The GOP fight to retain the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl is focused on discrediting the longtime nonpartisan political credentials of Democratic candidate Richard Carmona, who also served as surgeon general under Republican George W. Bush.PHOENIX (CBS5) -
The GOP fight to retain the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl is focused on discrediting the longtime nonpartisan political credentials of Democratic candidate Richard Carmona, who also served as surgeon general under Republican George W. Bush.
Republicans are on every issue painting Carmona as a hand-picked rubber stamp for Obama. But Carmona - who until late last year was a registered independent - is crying foul, noting that Arizona Republican leaders like Kyl and Gov. Jan Brewer in the past tried to recruit him to run for office, including Congress and governor.
Carmona called the Republican campaign against him "disingenuous and very disappointing."
Republicans admit they did try to recruit Carmona, but Kyl says "that was before he criticized President Bush and took partisan positions right out of the Democrats' playbook."
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