Harry Mitchell has his work cut out for him in his bid for re-election in a heated re-match in Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District. Mitchell will face off, once again, with his 2008 Republican challenger David Schweikert. Mitchell was first elected in 2006 and his re-election can in large part be attributed to the Obama fever that was sweeping the nation. Now, however, that fever has long been broken, and it’s going to take more than an “era of good feelings” for Mitchell to stay employed as Schweikert’s campaign gains momentum.
The Fifth District has been, for the most part, a Republican stronghold. In 2004, the district turned out for George W. Bush, and Obama fell short of McCain in 2008 by 4 percentage points. The district, which includes Scottsdale, Tempe, and the northeastern corner of Maricopa County has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+5.
Mitchell’s service as a Representative has been utterly disappointing as he has continually supported the Democrats’ leadership: a record that does not bode well for the citizens of the Fifth District. Mitchell stood up to support Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare. His love of government spending is on display even more clearly in his vote to support the failed stimulus bill, which has resulted in more Arizonans out of work and a bloated national debt. The worst part of all is that Mitchell isn’t the one feeling the fallout from his policy choices, it’s the middle-class Arizona families that are affected by the abysmal economic environment Mitchell has fostered.
Schweikert knows what matters most to Arizonans during this difficult time. He knows they need to see real job creation—not rising or stalled unemployment rates. As Treasurer of Maricopa County, he responsibly handled billions worth of taxpayer dollars, as he implemented a tax system that was easier to use and understand. Before serving as Treasurer, he served in the Arizona House of Representatives, working as an advocate for taxpayers and chairing the State Board of Equalization. His solid record as a public servant and champion of taxpayer interests represents all that is missing in Washington--and what the Democrats are sorely lacking this election cycle.
This November, voters can either choose between the disastrous Democrat agenda that Mitchell embodies or decide to put the country back on a prosperous path—the path that Schweikert is dedicated to cementing.
To learn more about David Schweikert’s campaign, visit his website and check out his Facebook and twitter.