Arizona
WINNER: Jon Kyl
R: Sen. Jon Kyl (incumbent)
D: Jim Pederson
Race Breakdown:
The big guns (and big money) in both parties are coming out to Arizona for their candidates in this race, the hardest fought Senate battle in the state in a long time. Bush loyalist Republican Sen. Jon Kyl — running for his third term — is a staunch fiscal and social conservative who’s critical of big government. He’s powerful within the party (the No. 4 GOPer in the Senate, as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee), but is more of a behind-the-scenes kind of politician. Democratic challenger Jim Pederson, a wealthy shopping center developer and former chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party, is credited with bringing the state’s party up to speed.
Immigration is a hot topic in this fairly conservative border state and Kyl and Pederson are duking it out over this issue. Both support the “security fences,” but Kyl wants deportation for illegal immigrants while Pederson supports a guest worker program.
A mid-October poll puts Kyl at 51 points to Pederson’s 42.
Jon Kyl for U.S. Senate 2006
Jim Pederson for Senate
The Arizona Republic’s candidate questionnaire
NATIONAL SECURITY AND WAR
IRAQ
Kyl voted no on the Kerry Troop Redeployment Amendment and has been supportive of Bush on the war in Iraq.
Pederson opposes an immediate pullout from Iraq, but is critical of Bush administration’s handling of the war. He wants no permanent military bases in Iraq and believes Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld should be fired.
TERRORISM STRATEGIES
Kyl voted to reauthorize the PATRIOT Act and was critical of the legislative delay during which critics debated the bill.
Pederson wants to refocus war on terror on Al Qaeda and bin Laden. He also wants to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 commission. He questions whether current stratgies have made the United States safer.
EDUCATION
STUDENT LOANS
Kyl voted for a bill that cut $40 billion from the federal budget, some of it for student loan programs. He also voted against increasing funding for Pell grants.
Pederson’s campaign website states, “Jim will fight for greater student financial assistance such as Pell grants, college work-study and federally-insured student loans.” He wants increased tax breaks for families paying for college. (more)
SCHOOLS
Kyl supported No Child Left Behind Act. He opposed additional education funding in 2005.
Pederson advocates greater accountability, smaller classes, better-trained teachers in schools. He says, “Arizona needs more federal assistance for education.”
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
HABITAT vs. OIL
Kyl voted in favor of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He supports opening lands to “environmentally sound” oil and gas exploration in Alaska and the Gulf Coast in order to increase the domestic oil supply. (more)
Pederson opposes drilling ANWR.
ENERGY IDEAS
Kyl opposed Bush’s energy plan, saying it would raise gas prices and distort market competition. He also worked unsuccessfully to strip renewable energy provisions in 2002. He opposed a Democratic-backed plan to create a goal of reducing dependence on foreign oil.
Pederson supports renewable energy and reducing dependence on foreign oil. He believes further government scrutiny of the oil industry will help consumers. He has said, “Ending our dependence on foreign oil is the single-most important economic and national security priority that faces us.” He also wants to raise gas efficiency ratings for cars to 43 mpg by 2012. (more)
ECONOMY
MINIMUM WAGE
Kyl voted for a recent Republican bill to raise the federal minimum wage, but opposed a Democratic version. He says he supports raising the minimum wage to $6.25, plus increased flex-time and tax relief for small businesses (which pretty much sums up the defeated Republican bill).He has not taken a stand on a state ballot measure that would raise Arizona’s minimum wage to $6.75.
Pederson supports Democratic efforts to raise federal wage. He wants a minimum for Arizona at $6.75 (the state currently is at the federal level, $5.15)
TAXES
Kyl supported the Bush tax cuts. Lowering taxes is a priority for Kyl. (more)
Pederson wants to roll back the Bush tax cuts while cutting middle class payroll taxes by 25 percent. He opposes the repeal of the estate tax.
CRIME
JUVENILE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Kyl voted in favor of a sweeping 1999 criminal justice bill. (more)
Pederson has no record of a position on juvenile crime and punishment.
HATE CRIMES
Kyl voted against expanding the definition of hate crimes. Speaking about a 2001 bill that would have helped local authorities prosecute hate crimes, Kyl said it would criminalize “thought crimes.”
Pederson has no record of a position on hate crimes law, applying to race, gender and sexual orientation.
—MP