Ken Aden
Ken Aden was a 2012 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House representing the 3rd Congressional District of Arkansas.[1]
Ken Aden "announced his intent to withdraw from the race for United States Congress effective at 5 p.m. on Monday, July 9, 2012." "'Mr. Aden’s campaign has, via overnight mail, submitted the necessary notification prescribed by the Arkansas Code to withdraw from the race for U.S. Congress. A copy of this notification has been provided to the Democratic Party of Arkansas as well,” said Vince Leibowitz, spokesperson for the campaign."[2]
"Aden has been quoted by media outlets saying he was a Green Beret and qualified as a special forces soldier. Recent reports have claimed that is not the case, adding he tried numerous times to become a Green Beret, but never qualified. What is not in question is that Aden did serve in the Army for more than a decade. Aden himself has maintained that his version of his military background is correct."[3]
Biography
Aden earned his AA from Arkansas State University. He served in the Arkansas Army National Guard from 2000 to 2002 and has also served in the United States Army as a Staff Sergeant.
Campaign themes
2012
Aden's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[4]
- Veterans
- Excerpt: "Ken supports strengthening programs to help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan re-enter the workforce and supports offering tax credits to businesses that hire unemployed veterans. "
- Energy
- Excerpt: "Ken believes that America must become energy independent. He believes that green and renewable energy is key to that—and that Northwest Arkansas is uniquely situated to become a leader in helping our country achieve energy independence. "
- Education
- Excerpt: "As our next member of Congress, Ken will work to ensure that the federal government is helping—not hurting—Arkansas public schools. Ken is dedicated to ensuring that the next generation of students in Northwest Arkansas has access to a first-class education system and that every child must be given the opportunity to receive a first-class education. "
- Our Seniors
- Excerpt: "Ken will oppose any attempts to privatize Medicare and Social Security—period. He believes we must honor our commitment made to senior citizens with these programs and will oppose any effort to dismantle the programs or cut benefits to existing program participants. "
- Environment
- Excerpt: "Ken believes the federal government has a vital role to play in helping preserve our natural resources and the quality of our air, soil, and water not just in Northwest Arkansas but across our nation. As our next member of Congress, Ken will work to ensure that our environment is protected while ensuring that we aren’t over-regulating small business."
- 2nd Amendment
- Excerpt: "Ken is a strong supporter of our 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Ken believes that responsible gun ownership is a right we must cherish and strive to protect."
- Immigration Reform
- Excerpt: "Ken believes that we need common sense, comprehensive, and balanced immigration reform. Ken supports immigration reform that will secure our borders and provide immigrants with a fair chance of achieving the American Dream."
- A Woman's Right To Choose
- Excerpt: "Ken fully supports a woman’s right to choose and believes efforts to hinder this right are an unacceptable intrusion into the lives of American women. Ken believes women must be provided unfettered access to reproductive healthcare and that a woman’s medical decisions should be between her, her family, and her doctor.
- Defense & National Security
- Excerpt: "Ken believes we must continue our fight against global terrorism, and increase funding for counterintelligence activities, enhanced cybersecurity efforts, and better aviation, port, and border security. "
- Fiscal Responsibility & Cutting The Deficit
- Excerpt: "Ken is a strong advocate for paying off debt and not expanding spending when times are good. However, when we have almost 13 million people in this country unemployed, it’s time to take decisive action to get the economy moving again."
- Rebuilding Our Infrastructure
- Excerpt: "Ken believes that it is long past time for Congress to take serious action to rebuild our infrastructure in Northwest Arkansas and across the country. "
- Labor & Working Americans
- Excerpt: "Ken believes that every American has a right to fair wages or an honest day’s work. He fully supports the efforts of organized labor."
- Financial Regulation & Reform
- Excerpt: "The Financial Crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession were mostly caused by a lack of the kind of regulation that made American banks the safest in the world for almost 70 years. From the moment regulations were lifted or eliminated, banks went on a crash course to abuse consumers and take on ever larger risks"
Elections
2012
Aden was running in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Arkansas' 3rd District. He was unopposed in the May 22 Democratic primary but withdrew prior to the general election.[5]
Campaign finance summary
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External links
- Official campaign website
- Official campaign twitter page
- Official campaign Facebook page
- Official campaign youtube page
Footnotes
- ↑ Forbes, "Democratic announces for NW Ark. congressional seat," August 30, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Aden's Campaign Website, "Aden Announces Withdrawal From Congressional Race," July 9, 2012
- ↑ "KATV" " UPDATE: Ken Aden withdraws from race for Congress," July 9, 2012
- ↑ Campaign website, Issues
- ↑ Aden's Campaign Website, "Aden Announces Withdrawal From Congressional Race," July 9, 2012
