be the best course. Gorman said she has not even thought about it yet.
Waring has more than $100,000 in the bank for his Senate re-election campaign. But federal election regulations prevent him from using that money for a congressional race.
“All it shows is I’m capable of raising money, at least in this setting. Whether I can in another setting, I don’t know,” he said.
Gorman has raised approximately $31,000 for her re-election campaign, state records show.
The two senators — or any Republican thinking of succeeding Shadegg — would have to play catch-up to Democratic candidate Bob Lord, who has raised more than $600,000 and had half a million dollars in unspent cash at the end of 2007, according to Federal Election Commission records. Independent candidate Annie Loyd has received more than $26,000 in contributions and had less than $10,000 on hand.
Should he decide to run, Waring said he would be the “scrappy underdog” as far as fundraising. His strategy would be to “outwork” competitors and opponents, he said. Waring is a former aide to U.S. Sen. John McCain, now the presumptive Republican frontrunner in the presidential race.
A native of Illinois, Waring is currently chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He has been a member of the Arizona Senate since 2003.
Gorman joined the state House in 2005, and first served in the state Senate in 2007. She serves as chairwoman of the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Retirement Committee. ?