Hazel Staloff
SaddleBrooke Republican Club (SBRC) members participated in a variety of virtual events that facilitated their continued status as informed voters. Individual town hall meetings were held on June 8 and 16 with the two Republican candidates for Senator, challenger Daniel McCarthy and incumbent Martha McSally.
As a youth living in New York, McCarthy had been inspired by reading Barry Goldwater’s book Conscience of a Conservative. Further predisposed to Arizona after visiting his brother stationed at Luke Air Force Base, McCarthy relocated once he graduated from high school. He is grateful that his entrepreneurial success in real estate and cosmetics has allowed his family to live the American dream while also generating millions of dollars for the Arizona economy.
Despite his life-long interest in politics, McCarthy never contemplated running for office. He changed his mind when the Republicans, who for the first two years of the Trump presidency controlled both houses of Congress, failed to enact the President’s agenda. He envisions a future as a citizen legislator, not a career politician, and will accept neither a salary nor a pension. Because his campaign is not directed by consultants, he doesn’t speak from a script and feels no constraint in expressing his views honestly and fighting for what he believes in.
McCarthy supports President’s Trump “America First” policies that will bring manufacturing back to this country. Consistent with this, a priority would be protecting American sovereignty which is imperiled by multiple sources, primarily arising out of a porous border. He expressed concern about cartels facilitating the flow of illegal drugs into the country with the resultant loss of life. He also took issue with immigrants who consider that they have the right to substitute their country of origin’s concepts of laws and justice for the American system. He mentioned the dangerous precedent that had been set as a result of the pandemic when governors and other officials have unchecked power to shut business down on a moment’s notice.
During the question and answer period, a member asked about McCarthy’s strategy to win the Senate seat. McCarthy responded that he deems his views to be consistent with Arizona voters, a majority of whom are conservative irrespective of party identification. Although the Democratic candidate’s ads portray him in a manner that would make him attractive to a more conservative electorate, McCarthy asserted that his gun control position would be at odds with Arizona voters. Gun ownership, already prevalent in Arizona, has become even more widespread as a result of the pandemic and recent civil unrest. Kelly’s stance would likely be perceived by law-abiding gun owners as jeopardizing their rights while having no effect on criminals. The incumbent’s support of red flag laws would inhibit a full embrace of what McCarthy identified as a winning issue. McCarthy concluded by stating: “You can’t send a Senator from the State of Tombstone to negotiate the Second Amendment.”
For more information about the SBRC, visit our website at www.saddlebrooke-republican-club.org.