.
. WELCOME
. WELCOME BACK TO SQUARE OFF THE COUNTRY CAME TO KNOW RANDY
FREE'S TEN YEARS AGO HE WAS THE
FIRST DOCTOR WHO TREATED
CONGRESSWOMAN GABBY GIFFORDS
AFTER SHE WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD
IN THE TUCSON SHOOTINGS.
NOW STATE REPRESENTATIVE RANDY
FRIESE TUCSON WANTS TO FOLLOW
IN GIFFORDS FOOTSTEPS.
HE'S RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN
THE DISTRICT SHE ONCE SERVED.
RANDY FRIESE JOINS US NOW FROM
TUCSON.
WELCOME BACK TO SQUARE OFF.
THANK YOU, BRIAN.
PLEASURE TO HERE.
NOW BEFORE WE GET TO YOUR
CAMPAIGN, YOUR STORY, I HAVE TO
ASK THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IS
16 MONTHS AWAY.
I KNOW RACES ARE STARTING
EARLIER AND EARLIER BUT WHY
ANNOUNCE NOW?
WELL, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN
WASHINGTON RIGHT WITH THE
PANDEMIC SERIOUS HEALTH CARE
CRISIS, COVID PANDEMIC AND ALSO
A PANDEMIC OF GUN VIOLENCE.
RIGHT.
10 YEARS AGO YOU MENTIONED 10
YEARS AGO IS WHEN THE TUCSON
MASSACRE HAPPENED AND WE STILL
HAVEN'T MOVED THE NEEDLE ON
PROTECTING SOCIETY, MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE GUN SAFETY
MEASURES IN PLACE AND GUN
OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE.
WE NEED RESPONSIBLE GUN
OWNERSHIP.
SO I REALLY FEEL LIKE MY SKILL
SET OF A TRAUMA SURGEON, A TEAM
BUILDER, A PROBLEM SOLVER CAN
BRING A UNIQUE POINT OF VIEW TO
CONGRESS.
BUT AGAIN, WHY NOT 16 MONTHS?
IT'S A LOT OF TIME UNTIL THINGS
REALLY GET GOING.
TYPICALLY IN THE PAST FOLKS
DON'T ANNOUNCE TILL THE END
OF THE YEAR BEFORE OR EVEN THE
BEGINNING OF THE OF THE
ELECTION YEAR.
WELL, AS YOU KNOW,
REPRESENTATIVE KIRKPATRICK,
AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS
OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE
ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT AND AN
OPEN SEAT AN OPEN SEAT AS YOU
SOMETHING THAT IS UNCOMMON AND
A LOT OF PEOPLE CERTAINLY WANT
TO GIVE IT A SHOT AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, I HAVE
THOUGHT ABOUT THIS IDEA IN THE
PAST AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT MY SUPPORTERS KNEW I WAS I
WAS READY FOR THIS COMMITMENT
THIS TIME AND I WANTED TO MAKE
AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE
SECOND DISTRICT RACE COULD BE
ONE OF THE MOST CONTESTED
RACES, MORE CONTESTED RACES IN
THE COUNTRY.
I SHOULD NOTE THAT ONE OF YOUR
DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES AT THE
CAPITAL, KIRSTEN ENGEL, SENATOR
KIRSTEN ENGEL HAS ANNOUNCED SHE
IS RUNNING AS WELL.
MORE ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW.
THERE'S ANOTHER QUIRK HERE
THAT'S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS ARE
GOING TO BE REDRAWN BY THE END
OF THE YEAR AND YOUR DISTRICT
COULD LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT FROM
THE ONE YOU'RE IN.
HOW MUCH DOES THAT MATTER RIGHT
NOW?
WELL, THAT'S VERY TRUE.
I THINK I'M RUNNING FOR CLOSE
TO RUNNING FOR THE SEAT THAT
ANNE KIRKPATRICK IS RETIRING
FROM.
I'M WELL WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
IT COULD VERY WELL BE THE
DISTRICT CHANGES BUT I'M
COMFORTABLE THAT HERE IN
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA THINGS WILL
LOOK HOPEFULLY SIMILAR.
BUT IF THAT ISN'T THE CASE, I'M
STILL RUNNING FOR THE SEAT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'LL
HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE
FUTURE.
YOU SAID AFTER THE TUCSON
SHOOTINGS PAST THAT YOU DECIDED
YOU COULD DO QUOTE DO MORE GOOD
FOR MORE PEOPLE AS A
POLITICIAN.
HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DO MORE
GOOD FOR MORE PEOPLE FROM THE
FLOOR OF THE HOUSE?
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I LIKE TO CALL MYSELF A POLICY
MAKER I'M VERY MUCH EXCITED
ABOUT AND DRIVEN TO CREATE
POLICY, GENERATE IDEAS, PUT
THOSE IDEAS FORWARD WITH A BODY
TO CONSIDER AND AND MODIFY TO
MAKE THEM EITHER BETTER OR MORE
BROADLY ACCEPTED.
AND I THINK I HAVE BEEN
EFFECTIVE I THIS YEAR GOT A GUN
SAFETY BILL TO THE FLOOR OF THE
HOUSE.
I GOT IT THROUGH A REPUBLICAN
DOMINATED COMMITTEE.
I GOT IT TO THE FLOOR OF THE
HOUSE READY FOR A THIRD READ.
BUT THE MAJORITY DECIDED THAT
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT IT UP
FOR 30.
I'VE GOT THREE MEASURES
REGULATING THE NEW ADULT USE
MARIJUANA INDUSTRY AND
OF COURSE THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
INDUSTRY IN THE SENATE OUT
OF THE HOUSE WITHOUT OPPOSITION
.
I'M HOPEFUL TO GET THEM TO THE
GOVERNOR'S DESK AND LET'S TALK
ABOUT GUN SAFETY BECAUSE THAT'S
BEEN YOUR TOP ISSUE HERE IN THE
STATE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IT'S
JUST BEEN ABSOLUTE GRIDLOCK.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NO
HORROR THAT CAN MOVE ANYONE OFF
THEIR POSITION ON THIS OR JUST
MOVE THE ISSUE FORWARD.
WHAT'S YOUR IDEA FOR DOING THAT
IF YOU GET TO WASHINGTON?
I AGREE TO THAT THAT PEOPLE ARE
FRUSTRATED THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO COME TO SOLUTIONS.
BUT I THINK MY POINT OF VIEW IS
VERY UNIQUE.
I AM A TRAUMA SURGEON.
I CARE FOR AND OPERATE ON AND
AND NOT INFREQUENTLY SAVE THE
LIVES PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN
SHOT AND OTHER AND OTHER
TRAUMATIC INJURIES SO I CAN
BRING A VERY PERSONAL POINT
OF VIEW AND TRY AND BRING BRING
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
PROBLEM IS PRESSING.
WE CAN'T JUST KEEP BRUSHING IT
ASIDE AND WAITING OUT THE
ENTHUSIASM FOR CHANGE
ASSOCIATED TO EVERY MASSACRE
THAT HAPPENS.
WE MUST ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM
AND I THINK I CAN AGAIN I'M
USED TO WORKING IN A TEAM.
I PUT TOGETHER PEOPLE, I PUT
FORWARD IDEAS.
THOSE IDEAS ARE MODIFIED TO
WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE.
EITHER WE GET BROADER
ACCEPTANCE OR THE CONCEPT IS
IMPROVED.
I THINK MY POINT OF VIEW WILL
SPARK A NEW CONVERSATION IN
WASHINGTON AND ONE OF YOUR
CAMPAIGN VIDEOS YOU DESCRIBE
YOURSELF AS A PROGRESSIVE.
SO WHAT KIND OF PROGRESSIVE A
BERNIE SANDERS PROGRESSIVE.
I WILL SAY THAT I HAVE
PROGRESSIVE OBJECTIVES,
PROGRESSIVE VISION BUT I ALSO I
ALSO WILL TAKE A MODERATE VOTE
IN ORDER TO IN A INCREMENTAL
WAY GET TOWARD THOSE
PROGRESSIVE VISIONS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT CONCEPT.
YOU HAVE A VISION OF WHERE YOU
WANT TO GO BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO
KNOW HOW TO GET THERE AND IT'S
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT A LEAP.
SOMETIMES IT'S A SEVERAL
OF INTERMITTENT STEPS AND I
THINK THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY
THAT AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS
YOU'RE GOING TO FACE LAW LITMUS
TESTS AND ONE LITMUS TEST RIGHT
NOW FOR PROGRESSIVES AMONG
PROGRESSIVES IS HOW A
CANDIDATE, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL
WHERE THAT PERSON STANDS ON A
FIFTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR MINIMUM
WAGE.
IF YOU HAD BEEN IN THE HOUSE OR
IN THE HOUSE, WOULD YOU HAVE
VOTED FOR A FIFTEEN DOLLARS AN
HOUR MINIMUM WAGE?
YES, I WOULD HAVE.
I THINK A LIVING WAGE IS
IMPORTANT FOR WORKING FAMILIES,
PARTICULARLY WORKING FAMILIES
IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS
TO THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO
CREATE A SAFE HOME AND A
SUCCESSFUL PLACE FOR THEIR
FAMILIES TO THRIVE AND I THINK
FIFTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR WORKING
WAGE WOULD BE PART.
THE SECOND DISTRICT IS A BORDER
DISTRICT IN THE HEART THE
BORDER PATROL'S TUCSON SECTOR.
WHERE HAS THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION FALLEN SHORT IN
CONTROLLING THE SURGE AT THE
BORDER?
WE'RE NOW SEEING YOU KNOW, I
THINK IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER
OF THIS ADMINISTRATION HAVING
FALLEN SHORT.
THEY'VE ONLY BEEN THERE FOR A
HANDFUL OF MONTHS.
I THINK THIS IS A LONG STANDING
PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN FESTERING
AND NOT GIVEN THE ATTENTION IT
REQUIRES.
SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE
IN THE PAST.
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS THERE'S
TOO MUCH FINGER POINTING AND
BLAMING INSTEAD OF COMING
TOGETHER AND PUTTING FORTH
IDEAS AND HAVING THOSE IDEAS
INTO SOMETHING THAT BOTH SIDES
FIND ACCEPTABLE THAT WOULD
INCREMENTALLY MOVE TOWARD A
SOLUTION.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO
SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IN ONE WEEK,
ONE MONTH PROBABLY EVEN ONE
TERM OF OF CONGRESS.
BUT WE NEED TO START AND WE
NEED TO START WITH INCREMENTAL
INCREMENTAL MEANINGFUL CHANGE
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE A
BORDER WALL.
LET'S END WITH THIS QUESTION.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO SENATOR MARK
KELLY AND FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN
GABBY GIFFORDS ABOUT THEIR
ENDORSEMENT IN THIS RACE?
WELL, THE SENATOR IS
CONCENTRATING ON MAKING
IMPROVEMENTS AND GETTING US OUT
OF THIS PANDEMIC AND MAKING
LIFE BETTER FOR SOUTHERN
ARIZONA AND ALL OF ARIZONA.
IN FACT, WE HAVE SPOKEN BUT HE
IS CONCENTRATING ON THE WORK HE
HAS IN FRONT OF HIM IN
CONGRESS.
WOULD YOU EXPECT THEIR
ENDORSEMENT AT SOME POINT?
AGAIN, THAT'S A THAT'S A
DECISION FOR THEM.
I I'M GOING TO PUT MY HEAD DOWN
AND DO THE WORK I NEED TO DO TO
HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN TO
BE THE CANDIDATE IN THE GENERAL
AND THEN AND THEN HOLD THE SEAT
FOR