Don Bivens declares candidacy for U.S. Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Former Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Don Bivens officlally declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate today. When you are first, you get national news coverage (hint). Bivens becomes first Dem to enter Arizona Senate race – The Hill's Ballot Box:

Democrats finally have an official candidate for Senate in Arizona: Don Bivens, a former Arizona Democratic Party chairman, announced a bid Monday for the seat of retiring Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.).

In a Web video announcing his candidacy, Bivens built on anti-Washington, pro-growth themes that have been dispatched by candidates of both parties during a campaign season characterized by public disdain for incumbent politicians.

"I'm not a politician," Bivens said. "I've spent my entire career in the private sector working with businesses large and small."

Bivens told supporters in the video that the current batch of politicians are preoccupied with "extreme personal ideology" and have neglected to solve real people's problems through hard work. He said he has built his legal career on finding consensus among those with diametrically opposed agendas and seeking out the type of innovative solutions sorely needed in Washington.

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While Bivens is the only Democrat to have announced, former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona and others are said to be mulling a run. On the GOP side, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) is considered the front-runner for the nomination.

A prominent attorney in Phoenix, Bivens is a former president of the State Bar of Arizona and served on the board of a local unit of Planned Parenthood.

From Politico, Bivens wants to rise above the shouting – David Catanese – POLITICO.com:

Former Arizona Democratic Party chairman Don Bivens became the first Democrat in the race for the state's open Senate seat Monday, establishing a centrist tone that eschews "extreme political ideology."

"I'm a proud Democrat but I don't think that either party in Washington has a lock on all the good ideas," Bivens said in his announcement video.  "It's time for us to recognize that our competition, that the true threat to American opportunity isn't across the aisle, or even across the border.  It's in China, in India and the rest of the world's emerging economies who are training their workforce and taking our jobs."

The Phoenix lawyer gets the jump on former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who is seriously weighing the race and being encouraged by aides to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

From USA Today, Former Ariz. Democratic Party chairman runs for Senate:

A former chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party today became the first person in his party to announce a bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Jon Kyl.

Don Bivens, a lawyer, vowed to find solutions for the middle class in an announcement made by video this morning.

"Too many of the politicians we elect seem more interested in shouting their extreme personal ideology, than in doing the hard work to move our country forward," said Bivens, a former president of the State Bar of Arizona.

"I"m running for the United States Senate because we can't keep sending the same folks to Washington expecting a different result," Bivens said in a video posted on his website.

Finally, here is the candidate email announcement I received this morning:

I wanted you to be the first to know that today I'm officially announcing my campaign to represent the people of Arizona in the United States Senate.

Like middle-class families throughout America, our families here in Arizona are struggling. But back in Washington there are leaders that have let extreme ideology stand in the way of solving the complex problems we face.

Instead of ideas about how to get our country back to work, or to strengthen vital programs like Social Security and Medicare, we hear dangerous rhetoric about ending Medicare as we know it and privatizing Social Security.

Arizona has been one of the hardest hit states during these difficult economic times. We’ve faced one of the highest foreclosure rates and continue to rank at the bottom for job creation.

Enough is enough.

The needs of hard working families can't continue to be ignored and overlooked.

That's why I'm running for the United States Senate.  I grew up in a middle class family and have spent my career in the private sector working with some of America's most successful businesses, helping solve complex problems.

Like you, I know if we're going to get America back on track and restore and strengthen the opportunity that has made our country great, we need leaders who will focus on tackling complex problems, not extremist policies that weaken our future.

With your help this campaign will be about how we keep the needs of Arizona's middle class families front and center.

Please Click Here to view my short announcement video and 'Like' my Facebook page for updates.

Onward,

Don Bivens

Don, a word of advice: After today, never say that "I'm not a politician" again. You are a candidate for the U.S. Senate and the former chair of the Arizona Democratic Party. You can rightly say that "I'm not a career politician" like Jeff Flake or our incumbent Senators. Got it?