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A former aide to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was himself wounded in last year's mass shooting in Arizona, announced this afternoon that he is running in the special election to replace the congresswoman.
Ron Barber, 66, Giffords' former district director, who was shot twice in the Tucson rampage, will have the backing of the party in the June 12 special election.
It has been reported by other outlets that Barber is believed only to be a placeholder, that Barber will run to serve out Giffords' term and does not plan to seek election when the term is up.
But two party sources tell NBC that Barber very well may, in fact, seek election to a full term, provided he wins the special. It is the party's hope that he does so. Barber is contemplating whether to run in the reshaped second congressional district once redistricting takes effect, which will likely make this Tucson seat even more Democratic than its current swing-seat status.
Barber, a political novice, may also want to see what toll the campaign takes on him and his family.
Prior to joining Giffords' office, Barber was the Tucson District Director for the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities since 1976.
Here's the full release:
Ron Barber Announces Run for Congress in Arizona's 8th District
(Tucson, AZ) - Today, Southern Arizonan and former Gabrielle Giffords District Director Ron Barber announced his candidacy for Congress in Arizona's 8th Congressional District. Barber pledged to continue Gabrielle Giffords' legacy of working across the aisle to solve problems for the people of Southern Arizona such as protecting veterans and seniors, investing in clean energy to create jobs and securing the border.
"Our community needs someone who will put politics aside and solve problems for the people of Southern Arizona," Ron Barber said. "My commitment is to be honest with the people of this district and help restore civility to our public life. My first priority won't be the next election - but the next generation. That means balancing the budget the right way by protecting Social Security and Medicare, creating jobs, and securing our border."
Ron Barber served as District Director for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords from 2007 until she retired. At Giffords' direction and under Barber's leadership, the district offices focused on solving problems for veterans, military families, seniors, and any resident who experienced difficulty with the federal government. In January 2011, Barber was wounded alongside Giffords. After the shooting, he and his family created the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding to help the community heal by supporting survivors of the tragedy, aiding first responders, reducing bullying in schools, and increasing awareness of mental health symptoms.
Before working for Giffords, he ran the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities, where he built one of the top five programs in the nation that helped people with disabilities to get jobs and live successfully in their community.
Barber and his wife, Nancy, owned and ran a small business for 22 years. He understands the challenges faced by small businesses and will be an advocate for the changes that will make it easier for them to grow and thrive.
"My commitment is to work across the aisle, find common ground and restore civility to our politics so we can strengthen middle-class families of Southern Arizona," Barber said. "My life's work hasn't been politics, it's been about getting results and solving problems for people. I've been honored by the outpouring of support for our campaign. While there will never be anyone who can fill Congresswoman Giffords' shoes, I look forward to continuing her legacy of putting problem-solving before politics."
In announcing his campaign, Barber pledged to focus on balancing the budget the right way, by protecting Social Security and Medicare, creating jobs, keeping our promises to veterans and securing the border.
Leave a Comment:
That takes courage. Good for Barber.
Right Ames! That takes guts!
Lets hope he does as good a job for Tuscon as Gabby did.
Wow...that is a guy with some courage right there. Regardless of party, I say good for him.
Courage: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
He is basically running to fill-in a vacancy for a few months. Where does the courage come into play? It is already a Dem held seat. If he were to run in November; then everyone will see what he is truly made of.
Perhaps you missed this part:
So, here is a guy who was shot twice, in a failed assassination attempt of his former boss...and even still he is looking to fill-in for that boss.
I'm a conservative and I still say that's pretty courageous.
"If he were to run in November; then everyone will see what he is truly made of."
If he runs in November, we might know more about his politics.
But I think we've already got a pretty good idea of what "he is truly made of".
Well said JoAnne!! :-)
Just following your excellent example, Grimey.....
Why not? I hope he runs and wins in the general election too.
Where's Gabby's purple heart .... ??
Purple Hearts are military awards; people in Congress don't qualify for them. She could qualify for a Freedom Medal but that's up to Obama.
so essentlialy she's never getting one.
It's so nice to hear some good news coming out of the state that has disgraced itself so many times since they appointed that demented and shameful excuse for a human being Brewer as governor.
Gabby Gifford is a shining light and I know Ron Barber will continue her work.
So accordigng to the article, Mr. Barber is very big on respect and civility in politics. Not sure how calling a governor a "demented and shameful excuse for a human being" squares with that. I give the guy all the credit in the world for his attempts to bring about a level of civility. Not sure how successful he will be, but I wish him luck in that regard.
@Grimey Amen to that. Sometimes the posters on here fail to see the irony in posting comments that are in direct opposition of what they are admiring in someone else. Most have become too polarized in demonizing people on the other side just because they have a D or an R behind their names.
Just calling a spade a spade.
And how does that add to civility and trying to work together? I guess you admire civility in others but don't practice it yourself.
I know Arizona Governor Jan Brewer personally through a family connection. While her public pronouncements have been vitriolic and partisan they are nothing like her private personality. Knowing her personally, I would agree that she actually is a "demented and shameful excuse for a human being". We've all had that finger in our face at one time or another. I won't even bring my kids around her anymore. However, for people that don't actually know her to comment on what kind of human being she is might be going a bit far.
Good for Barber, and good for Gabby! Let's all hope that Palin doesn't put cross hairs up on her web site again. There's obviously a lot of crazy violent people who take such hatred very seriously.
k2mn, you obviously know nothing about the perpetrator of the crime. It had absolutely NOTHING to do with palin but with the man's anger at Giffords.
And regarding crosshairs, the Dem party has used the same "targets" hundreds, hundreds of times. In fact, they used it during the 2010 elections. So, I guess we could it was the fault of the Dems?
I swear you people are so full of hate. What has happened in your like tomake you so bitter and so ugly?
oh great another retiree like Reid and Pelosi in Congress, just what this country needs.
Hey Buck... how hard is it for you being so negative all the time. Miserable and angry seems to be the top 2 qualifications required to be a tea-bagging republican.
@Ramboet You just read this article and I assume you comprehend the statement and commented how nice it was to hear good news.
"My commitment is to work across the aisle, find common ground and restore civility to our politics"
Question, how do you suppose your preceding comments fit with restoring civility?
too bad I am a registered DEM in the sunshine state.
So, Buck Naked Sr - how do you feel about folks like John McCain and a other republicans who have been in congress so long? Hope you feel the same way about them too, there are a lot of republicans in congess who have held their seat many times over and continue to do so by controlling the redistricting process (gerrymandering at it's finest, I'd say). Safe districts should never be safe for either party running, but they usually are. I'm hoping in Tennessee the redistricting comes back to bite them in the rear.
@ Union I am torn on this. I do believe people get stale sometimes in doing their jobs if they have been in the same position for long periods of time. Unfortunately in politics we can't fire them in the traditional sense if they aren't performing. A lot of voters on both sides don't vote based on their candidates performance as much as their party affiliation. Just look at some of the long term political strongholds in major cities that are failing miserably yet constituents keep voting the same party in election after election. That being said there should be term limits.
These quotes from Einstein seem to fit the bill.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
I like McCain. My favorite Sen was Sperm Thurmond. I am a fiscal conservative, live within your means type of guy, the lwnj as betty would call them, I can do without and so can this country, but that is just my 2 cents and you know what they will buy ya.
Why would the good people of Arizona want another Democrat in Gabby's vacated seat?? By now they know they can do much better with a Republican.
Throw all the disgusting Dems out.
He is not capable.
Going for the sympathy vote. Johnson did that as a democrat and it got us Vietnam!
Best of luck.
JUst another Marxist demonrat progressive, get all of them OUT! she is trying to find a" place holder", but her husband wants nothing to do with it. so they come up with this guy, the Voters of Arizona should get smarter, get the OUT, get obama out of their lives.
Just a thought but I beleive that the President was elected. That means he got the majority of the votes. That means that you are in the minority.
How does it feel to be a minority?
What an oxymoron, moron, the progressives are the ones to claim the minority needs to be protected!!!! now your saying , since your the majority, bull crap!!! ??? the minority, me, needs the protection of the constitution, something obama hates. Under progressivism, the minority rules idiot. Funny how you all change the rules, and have selective memory. Your all brainless.
This is really great news. I wish Ron the best. He sounds like an ideal candidate to try to fill Gabrielle shoes.
djj
Do you know what his stance is on issues like spending,Taxing,Foreign Affairs and entitlements? If not,how do you know he is an "ideal candidate'?
Slodon - you are so right!!! According to "djj" he is the right candidate because they were united by tragedy................OMG................... I say KICK'EM BOTH TO THE CURB!!! ENOUGH ALREADY!
Hah! Figures somebody would try to run on whatever coattails she had.
Let him run and let him continue the legacy that has left behind from Gabby.
Put down the bottle! What legacy has she even started? You guys have put this woman on a pedestle so high and she does NOT deserve it. She has done absolutely NOTHING! Name three - just three important acts that this woman has done that has been for the good of the people. I will make it even easier for you - NAME ONE!
LMAO - You guys are a piece of work! GOOD GRIEF!
Since when does the Navy name a ship after a living person? Her only claim to fame is that she got shot. Her body of work in congress didn't warrant it. Touchey feely at its worst.
THAT'S IT!! I have just about had it with anything related to the Gifford's! Will they let this damn name DIE!??!!?? Naming a ship after her and all this crap! Do you know how many people are shot each week? I crap load and some of them have much more interesting lives than Gifford! Do you see ships named after them? Are their names mentioned every five minutes with NOTHING postings?
The 15 minutes of "fame" has LONG been up for this woman and her husband - IT IS TIME TO KICK THEM TO THE CURB! POST-HASTE!!!! It is already PAST DUE!
Segdirb, AMEN!