Contact Information
Candidate Background
Candidacy
Undergraduate education: Duke University
Graduate education: Vanderbilt University
Ben Quayle was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., and currently lives in Phoenix. He received his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his law degree from Vanderbilt University.
Quayle is the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle.
He is a lawyer who worked in securities and real estate in New York, California and Arizona before joining his brother Tucker to form Tynwald Capital, an investment company that focuses on purchasing and operating small businesses.
Before he was married, Ben Quayle contributed to a racy website focusing on nightlife in Scottsdale, Ariz., a foray into writing that he has come to regret as it became an issue in his primary campaign and the general election.
Quayle and his wife, Tiffany, married in 2010.
Profile
Ben Quayle is a political newcomer who is playing off his famous name and substantial fundraising capacity to go after a vacant congressional seat. Quayle's lack of a political record allows him to craft a message that will resonate with voters in the GOP-leaning district.
Quayle has attacked President Barack Obama as "the worst president in history." His positions echo those of many Arizona Republicans - He supports tighter border security to stop illegal immigration and proposals by Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain to send National Guard troops to the border. He has adopted tea party-esque positions on government bailouts, stimulus spending and repealing the March 2010 health care overhaul law.
He is anti-abortion, opposes "card check" for union organizing, and says he will cut spending, lower taxes and simplify the tax code to cut the national debt.
Quayle didn't emerge from the August 2010 primary unscathed. First, a mailer showing him with two young girls under the motto "We are going to raise our family here" brought an attack from another primary candidate who accused Quayle of "renting a family." Quayle and wife, Tiffany, were married in 2010 and have no children.
Next was the revelation that he wrote under a pseudonym for a racy website that focused on nightlife in Scottsdale, Ariz. Quayle first denied then admitted to writing for the site, which brought him much criticism. That has spilled over into the general election, where he faces wealthy Democratic businessman Jon Hulburd.
Campaigns
Ben Quayle used his father's considerable fundraising talent to raise enough cash to flood the airwaves with TV commercials criticizing President Obama in the August 2010 Republican primary for Arizona's 3rd Congressional District. That and his familiar name were enough to put him in front of nine other GOP candidates hoping to replace retiring Rep. John Shadegg in the Republican-leaning district.
He faces wealthy Democratic businessman Jon Hulburd in the November 2010 election.
(Last updated by Bob Christie on September 13, 2010.)
