La Posada’s savior runs for Congress

Allan Affeldt has accomplished a lot. He saved the run-down La Posada in the Route 66 town Winslow, Ariz., and transformed it into one of the best lodging and dining destinations in the Southwest. He was elected mayor of Winslow two years ago. He’s guiding the restoration of another Harvey House, El Garces, in Needles, Calif.

Now Affeldt is setting his sights on another goal — winning a seat in Congress.

His political bid was essentially announced by a glowing article in the Winslow Mail this week. Affeldt is positioning himself as a conservative-leaning Democrat in Arizona’s 1st District, and the article quotes Republican-voting Affeldt admirers for good measure.

“I was raised in a traditional Republican family who taught me that those who prosper have an obligation to give back to their communities,” Affeldt said. “My parents believed in limited government and self-reliance. The self-interest, greed and shortsightedness of the current Republican administration does not represent traditional Republican or Democratic values.

“It is time people focus less on party affiliation and more on the issues and what is the right thing to do for everyone,” he said.

Affeldt’s political site is here.

Affeldt’s resume presumably makes him a formidable candidate. His candidacy also became more viable with the recent legal problems of Republican incumbent Rep. Rick Renzi, who’s being investigated by the FBI into his role in a proposed government land swap.

I admit, the idea of Congress having a lawmaker who lives on Route 66 and sees the value of the Mother Road is most intriguing.