In his campaign to be Arizona’s next U.S. senator, Dr. David Ruben said he wants to talk about issues, not rhetoric.

“People tell me that they just hear platitudes from politicians. They don’t talk about the base issues,” he said.”

The Tucson psychiatrist recently garnered enough signatures to be placed on the primary ballot Tuesday, Aug. 28. Ruben refers to himself as the “contrarian candidate” of the Democratic primary, campaigning for the seat current U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl plans to retire from at the end of his term.

Ruben doesn’t have the financial backing of his Democratic opponent, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, but said he has broad experience with Arizonans as a self-described middle class candidate who has treated thousands of patients in Arizona over the last 30 years. Aside from families, he has also treated “the aftermath of our adventures overseas” — soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and their families.

A financial conservative, Ruben also has a considerable understanding of economics. After becoming a doctor in 1974, Ruben earned a master’s of business administration in health economics and has built and run hospitals. He has also worked as a miner, fisherman and small-business consultant.

For the full story, see the Friday, June 1, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.