Ann Kirkpatrick - for Arizona

Ann Wins Arizona Daily Sun Endorsement

"Make Ann Kirkpatrick of Flagstaff a bipartisan choice"
We urge local voters, regardless of party, to send this well-qualified, homegrown candidate to Congress Nov. 4.

It's been a long time since northern Arizona had a chance to send a homegrown candidate to Congress.

In Ann Kirkpatrick of Flagstaff, we have that opportunity, and we urge local voters, regardless of party, to seize it on Nov. 4. Kirkpatrick brings more to her 1st District candidacy than just local roots. She's held elective office as a state lawmaker. She's worked in local government as well as the private sector. She's reached out effectively to a variety of interest groups, both as a lawmaker and a candidate for Congress.

On things that matter to this region -- making higher education affordable, attracting higher-skilled jobs by developing renewable resources, protecting public lands, addressing the poverty and isolation on American Indian reservations, making health care affordable, finding a workable solution to illegal immigration -- Kirkpatrick is not only in touch with the issues but ready to cross the political aisle to find solutions.

We also find her approach to national issues like energy policy, immigration, national security and reviving the economy more nuanced and thoughtful than those of her main rival, Sydney Hay. And in a Congress facing the worst economic conditions since the Depression, the ability to put together working coalitions and get things done will be crucial.

One concern with Hay is that she brings a confrontational temperament to a policymaking body that needs bipartisan leadership. She says she is running "against" Congress, but without much of a prescription for how to cure what ails it.

Further, on those regional issues of importance listed above, Hay is on the wrong side of many of them.

On the rising cost of college, Kirkpatrick wants to boost Pell Grant funding for low-income students. Hay dismisses student debt as a "personal choice."

On public lands, Kirkpatrick wants to fully fund the national parks and ban uranium mining statewide. Hay supports more user fees, continued uranium mining and oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

On energy, Kirkpatrick calls human-caused global warming a threat to national security and emphasizes renewable solar and wind; Hay is a global warming skeptic and focuses on oil, natural gas and nuclear as the path to U.S. energy independence.

On health care, Kirkpatrick advocates a universal health insurance pool, starting with children, to spread costs. Hay's plan looks to personal medical savings accounts available primarily to the employed.

On illegal immigration, Kirkpatrick is open to guest worker status and an eventual path to citizenship. Hay's platform focuses solely on border security.

On improving K-12 schools, Kirkpatrick calls public education her highest priority while Hay has worked as a lobbyist to send public funds to unaccountable private and religious schools.

Those positions alone distinguish Kirkpatrick as a much better advocate for the needs of the 1st Congressional District. But there are many more examples, and they are posted on the Daily Sun's election Web site: www.azdailysun.com/elections2008.

We will say, however, that Hay deserves credit for running an upfront campaign that stands behind her proposals, even if some of them, such as partially privatizing Social Security and replacing the income tax with a national sales tax, seem out of step with the times or impractical -- or both...

That said, the balance sheet of pluses and minuses for the candidate best suited to represent northern Arizona in Congress clearly adds up in Kirkpatrick's favor. She will need every vote possible from this region if she is to capture a majority in the sprawling 1st District, and we urge local voters to put aside party interests and send Ann Kirkpatrick of Flagstaff to Congress on Nov. 4.