In the wake of Ron Barber’s announcement that he would not be seeking another run for Congress in Southern Arizona’s CD2, Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik has announced that he will not be challenging Republican Congresswoman Martha McSally next year:
I and members of my staff are frequently asked about my intentions with regard to running for higher office. With the weekend announcement by Congressman Ron Barber that he will not be seeking to regain the CD2 Congressional seat, it became a priority of mine to make clear my own intentions with respect to whether or not I would be announcing as a candidate for that office.
Since my election to the Tucson City Council in 2009, we have made significant progress in the economic development of the downtown core. The continuation of that momentum is one of the keys to our economic health as a region. Since that time, my staff and I have also established strong working relationships with both business and neighborhood constituents throughout the community. The progress we have made takes time to nurture and develop. Now is not the time to step away from what we have achieved.
I am committed to finishing out the full four-year term to which I was elected in 2013. Further, I am fully committed to finishing out my professional career working for President Ann Weaver Hart and Athletics Director Greg Byrne at the University of Arizona. In each of those areas, the fruit of my efforts, in concert with the collaboration of my co-workers, is paying dividends to the broader community. I’m grateful to have the opportunity in both cases.
The encouragement I hear with respect to running for the CD2 seat is humbling, and I appreciate those expressions of support. But now is not the time to step away from the good work that’s happening, both as a representative of Ward 6 and for Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Arizona.
State lawmaker Bruce Wheeler is the only Democrat who has filed paperwork to explore a 2016 run for CD2, but former state lawmaker Matt Heinz is weighing a run. State lawmaker Steve Farley has said that he won’t be climbing into the ring.
This article appears in Apr 9-15, 2015.
That’s a no brainer.
“the fruit of my efforts, in concert with the collaboration of my co workers………”. That kind of talk is nothing less than Presidential. Steve, you still have time, get the bumper stickers printed up now! KOZACHIK 2016!!!
Hooooo Boy!
I am disappointed but hopefully he will run for higher offices. Good job.
Let go of the national political theatre, folks.
I’m in complete agreement with Steve: he’s done far more for me right where he is than he ever could if he heads off to the magical fantasy land of Oz / DC.
It’s about bloody time Baja AZ took care of itself and minimized our national entanglements. Less is more when it comes to feds. Their main function appears to be robbing us economically while surrounding us with a police state. You think SteveK is going to make a dent in that? Since the Bill of Rights became toilet paper, the American state became the walking dead. Wait and see. I’d love to be wrong, but their mandate went out the windows in the ’80’s. They aren’t anyone’s government anymore, just a bunch of dysfuntional old lawyers titilating each other while they vie for the biggest checks from the lobbyists. Barber was a prime example. Just look at his voting record, it speaks for itself. I don’t see how you turn it around when a majority of the American people don’t believe in their own government. It’s over baby, it just takes some time for the body to cool…