Legislative District 6 begs primary candidate scrutiny
By Linda Bentley | August 6, 2008
There‘s something about Bouie that may be all hooey
PHOENIX – Carl Seel is running for state representative in Legislative District 6, which represents, generally, the Moon Valley area of Phoenix and north, including Anthem.
Seel, a lifelong Republican, lives in the Moon Valley area, whereas all other District 6 representatives and candidates live in the master-planned community of Anthem.
He’s served as Chairman of the PACyderm Coalition, a Regan Republican organization, and is currently Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms for the Arizona Republican Party.
As a member of the Arizona Republican Assembly and an elected Precinct Committeeman, Seel has been active in the party with his conservative politics.
Seel believes in lower taxes, smaller government, fewer regulations and protection of our constitutional rights. He has received an endorsement from the NRA.
Seel’s primary election opponent Tony Bouie was a lifetime Democrat until five days before he pulled a packet to run in District 6 as a Republican.
Bouie is a former All-American football player from the University of Arizona who played four seasons, mostly as a backup, for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beginning in 1995.
In January 2008, Bouie learned he had cancer, which, according to numerous articles and a blog updated by his wife, is a rare form of lymphoma that has spread to his liver, elbow, neck, hip and elsewhere.
The Tucson Citizen ran an article on Jan. 16, 2008, “Teammates rally behind Bouie’s illness,” and said former UA offensive lineman Eric Johnson helped set up a foundation for medical costs and for Bouie’s daughters Natalie, 3, and Eboni, 1.
An alumni golf tournament was held in February to raise money for the foundation.
Ex-teammate Heath Bray, a financial advisor in Phoenix, invested in Bouie’s company, Halo Cups, Inc., named for his Christian background.
“I’m not beating people over the head with the Bible,” Bouie was quoted as saying in the article, “but my ultimate goal is to fund ministries and to help people who are going out to spread the word of God, here in the states and overseas. It’s what I feel I was called to do.”
“Cancer hasn’t changed that. But it gave him another calling,” stated the article.
Six months and six rounds of chemotherapy later, Bouie went from his time being measured in months, to becoming a born-again Republican headed for the campaign trail, a calling far removed from spreading the word of God.
Doug Clark, a one-term representative from Anthem, who withdrew from running a second term, is Bouie’s campaign chairman.
It appears the primary race will remain a low-budget affair with Bouie’s war chest of $3,819 pitted against Seel’s $465.
Top Photo: Carl Seel
Lower Photo: Tony Bouie
Courtesy photos