One of the hottest Congressional races in the country will be District 8 AZ. An embattled and vulnerable Democrat is a top GOP target for 2010.

As Ilya Shapiro at Cato.org explains:

The Arizona 8th, which covers part of Tucson and the extreme southeast of the state, is currently represented by Democrat Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords won in this traditionally Republican district in 2006 when the GOP fielded a candidate too socially conservative for this libertarian area. Though she was reelected in 2008, John McCain carried the district 52-46. Giffords is considered to be vulnerable; while apparently a member of the “Blue Dog” caucus, she voted for TARP, the stimulus, Obamacare, and cap-and-trade, and has a D+ rating from the NRA. And so the 2010 election should be an opportunity for a libertarian Republican

That libertarian Republican is Jesse Kelly.

He is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran. He led a squad of Marines while deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since his discharge in 2004, he's been a Construction site Manager.

Kelly has garnered an impressive list of supporters on the Right: Reps. Michele Bachmann, Marsha Blackburn, Trent Franks, Mike Pence, and two legends in Arizona Barry Goldwater, Jr. and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

A Tea Party Patriot, his views are solidly libertarian.

Continues Shapiro:

I actually met Kelly once and was impressed with how forthrightly he spoke not only about “limited government” generally — any politician can mouth that — but about constitutional protections for liberty, such as Article I’s enumerated powers and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Adam tells me that Kelly’s been known to reference Locke, Jefferson, Hayek, and Friedman at house parties and fundraisers alike.

On Defense, from his website:

We live in a time when our enemies test nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of reaching American interests. Terrorists continue to plot attacks against America and her interests. We must fully fund our nation's military and ensure the men and women in uniform have the tools, training, and care they need and deserve.

Our government has a constitutional obligation to protect its citizens. Border security needs to be a top National Defense priority. I am committed to fully funding vital military systems such as missile defense and upgrading our fighter and bomber fleets.

And Kelly has a solid "movement libertarian" link. One of his campaign staffers comes from the Cato Institute.

Adam Kwasman is a former economics and law student at George Mason Univ. He's also a former Cato intern. Kwasman serves as Policy Director for the Kelly Campaign.