Political Hotsheet
By

Corbett B. Daly /

CBS News/ August 19, 2011, 3:47 PM

Arizona Republican mulls run for Gabrielle Giffords seat

Arizona state Senator Frank Antenori

/ Arizona legislature

A Republican state lawmaker has filed papers for a possible run for the House seat currently held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Arizona State Sen. Frank Antenori is the first Republican to publicly declare that he may run for the seat held by the Democratic lawmaker, who was shot in the head in January.

"He is seriously looking to run, but he has not (formally) decided yet based on variables" including possible changes to the district boundaries, Ken Moyes, Antenori's "exploratory team coordinator," told CBS News.

Based on last year's Census, Arizona picked up a new congressional district for the 2012 elections, but the boundaries for the nine districts have not been finalized yet. There are currently eight congressional districts in Arizona. Moyes said he does not expect the independent panel to make a November deadline for new district lines, saying it could be January or later before the final map is official.

Giffords is in the midst of an arduous recovery after she survived an assassination attempt outside a Tucson grocery store where six were killed and more than a dozen others were wounded.

She has not said publicly whether she plans to run for re-election. The head of the Democratic party, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, said earlier this month she expects her close friend to return to Congress "full-time."

Giffords surprised almost everyone in Congress when she showed up to the House floor for the first time since the shooting in early August (watch at left) for a high-profile vote on raising the debt limit.

Antenori is a former "Green Beret" who won his state Senate seat with 60 percent of the vote in 2010, Moyes said. Antenori's current district in the state Senate is largely within the current boundaries of Giffords' seat.

CBSNews.com special report: Tragedy in Tucson

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
21 Comments Add a Comment
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jeannettelj says:
From the rants here and on other posts, I think CNN, ABC, and CBS should quit allowing people to post their thoughts. It has mostly become just a ******* contest. Half of the posters don't stay on the story and the other half criticize everything that is said.
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jgg000101 says:
the debate should be interesting.
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talkin2u says:
If he runs it's a PR and marketing mine field. This is not the person to run against...not at this moment in time. It's a "no win" proposition for anyone wanting to run against her....at least not right now. The attacks both personal and professional will backfire as sure as a windstorm in Phoenix!
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pr_boxer says:
Arizona doesn't deserve Gabrielle Giffords, she's too smart and compassionate for those racist snobs.
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pr_boxer says:
Does the old saying "snowballs chance in hell" come to mind?
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X2670 says:
Arizona Tea is pretty good..but another Arizona TEABAGGER is not what that state, this country or any civilized society needs ever!
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keote_poet replies:
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"You label anyone that disagrees with you a tea bagger - it's tea party"
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No its not, its teabagger...
and by the way, once again you mentioned "the black people that voted for him"...It takes a racist teabagger to make such a statement..idiot.
askagain replies:
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keote_poet - Are you that much of a fool? Mentioning that some blacks voted for Tea Party candidates is no more racist than mentioning that many blacks voted for Obama. We could expect your comment from a 5th grade dropout, not a reasonably intelligent person.
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RobAla says:
I wish Giffords speedy health, and a long meaningful life. However, her tragedy should not shut down the democratic process of free competitive elections. Anyone wishing to run for office should do so, and let the public decide.
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bluesky71 replies:
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Agreed
elliesamericana replies:
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We all have rights to do many things, but some of them are low class enough most choose not to do so. And running against this very brave woman would more than meet that threshhold. It just proves again how repuglicans will do anything to win an office. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.
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robbyr2 says:
So what.
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Honorplease says:
He's acting like a Cockroach,looking for a easy meal.
Pathetic.
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keote_poet replies:
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cockroaches have more class than this loser..
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rightbehind says:
republicans = Taliban terrorist.
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tomanyt replies:
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@Mortarman29_1SG...What is a neo-marxists?
keote_poet replies:
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republicans = gun toting hillbillies
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