New Challenging the Old in Race for GOP Congressional Candidate (AZ - Behnke vs. Kolbe)

The Sierra Vista Herald ^ | 9 September 2002 | Bill Hell

[Spiff]

New challenging the old in race for GOP congressional candidate

By Bill Hess

Herald/Review

Tuesday's Republican congressional primary election pits a veteran lawmaker against a political newcomer.

Jim Kolbe has built a strong political base in Southeastern Arizona over the past 20 years. He is now seeking his 10th two-year term in Congress.

Jim Behnke, a former Army Ranger lieutenant colonel, is an ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, who stunned many GOP faithful when he decided to challenge Kolbe.

The campaign has been low-key with no formal debates. With a large political war chest, Kolbe has been quietly campaigning. Most of his appearances have been tied into his role as a congressman, stressing his expertise on trade and military matters.

As the newcomer and underdog, Behnke has campaigned hard throughout Southern Arizona especially in the Tucson and Sierra Vista areas. The need for border security and a new policy along the U.S.-Mexico frontier were the hallmarks of his campaign, Behnke also stressed the need to improve education, ensuring the military's ability to do its job and restoring common sense to government.

Behnke believes a military presence on the border can serve as an adjunct to assist authorities with surveillance, providing personnel to man security and administrative posts in order to free up border agents for their duties, and tackling special training missions.

He is appalled by the flow of illegal immigrants and drug smugglers northward, pointing to the damage they do to the environment and the fear the problem causes among people living in the rural areas of Southeast Arizona.

Behnke said he believes the federal government must do more to address the problem and points to it as an issue of national security.

"One of the things that concerns me is terrorism. Mixed with a million illegals who crossed into Cochise County last year, terrorists form a major issue. As an example, in the week prior to September 11, 10 Egyptians were caught crossing illegally into our area. They had in their possession airline tickets to Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. I found that frightening," Behnke said.

For Kolbe, the major issues are national security, the border, education, health and Social Security.

Saying he supports a new guest-worker program, Kolbe said he believes having a strong system that allows people to come into the United States to work and those who enter illegally to be removed from the country is the best way to control the borders.

He noted that he has helped provide funds for border hospitals and law enforcement agencies to help them pay for some of the costs caused by illegal immigration.

Kolbe also said he continues to try to find ways to make the U.S Border Patrol and the Immigration and Naturalization Service more responsive to the needs of the border areas.

Behnke said he believes that education should be handled at the local level but that the federal government has a role in helping empower teachers and local communities to do the job. He said the education system does need more money. The funding must go to the teachers and the classroom, he added.

In the education arena, Kolbe said he will work to continue tax credits for parents putting money away for their children's college days.

The congressman also wants to ensure tax credits for teachers are provided to help them offset the cost of supplies they purchase for their students.

Both candidates are adamant in their desire to support and protect Fort Huachuca.

The Army post and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson provide critical national defense programs, Kolbe said.

Behnke agrees. He said he believes the military needs more support and that America's allies should do more. He points to the U.S. troops stationed in Kosovo as part of a peacekeeping mission. The retired Green Beret said European nations should be responsible for maintaining the peace there not American troops.

Kolbe said he disagrees with Behnke's contention that no action should be taken against Iraq unless the Iraqis are preparing to use weapons of mass destruction.

Calling Saddam Hussein a "a brutal, brutish man on the scale of Stalin and Hitler," Kolbe said President George W. Bush must make his case to the American people and the nation's allies for going to war with Iraq.

HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 458-9440 Ext. 115 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.

[Spiff]

The reporter got something wrong about Behnke. He said that Behnke was a former Green Beret - he wasn't. He was an Army Ranger.

[Spiff]

Who is Jim Behnke?

		Jim Behnke was born and educated in Missouri. Though his father wanted him to enter the ministry, Jim was determined to become a soldier. A veteran of two tours in Vietnam, Behnke was awarded seven medals for valor, including the Soldier's Medal for rescuing a crew member from a burning helicopter while serving with the 33rd Ranger Battalion. Jim also served in Army Intelligence in Vietnam and in Europe. His intelligence duties included serving with the 66th Military Intelligence Group in Germany where he supported their anti-terrorist mission, handled, recruited, and trained agents, and commanded a clandestine unit. He developed skills and experience crucial to our nations fight against terrorism. He retired as Director of Human Intelligence with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Twenty years in the U.S. Army were followed by eighteen years as a Lutheran Pastor, serving in such diverse locations as Mexico City, Mexico; Frankfurt, Germany; and now Sierra Vista, Arizona where he has been a property owner since the 1970s.
Jim and his wife, Char, have been married for 32 years and have two adult children who wholeheartedly support him in his bid for Congress. A lifelong Republican, Jim Behnke is looking forward to working with President George W. Bush and supports his educational initiatives and the war against terror. Behnke supports traditional Republican values such as reducing the size of government and thereby reducing taxes, promoting the core of American civilization - the family, and enhancing our military to protect and defend our nation, its interests, and its borders.

What Does Jim Behnke Stand For?

NATIONALLY

• Fighting Terrorism
• Preserving the Second Amendment
• Protecting the Right to Life
• Promoting Traditional Family Values
• Reducing Taxes by Reducing Government
• Strengthening Social Security

LOCALLY

• Securing Our Borders
• No Amnesty for Illegals
• Saving our Trauma Centers

ABROAD

• Withdrawing American Troops from Kosovo to Guard our Borders at Home.
• Ensuring American Troops Will Not Serve Under the UN Flag or Stand Trial Before any "World Courts"
• Insisting upon Foreign Policy that puts America First!

What Is The Difference?

• My opponent, Jim Kolbe, voted 7 times against a ban on Partial Birth Abortion. (HR 4965-July 2002, HR 3660-Jan 2000, HR 1122-July 1998, HR 1122-Oct 1997, HR 1122-March 1997, HR 1833-Sep 1996, HR 1833-Nov 1995).
• Kolbe co-sponsored the Kolbe/Lowey Amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations Bill (HR 4775-May 2002) which would have forced the Bush Administration to release $34 million to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). The UNFPA funds were frozen by the Bush Administration because of the UN Agency's involvement and support of Communist China's one-child and forced abortion policies.
• Kolbe cast the deciding vote for the extension of the Section 245(i) Amnesty for Illegal Aliens (HR 1885-Mar 2002)
• Kolbe voted twice against allowing the Immigration and Nationalization Service to request assistance from the U.S. Military (HR 2586-September 2001, HR 4205-May 2000)

Jim Behnke Is Endorsed By: Pima County Deputy Sheriffs Association Arizona State Fraternal Order of Police Arizona Right To Life Arizona Republican Assembly - Pima Chapter The Conservative Press The Anderson Report

On September 10th Support Traditional Republican Values Vote for Jim Behnke Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives Arizona Congressional District 8

Behnke For Congress - PO Box 158 - Hereford, AZ 85615 - www.behnkeforcongress.com - behnkeforcongress@juno.com

[Norwell]

Kolbe is a military expert? By virtue of what?

Sodomy versus normalcy is the unspoken issue of this campaign.

[DLfromthedesert]

Not to mention bigotry ...

[CPT Clay]

When given a choice between a Ranger and a leg(that's army for non-airborne) choose the Ranger. You will not be disappointed.

Ranger's lead the way!!!

It's propably true in civilian life too.

I saw where a Ranger and A Navy SEAL are challanging a Kennedy in RI.(wish it were hand to hand) LOL

[Spiff]

When given a choice between a Ranger and a leg(that's army for non-airborne) choose the Ranger. You will not be disappointed. Ranger's lead the way!!!

You like Rangers? You should read Jim Behnke's book "Dai-Uy" which details his first tour in Vietnam as a Captain - an American advisor serving with the 33rd Ranger Battalion, Vietnam. (Dai-Uy means Captain in Vietnamese.) The book is an excellent diary of what he saw and did while he served there just before the first wave of American troops were sent over.

The book is not available anywhere like Amazon.com - but if you're interested I might be able to get you a copy.

[Spiff]

Not to mention bigotry ...

What is that supposed to mean?

[Spiff]

> Not to mention bigotry ...

What is that supposed to mean?

Still awaiting your response...

[FrogMom]

Thanks for the ping. I've just voted.

I don't take the local paper and have satellite TV. Have you got a link so I can look at results online?

[Spiff]

KOLD 13 TV Election Results - U.S. Congressional Races

Pima County Recorder's Office - Official Election Results

KVOA 4 TV Election Results - Ignorantly, this site only has Pima County and Statewide Results. It does not appear to be tracking Congressional Races.

Arizona Secretary of State - Official Election Results

[FrogMom]

You ARE 'da man! Thanks.

[Nonstatist]

Kolbe's a good man. That District could go Democrap; why throw out the incumbent?

[Norwell]

Spiff,

I think it is supposed to mean that if you are uncomfortable with degenerates in leadership positions, you are a bigot. The world turned upside down.

[BlackElk]

A good start on reasons to dump Kolbe would be Kolbe's support for spending tax money on the United Nations Family Planning (Baby slaughtering) programs. We then move on to his opposition even to a ban on Partial Birth abortion (as though it were a relevant issue in his life).

How he lives his personal life is his business so long as he does not harm others by his own aggression. How he casts his votes as a social revolutionary in the guise of GOP Congressman and how we respond by our votes against him is our business and it is time for him to go.

[CPT Clay]

I'd like to read it. FReepmail me! How did Behnke do?

[Torie]

My RINO pals have almost a perfect record of whipping the asses off all of these right wing jihadists who if they won would go down to the Dem, either this round of next. Life is grand. We get the votes, and they get to whine.

[lakey]

The closest I come to trusting any politician, local, state or federal, is Ron Paul (R-TX).