Meet state candidates vying for your vote

There are several statewide offices on the primary ballot, including governor, secretary of state and attorney general. Here is a look at the candidates who will be appearing on the primary ballot Aug. 24.

Running for Governor
Democrat

Name: Terry Goddard
Website: www.terrygoddard.com
Age: 63
Current occupation: Arizona attorney general
Education: J.D. from Arizona State University and a B.A. in American History from Harvard College.
Priorities: He said one of his budget concerns is saving money by consolidating departments. He said he will also look to reduce program growth, eliminate duplicative services and curb mandated program growth when possible under the law.

Green

Name: Larry Gist
No information available.

Libertarian

Name: Ronald “Ron” Cavanaugh
e-mail: roncav@frontier.com
Age: 61
Current occupation: retired
Education: Stress management, constitutional law, drug management from North Carolina State.
Priorities: Cavanaugh said budget concerns include unfunded mandates. He said this is just an option, and without having access to the budget and expenditure records, he said he wouldn't even consider this to be a well-informed opinion.

Name: Barry J. Hess
Website: www.HessForGovernor.com
Age: 53
Current occupation: Hess said he is currently concentrating on his campaign but he also dabbles in trading currencies.
Education: B.A. from Fordham University
Priorities: Hess said cutting expenditures is one of his budget concerns and he'd like to conclude the work of all state agencies of government that are not constitutionally provided for.

Name: Bruce Olsen
Website: www.bruceolsen4gov.com
Age: 65
Current occupation: semi-retired from aviation, automobile and real estate.
Education: Naval Aviation Machinist Mate School, Spartan School of Aeronautics, Air Traffic Control School in Air Force and studied at Kansas State University.
Priorities: Olsen said his budget concerns include sealing the border and building the fence. Next, he said take the state budget expenditures back to pre-bubble levels - 1998 would be a good starting point.

Name: Alvin Ray Yount
Website: www.alvinrayyount.com
Age: 65
Current occupation: Professor, communications studies
Education: M.A. in journalism from Regen University.
Priorities: Yount said he believes flat percentage cut across the board for all county and state government entities and an income tax-free corporate status for all Arizona corporations are his budget concerns.

Republican

Name: Jan Brewer
Website: www.janbrewer.com
Age: 65
Current occupation: Governor of Arizona. Brewer succeeded Janet Napolitano who was appointed secretary of Homeland Security by President Obama.
Education: Brewer attended Glendale Community College, Valley Medical and Dental College and was a licensed radiological technologist.
Priorities: Brewer said her budget concern is working with her budget office working with the Commission on Privatization and Efficiency to implement the commission's recommendation by executive action where possible and seek legislative authority for the rest in my FY 2012.
Brewer is running retain her current role as Governor.

Name: Matthew Jette
Website: www.govjette.com
Age: 37
Current occupation: Medical sales with Merck Inc.
Education: Ph.D. from ASU and M.I.S. in international relations/statistics from the University of Montana and a B.A. in political science/business from the University of Montana.
Priorities: Jette said his budget concerns include reforming Arizona's immigration policy. He said we need to create a win-win policy option which will allow these individuals to participate and contribute safely in our society, perhaps on their way to citizenship.

Name: Buz Mills
Website: www.buz4gov.com
Age: 67
Current occupation: Owner of Gunsite Academy and communications entrepreneur developing public emergency communications systems.
Priorities: Mills said the Legislature and governor need to cut spending across-the-board to balance the budget. This means cutting all agencies and departments, he said.

Secretary of State
Democratic

Name: Chris Deschene
Website: www.descheneforarizona.com
No information was available at press time.

Name: Sam Wercinski
Website: www.Sam4AZ.com
Age: not available
Current occupation: P3/sustainable growth consultant with Wercinski Entrepreneurs LLC.
Education: Master's in international management from Thunderbird Global School of Management and a B.S. in engineering/workplace psychology from the United States Air Force Academy.
Priorities: Wercinski's top priorities include respecting voters, protecting their rights and making sure elections are fair and honest.

Green
Name: write-in candidate Michelle Lochmann
No information was available at press time.

Republican

Name: Ken Bennett
Website: www.bennettarizona.com
Age: 50
Current occupation: Secretary of State
Education: Bennett a B.S. in accounting. from ASU.
Priorities: Bennett said his top priority is to strengthen the integrity of Arizona's elections and improve voter participation.
Bennett is running for reelection.

Attorney General
Democratic

Name: David Lujan
Website: www.davidlujan.com
Age: 45
Current occupation: attorney
Education: Lujan received a J.D. from ASU and a B.S. in marketing from ASU.
Priorities: Lujan said his top priorities include protecting consumers during the difficult economic times and protecting children and seniors who are victims of abuse.

Name: Vince Rabago

Website: www.vince4az.com
Age: 42
Current occupation: assistant attorney general, Office of the Arizona Attorney General
Education: Rabago received a J.D. from the University of San Diego and a B.S. in political science from the UofA.
Priorities: Rabago said his priorities include eliminating activities that are detrimental to Arizona's economic recovery such as mortgage and foreclosure fraud and predatory bank as well as fighting for border security.

Name: Felecia Rotellini
Website: www.feleciaforarizona.com
Age: 52
Current occupation: attorney with Awillinger Greek Zwillinger Knecht PC
Education: Rotellini has a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame College of Law and a B.S. in history/political science from Rocky Mountain College.
Priorities: Rotellini said her top priority is to keep Arizonans physically safe and economically secure.

Republican

Name: Tom Horne
Website: www.electtomhorne.com
Age: 65
Current occupation: AZ Superintendent of Schools
Education: Horne has a J.D., with honors, from Harvard Law School and a B.A., magna cum laude, in government from Harvard.
Priorities: Horne said his top priority is protecting our border and the attorney general should beef up activity on the border.

Name: Andrew P Thomas
Website: www.thomasforarizona.com
Age: 43
Current occupation: Maricopa County attorney
Education: Thomas has a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in political science from the University of Missouri.
Priorities: Thomas said his top priority is combatting crime and illegal immigration.

State Treasurer
Democrat

Name: Andrei Cherny
Website: www.AndreiForArizona.com
Age: 34
Current occupation: President of Democracy, a think tank
Education: Cherny has a B.A. from Harvard and a J.D. from the University of California.
Priorities: Cherny said his priority is to ensure that Arizona's funds are safer and more secure by no longer simply risking them on Wall Street stocks, bus instead investing more of them in helping to create the jobs of the future in Arizona.

Green
Name: write-in candidate Thomas Meadows
no information available.

Libertarian

Name: write-in candidate Thane Eichenauer
no information available.

Republican

Name: Ted Carpenter
E-mail: azcarpenterted@yahoo.com
no other information available.

Name: Doug Ducey
Website: http://www.votedougducey.com/
Age: 46
Current occupation: Chairman, iMemories
Education: Ducey has a B.S. in finance from ASU.
Priorities: He said is top priority would be to be a safe and prudent manager of the taxpayer's money. That's the primary focus of the Treasurer's Office, he said.

Name: Barbara Leff
Website: www.barbaraleff.com
Age: 63
Current occupation: State senator
Education: Leff has an M.S. in clinical social work from Simmons College and a B.A. in sociology from Boston University.
Priorities: Leff said her top priority would be to not make any changes to the office of State Treasurer. One change said she would make is add an internal auditor to make sure everyone is following procedures and complying with the terms of all contracts.

Name: Thayer Verschoor
E-mail: thayerlv@juno.com
Age: 49
Current occupation: Business consultant and owner of Ezpack and Mail store in Apache Junction.
Education: Verschoor has a B.S. in political science from ASU and graduated from Western Leadership Academy
Priorities: Verschoor said is top priority is protecting the taxpayers' dollars and making sure they are invested in sound and prudent investments. He said he's also like to continue to expand government accountability by making it easier for citizens and policy makers to go online and see where and how state agencies are spending money.

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Democrat

Name: Penny Kotterman
Website: www.pennykotterman.com
Age: 53
Current occupation: Associate director of program and new policy at the Arizona K12 Center at NAU
Education: Kotterman has an education administration certification from ASU, an M.S. in education administration/curriculum and instruction from Illinois State University and a B.S. in education from Western Illinois University.

Priorities: Kotterman said her top priority would be to change the focuse of the Department of Education and public education from one of testing to one of supporting teaching and learning. She also said quality instruction that meets the needs of the students and department of education.

Name: Jason Williams
Website: www.williamsforarizona.com
Age: 33
Current occupation: Faculty member with the Beat the Odds Institute Parent Liaison Academy
Education: Williams has a B.A. in political science from Boston college.
Priorities: Williams said his top priority is helping solve the challenges facing public schools. He said innovative programs and policies are necessary to adopt to the changing environment.

Republican

Name: Margaret Dugan
Website: www.margaretdugan.com
Age: 60
Current occupation: Principal of Glendale High School
Education: Dugan has an M.A. in education from ASU and a B.S. from the UofA
Priorities: Dugan said her top priority is to ensure an aligned system of support at the Department of Education for all schools. She said the schools need to know that they can county on the Department of Education for top notch, quality service in order for them to be successful in increasing academic achieving, ensuring a positive climate for learning on school campuses and enrolling an increased number of graduates to post-secondary instruction of learning.

Name: John Huppenthal
Website: www.johnhuppenthal.com
Age: 56
Current occupation: Senior planning analyst with SRP.
Education: Huppenthal has a B.S. in engineering from NAU and MBA from ASU.
Priorities: Huppenthal said his top priority is to help schools improve with an A through F rating system and cites improvements to the Florida public school system as a success story.

Name: Beth Price
E-mail: priceb@cgmailbox.com
No information available.

State Mine Inspector
Democrat

Name: Manuel Cruz
Website: www.cruzforarizona.com
Age: 44
Current occupation: Truck driver, special dispatch
Education: Cruz studied engineering at the Austin Powder Blasting Academy and Glendale Community College.
Priorities: Cruz said his top priority is to help Arizona set the bar on mine safety.

Republican

Name: Joe Hart
E-mail: rkhart@frontiernet.net
Age: 66
Current occupation: Arizona State Mine Inspector and owner of Tri-State Television Network, Route 66 Broadcasting, and Hart Ranches.

Priorities: Hart said his top priority is to promote job creation within the mine industry and improve conditions for the health and safety of all miners, and secure more abandon mines.

Corporation Commissioner
Democratic

Name: David Bradley
Website: www.bradleyforarizona.com
Age: 57
Current occupation: CEO of La Paloma Family Services
Education: Bradley has an B.S. in psychology and an MBA from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in education from Old Dominion.
Priorities: Bradley said his top priority is job creation by encouraging the research, development, manufacture and installation of alternative energy resources particularly, but not limited to, solar energy.

Name: Luis Jorge Garcia
Website: www.votegarcia.org
Age: 56
Current occupation: Social worker with the university physicians on-call social worker.
Education: Garcia has a B.S. in liberal arts from the UofA and a M.S.W. from ASU School of Social Work.
Priorities: Garcia said his top priority is to increase the renewable energy standards and/or reduce the target date.

Name: Renz Jennings
Website: www.renzjennings.com
Age: 68
Current occupation: Jennings owns and operates a small farm in south Phoenix.
Education: Jennings has a J.D. from ASU and a B.A. in political science from ASU.
Priorities: Jennings said his top priority is managing long-term risks effectively, particularly getting the solar expansion piece right. He said if the incentives are right, the rules clear, the benefits apparent and the commitment firm, Arizona will reap huge benefits by expanding its use of solar and other clean energy options.

Green

Name: write-in candidate Theodore Gomez
no information available.

Name: write-in candidate Benjamin Pearcy
no information available.

Libertarian

Name: write-in candidate Rick Fowlkes
no information available.

Republican

Name: Brenda Burns
Website: www.BrendaBurns2010.com
Age: 59
Current occupation: full-time candidate; licensed real estate agent.
Education: Burns attended college.
Priorities: She said her top priority is to streamline the functions of the commission, reducing regulatory lag and increasing the visibility of the commission's actions. She also said addressing Arizona's energy infrastructure needs is a top priority.

Name: Gary Pierce
Website: www.GaryPierceForArizona.com
Age: 57
Current occupation: Commissioner with the Arizona Corporation Commission
Education: Pierce attended Utility Regulatory School at Michigan state University, has a B.S. in education from ASU and an A.A. from Mesa Community College.
Priorities: Pierce said his top priority had and always will be keeping utility rates low and reasonable for Arizona ratepayers.

Name: Barry Wong
Website: www.BarryWong.com
Age: 51
Current occupation: lawyer with Barry Wong Law Office
Education: Wong has a J.D. from the UofA College of law and a B.S., magna cum laude, in accounting from ASU.
Priorities: Wong said his top priority is energy and assuring proper planning for adequate and reliable supplies of electricity for Arizona's growing needs and to diversify Arizona's energy mix to minimize electricity disruption through nuclear, natural gas, clean coal and renewable generation.

*Source The Arizona Secretary of State Website and the Arizona Capitol Times 1020 Primary Election Guide.

Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.