YUMA, AZ - An Arizona seat in the U.S. Senate is losing an incumbent this election year. Senator Jon Kyl is retiring after three terms. Rich Carmona wants the job. Today he held a town hall in Yuma.
Carmona is conducting a series of six veterans town halls across the state. Today's meeting was the third in the series.
The campaign event took place at American Legion Post 19 on South Virginia Drive at one-thirty this afternoon. Dozens of veterans and potential supporters turned out to hear what the U.S. Senate hopeful had to say.
Carmona explained how he became a candidate.
" We weren't happy with our elected officials. We weren't happy with what was being done in Arizona or the nation on our behalf. The challenges of education, of jobs, the immigration problems, women's health … all of them seemed to be so partisan and politicized. And like many of you, I engaged in all of those conversations, everyday with all my colleagues. An eventually, they started saying to me ... Well, Rich, you ought to run," says Carmona.
Carmona is a combat-decorated special forces Vietnam veteran.
Today he fielded questions ranging from veteran's benefits to healthcare reform.
He also served as the 17th Surgeon General of the United States.
Carmona is a democrat. In November, he will face the winner of a GOP run-off election between Jeff Flake and Wil Cardon.
The fourth stop of Carmona's town hall tour is tomorrow in Phoenix.
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