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Thanks to

Posted Jul 12, 2012, 10:29 am

Dylan Smith TucsonSentinel.com

U.S. Rep. Ron Barber will meet with constituents at the Oro Valley Farmers Market on Saturday morning.

Barber will meet with voters from 10-11 a.m., but his staffers will be available from 8 a.m.-noon to assist constituents with federal programs.

"After my third week in Congress, I am eager to get back to Southern Arizona again to hear from the people I represent about issues on their minds," the newly elected Democrat said in a press release. "And our casework team also will be available to assist people who may not be able to come to our office during the week."

The farmers market will be at the Oro Valley Town Hall, 11000 N. La Cañada Dr., on the southeast corner of North La Cañada Boulevard and West Naranja Road.

According to Barber's office:

Many requests for help come from veterans and active-duty military, seniors with issues related to Social Security and Medicare benefits and families struggling to make ends meet. There also are numerous requests for assistance with passports, visas and foreign travel problems.

The most common requests for assistance come from:

• Homeowners trying to navigate the Making Home Affordable program to prevent foreclosure
• Active-duty military dealing with TRICARE and other concerns
• Students who have issues with loans through the Department of Education
• Taxpayers working with the Internal Revenue Service
• Constituents needing help contacting their city, county and state governments

Barber was sworn in last month to fill the CD8 seat left vacant when Gabrielle Giffords resigned. He is running in the CD2 primary to represent the district that replaces CD8.

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Also running on the Democratic side is state legislator Matt Heinz, a medical doctor. Martha McSally is running on the Republican side, along with political novice Mark Koskiniemi. Jesse Kelly, defeated for the second time in less than two years in the CD8 general election, announced after the election that he would not continue to seek the CD2 seat.

Most of the current 8th District will be in the new 2nd District, created through the congressional reapportionment process held every decade. The primary election will be in August, but early voting begins later this month.