GOP House candidates offer solid choices

Unlike some years, where voters grumbled about voting for the lesser of two, three or four evils, the House race in Legislative District 20, which includes Ahwatukee Foothills, has many people pleased with the quality of choices.

"It's too bad we can only have two out of the four, they're all good," said GOP party activist Marj Miner, after listening to last week's candidates debate sponsored by the Arizona Clean Election Commission.

But Republican voters will have to narrow the field from the current four candidates to two nominees in the Sept. 2 primary. On the ballot are incumbent Rep. John McComish of Ahwatukee Foothills, and newcomers Jeff Dial of Chandler, Frank Schmuck of Tempe and Andy Swann.

McComish missed the July 10 debate, instead opting to be with his son and daughter-in-law at the birth of their first child and this third grandchild.

The three in the debate all had similar priorities: the economy, immigration, education, transportation, but each has a slightly different approach.

Dial, who ran four years ago for the House, said he would rely on conservative principles when it comes to making decisions.

Schmuck, a former U.S. Air Force pilot who flew in the Gulf War and a former commercial airline pilot, stressed teamwork: "This is not about me, it's about us."

And Swann, a retired Department of Public Safety detective, would return to the basics of funding priorities first when times get tough: "If we focus on the priorities, the rest will just fall into place."

One priority they all agreed on was opposing the TIME initiative that will appear on the November ballot, raising the state-wide sales tax by 1 percent to fund a 30-year highway and transportation plan.

They also agreed that building the South Mountain Loop 202 freeway along Pecos Road was a bad idea.

Schmuck called the proposed freeway bad public policy and "ludicrous."

Swann told the crowd: "We don't need to be tearing down homes."

Dial agreed, saying it was wrong and pointing out that Mountain Park Community Church, which he attends, is in the path of the freeway and would have to be torn down.

The need to get Arizona's economy up and running was also an area of general agreement.

"It all comes back to the economy," Swann said, adding that for business to thrive it needs a well-educated work force, a viable transportation system to help people and goods get around, and strong public safety so that people feel safe and want to come to Arizona.

Another area where they mostly agreed was on the need for tough immigration enforcement and enforcement of the employer sanction laws to eliminate the incentive for people to cross the border.

While the candidates all had similar viewpoints, for Foothills resident Chad Blostone, one stood out above the rest.

"In my opinion, the candidate who most articulated himself and offered viable solutions was Frank Schmuck. He showed me when he gets to the Legislature he will get things done," said Blostone, who is also a commercial airline pilot.