Politics

Democrat running to replace Giffords won’t say if he’s voting for Obama

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Another Democrat running for office won’t commit to voting for President Barack Obama in the presidential election.

In a sign of the arm’s length distance some Democratic candidates are keeping from Obama, the Democrat running to replace Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords wouldn’t say in a debate Wednesday night that Obama has his backing.

“My vote is my vote,” said Democratic candidate Ron Barber, refusing to say which candidate he will support in the presidential election.

Added Barber: “I will not be talking about other elections.”

The Republican National Committee found Barber’s answer telling enough that they captured the video and have been blasting it out to reporters.

The question came during the debate from his Republican opponent, Iraq war veteran Jesse Kelly.

Barber is the former district director for Giffords who was wounded along with the congresswoman in the Tucson 2011 shooting. Giffords resigned from the 8th congressional district seat to recover.

A special election is set for June 12.

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