Bee studies run for Giffords’ seat

Despite speculation, Republican state Sen. Tim Bee is still not saying he’ll run for U.S. Congress for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, the seat held by Democrat Gabrielle Giffords.

To announce would mean he’d have to resign from the Senate under Arizona’s “resign-to-run” law. The law’s supposed to keep officeholders focused on their current job and not use it to campaign for other positions.

Bee is the state Senate president and has been the object of speculation almost since Giffords won the race to fill the seat left empty in 2006 by the retirement of Republican Jim Kolbe.

In a short interview Tuesday, Bee said he’s thinking about running, but said he’s primarily gathering information.

He said he “taking a serious look” at running and added: “I have to be prepared to make a decision.”

A Giffords spokesperson said Tuesday that Bee “seems to be tiptoeing into the race.”

But Michael McNulty, her campaign chairman, said, “I think she’s going to be in that seat for the next 30 years.”

McNulty said the Republicans are trying to get their best possible candidate to run. State party officials are high on Bee.

“We think he’d be a great candidate for that race,” state GOP Communications Director Brett Mecum said.

Mecum said as a state senator, Bee voted for one of the biggest tax cuts ever for Arizonans, while Giffords has voted for one of the biggest tax increases.

Registered Republicans hold a 1,900 voter registration lead in the 8th, which includes all or parts of Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz and Pinal counties.

There’s a strong Department of Defense presence in the district, with Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and several defense contractors in the Tucson area.

Part of the district is on the U.S.-Mexican border, and illegal immigration and drug-smuggling are important topics here.

One controversial issue is the proposed construction of a permanent Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 19 south of Green Valley to better check vehicles for illegal entrants and contraband. Giffords has not stated her position on the proposed checkpoint, but the Border Patrol has said it will be built regardless of public opinion.

Bee has been a member of the Arizona Senate since 2001 and was Senate majority leader 2003-2006. He is the first Senate president from Southern Arizona since 1974.

Bee, 38, is married and has six children.

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