For the past decade I have earned a national reputation for expertise and excellence in advancing the sanctity of life, preserving marriage, and battling against child pornography, gambling and in favor of educational choice. My commitment to these issues has never been questioned, nor should it be.
This track record sets me apart from my Republican primary foes, none of whom had ever set foot in a public policy debate until deciding to run for Governor. And one opponent, Don Goldwater, is trying to act like he is committed to social conservative causes even though he has been adamantly pro-abortion his entire life. Goldwater apparently did not become pro-life until he left his position in the Napolitano administration to run for Governor.
With my background as one of the nation’s most effective conservative leaders, some have concluded that social conservative issues are all I care about.
Of course, no one presumed when Janet Napolitano ran for office that, as a trial lawyer, all she cared about was defending the ability of trial lawyers to file frivolous lawsuits. (Even though that has turned out to be one of her main accomplishments in office.) Objectively, my background in law enforcement and a wide range of policy issues is much broader than Janet Napolitano’s was when she ran for statewide office, but leave that alone for a moment — such are the biases that social conservatives must overcome.
As a candidate for Governor, I have to demonstrate the ability to speak to additional issues important to the people of our state.
Of course, I am now who I always have been – a Reagan conservative, in the mold of Sen. Jon Kyl. I believe in limited government, economic freedom, lower taxes, a strong approach to border security and crime, and the centrality of marriage and family and the sanctity of human life.
I have apparently been so successful at speaking effectively to other than social conservative issues that now people are wondering whether I have decided to downplay the issues for which I am best known.
Today’s profile in the East Valley Tribune, and Bob Robb’s blog today (“Let Munsil be Munsil”) unintentionally perpetuate that false notion.
Of course, had I launched my campaign by focusing primarily on social issues, I would today be criticized as a “single issue” candidate.
I will continue to speak to a broad range of issues on which Janet Napolitano is outside the mainstream of Arizona voters, as I have from the beginning of the campaign. Her failure to secure our borders, to deal with Arizona’s worst crime rate in the nation, to fix CPS and improve education, to control spending and provide tax relief, to address transportation gridlock – all of these issues will be part of this campaign.
At the same time, I will also continue to note Janet Napolitano’s opposition to the Protect Marriage Arizona Amendment, and her extremist views on abortion – no restrictions of any kind, no parental consent, no women’s right to know, no ban on partial birth abortions – and promotion of taxpayer funded abortion in violation of Arizona law. I am proud to be the only candidate in this race endorsed by Arizona Right to Life.
All of these issues demonstrate a governor out of step with the mainstream of Arizona voters, and together, they will lead to her defeat in November.
