Giffords, center, makes a surprise arrival in Congress Aug. 1 to vote on the debt ceiling (House TV via AP)
Party officials in Washington as well as their counterparts in Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' home state of Arizona have been eagerly awaiting news on whether the congresswoman will pursue a re-election bid in 2012 as she continues to recover from a January shooting attack at her town hall event.
But candidates aren't waiting.
Democrat Anthony Prowell, a special education elementary school teacher, last week confirmed he plans to campaign for Giffords' seat regardless of whether she decides to run. And a Republican angling to run for her seat is openly questioning the congresswoman's fitness to serve.
On the Democratic side, potential candidates such as Prowell face intense pressure to defer to Giffords, who has yet to reveal her 2012 plans.
Prowell told the Daily Caller that party officials are "livid" about his plans and have flatly rejected any support for his campaign.
"They're furious that I'm even considering running after what happened to her," Prowell said. He noted that he can't even count on support from his personal friends. Prowell said he is considering running as a Green Party candidate due to lack of support within the Democratic establishment.
On the Republican side, state Sen. Frank Antenori suggested to The Hill last week that Giffords' staff is covering up her inability to serve.
"She is cognizant enough to read and comprehend the debt bill and cast a vote but her handlers don't feel the media should be given access to her, and I don't know why that is," Antenori said. "It's creating the legitimate question: Is she able to vigorously represent the district, or was this a one-time deal? Can she do this next term to the same degree of every member of Congress, is she able to continue that level of energy?"
Giffords surprised her colleagues and the nation by appearing in Washington Aug. 1 to cast a vote to raise the debt ceiling--her first vote since the January attack, which left her badly injured from gunshot wounds to the head. Since then, Giffords hasn't made any other public appearances and has not offered any additional information regarding whether she will be returning to work in Washington, running for re-election or potentially higher office in 2012.
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110829/el_yblog_theticket/candidates-arent-waiting-for-gabrielle-giffords-to-decide-on-2012
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