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Havasu’s Scarmardo announces run for state Senate

By NATHAN BRUTTELL
Today's News-Herald
Published Wednesday, May 11, 2011 10:34 PM MST

Sam Scarmardo is looking to get a head start on the competition.

The 23-year Lake Havasu City resident and Sam Shooter’s Emporium owner announced this week he’s running for state Senate. Scarmardo, a former Lake Havasu City councilman, will seek the seat currently occupied by Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City. Gould’s term is set to expire in 2012. When asked why he was running, Scarmardo pointed first to Gould.

“If Ron was going to run for another eight years, I’d be his campaign manager,” Scarmardo said. “This is too important of a seat. We have Republicans in name only and Democrats on the state senate. Some of the other candidates considering this position are moderate at best and liberal at worst. I can’t let the seat go over to the moderate/liberal column.”

Scarmardo, a Chicago-native, holds a bachelor of science degree in finance and a bachelor of arts degree in accounting, with a minor in criminal justice. In addition to serving on the Lake Havasu City Council, he also served as vice mayor.

“I intend to carry on in the same manner as my good friend Ron Gould,” Scarmardo said in a press release. “I’m a Christian, pro-gun, pro-life, Tea Party advocate and strict constitutionalist. I stand for a smaller, more efficient and less intrusive government at every level.”

Scarmardo said he’s also an Arizona Minuteman member with specific opinions on immigration, likening his policy to Gould’s.

“Make the illegals entirely ineligible for any state or federal benefit programs,” Scarmardo said in the release. “Senator Gould has worked for a tight budget and for Constitutional law, I will do the same.”

Scarmardo said he wouldn’t be “a Ron Gould clone” either.

“I don’t see my voting record as being much different, but I’m not just a clone,” he said. “I’ll put it this way, if you loved Ron Gould, you’re going to love me.”

Scarmardo also listed himself as organizer of the “Dump Harry Reid Rally,” vice chairman for the Mohave County Republican Party, Main Street Board of Directors member, Mohave County Facilities board member, Mohave County Employee Benefits board member and Mohave County Loss Prevention board member. Scarmardo is also a Mason, Elk, Eagle and member of the Shriners and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Scarmardo said he wouldn’t be running as a clean-elections candidate because “it’s ineffective”.

“It’d be tying one hand behind your back,” he said. “Clean elections isn’t what it was when it came out, and it’s basically a misnomer anyway. It doesn’t guarantee anyone being honest.”

Upon hearing of Scarmardo’s announcement, Gould said he “saw it coming.”

“I’m not endorsing anyone at this point, but Sam would be a good candidate,” Gould said. In terms of his own plans, Gould said he would wait until county supervisor district lines were modified as a result of Census information.

“I’m still waiting to see where the lines get drawn,” Gould said. “I won’t make any decisions until that happens.”

You may contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com

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Comments (21 comment(s))

officedoug wrote on May 19, 2011 8:21 PM:

" All that I am saying is that government has outgrown itself, we need to take this oportunity to reduce the size of ALL forms of government. We need help, and government has taken from us too much. "

hvnfun3 wrote on May 17, 2011 10:12 AM:

" hmm awful quite from Sam. Would also like to hear how he ran the re-call election for harvey, was behind bringing the last City Manager to us ets. "

twighlightzone wrote on May 17, 2011 12:57 AM:

" Just when you think Arizona's representation couldn't get any worse, Sam Scarmado decides to run for the senate. "

hvnfun3 wrote on May 16, 2011 2:33 PM:

" So Sam , are you Had It? and please let us all know the civic oraganizatiion you have belonged too. Starting in Illinois "

BrightOne wrote on May 16, 2011 10:37 AM:

" havaidea: How do you know he goes by that name on here? "

hughbert wrote on May 16, 2011 9:20 AM:

" formerteacher wrote on May 13, 2011 1:32 PM: "..., since you don't like liberals, please let me have your Social Security money each month because wthout liberals you wouldn't have it. "

OK - give me back the 15% of my pay taken from me since age 16 with interest corresponding to the DJIA. - Thanks alot FDR. "

havasufan wrote on May 15, 2011 4:58 PM:

" Sam was on the council that appointed then reappointed, then stood up for and defended the behavior of...disgraced former magistrate Andreas. Nuff said. "

Iamjustsaying wrote on May 14, 2011 4:06 PM:

" The "Usual Suspects" begin to emerge. I do applaud Ralph for pointing out that Sam, who proclaims to be a Conservative candidate, has no problem with the Main Street Association (in which he is apparently on the Board of Directors) taking tax payer handouts. SAMe ol song and dance!! "

Roco wrote on May 14, 2011 8:55 AM:

" Its laughable when you hear these wannabe politicians from any where in Arizona chime about a smaller government and how the liberals have caused all the problems. Arizona has been a conservative state for decades. So how can the liberals have caused these problems when they have not been in power all the time? "

formerteacher wrote on May 14, 2011 6:42 AM:

" Officedave, I am sorry that I struck such a chord that led to name calling. Let me say that have a Bachelor, Master and 32 college hours toward a PhD so I am hardly inept. A liberal? Not really. I hold many beliefs as those who consider themselves conservative, but I don't hold with destroying, but rather wth building upon what we have. I don't mean adding, but rather streamlining what we have. Our society needs to take care of those who cannot care for themselves or do you advocate throwing them out to fend for themselves? I believe that immigration should be legal and that illegals be sent back and not given a free handout. I do beleve that a person has a right to own a gun, but not carry that sucker in a classroom, bar, restaurant, office or place of business without a permit. If this makes me a liberal, so be it. "

officedoug wrote on May 13, 2011 3:39 PM:

" Sam sounds good to me, and formerteacher sounds like an inept liberal to me. Yes we will be behind you Sam, I know that you have run quite a business there, with a variety of problems. formerteacher, what do you mean "what are you going to do for Mohave County?" if Sam can reduce the size of government here and in the state, we will be far better off. These liberals are always looking to government to do something for us, we don't want the government doing anything for us, we want the government to get out of our way. SHRINK the size of government at every level, use more competition to lower the costs and we will be better off!! "

havaidea wrote on May 13, 2011 2:42 PM:

" Scarmado is a vindictive bully and that does not make for a good politician. If you would like to see some of his rants look for him in these forums under the screen name "Had it with Havasu" "

Ralph wrote on May 13, 2011 2:40 PM:

" @taxed2much...no one claimed Mr Scarmardo wasn't charitable...I look at Mr Scarmardo's properties and the properties of the other Main Street Members and wonder. Why business/property owners who are well off need $45K from the tax payers to run a private business/property association? "

formerteacher wrote on May 13, 2011 1:32 PM:

" Havasu Tea Party, I hope you are not speaking for me when you state that whole town is behind Scarmardo because I am not. Mr. Scarmardo is not running for the U. S. Senate, but rather state senate and neither has anything to do with the local problems. Also, since you don't like liberals, please let me have your Social Security money each month because wthout liberals you wouldn't have it. "

rumpelstiltskin wrote on May 13, 2011 9:24 AM:

" LOL. . . Are you serious? . . . I thought you were joking. . . . . Wow! What a ride that's gonna be . . . . Sam Shooter for Senate . . . . . Show me your birth certificate . . . . . Oh no, I think I'm gonna be sick . . . . "hurling noises" "

taxed2much wrote on May 13, 2011 8:39 AM:

" In this town, I don't know anyone who did not or presently not taking any money from the taxpayers and most of you not giving anything back or pay any taxes.
Sam is a very charitable guy and he is one of our the top taxpayer.
Just look at his new house and wonder how much more property taxes is he paying than you? "

hvnfun3 wrote on May 13, 2011 7:16 AM:

" Sam, I have heard from numerous sources that you belonged to some pretty unusual groups. Please enlighten us and share all the groups,societies, etc that you have been a member of for the last 20 years. "

Havasu Tea Party wrote on May 12, 2011 8:01 PM:

" The whole city is behind you Sam. Sam for United States Senate! Help us clean up the corruption in this city. No more double dipping and liberals. "

formerteacher wrote on May 12, 2011 4:24 PM:

" Not a clone of Ron Gould??? Let's see..pro-gun, pro-life,anti-immigraton, Tea Party, not running as a clean election candidate and conservative. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and flies like a duck, then??? Being a conservative is not voting against nearly everything that is proposed. I do have a question... what will you do for Mohave County if you are elected? "

twighlightzone wrote on May 12, 2011 10:27 AM:

" This article sure makes him sound active,real active for a guy on a "disability" pension from the railroad. You left that part out.? "

Ralph wrote on May 12, 2011 8:21 AM:

" Show us how much of a conservative you are go before the city council as a Main Street Board of Director member and tell them you don't want tax payer dollars to subsides Main Street Association. You a person who claims "I stand for a smaller, more efficient and less intrusive government at every level". You should demand the city stay out of the organization's business at all levels financially and otherwise. Your organization should not be burdening the tax payers asking for subsides. "

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