NOTE: New AZ-06 DCCC polling shows Dr. Hiral Tipirneni neck and neck with Congressman David Schweikert trailing by only 3 points (43-46), with Vice President Biden leading President Trump by 4 points (48-44). The poll showed voters view Congressman Schweikert at even favorability, 28% favorable, 24% unfavorable, while Dr. Hiral Tipirneni’s favorability to unfavorability ratio is nearly 3-to-1: 24% favorable, 9% unfavorable. The poll was conducted from 7/29-8/1 through a standard blend of live cell phone and automated calls, with a sample size of 586 likely general election voters and a margin of error of +/-4.0%.
“The House Ethics Committee’s scathing report on Congressman David Schweikert’s long history of using his office for his own gain illustrated plainly that the Arizonans Congressman Schweikert was elected to represent have been without a representative the entire time Schweikert has been in office. If Schweikert’s unethical Washington dealings weren’t enough, his voting record would gut protections for pre-existing conditions and cut Social Security and Medicare. Facing Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, whose commitment to Arizonans’ well-being mirrors her commitment to her patients when she practiced in the emergency room, David Schweikert is in serious trouble.” – DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos
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To: Interested Parties
From: Sarah Guggenheimer, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: August 4, 2020
Subject: The Case Against David Schweikert
Some people go to Congress to work for their constituents and deliver results to their district – and then there are people like David Schweikert who just last week was found responsible for 11 violations of ethics rules, was slapped with one of the largest ethics fines in House history , and was unanimously reprimanded by the full House of Representatives thanks to his pattern of corruption and self-enrichment throughout his time in Congress.
Not only did this report reveal a Congressman more concerned with taking care of himself than his constituents, it highlights just how abandoned Arizonans in the 6th Congressional District have been as Schweikert has been more concerned with his own political career and ability to profit off his position than doing with his job.
Now, Schweikert is up for re-election in a race where his lack of accomplishments, years of taking corporate special interest funding, and mounting debt will doom his run against Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, a former emergency room physician whose entire career has been predicated on helping others.
Boasting the largest cash on hand advantage over an incumbent Republican in the country, Tipirneni will highlight Schweikert’s shady behavior in addition to his poor voting record on hiking costs and gutting protections for pre-existing conditions during a global pandemic while taking care and support away from seniors in this blue-trending district.
With her primary victory, Tipirneni is well on her way to flip this seat and restore present and trustworthy leadership to the district.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
HEADLINE: House of Representatives formally reprimands Rep. David Schweikert for ethics [Arizona Republic, 7/31/20]
With a voice vote, Schweikert, a five-term Arizona Republican, became the first member of the House of Representatives reprimanded in eight years and requires him to pay $50,000 as part of a deal announced on Thursday to avoid potentially more serious punishment…
“That guy is in trouble,” [DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos] said. “He’s got no money. Now he’s got to pay this $50,000 fine. … I know Americans don’t think too highly of cheaters. Dave Schweikert is a cheater. We will play in Arizona very, very aggressively.”
HEADLINE: House Panel Finds Arizona Congressman Violated 11 Ethics Rules [New York Times, 7/31/20]
HEADLINE: Schweikert Re-election Hopes Hobbled by House Ethics Reprimand [Bloomberg Government, 7/31/20]
HEADLINE: Rep. David Schweikert outraised again, added more campaign debt [Arizona Republic, 2/3/20]
Democratic congressional hopeful Hiral Tipirneni again outraised incumbent Republican Rep. David Schweikert, building on her cash advantage even as his campaign added to its debt.
HEADLINE: ‘We should be letting data and science guide us’ during pandemic: Dr. Hiral Tipirneni [Yahoo Finance, 6/25/20]
“’Quite honestly, I feel like there’s never been a moment where it’s been more critical for us to have physicians and scientists at the table,’ said Hiral Tipirneni, a former emergency room doctor running to challenge Rep. David Schweikert (R) in Arizona’s 6th District.” [The Hill, 7/21/20]
Shady Schweikert has let down Arizonans
HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE: SCHWEIKERT DISPLAYED A PATTERN OF CORRUPTION
When voters in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District elected Congressman Schweikert, they thought they’d elected someone they could trust. Instead they’ve been stuck with a representative who misused their tax dollars to benefit himself and his political career, who shelled out thousands of dollars to fund a lavish trip to the Super Bowl for his Chief of Staff, who broke the law to artificially inflate his campaign cash, and who misled and stalled to the special committee assigned to investigate him so much that they assigned him additional penalties.
After a nearly two-year House Ethics Committee investigation, last week’s report showed Schweikert’s appalling disregard for federal laws, ethics, and the public trust.
The cloud hanging over Schweikert’s head comes as he’s already shelled out over a million dollars of campaign cash for his legal fees, resulting in huge debt and a paltry $230,000 cash on hand, decimating any financial advantage an incumbent would normally have.
Schweikert’s drawn-out investigation and now these brutal findings have made Schweikert radioactive. No Republicans have spoken out to defend him, demonstrating that he commands no respect in his own caucus and is unable to deliver for his constituents. And with his offenses going back nearly a decade, the only thing Arizonans know for sure is that they’ve been left without any real leadership, even as the district and country struggle through one crisis after another.
Schweikert’s record of corruption stands in stark contrast to former emergency room physician, Dr. Hiral Tipirneni who has always upheld her oath to “do no harm.” This oath motivated her as she saved Arizonans’ lives, and it motivates her as she runs for Congress to help her constituents and give them the representation they’ve been left without.
SCHWEIKERT’S HEALTH CARE POLICIES MAKE ARIZONANS SICK
Schweikert has become everything that’s wrong with Washington, betraying his constituents, voting time and again to repeal protections for pre-existing conditions and for the GOP health care plan that would kick 465,000 Arizonans off of their insurance and raise marketplace premiums in the Grand Canyon State by nearly $1,500. And the very same day the House Ethics Committee released its findings on Schweikert – in the middle of a raging COVID-19 outbreak in Arizona – Schweikert voted again in support of plan to repeal protections for pre-existing conditions and take away insurance from 363,000 Arizonans.
These votes were already a black mark on his record, even before Arizona became one of the states hardest hit by COVID-19. If Schweikert had his way, anyone who contracted the virus would be at risk of losing their coverage, since coronavirus could be considered a “pre-existing condition.” As the state continues to struggle through high case numbers, Arizonans deserve a doctor who will stand up for Arizona patients.
In the emergency room, Tipirneni did more than save lives – she saw firsthand how broken our health care system is. She saw how patients delayed doctor’s visits until it was too late because they were so worried about health care costs. She saw the stark divides between patients with access to quality, affordable health insurance and those with none at all. As a doctor in Congress, Tipirneni will fight to fix this system so Arizonans can have better coverage and lower costs.
SCHWEIKERT WANTS TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE
In a district where more than 125,000 seniors rely on Social Security, Schweikert’s long record of voting for deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare while reducing benefits and raising the retirement age further highlight why the Congressman is wrong for his district. More than just unpopular, Schweikert’s votes are reckless and threaten to steal away money that Arizona’s seniors have earned.
But Schweikert has accepted millions from corporate special interests and has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’d rather listen to them, even if that means hurting Arizonans.
As a doctor, Tipirneni rejects the toxic brand of politics that have led Schweikert to betray his constituents with his votes. Instead of taking care away from seniors, Tipirneni will roll up her sleeves and protect these critical programs for all of her constituents.
PATH TO VICTORY
Dr. Hiral Tipirneni is in excellent position to unseat embattled Congressman David Schweikert heading into the general election.
Between his costly, consuming, and damning House Ethics Committee investigation and his dangerous record on health care, Social Security, and Medicare, Schweikert has failed to deliver for his constituents and has failed to raise the money to compete with the grassroots support that powers Tipirneni’s campaign.
Tipirneni’s message and background are exactly what voters are looking for in this quickly changing suburban district. Her understanding of our health care system and authentic, transparent commitment to her community stand in stark contrast to Schweikert. She’ll also have the resources to take on the embattled Congressman directly.
This seat has trended increasingly blue in recent years, thanks to voters increasingly opposed to Schweikert’s corruption, and will have a strong top of the ticket with Vice President Biden and Mark Kelly running formidable campaigns in the Grand Canyon State.
With her sterling biography, strong fundraising, and a weak incumbent, Tipirneni is well on her way to victory in November.
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