AFM: Where do you currently live within your district?
EW: My wife, Karen and I have resided in the Town of Paradise Valley since 1982.
AFM: Why are you running for Congress?
EW: I’m running for Congress to “Defend America’s Values”. Congress and the President are not responsive to the needs of the people. Our government is being run by an elite group of academics, activists, bureaucrats and political strategists whose ideology reflects the detached leftist philosophy of our president. I want to stimulate our economy through the free market, return to a strong foreign policy, end illegal immigration, secure our borders and make our government more efficient and responsive to the people. My success in corporate America for 30 years with IBM, my small business ownership and ten years on the Paradise Valley Town Council, retiring as mayor has prepared me well to use my private and public sector leadership skills to represent you in Congressional District 3.
AFM: To win, what will be your biggest challenge?
EW: My biggest challenges are financial. I’m not a country club Republican. My peer group represents average middle class Americans who cannot afford to contribute thousands of dollars to my campaign. I cherish every contribution and make every dollar work hard; the same way I will make your dollar work hard if you give me the opportunity to represent you as your Congressman in Washington.
AFM: What is the first issue you will address if you are in Congress in 2011?
EW: The first issue I will address is the economy. We must freeze government spending and Federal employment, stabilize the entitlement programs of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, stimulate the free market not the public sector to create jobs, end the practice of bailouts for companies and countries who are deemed too big to fail and insure that the planned tax increases in January are defeated. These steps will begin to reduce the size and burden of government.
AFM: How much money have you currently raised?
EW: To date, I have raised under $100,000. I will need considerably more investment in my campaign in order to communicate my conservative message to the public. Unfortunately money buys name recognition therefore, I need to utilize creative low cost methods to reach the voting public. The proliferation of campaign signage is ugly, expensive, wasteful and environmentally unfriendly; therefore I will invest little resources in this media.
AFM: Who is your mentor and why?
EW: My mentor is not a politician; he is an author, columnist and talk show host, Dennis Prager. Dennis always looks beyond the noise and emotions to not only define the problems of the day but to understand their causes. With this approach he brings clarity to confusing issues. This methodology allows me to evaluate situations from all angles and perspectives so that I can develop a common sense, understandable and defensible solution.
For more information on Ed Winkler, visit www.WinklerForCongress.com.
