Frank Antenori Weighs Possible Run For Gabrielle Giffords Seat In 2012 (VIDEO)

TUCSON, Ariz. — A Republican Arizona state senator says he has formed an exploratory committee to examine a possible run next year for the congressional seat held by Democrat Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Sen. Frank Antenori, of Tucson, made extensive public comments last week about the committee but made his formal announcement Monday before a Republican women's group in Tucson.

Giffords is in her third term in Congress but has spent the past eight months recovering from a gunshot wound she suffered during a Jan. 8 shooting.

She hasn't indicated if she'll seek re-election and also has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Antenori says he won't say whether he's running until January or February after congressional districts are redrawn.

 

 

Comments

[Jamf]

10:34 PM on 09/25/2011

Hey Frank: I doubt you could be any more low-class. Accordingly, why don't you just go away?

[ceekay002]

05:23 PM on 10/06/2011

He is low class, why? It is because he wants to run against her. Although, it is sad what happened to Giffords BUT that doesn't mean that she should run unopposed, because of what happened to her. Why don't you just go away?

[waynesmyer]

08:38 AM on 09/02/2011

But is he a true Tee-Bragging GOPer? Does he have an Arizona Circumcision Certificate to prove it?

[FrankinSac]

06:42 PM on 08/23/2011

Only in your desert fried head.

[ebanks84]

12:57 PM on 08/23/2011

I hope she is well enough to run.

[witsendster]

09:53 AM on 08/23/2011

How Republican, to use this tragedy as an opportunity.

[ceekay002]

05:29 PM on 10/06/2011

He is using this tragedy as an opportunity to run against her? You got that from this article? I don't see it. I see a man that wants to run for office against an incumbent, Gabrielle Giffords. He is running for office to try and make a difference in this great country and try to get us back on the right track. I know that is hard for a liberal to believe, it is easier I guess for a liberal to think the worse of a Conservative because you have tunnel vision.

[azrebelmaj]

10:27 AM on 08/23/2011

no need for a story, everyone knows this

[ebanks84]

12:58 PM on 08/23/2011

That's a lie. Prove it if you think it's true. Otherwise stop passing lies out like it's candy.

[marecek]

07:08 AM on 08/23/2011

A Republican is thinking of running against an incumbent Democratic Congresswoman. OH WOW, STOP THE PRESSES! Why is this even a news story. Gifford isn't going to run unopposed, even if she did miraculously survive an assassination attempt. And just to avoid any misunderstandings - I am a Democrat.

[bdaved]

09:33 AM on 08/23/2011

But he's thinking about not running against her, mostly. He doesn't even know if he's going to be in her district when the election comes around.

[whamhammer]

11:30 AM on 08/23/2011

Most people who are thinking of running for the House don't know what district they will be in. Each state is realligning thier districts right now based on the census.

[Djelem]

06:19 AM on 08/23/2011

Frank "The bald Buzzard" Antenori circles high above the desert landscape, looking for easy prey. Little does he know that he has become the 2011 version of Wiley Coyote!

[des946]

01:17 AM on 08/23/2011

The unfortunate reality is that Ms Giffords is simply not capable of representing her constituency. she is like a sports star who suffers a debilitating injury. Her injuries from the assassination attempt have simply disabled her ability to perfrm the full and effective role of representing her constituency which is paramount to everything else. It is time to move on . . .Ms Giffords is like an injured star athlete who simly cannot "play the game" on a professional basis any longer.

[jabb5076]

07:28 AM on 08/23/2011

I don't believe there has been any current information released that confirms what you say. She continues to recover, and her ability to campaign and represent her district is something she and her doctors will determine

[oandroplex700]

08:45 AM on 08/23/2011

UNFORTUNATLY, THIS WOMAN..........I BELIEVE IS ENCAPABLE OF PERFORMING HER DUTIES ANYMORE.........I WISH HER GOD SPEED

[des946]

09:42 AM on 08/23/2011

Didn't you leave out one important party in all of this . . . her constituents? Abullet through her brain certainly caused substantial damage; and as they have SAID in previous reports, the doctors are uncertain about her condition until they can evaluate it they are able to evaluate her AFTER her rehabilittion. My comments are not intended to be against her; but merely the "common sense" recognition of the overall situation. Sentimentality has nothing to do with any of this. At this critical juncture in our economic crisis, we simply canot afford to have someone serving in Congress who is not up to handing the full job. If she were a brain sergon, and suffered such an injury, you certainly would not want her to operate on you, would you?

[liberalviper]

10:01 AM on 08/23/2011

Are you saying this because you disagree with her politics, or because you truly believe she is not capable to serve in Congress. If it's the latter, I'd respond by saying no one knows except her and her staff and aides. She has made incredible progress in the last 8 months. I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt.

[des946]

10:36 AM on 08/23/2011

I am saying it because I truly question her ability to function and to perform at the level that is needed of a person serving in Congress . . . it is strictly a medical/performance issue. As I had noted earlier, it is somewhat liken to a sport star (athlete) suffering a debilitating injury; and the reality being that they simply cannot perform adequately to play professional sports any more. It is just a fact of brain injuries undoubtedly have severee effects on one's ability to think and to perform . . . which is something that we cannot afford to have in any Congress person. Giffords is improving day by day; but the question is to what extent can she perform her duties?

[ceekay002]

05:34 PM on 10/06/2011

In the end it is the people that will decide her fate in Congress. I wish her a full recovery. If she is not to where I believe she can FULLY serve in Congress, I will have to give my vote to someone else.

[henrypapillon]

12:25 AM on 08/23/2011

Same old weasel tactic the Republicans like to use----create a whispering campaign about the candidate because you don't have enough guts to directly challenge her.

[whamhammer]

11:32 AM on 08/23/2011

Both sides do this. This is nothing new for either side.

[henrypapillon]

12:12 AM on 08/23/2011

Shoot. I thought Aunt Norie was running. Now I find out it's this clown.

[ecurbwl]

10:51 PM on 08/22/2011

I realize we have a year to go before the 2012 elections but----are you kidding me. Currently there is only one Dem (Obama) running against 9, possibly 12, Republican candidates. And I'm not sure there is anyone that can topple Obama. The Republicans are at a tipping point of "watering-down" the vote if they can't "thin-out" the herd. Let's get serious and get some "GREAT" contenders to get Obama out of the white house in 2012. I'd even go for a good Democrat (I did vote for Hillary Clinton) that can get us out of this recession, the jobs, housing and economy crisis. I would like to see Hillary Clinton run against Obama, as I feel she has a "pulse" on anything and everything and can get us out of this recession and job crisis.

[azrebelmaj]

08:23 AM on 08/23/2011

im an independant and if Hillary ran against Obama, id vote for her, other wise im voting republican, Obama needs to go, wish he would do a LBJ for the good of the country

[charko2]

09:24 AM on 08/23/2011

Hillary needs a break. Get Bill back.

[ceekay002]

05:38 PM on 10/06/2011

Luckily, Bill can't run again.

[whywhywalt]

10:49 PM on 08/22/2011

Mr. Antenori is not a true member of the republican party. Once he entered the state level of politics he became a member of the GOP. The GOP is not to be confused with the republican voter. I have studied both these parties for 45 years I honestly think the voters should wait on Gabrielle. We need more women like her.

[henrypapillon]

12:15 AM on 08/23/2011

What were you reading all those 45 years you were studying ? The centerfold of Hustler? For crying out loud, the GOP is a nickname for the Republican Party(Grand Old Party).

[cegrubbs]

10:20 AM on 08/23/2011

whywaitwait was clearly making a distinction between the GOP Republican Party and their voters. there is a good case to be made that few of the current Repbuicans are true republicans.

[Ccrafty1]

10:35 PM on 08/22/2011

This young guy just has to move in on an opportunity to get elected. There much be a buck to be made somewhere....that's why a republican is circling the wagon. Republicans have NO respect for anyone. Giffords got shot in the head talking to the people, caring about the people of Arizona. The republicans are such a sorry bunch...no wonder our senate is in such a mess.

[whamhammer]

11:34 AM on 08/23/2011

I'm glad you don't believe in stereotyping.

[ceekay002]

05:46 PM on 10/06/2011

I don't feel that Giffords should be re-elected becasuse she was shot in the head. People shouldn't vote for her because they feel sorry for her. People shouldn't not run against her because of that horrible tragedy in Tucson. If he wants to run against her to better this country then all the power to him. When it's time to vote again in 2012, if she is not FULLY capable of serving the people THEN she should not be re-elected. I hope she fully recovers but feeling feeling sorry isn't a reason to vote for her. I don't think she would want people to vote for her based on sympathy.

[wdc39]

10:23 PM on 08/22/2011

Give her a break. She needs the job. Thanks to Obama, her husband is unemployed now.

[kdlaiusa]

05:15 AM on 08/23/2011

wdc is living in a reality that belongs to video games.

[gevan]

11:31 PM on 08/22/2011

Whatever happened to Dubya's mission to Mars?

[bdaved]

09:33 AM on 08/23/2011

It's on the shelf next to his "War on Steroids". (That's a war against steroids, not an augmented war.)

[wdc39]

11:59 PM on 08/23/2011

It's still out there. He never said it would happen during his time in office. Remember, Kennedy was the first to mention men on the moon. How long did that take?