Democrats are celebrating former Surgeon General Richard Carmona’s
decision to run for the open Senate seat in Arizona in 2012, as The Hotline reports that one Arizona Democratic strategist called him “the Latino Jim Webb of the 2012 cycle.”
“There
are several similarities between Webb of Virginia, who is retiring
after one term, and Carmona. For starters, both men have accomplished
military backgrounds and are Vietnam veterans who earned Purple Hearts.
Webb served in the Marines; Carmona, the Army. When Webb ran in 2006, he
enjoyed strong support from veterans. Carmona is hoping that he can
count on something similar… Neither Carmona nor Webb had run for
elected office before mounting their first Senate campaigns, and both
had previously served in Republican administrations… The two share
something else in common: controversial events in their pasts that will
take some explaining.”