Eli Crane, AZ Congressional Candidate: America First
25 Aug 2022
CLAY: Weโre joined now by Eli Crane, former Navy SEAL, small business owner, husband, dad, and native Arizonan. Eli, the week after 9/11 you left school to join the Navy, five wartime deployments, three to Iraq as a sniper with SEAL Team 3. Tell me how this all came to be post-9/11.
I think another guy in Arizona did basically the same thing, Pat Tillman, who a lot of people know that story. How did you make the decision to leave University of Arizona, what has your life been like since, and what district are you running for so everybody listening to us in Arizona can make sure they vote for you?
CRANE: Hey, thanks for having me on. I appreciate it. So, Iโm running in Congressional District 2 against the countryโs most vulnerable Democrat, Tom OโHalloran. You know, like thousands of Americans, the week after 9/11 I actually decided to drop out of school, and I just really believe that it was my time to step up to this country. I know many men and women in generations before me did the same thing for this country to protect some of the freedoms and the prosperities that we have here.
WATCH our new ad, featuring former Navy SEAL Eli Crane.
โWhen things get tough, you want people who have walked through a storm. Who have been forged in fire.โ pic.twitter.com/zTmnH8VKNQ
โ Caroline Anderegg (@cfanderegg) September 10, 2020
And I knew that was a pivotal moment in our history, and I knew the next generation needed to step up. And I realized that I could go back to school at any time. So, I wanted to do that. I did that. Unfortunately for me, I didnโt make it through SEAL training my first time. I had to go back and do it a second time. But Iโm grateful just that I got a chance to serve my country and serve with some of the finest men on the planet.
BUCK: Hey, Eli, the district youโre running it, I mean, obviously youโre spending a lot of time talking to the people, your constituents and figuring out what is top of mind for them. Clay and I have been discussing this. It looks like right now the polls arenโt quite as strong nationwide for Republicans in some of these races as weโd like to see them. The Red Wave is feeling more like it could be โ at least some people think โ a red ripple. Iโm actually still pretty confident. What are people telling you? I mean, what are the top-of-mind issues for the voters that youโre speaking to in Arizonaโs 2nd Congressional?
CRANE: Well, I think the economy and immigration are two of the big ones here. People also in this district and in Arizona generally are really upset and fired up about our elections as well. They donโt feel like our elections are tight or as transparent as the mainstream media would have us believe. You know, so those are a couple really big things right there that Arizonans, especially in this district, want to see turned around.
And the worst part about it, Buck, is I think we can all agree that when it comes to the border and also the economy itโs our own fault, itโs our own doing. And so thatโs I think what rubs people the wrong way so hard is that theyโre trying to struggle just to make ends meet. Make sure their kids can go to school. Make sure that they have gas in the tank and they can afford groceries. Meanwhile, this administration continues to promote bills and legislation and uncontrolled spending that continues to put us into a deeper and deeper hole.
CLAY: Weโre talking to a guy who I hope all the voters out there are going to support, Eli Crane. Eli, again, I encourage everybody to support you. But you mentioned something that I wanted to unpack. You said you had to try twice as a Navy SEAL. This is grueling. This is unbelievably difficult. You made it as a second time. What happened the first time that you tapped out? And how tough was this? I know our audience loves the dedication Navy SEALs bring to bear. What was that training like for you? And why did you make it a second time after not making it the first?
CRANE: You know, it was brutal. And itโs designed to be that way and for good reason. And I think thatโs why SEAL teams produce some of the best warriors on the planet. But for me honestly the first time I showed up I wasnโt as prepared as I could have been. You know, I wasnโt as mature as I could have been. You know, I was more focused on myself and staying inside my comfort zone.
And I wasnโt as quick to get out of my comfort zone to help one of my brothers when they were carrying more weight or when they needed help. And thatโs something that the SEAL instructors, theyโll smell on you real quickly. Are you more focused on your own comfort or will you get outside your comfort zone to help one of your brothers in a time of need? And they have a bunch of different ways to expose that.
And I just wasnโt ready. I wasnโt mature enough. And I actually made it through Hell Week my first attempt in SEAL training, but they told you, young man, youโre not ready, and we suggest that you come back in a year. It took me two-and-a-half years to come back, but Iโm grateful that they held the standards where they were. Iโm grateful that I learned a tough lesson in life, and Iโm grateful that I actually came back and made it through.
BUCK: Weโre talking to Eli Crane. Heโs running for Congress in Arizona. Itโs Buck, Eli, and Iโm just wondering what you think about the $3 billion I think it was yesterday that they just decided was gonna โ additional $3 billion gonna โ go to Ukraine. I mean, you know the face of warfare. You know what itโs like to be outside the wire and in a conflict zone. What do you think is going on over there?
Never before in our history. pic.twitter.com/Mv7IqLxxNi
โ Eli Crane (@EliCrane_CEO) August 9, 2022
CRANE: Well guys, when I look at this issue like I look at every issue, Iโm an America First candidate. So, I try and put that America First lens between everything I look at, and when I look at the war in Ukraine and I look at all the money that we continue to send over, I look and I see the fact that we still donโt have a southern border. We have people pouring over that border every single day.
Weโve got over $30 trillion in debt, people are really struggling just to make ends meet. And as an America First candidate, itโs not that I donโt have any sympathy or empathy for Ukrainians โ or anybody else, for that matter โ or want to see unchecked Russian aggression. Itโs just that I have to ask myself, are we putting Americans first? And I donโt believe that we are. And so thatโs something, when I continue to see us send more money that we donโt even have โ we have to print this money because we already are, I think, $33 trillion in debt.
You know, it really bothers me, because we continue to spend money that we donโt have protecting somebody elseโs sovereignty and border. Meanwhile, we have no sovereignty, no border down south. And thatโs paying heavy dividends to communities and people all over this country when you see fentanyl pouring through that southern border, when you see sex trafficking pouring through that southern border, when you see MS-13 gang members coming through that border. You know, and I think thatโs why we need America First candidates now more than we ever have just because of this country being on fire like it is.
BUCK: Eli, where can folks go to learn more about your campaign and help out?
CRANE: Thank you, Buck. I appreciate it. People can go to EliForArizona.com if they want to help us out. Like I said, weโre running against most vulnerable Democrat in the country, and so this is definitely a very winnable race.
BUCK: Well, Eli, thank you for your service, sir, and we will have you back when you are Congressman Crane. Looking forward to it.
CRANE: Thank you, brother.
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