In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville observed in the first volume of his classic tome Democracy in America, that American voters tend to gravitate to the allure and charm of charlatans who would do their nation harm, while forsaking good, honest candidates who would be their best friends as servants in public office (Tocqueville 314-18). Indeed, with only a casual glance back through American history, the wordy Frenchman’s evaluation appears to have not fallen far from the mark. I offer as an example the band of yahoos that currently occupy both houses of Congress, as well as the Oval Office. I rest my case; or rather, Tocqueville’s case. Today in 2014 however, voters in Arizona’s Congressional District 2 have an exceptional opportunity to disprove Tocqueville’s theory regarding the American electorate.
Reminiscent of the incalculable risk leveraged by the founding fathers in the eighteenth century, retired Chief Master Sergeant Chuck Wooten has pledged his life, his liberty, and very fortune in offering voters in CD2 an opportunity for genuine peer representation in Washington. If that sounds like hyperbole, think again. As anyone who has run for public office could attest, a candidate’s life, as well as that of his family goes on trial in the court of public opinion. As notoriety surely follows, so slips away the liberty of privacy. Finally, political campaigns do not come cheap, especially when the competition has access to a bottomless war chest full of establishment cash. Looking at the venture through that lens it is obvious that Wooten has indeed pledged his life, his liberty, and his fortune, albeit for you and me.
In past elections, we were generally limited to choosing between the lesser-of-the-evils. This time however, a name will appear on the ballot that some will recognize as a friend, others as a neighbor. Some folks might know him as a present or former co-worker, while yet others interact with him at church. Regardless how we know him or even how we meet him in the future, he is one of us.
Chuck Wooten shares our same concerns about the safety and security of American sovereignty amid an illegal immigration problem that is tantamount to an outright invasion. He sees the same as we do, the digits on the national debt clock spinning skyward at breakneck speed with no sign of slowing any time soon. As one of us, Wooten cringes at a federal government in extreme withdrawal from its addiction to our money that raids and digs even deeper in our pockets to satisfy its next fix. Like us, he watches in horror and disbelief as those who are supposed to protect and follow the United States Constitution, instead trample and flout the hallowed document. This is Chuck Wooten; he is a citizen just like us.
Unlike most of us however, Chuck Wooten in true Chief fashion, chose to leave the safety of the sidelines and entered the fight full on. While other candidates are busy playing Rock’em Sock’em Robots with their television ads, Chuck Wooten has been hard at work producing tangible actions and results. Indeed, he traveled to Washington D.C. at his own expense so he could be on hand to defend America’s most effective close air support aircraft, the A-10. Even before that, he had the guts to challenge Paul Ryan and Patty Murray when they attempted to balance the budget by breaking contractual promises to veterans and taxpayers alike.
Folks, it is not a stretch to say that Chuck Wooten has acted more like a Congressman in the last six months, than the entire sitting congress has for the last six years; and he hasn’t even in-processed yet! Judging by his proactive approach and decisive past actions, he is only just warming up.
I have personally had the opportunity to meet with Chuck Wooten on multiple occasions and I am convinced that he will bring attributes to the halls of congress that have been absent for far too long, integrity and a sense of service. Above all, I have overwhelming confidence that Chuck Wooten will always and unflinchingly, do the right thing.
Clearly, retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Chuck Wooten is the best choice for Arizona Congressional District 2, as well as for the general health and well-being of the United States Constitution. I urge all freedom-loving patriots to join me in choosing Chuck Wooten to lead and represent our district in Congress.
J.M. “Chappy” Chapman, TSgt, USAF (Ret.)
Conservative in AZ CD2
Former A-10 & U-2 Crew Chief
Works Cited
Tocqueville, Alexis de. (1835). Democracy in America: Historical-critical Edition of De La Démocratie En Amérique Ed. Eduardo Nolla. Trans. James T. Schleifer. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2010. 314-18. Print.