Election 2016: 1st Congressional District
Maricopa Rally Republican Congressional District 1 candidate Ken Bennett, center, laughs with Pinal County Supervisor Anthony Smith, left, as fellow Supervisor Todd House, right, looks on. The three attended a rally in Maricopa Friday night in which a number of Pinal County and city of Maricopa elected leaders endorsed Bennett.
MARICOPA — Pinal County Supervisor Anthony Smith and other county GOP leaders have endorsed former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett for Congress.
Smith, of Maricopa, whose district includes Arizona City, was among a group of supporters who rallied Friday to publicly endorse Bennett, who is running in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District Republican primary race.
Bennett is among six candidates seeking the Republican nomination in CD1. They include Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, Arizona Speaker of the House David Gowan, rancher Gary Kiehne, retired Lt. Col. Wendy Rogers and businessman Shawn Redd.
Smith, who served two terms as Maricopa’s mayor, said the federal budget is a mess and must be remedied for the next generation. He pointed out Bennett’s experience serving in the Arizona Legislature shortly before the economic collapse in 2008 and with former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano.
