Democratic Congressman Raul Ruiz is nothing more than a “rubber stamp,” according to Dan Ball, one of Ruiz’s chief Repubican challengers for the 36th Congressional District.
(Photo Courtesy of Dan Ball for Congress)
“I don’t think that he has done enough for this district when it comes to, No. 1, the Salton Sea,” Ball said in an interview with Uken Report. “You can point to a couple little small bills where a couple or a few million dollars got thrown at it. That’s like flicking a gnat when there’s an epidemic, a swarm of locusts coming at you, to flick one away. It’s not going to stop the mass coming at you. So, giving the Sea $8 million here, $2 million, it’s not going to do anything.”
Ball is one of four Republicans challenging Ruiz in the November 2018 mid-term elections.
“We need a deal maker,” Ball said. “I think anybody can tell you that’s dealt with me, either on home sales or helping charities, putting on charity events, promoting when new businesses open up. You’ve seen all the live reports I’ve done for 20 years here at all three stations. I’m good at bringing people together, and putting something together and making it happen to raise money either for a charity, or veterans here locally, to help a new business that opened up, whatever. I’ve always been able to be a good deal maker and bring people together. I’m a good conversationalist.”
Ball, 43, insists he plans to win the district for the people, not for the Republican party.
“When I get to D.C., don’t think that I’m going to be a patsy and a puppet who’s going to just vote down party lines because I’m sorry, that’s what we’ve had for the last five years,” Ball said emphatically. “We’ve had a rubber stamp.”
Ball said when Ruiz ran against former Congresswoman Mary Bono, he accused her of “going Washington.” At the time, Ball said Ruiz said Bono cared only cared about the party and herself, and didn’t care about the people and vowed to do better.
“Well, I guarantee you, his voting record does not show he’s cared for all of the people of this district,” Ball said. “You have to take everybody into consideration. Not just a specific group that might get you elected, but all of the people. To me, he’s been a rubber stamp and that’s not how I will legislate.”
