Bivens announces Senate bid
Former state Democratic chair steps into race
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Bivens
Attorney Don Bivens, a former Arizona Democratic chairman, said Monday that he is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Jon Kyl.
In a video posted on YouTube and his campaign website, Bivens said he would focus on helping the middle class.
"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 the former president of the State Bar of Arizona.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, a Republican, has already announced that he's running for the seat. Also in the race on the GOP side is businessman Wil Cardon.
Advisors for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head, have given little indication when or if the congresswoman might decide to seek reelection or run for the Senate seat.
Another possible Democrat, former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, has said that Giffords staffers have broached the idea of his running for the seat.
"I'm not a politician," Bivens said in his announcement video. "I've spent my entire career in the private sector working with businesses large and small."
"Too many of the politicians we elect seem more interested in shouting their extreme personal ideology than in doing the hard work required to move our country forward," he said. "What's worse is that some in Washington say one thing, do another and think we can't tell the difference."
Bivens was picked as the Democrats' state party chair in 2007, and held that office for four years - except a short period when Tucsonan Paul Eckerstrom held the office. Bivens has served on the board of Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona.
Biven's website was short on specifics Monday morning, with only the video and a page encouraging campaign contributions evident. No background on the candidate or his positions were provided.
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