Shooter running as write-in during primary

Another candidate has his name in the hat in hopes of becoming the next state senator for District 24.

Yuman Don Shooter is a write-in Republican candidate for the district that covers Yuma in the primary Aug. 24. There are no other Republicans in the primary. Currently, Sen. Amanda Aguirre (D) holds the position.

Shooter sat down with the Yuma Sun Monday to talk about his platform.

The differences between the two candidates are easy to define, he said.

“There will be no confusion in our positions,” he said. “If you like President Obama, you'll like Amanda.

“If you like Thomas Jefferson, you'll like me. If you like Jimmy Carter, you'll like Amanda. If you like Ronald Reagan, you'll like me.”

Shooter said he's for limited government.

“As much as we can,” he said. “It's a pretty clear-cut choice people have.”

He said members of the Democratic party may disagree with some Republicans on how to make decisions, but both love their country and their families.

“We may disagree on how to get there, but at least right now, the Democratic Party has been taken over by radicals and I think in general the American people and the people in Yuma don't like it - and I guess we'll find out,” he said.

With the growing popularity of Independent or no party affiliation, Shooter said he thinks “a lot of people feel disenfranchised.”

As for balancing the state budget, one of the major issues with the coming legislative session, Shooter said first, he'd like to give back some of his own salary, if elected - and if there was a way to do it.

“I would give 10 percent back to the Treasury,” he said. “I think you need to lead by example.

“I think that leadership begins at from the top and you can't ask everyone else to sacrifice ... why should we be any different?”

He said across-the-board cuts are one way he'd try to help solve the problem, in addition to a flat tax.

“(That would be) far better than this fiasco that we have now,” he said.

“I'm not in favor of any tax,” Shooter said, smiling, but if there is, he said it should be fair and equal.

He also said he would help create incentives for businesses in Arizona.

“Liberty and free enterprise,” are what the country is based on, he said.

Shooter said he'd like to remind voters to “write me in.”

“Fill in the bubble and write Don Shooter.”

For more information about the Shooter campaign, call (928) 210-2235 or visit www.donshooter.com.

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