2:39 p.m. - Special session SB1001 passes 9 - 4. Biggs announces vote and adjourns meeting in same breath.
2:38 p.m. - Biggs wonders if state will have to "emasculate" education to fund AHCCCS.
2:36 p.m. - Allen votes yes. Biggs says bill generates needed "discussion". Says that lawsuits will follow.
2:35 p.m. - Sylvia Allen says that they should be allowed to reform all programs to balance budget.
2:34 p.m. - Sinema votes no.
2:30 p.m. - Sinema points out that even a federal waiver won't override Prop 204, which expanded AHCCCS eligibility to 100% of the federal property level.
2:29 p.m. - Biggs hurrying Schapira. Schapira votes no.
2:26 - Schapira - Preventative care is better and cheaper than treatment, and this will increase indigent treatment costs, possibly more than is saved.
2:24 p.m. - Schapira call this a "poor policy" with likely negative business and economic impacts on the state.
2:23 - Aboud (D) voting no. Calls out Republicans for protecting wealthy and corps while targeting poor.. Calls bill a "half-hearted" publicity stunt.
2:21 p.m. - Rs all voting yes. What a shock.
2:18 p.m. - Sen. Andy Biggs gavelled meeting into session. Democrats walking in as voting starts.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Live blogging the start of the first special session of the year...
...and expect plenty more, with another one possible by the end of the month...
2:10 p.m. - Heading to the meeting of Senate Appropriations
2:08 p.m. - Introducing doctor of the day, somebody from Mesa.
2:07 p.m. - SB1001, SB1002 referred to committees
2:02 p.m. - Notifying House that they are ready to conduct business/this train.
2:00 p.m. - Rules suspended so it won't take three days to railroad this through.
1:58 p.m. - Reading proclamation for special session.
1:56 p.m. - Gavelled into session. Prayer, pledge, taking attendance.
2:10 p.m. - Heading to the meeting of Senate Appropriations
2:08 p.m. - Introducing doctor of the day, somebody from Mesa.
2:07 p.m. - SB1001, SB1002 referred to committees
2:02 p.m. - Notifying House that they are ready to conduct business/this train.
2:00 p.m. - Rules suspended so it won't take three days to railroad this through.
1:58 p.m. - Reading proclamation for special session.
1:56 p.m. - Gavelled into session. Prayer, pledge, taking attendance.
Redistricting update: Consider the hair successfully split
The Arizona Supreme Court has handed down its ruling in the Pearce/Adams lawsuit challenging the eligibility of three of the nominees for the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC).
The suit was partially successful - the Court ruled that Republicans Stephen Sossaman and Mark Schnepf are ineligible because of their service on irrigation district governing boards and the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments must select two more Republican applicants for Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce and Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams to add to the list of names from which the electeds will make their appointments to the AIRC. The Court ordered that the two names be selected and forwarded to the electeds by January 31, 2011.
On the other hand, the Court ruled that Professor Paul Bender's service on tribal courts does *not* violate the "no public officers" clause in the law that created the AIRC, and he remains on the list of Independent candidates for the AIRC.
More later...
The suit was partially successful - the Court ruled that Republicans Stephen Sossaman and Mark Schnepf are ineligible because of their service on irrigation district governing boards and the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments must select two more Republican applicants for Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce and Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams to add to the list of names from which the electeds will make their appointments to the AIRC. The Court ordered that the two names be selected and forwarded to the electeds by January 31, 2011.
On the other hand, the Court ruled that Professor Paul Bender's service on tribal courts does *not* violate the "no public officers" clause in the law that created the AIRC, and he remains on the list of Independent candidates for the AIRC.
More later...
Legislative Loon Award: Retired
...at least for two years...
Not because of recent calls for a civil discourse that is more "civil" but because there are too many candidates to choose from, and there will be until the next election (at least!).
Here we are, only into the 2nd week of the legislative session, and 564 bills have been proposed in the House, and another 186 in the Senate. Highlights include, but are not limited to, the following bills -
HB2001, Rep. Jack Harper's move to turn college classrooms into armed encampments
HB2006, Harper's scheme to allow firearms within game refuges
HB2070, Harper's establishment of a state-sanctioned vigilante force to hunt brown-skinned people near the border with Mexico
HB2077, Rep. Chester Crandell's proposal to require federal agencies to register with the sheriff of any county they operate in, pay a fee, and forward any fees/fines/penalties that they collect to that sheriff for forwarding to the state's General Fund
HB2179, Rep. Carl Seel's plan to require school districts to identify students of parents whose immigration status is undocumented and report the numbers to the state. It also has criminal and financial penalties for inaccuracies
HB2182, Seel's plan for screwing over teachers by allowing districts to withhold contract offers until July 1 of each year
HB2221, Rep. John Fillmore's bill to put the state in the banking business. Seriously. It would mandate the creation of a state-operated bank, accepting deposits and making loans. Guaranteed by the state's General Fund
HB2222, Fillmore's plan to take the limits off of school tuition tax credits
HB2288, Rep. Jeff Dial's move to require the state's airports to abandon the Transportation Security Administration and hire private security contractors to handle all aspects of airport security
HB2313, Rep. Russ Jones' proposal to allow taking, under eminent domain, of federally-owned land
HB2333, Harper's move to allow former legislators to immediately become professional lobbyists (currently, they have to wait a year)
HB2337, Rep. Justin Olson's proposal to require school districts that still offer full-day K to charge tuition for a half day of that full day
HB2340, Olson's proposal to end the state's equalization property tax (which goes directly to fund education)
HB2472, Another "eminent domain of federal land" bill, this one from Rep. David Gowan
HB2479, a "guns in schools" bill, from Gowan
HB2505, Seel's (and Sen. Russell Pearce's) scheme to cut state education aid to school districts for students whose parents cannot prove their child's immigration status
HCR2011, Seel's proposed amendment to the AZ Constitution to reduce the income eligibility level for AHCCCS
HCR2023, Rep. David Burnell Smith's plan to allow wealthy candidates to skip the bother of talking to voters and gathering nominating signatures in lieu of buying their way onto the ballot
HCR2024, Smith's proposed amendment to the AZ Constitution to end Clean Elections. Smith was the first legislator removed from office due to violations of Clean Elections' rules. Think he's still holding a grudge? Naaahhhhh...couldn't be! :)
SCR1010, Sen. Linda Gray's proposed amendment to the AZ Constitution to bar state courts from considering the "legal precepts of other nations or cultures" when rendering their decisions.
This isn't meant to be a comprehensive listing of bad bills proposed so far (there are some anti-choice and anti-immigrant bills, but I don't have time to cover them right now - and we haven't seen the "birther" or 14th Amendment stuff yet), but this is just a good start at documenting the beginning of what is shaping up to be an ugly year.
Not because of recent calls for a civil discourse that is more "civil" but because there are too many candidates to choose from, and there will be until the next election (at least!).
Here we are, only into the 2nd week of the legislative session, and 564 bills have been proposed in the House, and another 186 in the Senate. Highlights include, but are not limited to, the following bills -
HB2001, Rep. Jack Harper's move to turn college classrooms into armed encampments
HB2006, Harper's scheme to allow firearms within game refuges
HB2070, Harper's establishment of a state-sanctioned vigilante force to hunt brown-skinned people near the border with Mexico
HB2077, Rep. Chester Crandell's proposal to require federal agencies to register with the sheriff of any county they operate in, pay a fee, and forward any fees/fines/penalties that they collect to that sheriff for forwarding to the state's General Fund
HB2179, Rep. Carl Seel's plan to require school districts to identify students of parents whose immigration status is undocumented and report the numbers to the state. It also has criminal and financial penalties for inaccuracies
HB2182, Seel's plan for screwing over teachers by allowing districts to withhold contract offers until July 1 of each year
HB2221, Rep. John Fillmore's bill to put the state in the banking business. Seriously. It would mandate the creation of a state-operated bank, accepting deposits and making loans. Guaranteed by the state's General Fund
HB2222, Fillmore's plan to take the limits off of school tuition tax credits
HB2288, Rep. Jeff Dial's move to require the state's airports to abandon the Transportation Security Administration and hire private security contractors to handle all aspects of airport security
HB2313, Rep. Russ Jones' proposal to allow taking, under eminent domain, of federally-owned land
HB2333, Harper's move to allow former legislators to immediately become professional lobbyists (currently, they have to wait a year)
HB2337, Rep. Justin Olson's proposal to require school districts that still offer full-day K to charge tuition for a half day of that full day
HB2340, Olson's proposal to end the state's equalization property tax (which goes directly to fund education)
HB2472, Another "eminent domain of federal land" bill, this one from Rep. David Gowan
HB2479, a "guns in schools" bill, from Gowan
HB2505, Seel's (and Sen. Russell Pearce's) scheme to cut state education aid to school districts for students whose parents cannot prove their child's immigration status
HCR2011, Seel's proposed amendment to the AZ Constitution to reduce the income eligibility level for AHCCCS
HCR2023, Rep. David Burnell Smith's plan to allow wealthy candidates to skip the bother of talking to voters and gathering nominating signatures in lieu of buying their way onto the ballot
HCR2024, Smith's proposed amendment to the AZ Constitution to end Clean Elections. Smith was the first legislator removed from office due to violations of Clean Elections' rules. Think he's still holding a grudge? Naaahhhhh...couldn't be! :)
SCR1010, Sen. Linda Gray's proposed amendment to the AZ Constitution to bar state courts from considering the "legal precepts of other nations or cultures" when rendering their decisions.
This isn't meant to be a comprehensive listing of bad bills proposed so far (there are some anti-choice and anti-immigrant bills, but I don't have time to cover them right now - and we haven't seen the "birther" or 14th Amendment stuff yet), but this is just a good start at documenting the beginning of what is shaping up to be an ugly year.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
That didn't take long - 1st Special Session of the 50th Arizona Legislature on tap for Wednesday
The Governor has called a special session of the legislature for Wednesday at 1:45 p.m.
Purpose: To petition the federal government for permission to kick 280,000 people off of Medicaid (AHCCCS in Arizona)
One thing can be said about Arizona -
There will never be a dearth of subject material for political writers.
Purpose: To petition the federal government for permission to kick 280,000 people off of Medicaid (AHCCCS in Arizona)
One thing can be said about Arizona -
There will never be a dearth of subject material for political writers.
Redistricting update: Lawsuit argued, under advisement
Earlier today, the Arizona Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the suit over the nominees for the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) brought by Russell Pearce and Kirk Adams, President of the Arizona Senate and Speaker of the Arizona House, respectively.
The suit basically focuses on Pearce and Adams' allegation that three of the nominees for the AIRC, Independent Paul Bender and Republicans Steve Sossaman and Mark Schnepf, aren't eligible for the AIRC because of they hold public offices. Bender has acted as a tribal judge for two Nations in Arizona and Sossaman and Schnepf have been elected to local irrigation district governing boards.
After slightly more than an hour, the Court took the matter under advisement and promised a ruling on the matter shortly (my guess: this week. That's only a guess, however).
The Court was presided over by Vice Chief Justice Andrew Hurwitz as Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch recused herself because she chaired the meetings of the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments that produced the list of applicants that Pearce and Adams dislike so much. Judge Michael Ryan of Maricopa County sat in on the hearing in Berch's place.
It would be beyond my capabilities to write an exhaustive summary of the arguments presented today, but interested readers can find the written briefs here.
A less-than-exhaustive summary:
Peter Gentala, arguing for Pearce and Adams and targeting the nomination of ASU professor Paul Bender, basically argued that Native American tribes in Arizona are part of the state, and tribal offices qualify as public offices in Arizona. He also argued that irrigation district board members are public officials even though they aren't specified as such under AZ law or in the materials published by the Appellate Court Appointments Commission (targeting the nominations of Schnepf and Sossaman).
The justices asked Gentala about whether irrigation district governing board members have to file the same financial disclosure forms that public officials have to (Gentala didn't know, and I don't either. I've looked online and couldn't find any with the state or Maricopa County, nor could I find any campaign filings, but that doesn't mean they don't exist). One justice, W. Scott Bailes, pointed out that tribal lands aren't considered "public." Just ask anyone who has been caught hiking or camping on one or another reservation.
Steven Tully, representing the five Republican Congressmen, argued in pretty much the same vein at Gentala. He argued that Bender has admitted that he's a public official with the tribes and is ineligible for that reason. Justice Hurwitz reiterated the "tribal v. public" lands point and also pointed out a case where tribal records are NOT public under Arizona's public records law.
Jack Fields, Deputy Yavapai County Attorney, representing Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, questioned the lack of geographical diversity of the nominees (out of 10 R candidates, nine are from Maricopa County).
Mary O'Grady, representing the Arizona Attorney General, in turn representing the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments, argued that it was too soon to challenge the qualifications of the three, and that it should have been done *after* one (or all three) were actually members of the AIRC (referred to as a "quo warranto" action).
Stanley Feldman, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, argued on behalf of Lattie Coor, Paul Johnson, et. al., who weighed in in support of Professor Bender. He conceded the point that Bender is a public official in a tribe, but that sovereign Indian tribes aren't controlled by Arizona law, nor are tribal officials' appointments/elections governed by Arizona law. He did *not* agree with O'Grady's argument regarding the qualifications issue. He stated that waiting until it is time for a "quo warranto" action (after the membership of the AIRC is appointed) isn't wise, saying "[i]t's here, you are going to have to decide it sooner or later."
I truly don't have any idea how the Court will rule on this matter. I'm not familiar with the dynamic of the Court. On the west side of Wesley Bolin Plaza (aka - at the legislature), this would be an easy prediction to make - whatever is the worst possible outcome for Arizona, the lege would produce.
The Court, however, has a pretty good reputation for fairness. They are expected to rule on the legal merits, and not being a lawyer, I can't evaluate those.
The logic here is apparent - the lawsuit is meritless, and Pearce and Adams are throwing Sossaman and Schnepf under the bus to create a smokescreen around their attempt to remove Bender who, while almost universally renowned as a brilliant legal scholar, is also widely regarded as a true liberal.
However, frequently the law has nothing more than a passing relationship with logic.
The video archive of today's arguments can be found here. Click on the "Oral Arguments" for "ADAMS/PEARCE v. COMMISSION ON APPELLATE COURT APPOINTMENTS".
I do have one question however, one that didn't get brought up during today's hearing -
If Russell Pearce feels so strongly that Native American nations are so much a part of Arizona that their offices constitute public offices in Arizona, why is he a cosponsor of SCR1010, a proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution to restrict the decisions of the state's courts?
From the proposal -
The suit basically focuses on Pearce and Adams' allegation that three of the nominees for the AIRC, Independent Paul Bender and Republicans Steve Sossaman and Mark Schnepf, aren't eligible for the AIRC because of they hold public offices. Bender has acted as a tribal judge for two Nations in Arizona and Sossaman and Schnepf have been elected to local irrigation district governing boards.
After slightly more than an hour, the Court took the matter under advisement and promised a ruling on the matter shortly (my guess: this week. That's only a guess, however).
The Court was presided over by Vice Chief Justice Andrew Hurwitz as Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch recused herself because she chaired the meetings of the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments that produced the list of applicants that Pearce and Adams dislike so much. Judge Michael Ryan of Maricopa County sat in on the hearing in Berch's place.
It would be beyond my capabilities to write an exhaustive summary of the arguments presented today, but interested readers can find the written briefs here.
A less-than-exhaustive summary:
Peter Gentala, arguing for Pearce and Adams and targeting the nomination of ASU professor Paul Bender, basically argued that Native American tribes in Arizona are part of the state, and tribal offices qualify as public offices in Arizona. He also argued that irrigation district board members are public officials even though they aren't specified as such under AZ law or in the materials published by the Appellate Court Appointments Commission (targeting the nominations of Schnepf and Sossaman).
The justices asked Gentala about whether irrigation district governing board members have to file the same financial disclosure forms that public officials have to (Gentala didn't know, and I don't either. I've looked online and couldn't find any with the state or Maricopa County, nor could I find any campaign filings, but that doesn't mean they don't exist). One justice, W. Scott Bailes, pointed out that tribal lands aren't considered "public." Just ask anyone who has been caught hiking or camping on one or another reservation.
Steven Tully, representing the five Republican Congressmen, argued in pretty much the same vein at Gentala. He argued that Bender has admitted that he's a public official with the tribes and is ineligible for that reason. Justice Hurwitz reiterated the "tribal v. public" lands point and also pointed out a case where tribal records are NOT public under Arizona's public records law.
Jack Fields, Deputy Yavapai County Attorney, representing Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, questioned the lack of geographical diversity of the nominees (out of 10 R candidates, nine are from Maricopa County).
Mary O'Grady, representing the Arizona Attorney General, in turn representing the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments, argued that it was too soon to challenge the qualifications of the three, and that it should have been done *after* one (or all three) were actually members of the AIRC (referred to as a "quo warranto" action).
Stanley Feldman, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, argued on behalf of Lattie Coor, Paul Johnson, et. al., who weighed in in support of Professor Bender. He conceded the point that Bender is a public official in a tribe, but that sovereign Indian tribes aren't controlled by Arizona law, nor are tribal officials' appointments/elections governed by Arizona law. He did *not* agree with O'Grady's argument regarding the qualifications issue. He stated that waiting until it is time for a "quo warranto" action (after the membership of the AIRC is appointed) isn't wise, saying "[i]t's here, you are going to have to decide it sooner or later."
I truly don't have any idea how the Court will rule on this matter. I'm not familiar with the dynamic of the Court. On the west side of Wesley Bolin Plaza (aka - at the legislature), this would be an easy prediction to make - whatever is the worst possible outcome for Arizona, the lege would produce.
The Court, however, has a pretty good reputation for fairness. They are expected to rule on the legal merits, and not being a lawyer, I can't evaluate those.
The logic here is apparent - the lawsuit is meritless, and Pearce and Adams are throwing Sossaman and Schnepf under the bus to create a smokescreen around their attempt to remove Bender who, while almost universally renowned as a brilliant legal scholar, is also widely regarded as a true liberal.
However, frequently the law has nothing more than a passing relationship with logic.
The video archive of today's arguments can be found here. Click on the "Oral Arguments" for "ADAMS/PEARCE v. COMMISSION ON APPELLATE COURT APPOINTMENTS".
I do have one question however, one that didn't get brought up during today's hearing -
If Russell Pearce feels so strongly that Native American nations are so much a part of Arizona that their offices constitute public offices in Arizona, why is he a cosponsor of SCR1010, a proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution to restrict the decisions of the state's courts?
From the proposal -
THE COURTS SHALL NOT LOOK TO THE LEGAL PRECEPTS OF OTHER NATIONS OR CULTURESJust sayin'...
Monday, January 17, 2011
Statements from candidates running to be officers of the Arizona Democratic Party
Note: In this post, as well as the others in this series, where the letters included contact info (address, phone numbers, email addresses), that contact info has been removed. That info is still available in the source letters.
Yet more candidate statements, this time for the candidates running for one of the three Vice Chairman spots:
Letter from Chris Campas, candidate for the office of Vice Chairman
RE: Vice-Chairman or First Vice-Chairman
11 JANUARY 2011
Dear State Committee Member,
I am energized and ready to go. There is much to do and I am eager to continue to serve on the Executive Board.
As Vice-Chairman, my first commitment is to the long-term success of the Arizona Democratic Party. I think we must make a deliberate and aggressive effort to find a democrat for every office which appears on the ballot. We must begin with Precinct Committeemen—we must work hard to engage and utilize our current PCs and recruit and train new PCs. We must target non-partisan races in every community: city council, school board, college districts, fire districts, hospital districts, etc. We must search for the best and brightest people in our state and we must provide them with the resources necessary to succeed in Arizona politics.
The ADP is in need of soul searching. Arizona confronts many civil rights challenges and the party must take the lead in demanding fair treatment for Arizona’s minorities. Aggressive outreach to the Hispanic community is essential to the long-term success of the ADP. Tribal nations too are a crucial demographic and deserve special attention and resources. It is our responsibility to reach out to every community, and offer warmth, acceptance and support to all those seeking to advance the democratic cause.
The ADP must establish clear goals as we move forward to 2012. We must commit to running three democrats in every Legislative District. We must commit to winning a majority of Arizona’s Congressional delegation. We must defeat Jon Kyl, and send a Democrat to represent Arizona in the United States Senate. We must not compromise on these goals.
First Vice-Chairman serves the dual position of National Committeeman. I fulfill three affirmative action goals: I am a young, gay, Hispanic. These three communities are at present entirely absent from our representation to the national party. If a woman is elected Chair, and the gender of the First Vice-Chair changes, I a prepared to assume the additional leadership requirements and provide representation to Democratic National Committee.
I am proud to be an Arizona Democrat; I am eager to continue my work on the Executive Board. WE CAN AND MUST TURN ARIZONA FOREVER BLUE IN 2012!!!
Your partner in peace,
Christopher T. Campas
Letter from Matt Capalby, candidate for the office of Vice Chairman
Dear Friends,
During these tumultuous times, it is imperative that we have the most experienced, capable and committed individuals leading our party. With this said and my twenty years of grassroots involvement with the Arizona Democratic Party, fighting for labor, our veterans, the marginalized and championing environmental issues; I once again ask for your support to serve as your Vice Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party.
I have had the pleasure of knowing many of you over the years and it has been an honor to work with you through victories and defeats. For those that do not know me, I am a third generation and proud Arizonan. I am a military veteran, labor member and former member of the Governor Napolitano's Administration, serving to protect our State's environment with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Being from Northern Arizona, I believe I have the
perspective necessary to address the concerns of both the metropolitan and rural areas of our state.
As the state party faces unprecedented challenges, we must work to reform and adapt to the rapidly changing political landscape that is Arizona. We can no longer work to reflect public opinion and "go with the flow" but we must work to mold and lead public opinion. Though we know that our core values and principles are more in keeping with those of Arizona's families than the Republicans anti-social/radical agenda, we have not been able to adequately sway the hearts and minds of Arizonans to our side.
Subsequently, in working with our new Chair and executive committee, I will work to propose appropriate changes to our business plan so we can more effectively convey our message and turn the tide of public opinion and voter support our way.
I ask for your support as Vice-Chairman, so we can redevelop and refocus our efforts on the success of our party and of our state. Thank you and God bless us all during these troubling times.
Best Wishes,
Matthew Capalby
Letter from Michael Gordy, candidate for the office of Vice Chair
Vote for Michael Gordy - ADP 2nd Vice Chair; a voice for and an ear to all counties. Thank you, Michael
Dear State Committeeperson,
I’m Michael Gordy, a retired middle school teacher. I’ve lived in Tucson since 1974. I ask for your support and your vote for the position of one of the 2nd vice chairs of the Arizona Democratic Party.
The events of the last week have further convinced me that we, as leaders of our party, need to reach out to our fellow Democrats and to all Arizonans to change not only our message but the tone of political discourse as well. The irony is that Gabby is one of our most inclusive leaders. And we need to follow her example to see each individual for their potential contribution to our state and party, not for how we differ.
I ask for your ideas, energy and support as we reaffirm our values as Democrats which include: empathy rather than sympathy, open discourse instead of secrecy, listening to other points of view, not waiting for “words from the top”….
We need you to be an active participant in transforming our state. I need you to be part of what WE do to make change happen. That’s why I’m proud to be a Democrat.
I believe that together we can change our party and if we work hard enough, reverse some of the damage the Republican majority has inflicted on our fellow Arizonans.
If you are willing, I need your help. If I am able, I’ll help you in any way I can.
Please, call or email with any ideas, strategies or even wild dreams about how we can make this happen.
Thank you.
Michael Gordy, elected as PC 108
Candidate for 2nd Vice Chair, Arizona Democratic Party
“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Stockholm, 12/11/1964
Yet more candidate statements, this time for the candidates running for one of the three Vice Chairman spots:
Letter from Chris Campas, candidate for the office of Vice Chairman
RE: Vice-Chairman or First Vice-Chairman
11 JANUARY 2011
Dear State Committee Member,
I am energized and ready to go. There is much to do and I am eager to continue to serve on the Executive Board.
As Vice-Chairman, my first commitment is to the long-term success of the Arizona Democratic Party. I think we must make a deliberate and aggressive effort to find a democrat for every office which appears on the ballot. We must begin with Precinct Committeemen—we must work hard to engage and utilize our current PCs and recruit and train new PCs. We must target non-partisan races in every community: city council, school board, college districts, fire districts, hospital districts, etc. We must search for the best and brightest people in our state and we must provide them with the resources necessary to succeed in Arizona politics.
The ADP is in need of soul searching. Arizona confronts many civil rights challenges and the party must take the lead in demanding fair treatment for Arizona’s minorities. Aggressive outreach to the Hispanic community is essential to the long-term success of the ADP. Tribal nations too are a crucial demographic and deserve special attention and resources. It is our responsibility to reach out to every community, and offer warmth, acceptance and support to all those seeking to advance the democratic cause.
The ADP must establish clear goals as we move forward to 2012. We must commit to running three democrats in every Legislative District. We must commit to winning a majority of Arizona’s Congressional delegation. We must defeat Jon Kyl, and send a Democrat to represent Arizona in the United States Senate. We must not compromise on these goals.
First Vice-Chairman serves the dual position of National Committeeman. I fulfill three affirmative action goals: I am a young, gay, Hispanic. These three communities are at present entirely absent from our representation to the national party. If a woman is elected Chair, and the gender of the First Vice-Chair changes, I a prepared to assume the additional leadership requirements and provide representation to Democratic National Committee.
I am proud to be an Arizona Democrat; I am eager to continue my work on the Executive Board. WE CAN AND MUST TURN ARIZONA FOREVER BLUE IN 2012!!!
Your partner in peace,
Christopher T. Campas
Letter from Matt Capalby, candidate for the office of Vice Chairman
Dear Friends,
During these tumultuous times, it is imperative that we have the most experienced, capable and committed individuals leading our party. With this said and my twenty years of grassroots involvement with the Arizona Democratic Party, fighting for labor, our veterans, the marginalized and championing environmental issues; I once again ask for your support to serve as your Vice Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party.
I have had the pleasure of knowing many of you over the years and it has been an honor to work with you through victories and defeats. For those that do not know me, I am a third generation and proud Arizonan. I am a military veteran, labor member and former member of the Governor Napolitano's Administration, serving to protect our State's environment with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Being from Northern Arizona, I believe I have the
perspective necessary to address the concerns of both the metropolitan and rural areas of our state.
As the state party faces unprecedented challenges, we must work to reform and adapt to the rapidly changing political landscape that is Arizona. We can no longer work to reflect public opinion and "go with the flow" but we must work to mold and lead public opinion. Though we know that our core values and principles are more in keeping with those of Arizona's families than the Republicans anti-social/radical agenda, we have not been able to adequately sway the hearts and minds of Arizonans to our side.
Subsequently, in working with our new Chair and executive committee, I will work to propose appropriate changes to our business plan so we can more effectively convey our message and turn the tide of public opinion and voter support our way.
I ask for your support as Vice-Chairman, so we can redevelop and refocus our efforts on the success of our party and of our state. Thank you and God bless us all during these troubling times.
Best Wishes,
Matthew Capalby
Letter from Michael Gordy, candidate for the office of Vice Chair
Vote for Michael Gordy - ADP 2nd Vice Chair; a voice for and an ear to all counties. Thank you, Michael
Dear State Committeeperson,
I’m Michael Gordy, a retired middle school teacher. I’ve lived in Tucson since 1974. I ask for your support and your vote for the position of one of the 2nd vice chairs of the Arizona Democratic Party.
The events of the last week have further convinced me that we, as leaders of our party, need to reach out to our fellow Democrats and to all Arizonans to change not only our message but the tone of political discourse as well. The irony is that Gabby is one of our most inclusive leaders. And we need to follow her example to see each individual for their potential contribution to our state and party, not for how we differ.
I ask for your ideas, energy and support as we reaffirm our values as Democrats which include: empathy rather than sympathy, open discourse instead of secrecy, listening to other points of view, not waiting for “words from the top”….
We need you to be an active participant in transforming our state. I need you to be part of what WE do to make change happen. That’s why I’m proud to be a Democrat.
I believe that together we can change our party and if we work hard enough, reverse some of the damage the Republican majority has inflicted on our fellow Arizonans.
If you are willing, I need your help. If I am able, I’ll help you in any way I can.
Please, call or email with any ideas, strategies or even wild dreams about how we can make this happen.
Thank you.
Michael Gordy, elected as PC 108
Candidate for 2nd Vice Chair, Arizona Democratic Party
“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Stockholm, 12/11/1964
Statements from candidates running to be officers of the Arizona Democratic Party
Still more candidate statements, this time from the candidates running for one of the three Vice Chairwoman spots:
Letter from Sherry B. Williams, candidate for the office of Vice Chairwoman
Date: January 12, 2011
From: Sherry B. Williams, Candidate for Vice Chairwoman
To: Awesome State Committee Persons of the Arizona Democratic Party,
I am a lifelong Democrat and have been active in campaigns, elections and registering voters in large numbers in Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois and Arizona. As an undergraduate, I was a Congressional Intern on Capitol Hill in 1979. I have attended three Democratic National Conventions: Atlanta in 1988, New York in 1992 (as an elected Illinois Delegate), and Chicago in 1996.
In Arizona since 2001, I have worked on numerous campaigns including Gore & Kerry and was just re-elected PC, State Committee woman and 2nd Vice Chair in LD 15 for the next 2 years. I am a member of the Phoenix Women’s Commission and several local and national organizations. I have helped ADP with many fair booths, parades, workshops and meetings.
From 2008 until filing to run for office in 2010, I worked at ADP headquarters as the Administrative Assistant at the front desk always excited to welcome you and take your phone
calls. I continued to work in the community while registering voters, signing up PEVL voters, and inviting these voters to become active in their legislative district.
In 2010, I was a candidate for Clerk of the Superior Court of Maricopa County. Despite having a great volunteer team, Party support, and 339,549 votes (38%), I lost to the 13-year Republican incumbent. I am humbled by the support I received from PCs and SCMs from all over Arizona.
As a small business owner for 15 years and an employee for several Fortune 100 companies, I have kept my focus and efforts serving in the trenches of my diverse communities. I even served with Michelle Obama on the Blue Gargoyle Adult Literacy Board when I lived in Chicago.
As I look forward to 2012, I will help mobilize, energize and inspire more voters and donors to “run with us” to victory. My motto is “Working Together: All Will Be Well in 2012”. The capitol of Arizona is Phoenix, so let’s rise from the ashes in 2012! We can do it!
I am running for Vice Chairwoman because I have the unique political, business, and grass roots experience needed to better serve our unique demographics. I would be honored to serve as one of three Vice Chairwomen utilizing my BIG vision, contagious hope, winning strategies, and cohesive teamwork with our new Executive Board. I am energized, excited and ready to work to move AZ toward victories in 2012.
From the bottom of a grateful heart, I appreciate all you have done as PCs and State Committee persons to support ADP. Now I ask for your vote on Saturday, January 22, 2011.
Sincerely,
Sherry B. Williams
Letter from Laura Hogan, candidate for the office of Vice Chairwoman To my Democratic Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you all for your commitment to the Democratic Party as a State Committee member. I admire all of you for your willingness to share your time, ideas and energy with your fellow Democrats to make our state a better place to live.
Without a doubt we have our work cut out for us through the next two years. I am asking for your vote of confidence to serve you during that time as one of the female Vice-Chairs on the State Executive Committee for the next two years. I ask for your consideration of my candidacy on two levels
a.
My experience and commitment to the Arizona Democratic Party (ADP)for the last ten years as an activist, volunteer, and donor and
b.
The perspective, knowledge and energy I would bring to the table as a member of the ADP Executive Committee for the next two years.
As the daughter of a teacher and an IBEW electrician, the wife of a Steelworker and a union member myself, my knowledge and experience in the labor movement will continue to be an asset to the Party and to my fellow Democrats.
I have served the Democratic Party in Arizona as a volunteer, a donor and an active committee member. I was elected in 2004 and 2006 to serve as District Chair in Legislative District 30. During that time I learned the importance of working within the rules but outside of the box when necessary to reach my desired goals. In the very diverse District 30 I found it valuable to work with the various area clubs to supplement and amplify the work of the District Committee to achieve the goals of the entire District.
I have served on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Pima County Democratic Party, the 2008 ADP Platform Committee and am a current member of the ADP Resolutions Committee. In those positions I have witnessed the growth of the infrastructure and resources available to Democrats on both the County and the State levels. While I have never seen a perfect coordinated campaign, I have seen the Arizona Democratic Party grow with each campaign. It is my goal to be a part of the continued progress of the Party developing a stronger message, bringing more people to the table, developing stronger grass roots ties and empowering individual activist and PC’s to take the Democratic message to their neighborhoods or constituent communities.
The by-laws simply state, “All Vice-Chairpersons shall perform such duties as are assigned to them by the state chair.” I commit to you that in addition to those duties as assigned, if I am elected as one of the Vice Chairs, I will serve as a communicator, taking the message from the grassroots in my area to the Executive Committee and bringing the news of the Executive Committee activities back to the grassroots. It is also my intention to serve the full two years of my term if I am elected.
I thank you for your service and respectfully ask for your vote for one of the Vice-Chairs of the Arizona Democratic Party.
In Solidarity,
Laura Hogan, State Committee Member
District 30, Pima County
Letter from Jo Kelleher, candidate for the office of Vice Chairwoman
Hello Fellow State Committeepersons:
I am ready to serve another term as your ADP Vice-chairwoman. I have thoroughly enjoyed my past two terms working to strengthen the Democratic Party in Arizona, and look forward to continuing to fight for Democratic values. Below are some of my accomplishments and my ideas for our next two years.
Accomplishments:
•Vice-chairwoman, ADP: 2007 – 2010
ô€€¹ADP trainer for candidate recruitment, headquarters management, education and communication – Yavapai, Navajo, Mohave, Maricopa Counties
ô€€¹Member of informal “Reform Group” promoting improved communication and decision – sharing within ADP
ô€€¹Chair of Bylaws Committee: 2009 – present
ô€€¹State Senate Candidate: 2006
•Vice-chair for Education and Communication, Yavapai County Democratic Party: 2007- present
ô€€¹County Party website and newsletter
ô€€¹Organized candidate events for 2010 campaign
ô€€¹Headquarters manager and volunteer
•Chino Valley Unified School District Governing Board member, currently Vice-chair
Ideas for 2011-2012
•Work hard to bring back, support, and nurture our outstanding 2010 Democratic State-wide candidates and LD candidates for the 2012 and 2014 elections.
•Continue to strengthen communication and collaborative decision-making in the Party.
•Continue to broaden our fiscal resources – recruiting new large donors and encouraging small donors.
•Develop a Policy and Procedures Manual for both staff and officers that is current and dynamic.
•Continue to pursue broad, state-wide media coverage by challenging Republican mismanagement and lack of leadership and promoting Democratic solutions.
Letter from Sherry B. Williams, candidate for the office of Vice Chairwoman
Date: January 12, 2011
From: Sherry B. Williams, Candidate for Vice Chairwoman
To: Awesome State Committee Persons of the Arizona Democratic Party,
I am a lifelong Democrat and have been active in campaigns, elections and registering voters in large numbers in Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois and Arizona. As an undergraduate, I was a Congressional Intern on Capitol Hill in 1979. I have attended three Democratic National Conventions: Atlanta in 1988, New York in 1992 (as an elected Illinois Delegate), and Chicago in 1996.
In Arizona since 2001, I have worked on numerous campaigns including Gore & Kerry and was just re-elected PC, State Committee woman and 2nd Vice Chair in LD 15 for the next 2 years. I am a member of the Phoenix Women’s Commission and several local and national organizations. I have helped ADP with many fair booths, parades, workshops and meetings.
From 2008 until filing to run for office in 2010, I worked at ADP headquarters as the Administrative Assistant at the front desk always excited to welcome you and take your phone
calls. I continued to work in the community while registering voters, signing up PEVL voters, and inviting these voters to become active in their legislative district.
In 2010, I was a candidate for Clerk of the Superior Court of Maricopa County. Despite having a great volunteer team, Party support, and 339,549 votes (38%), I lost to the 13-year Republican incumbent. I am humbled by the support I received from PCs and SCMs from all over Arizona.
As a small business owner for 15 years and an employee for several Fortune 100 companies, I have kept my focus and efforts serving in the trenches of my diverse communities. I even served with Michelle Obama on the Blue Gargoyle Adult Literacy Board when I lived in Chicago.
As I look forward to 2012, I will help mobilize, energize and inspire more voters and donors to “run with us” to victory. My motto is “Working Together: All Will Be Well in 2012”. The capitol of Arizona is Phoenix, so let’s rise from the ashes in 2012! We can do it!
I am running for Vice Chairwoman because I have the unique political, business, and grass roots experience needed to better serve our unique demographics. I would be honored to serve as one of three Vice Chairwomen utilizing my BIG vision, contagious hope, winning strategies, and cohesive teamwork with our new Executive Board. I am energized, excited and ready to work to move AZ toward victories in 2012.
From the bottom of a grateful heart, I appreciate all you have done as PCs and State Committee persons to support ADP. Now I ask for your vote on Saturday, January 22, 2011.
Sincerely,
Sherry B. Williams
Letter from Laura Hogan, candidate for the office of Vice Chairwoman To my Democratic Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you all for your commitment to the Democratic Party as a State Committee member. I admire all of you for your willingness to share your time, ideas and energy with your fellow Democrats to make our state a better place to live.
Without a doubt we have our work cut out for us through the next two years. I am asking for your vote of confidence to serve you during that time as one of the female Vice-Chairs on the State Executive Committee for the next two years. I ask for your consideration of my candidacy on two levels
a.
My experience and commitment to the Arizona Democratic Party (ADP)for the last ten years as an activist, volunteer, and donor and
b.
The perspective, knowledge and energy I would bring to the table as a member of the ADP Executive Committee for the next two years.
As the daughter of a teacher and an IBEW electrician, the wife of a Steelworker and a union member myself, my knowledge and experience in the labor movement will continue to be an asset to the Party and to my fellow Democrats.
I have served the Democratic Party in Arizona as a volunteer, a donor and an active committee member. I was elected in 2004 and 2006 to serve as District Chair in Legislative District 30. During that time I learned the importance of working within the rules but outside of the box when necessary to reach my desired goals. In the very diverse District 30 I found it valuable to work with the various area clubs to supplement and amplify the work of the District Committee to achieve the goals of the entire District.
I have served on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Pima County Democratic Party, the 2008 ADP Platform Committee and am a current member of the ADP Resolutions Committee. In those positions I have witnessed the growth of the infrastructure and resources available to Democrats on both the County and the State levels. While I have never seen a perfect coordinated campaign, I have seen the Arizona Democratic Party grow with each campaign. It is my goal to be a part of the continued progress of the Party developing a stronger message, bringing more people to the table, developing stronger grass roots ties and empowering individual activist and PC’s to take the Democratic message to their neighborhoods or constituent communities.
The by-laws simply state, “All Vice-Chairpersons shall perform such duties as are assigned to them by the state chair.” I commit to you that in addition to those duties as assigned, if I am elected as one of the Vice Chairs, I will serve as a communicator, taking the message from the grassroots in my area to the Executive Committee and bringing the news of the Executive Committee activities back to the grassroots. It is also my intention to serve the full two years of my term if I am elected.
I thank you for your service and respectfully ask for your vote for one of the Vice-Chairs of the Arizona Democratic Party.
In Solidarity,
Laura Hogan, State Committee Member
District 30, Pima County
Letter from Jo Kelleher, candidate for the office of Vice Chairwoman
Hello Fellow State Committeepersons:
I am ready to serve another term as your ADP Vice-chairwoman. I have thoroughly enjoyed my past two terms working to strengthen the Democratic Party in Arizona, and look forward to continuing to fight for Democratic values. Below are some of my accomplishments and my ideas for our next two years.
Accomplishments:
•Vice-chairwoman, ADP: 2007 – 2010
ô€€¹ADP trainer for candidate recruitment, headquarters management, education and communication – Yavapai, Navajo, Mohave, Maricopa Counties
ô€€¹Member of informal “Reform Group” promoting improved communication and decision – sharing within ADP
ô€€¹Chair of Bylaws Committee: 2009 – present
ô€€¹State Senate Candidate: 2006
•Vice-chair for Education and Communication, Yavapai County Democratic Party: 2007- present
ô€€¹County Party website and newsletter
ô€€¹Organized candidate events for 2010 campaign
ô€€¹Headquarters manager and volunteer
•Chino Valley Unified School District Governing Board member, currently Vice-chair
Ideas for 2011-2012
•Work hard to bring back, support, and nurture our outstanding 2010 Democratic State-wide candidates and LD candidates for the 2012 and 2014 elections.
•Continue to strengthen communication and collaborative decision-making in the Party.
•Continue to broaden our fiscal resources – recruiting new large donors and encouraging small donors.
•Develop a Policy and Procedures Manual for both staff and officers that is current and dynamic.
•Continue to pursue broad, state-wide media coverage by challenging Republican mismanagement and lack of leadership and promoting Democratic solutions.
Statements from candidates running to be officers of the Arizona Democratic Party
More candidate statements:
Letter from Harriet Young, candidate for the office of First Vice Chair
Dear State Committee Persons of the Arizona Democratic Party,
For the past two years I’ve served as First Vice Chair of the ADP. I am asking for your vote to continue the work that has begun to turn the party into a full fledged, active, and cohesive organization. I’ve worked with the other members of the Executive Board to create a vibrant organization in the following way:
•We developed job descriptions for the members of the Board so we’d have clear responsibilities for making the party effective
•We met at least once a month to develop cohesion and collegiality
•We kept the entire state in mind as we planned for events and campaigns by including the Chair of the County Chairmen in all our discussions. It has knit the party together and provided a two way communication avenue.
•We’ve begun to engage the Executive Committee in much of the team building and expect the EC to develop into another piece of a strong state party with the inclusion of caucus leaders.
My particular role in this has been to develop a stronger donor base within the party. With over 3000 pc’s and 700 state committeemen, we should be able to provide steady support for party activities. My vision has been to raise our own county mobilization money. To this end, we’ve increased the number of party donors to the Arizona Democratic Council and the number of participants in the GIVE program.
It occasionally occurs to me that we forget why work so hard to elect Democrats. I was reminded of my own fundamental belief structure as I listened to a CD my daughter made as a Christmas gift. I was listening to the CD for the first time when John Lennon’s Imagine came on and I found tears in my eyes. The belief that beneath culture, race, and economic status lies a common humanity is a notion I continue to embrace.
I ask for your vote at the reorganization meeting and promise to continue to move us in the direction we can only “Imagine.”
Xo Harriet
Letter from Manuel Cruz, candidate for the office of Senior Vice Chair
Manuel Cruz is a fourth generation Arizonan, 1st Vice Chair of LD12 and the former Democratic 2010 candidate for Arizona State Mine Inspector. His experience in running for a state-wide office is a great attribute to the office of Senior Vice Chair. By working with communities, organizations, and businesses across Arizona, Manny has the ability to move the party forward. His state-wide campaign allowed him to hear the voices of Democrats across Arizona. Manny pledges integrity, accountability, and transparency to the office. He will help lead the Democratic Party to a bright future.
Letter from C.J. Carenza, candidate for the office of Affirmative Action Moderator
To my fellow State Committee Members,
I would like to begin by thanking you for the opportunity to be your representative on the Executive Board replacing Gerald Richards as the Affirmative Action Moderator. Holding this position for the past 6 months has provided an incredible amount of insight and experience.
As I seek my own full 2‐year term, I would like to outline the goals I have and how I plan to use the position to better represent those underrepresented persons of Arizona. To do that, you must first understand who those people are:
•The LGBT community is disrespected by the majority. Simply look at Prop 8 in CA or our very own Prop 102. As a gay man, I see this firsthand.
•The Hispanic/Latino/Chicano population, who are repeatedly attacked by the Republicans with legislation like SB1070 or the Ethnic Studies bill
While not exclusive by any means, these 2 groups clearly need to have better representation at all levels of government as well as the State Committee.
If the election of 2010 showed us anything, it’s that there is another group of underrepresented Arizonans who we as a party need to strive hard to bring into our midst. This group represents all ethnicities & orientations, but tends to be segregated by class. The group I am referring to is the Uninformed Arizonan.
While many in the party would argue we did everything we could do; we were fighting a “proverbial tsunami”. I believe we simply didn’t do enough to bring these voters into our party. I would argue we saw a large portion of the electorate cast their vote based on lies, falsehoods, or worse, no information at all. We as a state party like to think we are politicos; we follow the ins and outs of the daily happenings at the state and federal level; we communicate with our Representatives, Senators & other elected officials on regular intervals but we need to do a better job of bringing these voters into the process. An educated population votes Democratic!
Moving into the 2012 cycle over the next 2 years, I would like to use my role as Affirmative Action
Moderator to do the following:
•Expand our outreach at both local & state levels
•Identify new communication methods
•Create programs to activate and involve inactive voters
In addition to these goals, I will strive to make sure the Party and the 2011 Elected Presidential Convention Delegation, is represented as a true cross section of Arizona and the Arizona Democratic Party.
Thank you again for the honor of serving in this position, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve you and the Party for at least the next 2 years.
Sincerely,
C.J. Carenza
AZ Democratic Party, Affirmative Action Moderator
AZ Democratic Party’s LGBT Caucus, Secretary
LD 15 1st Vice Chair
Letter from Henry Wade, candidate for the office of Affirmative Action Moderator
Dear Fellow Arizona Democrats, Today, I come before you, seeking your strongest complement by electing me as the new Affirmative Action Moderator for the Arizona Democratic Party (ADP). My name is Henry M. Wade Jr., and I am a loyal Democrat with a 38 year voting record. I born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and was extremely fortunate to have been sent to schools that realized the value of sharing cultural awareness and tolerance with its students starting at an early age. Additionally, our community was, at the time, referred to a melting pot. I lived, went to school with and played with kids of just about every ethnic group you could imagine. This environment set my paradigms and has allowed me to make instant assessments of what is right/wrong or fair/unfair. Much of the State’s current legislation related to the minority, underserved or LGBT community is both wrong and unfair. As your Affirmative Action Moderator, I will always represent you and your concerns as a positive advocate for fairness.
I began my community activism while in the Air Force and have served as Founder, President or Chair of several Affirmative Action and Cultural Awareness Associations within the Air Force both nationally and internationally. On the local front, my outreach efforts while stationed at Luke AFB was the genesis of the Northwest Valley Black History Committee. On the International level, a culturally diverse organization I founded, at Armed Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), in the Netherlands in 1983 is still thriving today some 27 years later. Upon my retirement, I turned my attention to youth programs, establishing Cub/Boy Scout Packs and Troops in the minority and underserved community. Professionally, I am the Co-Owner/Branch Manager of the National Investment Division – Housing Counseling Agency (NID-HCA)-Phoenix and President of the Arizona Association of Real Estate Brokers (AAREB). I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Hispanic
Association of Real Estate Professionals (HAREP). Nationally, I have been tasked to oversee the Capitol Hill visits for the upcoming Multicultural Real Estate Policy Conference in D.C. on March 2, 2011 supporting AAREB, NAHREP and the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). With 30 years of real estate experience in the Valley of the Sun, I began my career selling homes part-time while stationed at Luke AFB. Upon my retirement in 1993, I opened Sabry, Inc. Real Estate Appraisals and then added Northstar Homes as part of my bundle of services. Currently, I am serving the community as a Certified Housing Counselor, concentrating on loss mitigation and foreclosure prevention. Spend five minutes with me and I guarantee you will feel my passion for the work I am doing. As a resident of the City of Maricopa, I serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission and am currently the Affirmative Action Chair for the Pinal County Democratic Party. I am the father of three sons; enjoy working with young people and traveling.
When elected, my goal is to use my innate sense of fellowship and brotherly love, my tried and true real life experiences and my extensive local and national contacts to help transform the Affirmative Action program of the Arizona Democratic Party into the model for which all other states will strive to emulate.
I would sincerely appreciate your vote. Henry M. Wade Jr.
Letter from Barbara Tellman, candidate for the office of Secretary
Dear Fellow Democrats:
We face huge challenges in the effort to take back the Legislature in 2012 and beyond, re‐elect Obama, and increase our congressional representation. I want to be more involved in these efforts at the state level as I have been in recent years at the county and LD levels.
I would like to see us do as good a job in the following areas as we did in 2010 in making voting more accessible through registration and PEVL. The major areas where I believe we can improve our success rate are by:
•Motivating people (especially young and minority voters) to believe that voting Democratic matters,
•Taking strong stands on issues of greatest personal concern to voters and work with groups furthering causes, especially in the areas of education, jobs, health care, pensions, and respect for government.
•Finding out why so many people are not registering with a Party and finding ways to help them believe the Democratic Party serves their interests. We should make use of the fact that this group includes the “clueless,” people who are disillusioned with their party but can’t yet join the other party, and those who agree with us on some issues and with the Republicans or Greens on others.
•Finding better ways to communicate both with people who spend a lot of time using electronic media and those who spend little time getting news from any source. Increased microtargeting by identifying occupations such as “teacher” or other affinities can be an important tool.
•Improving two‐way communication among County Parties, LD, clubs, and caucuses around the state to learn from each other and benefit from our successes and failures, and increasing our respect for the efforts, skills, and knowledge of our PCs and other volunteers. I will work with Lois Pfau in this effort.
•Working towards new Districts that are more compact, competitive, and have optimum opportunities for minority representation.
My qualifications: I have been involved in the following ways: I have:
•Been active in Democratic politics for many years and worked on many campaigns.
•Spent several decades as an environmental and controlled growth activist.
•Co‐managed successful campaigns for county supervisor, city council, and a countywide rezoning referendum before we had Internet or VAN. I have worked in many other campaigns with more modern tools, including VAN. I am computer‐literate.
•Spent 13 years in the Ivory Tower at UA writing about water policy and environmental history.
•Been a full‐time Volunteer Coordinator for Howard Dean’s Pima County campaign.
•Served as PC, State Delegate, Secretary of LD 27 (2 terms), and Pima County Party Secretary (2 terms.)
•Volunteered for a variety of candidates (including ones as different as Lena Saradnik, Jeff Latas, city council member Regina Romero, Andrea Dalessandro, and of course, Barack Obama.
•Become a member of the Steering Committee and database manager for the new Pima County Chapter of Progressive Democrats of America.
•Volunteered while secretary in the areas of VAN use and training; organized a major headquarters renovation; led the selection and installation, of our Predictive Dialer; worked with our African‐American caucus; wrote grant applications; helped with PC Development workshops; observed ballot counting and took part in all ballot audits; made some 15,000 campaign buttons; helped organize volunteer appreciation activities, and other tasks. I will continue this kind of participation.
I am retired, except for part‐time teaching at Prescott College (Tucson campus), and have the time and motivation to work with the State Party, not only to do the record‐keeping duties of the secretary, but also to be involved in actions such as communications, Redistricting, and IT. I feel that State Party officers should take on specific areas of responsibility and be accountable for their chosen areas.
As Secretary of the State Party I would not only help represent Pima County, but extend that to two‐way communication with other areas, especially south of the Gila River.
Barbara Tellman, PC in 320 (LD 27)
Letter from Sharon Thomas, candidate for the office of Secretary
January 11, 2011
Sharon Thomas
Dear Fellow State Committeepersons:
I am pleased to put my name forward as a nominee for Secretary of the Arizona Democratic Party. As a long-time Democrat, I have been involved in party politics and community activism for the past twenty-two years. I began my activism working on my uncle’s campaign for Sheriff of Cochise County in the late 1980s. I became a leader and out-spoken force against incorporation of my small community in southern Arizona, and was a founding member of Saint David Residents for Rural Life. Community members looked to me as an articulate writer, spokesperson, and leader.
I became a Precinct Committeeperson and Secretary of the Cochise County Democratic Committee in 2006, and was elected Vice-Chair of the CCDC in 2008. I travel across the state to attend our State Committee meetings, and have attended nearly every meeting in the past six years, even attending the meetings and becoming involved in several caucuses before I became an elected State Committeeperson. I have served as Regional Advisory Committee Chair for the LGBT Caucus since 2009, and was recently elected as a Vice-Chair of the Progressive Caucus.
Coming from one of Arizona’s founding families, I have a love for Arizona and a familiarity of the differing aspects of our diverse state. I was raised in Chandler, attended Prescott High School, and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in English and Theatre Education. I have taught English, Communications, and Theatre Arts at the kindergarten through community college levels. I currently teach English at South Mountain High School in Phoenix. I am also a member of the Arizona Education Association, and have served as an AEA Assembly Delegate for my Classroom Teachers’ Association.
I am running for ADP Secretary because keeping accurate and regular records of our meetings is one of the most important things we do. As a party, we need a secretary who will be present at our meetings, take accurate, grammatically-correct minutes, and keep them organized and available for review. As an English teacher, writer, and compulsive editor, I am immensely qualified to be Secretary. I have served as secretary of numerous organizations and clubs in which I have been involved; I was elected Secretary of LD 15 in November. As a Maricopa County resident, I am accessible and will be able to attend all Executive Board and State Committee meetings.
I appreciate your support for Secretary of the Arizona Democratic Party. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Sharon Thomas
Letter from Harriet Young, candidate for the office of First Vice Chair
Dear State Committee Persons of the Arizona Democratic Party,
For the past two years I’ve served as First Vice Chair of the ADP. I am asking for your vote to continue the work that has begun to turn the party into a full fledged, active, and cohesive organization. I’ve worked with the other members of the Executive Board to create a vibrant organization in the following way:
•We developed job descriptions for the members of the Board so we’d have clear responsibilities for making the party effective
•We met at least once a month to develop cohesion and collegiality
•We kept the entire state in mind as we planned for events and campaigns by including the Chair of the County Chairmen in all our discussions. It has knit the party together and provided a two way communication avenue.
•We’ve begun to engage the Executive Committee in much of the team building and expect the EC to develop into another piece of a strong state party with the inclusion of caucus leaders.
My particular role in this has been to develop a stronger donor base within the party. With over 3000 pc’s and 700 state committeemen, we should be able to provide steady support for party activities. My vision has been to raise our own county mobilization money. To this end, we’ve increased the number of party donors to the Arizona Democratic Council and the number of participants in the GIVE program.
It occasionally occurs to me that we forget why work so hard to elect Democrats. I was reminded of my own fundamental belief structure as I listened to a CD my daughter made as a Christmas gift. I was listening to the CD for the first time when John Lennon’s Imagine came on and I found tears in my eyes. The belief that beneath culture, race, and economic status lies a common humanity is a notion I continue to embrace.
I ask for your vote at the reorganization meeting and promise to continue to move us in the direction we can only “Imagine.”
Xo Harriet
Letter from Manuel Cruz, candidate for the office of Senior Vice Chair
Manuel Cruz is a fourth generation Arizonan, 1st Vice Chair of LD12 and the former Democratic 2010 candidate for Arizona State Mine Inspector. His experience in running for a state-wide office is a great attribute to the office of Senior Vice Chair. By working with communities, organizations, and businesses across Arizona, Manny has the ability to move the party forward. His state-wide campaign allowed him to hear the voices of Democrats across Arizona. Manny pledges integrity, accountability, and transparency to the office. He will help lead the Democratic Party to a bright future.
Letter from C.J. Carenza, candidate for the office of Affirmative Action Moderator
To my fellow State Committee Members,
I would like to begin by thanking you for the opportunity to be your representative on the Executive Board replacing Gerald Richards as the Affirmative Action Moderator. Holding this position for the past 6 months has provided an incredible amount of insight and experience.
As I seek my own full 2‐year term, I would like to outline the goals I have and how I plan to use the position to better represent those underrepresented persons of Arizona. To do that, you must first understand who those people are:
•The LGBT community is disrespected by the majority. Simply look at Prop 8 in CA or our very own Prop 102. As a gay man, I see this firsthand.
•The Hispanic/Latino/Chicano population, who are repeatedly attacked by the Republicans with legislation like SB1070 or the Ethnic Studies bill
While not exclusive by any means, these 2 groups clearly need to have better representation at all levels of government as well as the State Committee.
If the election of 2010 showed us anything, it’s that there is another group of underrepresented Arizonans who we as a party need to strive hard to bring into our midst. This group represents all ethnicities & orientations, but tends to be segregated by class. The group I am referring to is the Uninformed Arizonan.
While many in the party would argue we did everything we could do; we were fighting a “proverbial tsunami”. I believe we simply didn’t do enough to bring these voters into our party. I would argue we saw a large portion of the electorate cast their vote based on lies, falsehoods, or worse, no information at all. We as a state party like to think we are politicos; we follow the ins and outs of the daily happenings at the state and federal level; we communicate with our Representatives, Senators & other elected officials on regular intervals but we need to do a better job of bringing these voters into the process. An educated population votes Democratic!
Moving into the 2012 cycle over the next 2 years, I would like to use my role as Affirmative Action
Moderator to do the following:
•Expand our outreach at both local & state levels
•Identify new communication methods
•Create programs to activate and involve inactive voters
In addition to these goals, I will strive to make sure the Party and the 2011 Elected Presidential Convention Delegation, is represented as a true cross section of Arizona and the Arizona Democratic Party.
Thank you again for the honor of serving in this position, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve you and the Party for at least the next 2 years.
Sincerely,
C.J. Carenza
AZ Democratic Party, Affirmative Action Moderator
AZ Democratic Party’s LGBT Caucus, Secretary
LD 15 1st Vice Chair
Letter from Henry Wade, candidate for the office of Affirmative Action Moderator
Dear Fellow Arizona Democrats, Today, I come before you, seeking your strongest complement by electing me as the new Affirmative Action Moderator for the Arizona Democratic Party (ADP). My name is Henry M. Wade Jr., and I am a loyal Democrat with a 38 year voting record. I born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and was extremely fortunate to have been sent to schools that realized the value of sharing cultural awareness and tolerance with its students starting at an early age. Additionally, our community was, at the time, referred to a melting pot. I lived, went to school with and played with kids of just about every ethnic group you could imagine. This environment set my paradigms and has allowed me to make instant assessments of what is right/wrong or fair/unfair. Much of the State’s current legislation related to the minority, underserved or LGBT community is both wrong and unfair. As your Affirmative Action Moderator, I will always represent you and your concerns as a positive advocate for fairness.
I began my community activism while in the Air Force and have served as Founder, President or Chair of several Affirmative Action and Cultural Awareness Associations within the Air Force both nationally and internationally. On the local front, my outreach efforts while stationed at Luke AFB was the genesis of the Northwest Valley Black History Committee. On the International level, a culturally diverse organization I founded, at Armed Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), in the Netherlands in 1983 is still thriving today some 27 years later. Upon my retirement, I turned my attention to youth programs, establishing Cub/Boy Scout Packs and Troops in the minority and underserved community. Professionally, I am the Co-Owner/Branch Manager of the National Investment Division – Housing Counseling Agency (NID-HCA)-Phoenix and President of the Arizona Association of Real Estate Brokers (AAREB). I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Hispanic
Association of Real Estate Professionals (HAREP). Nationally, I have been tasked to oversee the Capitol Hill visits for the upcoming Multicultural Real Estate Policy Conference in D.C. on March 2, 2011 supporting AAREB, NAHREP and the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). With 30 years of real estate experience in the Valley of the Sun, I began my career selling homes part-time while stationed at Luke AFB. Upon my retirement in 1993, I opened Sabry, Inc. Real Estate Appraisals and then added Northstar Homes as part of my bundle of services. Currently, I am serving the community as a Certified Housing Counselor, concentrating on loss mitigation and foreclosure prevention. Spend five minutes with me and I guarantee you will feel my passion for the work I am doing. As a resident of the City of Maricopa, I serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission and am currently the Affirmative Action Chair for the Pinal County Democratic Party. I am the father of three sons; enjoy working with young people and traveling.
When elected, my goal is to use my innate sense of fellowship and brotherly love, my tried and true real life experiences and my extensive local and national contacts to help transform the Affirmative Action program of the Arizona Democratic Party into the model for which all other states will strive to emulate.
I would sincerely appreciate your vote. Henry M. Wade Jr.
Letter from Barbara Tellman, candidate for the office of Secretary
Dear Fellow Democrats:
We face huge challenges in the effort to take back the Legislature in 2012 and beyond, re‐elect Obama, and increase our congressional representation. I want to be more involved in these efforts at the state level as I have been in recent years at the county and LD levels.
I would like to see us do as good a job in the following areas as we did in 2010 in making voting more accessible through registration and PEVL. The major areas where I believe we can improve our success rate are by:
•Motivating people (especially young and minority voters) to believe that voting Democratic matters,
•Taking strong stands on issues of greatest personal concern to voters and work with groups furthering causes, especially in the areas of education, jobs, health care, pensions, and respect for government.
•Finding out why so many people are not registering with a Party and finding ways to help them believe the Democratic Party serves their interests. We should make use of the fact that this group includes the “clueless,” people who are disillusioned with their party but can’t yet join the other party, and those who agree with us on some issues and with the Republicans or Greens on others.
•Finding better ways to communicate both with people who spend a lot of time using electronic media and those who spend little time getting news from any source. Increased microtargeting by identifying occupations such as “teacher” or other affinities can be an important tool.
•Improving two‐way communication among County Parties, LD, clubs, and caucuses around the state to learn from each other and benefit from our successes and failures, and increasing our respect for the efforts, skills, and knowledge of our PCs and other volunteers. I will work with Lois Pfau in this effort.
•Working towards new Districts that are more compact, competitive, and have optimum opportunities for minority representation.
My qualifications: I have been involved in the following ways: I have:
•Been active in Democratic politics for many years and worked on many campaigns.
•Spent several decades as an environmental and controlled growth activist.
•Co‐managed successful campaigns for county supervisor, city council, and a countywide rezoning referendum before we had Internet or VAN. I have worked in many other campaigns with more modern tools, including VAN. I am computer‐literate.
•Spent 13 years in the Ivory Tower at UA writing about water policy and environmental history.
•Been a full‐time Volunteer Coordinator for Howard Dean’s Pima County campaign.
•Served as PC, State Delegate, Secretary of LD 27 (2 terms), and Pima County Party Secretary (2 terms.)
•Volunteered for a variety of candidates (including ones as different as Lena Saradnik, Jeff Latas, city council member Regina Romero, Andrea Dalessandro, and of course, Barack Obama.
•Become a member of the Steering Committee and database manager for the new Pima County Chapter of Progressive Democrats of America.
•Volunteered while secretary in the areas of VAN use and training; organized a major headquarters renovation; led the selection and installation, of our Predictive Dialer; worked with our African‐American caucus; wrote grant applications; helped with PC Development workshops; observed ballot counting and took part in all ballot audits; made some 15,000 campaign buttons; helped organize volunteer appreciation activities, and other tasks. I will continue this kind of participation.
I am retired, except for part‐time teaching at Prescott College (Tucson campus), and have the time and motivation to work with the State Party, not only to do the record‐keeping duties of the secretary, but also to be involved in actions such as communications, Redistricting, and IT. I feel that State Party officers should take on specific areas of responsibility and be accountable for their chosen areas.
As Secretary of the State Party I would not only help represent Pima County, but extend that to two‐way communication with other areas, especially south of the Gila River.
Barbara Tellman, PC in 320 (LD 27)
Letter from Sharon Thomas, candidate for the office of Secretary
January 11, 2011
Sharon Thomas
Dear Fellow State Committeepersons:
I am pleased to put my name forward as a nominee for Secretary of the Arizona Democratic Party. As a long-time Democrat, I have been involved in party politics and community activism for the past twenty-two years. I began my activism working on my uncle’s campaign for Sheriff of Cochise County in the late 1980s. I became a leader and out-spoken force against incorporation of my small community in southern Arizona, and was a founding member of Saint David Residents for Rural Life. Community members looked to me as an articulate writer, spokesperson, and leader.
I became a Precinct Committeeperson and Secretary of the Cochise County Democratic Committee in 2006, and was elected Vice-Chair of the CCDC in 2008. I travel across the state to attend our State Committee meetings, and have attended nearly every meeting in the past six years, even attending the meetings and becoming involved in several caucuses before I became an elected State Committeeperson. I have served as Regional Advisory Committee Chair for the LGBT Caucus since 2009, and was recently elected as a Vice-Chair of the Progressive Caucus.
Coming from one of Arizona’s founding families, I have a love for Arizona and a familiarity of the differing aspects of our diverse state. I was raised in Chandler, attended Prescott High School, and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in English and Theatre Education. I have taught English, Communications, and Theatre Arts at the kindergarten through community college levels. I currently teach English at South Mountain High School in Phoenix. I am also a member of the Arizona Education Association, and have served as an AEA Assembly Delegate for my Classroom Teachers’ Association.
I am running for ADP Secretary because keeping accurate and regular records of our meetings is one of the most important things we do. As a party, we need a secretary who will be present at our meetings, take accurate, grammatically-correct minutes, and keep them organized and available for review. As an English teacher, writer, and compulsive editor, I am immensely qualified to be Secretary. I have served as secretary of numerous organizations and clubs in which I have been involved; I was elected Secretary of LD 15 in November. As a Maricopa County resident, I am accessible and will be able to attend all Executive Board and State Committee meetings.
I appreciate your support for Secretary of the Arizona Democratic Party. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Sharon Thomas
Statements from candidates running for Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party
Both the Arizona Democrat Party and the Arizona Republican Party will hold their biennial reorganization meetings on Saturday, January 22. As I'm not a Republican (not exactly surprising news for most readers :) ), I don't care who runs for or wins their officer positions.
I *do* care about who become the officers of the ADP for the next two years.
The list of announced candidates is here (it's not an "official" list, as candidates can only be nominated from the floor of the State Committee meeting on Saturday).
The main webpage for state committee activity, including for candidates for the various offices, is here.
Many of the announced candidates have submitted letters in support of their candidacies.
First up are the letters from the two announced candidates for Chair, Andrei Cherny and Rodney Glassman.
Here are those letters ( I haven't edited the content of the letters. However, any listed endorsements have been skipped - we've all received the emails from both candidates, and these posts will be long enough as it is :) ):
Letter from Andrei Cherny, candidate for the office of Chairman
Dear Fellow Arizona Democrat,
On Saturday, all our hearts broke. Our prayers are with our friend Congresswoman Giffords and all the victims of the tragic attack. This is a moment to hold close and reach out to those we cherish. And it’s a moment to reflect on the days we live in and our work to make this corner of the world a more gentle and more just place.
These are serious times for our nation, for our state – and for the Arizona Democratic Party. We need new leadership and we need to be more united than ever.
That’s why, after a great deal of soul-searching and encouragement from elected leaders, grassroots activists, and friends throughout the state, I have decided to run for the position of Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party. We’re at a critical point in Arizona’s history – one where so much is on the line with the choices our state and nation make. That’s why I ran for State Treasurer. And that’s why I'm running for Chair.
A couple of years ago, Arizona was seen as a state trending “purple” – a swing state where candidates for office would have to build broad coalitions to win. But in 2010, we were swamped by a tsunami. Despite the incredible efforts of Democratic volunteers and candidates, Republicans won up and down the ticket – and throughout the state – without offering any positive ideas to build Arizona’s future and by playing the dirtiest sort of wedge politics.
Democrats let that happen. As I campaigned in every part in Arizona, I saw firsthand that a lot of people who supported us in years past did not trust us to fight for their interests, defend their
values, or make their lives better. While we attacked the many Republican missteps, we failed to campaign with a unified message that told the people of Arizona who we are, what we stand for, and how we'll lead our state.
Delivering that message has to be job #1 of the next State Chair. That’s especially true because, for the first election in sixteen years, we did not elect a single statewide Democratic official to act as the spokesperson for our ideas and plans. We need the next State Chair to be a unifying figure and a strong messenger for a compelling vision of where Arizona needs to go.
The fact is that Russell Pearce’s Republican Party has deliberately vacated the center of Arizona politics. They disdain independents and their own party's moderates. They’re betting that they can rely on extremist supporters and money from out-of-state corporations to carry the day. They will if we let them.
We cannot let this happen.
Instead, we need to build a big tent Arizona Democratic Party where independents and disaffected Republicans are welcome and have a home. We need to inspire and motivate Democrats to get out and vote. And we need to go on the offense to fight for better schools, safer streets, and an Arizona economy that works for those who work hard and not just those with the connections and the lobbyists. We should not shade our ideas or sand down our message, but instead should show the contrast between Arizona's present and the brighter future Arizona Democrats can help bring.
Working with President Clinton in the White House and President Obama in 2008, that's what we did. And that's what we did in my campaign for Treasurer. I’ve worked for the Democratic Party since I started volunteering on campaigns when I was 12 years old. I've done every job from elected PC and District Chair to negotiating our National Party Platform. I believe in our party and what it stands for at its best -- and I refuse to stand by when so much is on the line.
Here’s what I'll work toward as Chair:
• A Democratic Party that Works from the Bottom-Up, Not the Top-Down. Without a statewide elected official to bring us together, we are entering a new era for Arizona Democrats. This is a chance to build a party that is not run by one elected official at the top who calls the shots, but one where county chairs, LD chairs, state committee members, precinct committee members, and activists are empowered to make more decisions on spending and recruitment, have the tools they need to do their work – and be held accountable as well. I was elected PC and elected LD chair, so I know what it means to work at the grassroots. To rebuild the Arizona Democratic Party, we need a 15 county strategy that works to win votes and convert voters in every part of our state. That's why, in the midst of my own campaign last fall, I personally raised the funds for the party that paid for GOTV efforts in areas that weren't being targeted by the party -- places like the West Valley, Pinal and Yuma counties. We can't leave any part of our state behind. Everyone's votes count!
• A Democratic Party with a Clear Vision. Before Arizonans trust our take on what the Republicans are doing to our state, they need to trust that we’ll do a better job. While we must take Russell Pearce and Jan Brewer to task, we have a responsibility to offer new, common-sense ideas to meet Arizona's toughest challenges. Arizona Democrats must offer more than responses to the Republican agenda, and instead make clear where we will lead the state. But our vision for the state is meaningless if Arizonans don't know what it is. Arizona Democrats' communications efforts have to reach newspapers, television, radio and blogs in every part of the state – from Nogales to Kingman, and Yuma to Window Rock.
• A Democratic Party that Wins Again. Ultimately, if we want to rebuild Arizona, we have to start winning more elections. Redistricting may create the most serious opportunity to make large gains in the state legislature in decades. A new congressional seat and President Obama’s reelection means the chance to make sure we have leadership in Washington that is focused on meeting America’s challenges. In this moment, we can't afford to be divided. I am the only candidate for Chair with broad support from the grassroots to our top elected officials in this campaign for Chair. Our task is to build a stronger Democratic Party, not to squander the work of the past decade. I was proud that my State Treasurer campaign raised more than any previous non-Governor statewide campaign – with the vast majority of contributions amounting to $100 or less. Though our contribution limits were only 16% of those of a candidate for US Senate, we inspired thousands – including so many of you – to join our cause. That's the job of a Chair: to inspire, to lead, to bring out the best in others, and to make sure we're getting results. It’s not enough to just fight the good fight—we need to win. Millions of Arizonans are counting on us to win – and that means we need to have the message, money, and momentum to carry the day.
As my friend from Cochise County, Bob Bland, said to me the other day: “When Republicans win, they splinter. When Democrats lose, they come together.” We lost in 2010 – and Arizonans are paying the price. Now, we need to come together, unite as one, take the fight to those who are driving Arizona into the ground, and win.
I hope to earn your support for Chair and then work with you in the months to come. Please follow my campaign on Facebook or Twitter and contact me anytime at Andrei@AndreiForArizona.com or (602) 688-2336.
I look forward to working with you to build a new Arizona Democratic Party – and rebuild the state we love.
Thank you,
Andrei
Cherny for Chair
________________________________________________________________
Letter from Rodney Glassman, candidate for the office of Chairman SUBJECT: Vote Glassman for Arizona Democratic Party Chair Dear Fellow Elected State Committee Member,
I would like to begin by expressing my feelings of sorrow for the families that lost loved ones this past weekend. Sasha, Rose, and I are praying for Gabrielle and the other victims of Saturday’s senseless violence. I am shocked to think that this happened in our hometown and in our state. It is with a heavy heart that I send out this letter today. Yet, in just twelve days we will be electing the new chair of our Arizona State Democratic party and I must ask for your feedback, your faith, and your support.
I am running for Arizona Democratic Party state chair because it’s time for us to have a party with direction. For the last four years our party has done a great job fundraising. And what we’ve learned is that we can raise a tremendous amount of money and still lose. In 2008 when states
across the country won… we lost! And in 2010 when states across the country lost… we lost worse!! It is time for us to remake our party and I have a concrete platform based on three ideas to get our party moving forward to win elections: 1. Creating a Bold and Unafraid Democratic brand 2. Working with local elected officials 3. A 30-district strategy to get candidates elected across the state.
I am proud to be the only candidate running for state chair that is an elected precinct committeeperson and an elected state committeeperson, just like you. I would like to listen to your thoughts and ideas and move them forward. Additionally, having served as a member of the Tucson City Council, I am the only candidate running for state chair that has ever won an election and held office. This is important because we need to do things differently. It’s not just about raising money… it’s about winning elections!
Bold and Unafraid Democratic Brand
The first thing we need to do is have a party that it is bold and unafraid to take our politics to the people of Arizona. We need to stand for something. We need a Democratic brand. What does it mean to be an Arizona Democrat? If we cannot all agree upon a brand as Democratic party activists then how are we going to sell our brand to other voters in the state? That is where our chair, our leader, needs to get engaged. Engaged by listening to you and caring about all of our opinions from grassroots activists to major donors. We cannot have a chair who only listens to one segment of the party. We need to identify a focus, that we all agree, make an Arizona Democrat. I believe three good areas would be jobs, education, and renewable energy. You may have other ideas and I would like to hear them. Right now, I bet you're thinking to yourself, this is the same stuff we already stand for as a party… but do we?
For example, we say we are the party of education… but are we? Last Spring the Arizona Democratic Party, the “party of education” did not have the courage to publicly endorse and work hard for the passage Proposition 100, an education initiative that eventually passed with nearly 70% of the vote. I am proud to be endorsed by our 2010 Democratic nominee for Superintendent of Schools, Penny Kotterman. Penny is the former president of AEA, a former teacher, and knows the importance of education as a core value for Democrats. We need to be the education party in Arizona and that means doing more than just taking money, around campaign time, from the Arizona Education Association. With a proper brand, whether we are speaking to Rotary clubs in Payson, Union Halls in Tucson, environmental groups in Flagstaff, or farmers in Yuma, our brand will stand out and on their own people will want to hear more about the Democratic party because we will be standing for something they are interested in… Arizona’s needs.
Working with Local Elected Officials
The second part of my plan is to reach out to local elected officials and invite them into our state party. We currently have dozens and dozens of locally elected officials across the state who are registered as Democrats but don’t promote it regularly. Did you know Bob Jackson the Mayor of
Casa Grande is a Democrat? Councilwoman Marquisha Griffin from Maricopa? Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh from Mesa? We need to enfranchise local elected officials by bringing them into state party activities. We talked about wanting to target the Latino community in 2010… why was it that all our mass party emails came from Caucasian state representatives in Central Phoenix and not perhaps, Representative Ana Tovar, Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, Congressman Raul Grijalva, Councilwoman Regina Romero from Tucson, or Councilman Alex Bejarano from Wellton. If we want to reach out and embrace diversity let’s incorporate that into everything we do as a party. We are tired of lip-service and promoting the same small group of elected officials. It does not work, it has not worked, and it will not work! We are the party of the big tent but that means we need a state chair committed to allowing others inside the tent.
30 District Strategy
Lastly, we need a 30 District strategy, much like Howard Dean’s 50 state strategy which was so successful in 2008. We should have two house candidates and one senate candidate in every legislative district. With 90 candidates, at over $30,000 of clean elections money each, that’s nearly $3,000,000 to help get Democrats elected around the state. But what is even greater is the fact that 90 legislative candidates will help bring out Democratic turnout for our statewide Corporation Commissioner candidates and our 9 Congressional candidates as well. Just remember, as President Kennedy once said, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” That’s why State Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy, who is up for re-election in 2012, is supporting my candidacy for state chair. The state party needs to have a commitment to work with legislative chairs and county chairs to identify candidates, tie their story into our brand, and help them qualify for clean elections. How many of you are willing to join me in Kingman, San Luis, or Cottonwood to help collect $5 contributions for our legislative candidates? If we all roll up our sleeves and contribute some elbow grease, the payoff will be tremendous because we will be creating new opportunities across the state. Growing up I always heard, “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”. And that means let’s get prepared! The statistical probability of winning an election when you do not have a candidate running is ZERO.
Role of the Chair
As a former City Councilman from Tucson and a Democratic candidate for United States Senate candidate running against a former Republican presidential nominee I was able to raise almost one million dollars in contributions. Having the opportunity to sell the new Arizona Democratic party brand, our local elected officials, and a 30 district strategy that will guarantee that Arizona is in play will be a great way for us to raise money and keep our party moving. I know we can raise the money we need to spread resources across the state. But, we need to remember that fundraising is not the panacea many thought it once was. We need to go grassroots and make sure that the dollars we do raise are spent contacting voters and not on consultants that never quite explain where the money goes or how it’s spent. We need transparency, open books so we know where our dollars are being invested, and we need to know who is being paid. In other words, we need a more open way of investing in our future.
I learned a great deal running for United States Senate in a 4-way Democratic primary. I learned that just because the state party recommends that you hire D.C. consultants it doesn’t mean you
should. I learned that we can collect over 15,000 signatures, we can receive nearly 5,000 contributions, and we can get nearly 600,000 people to vote for a Democrat against John McCain just two years after he ran for President of the United States. We performed better than anyone else that has in a year where we were outspent $31 to $1. I plan to take the learning experiences that I gained as a U.S. Senate nominee and as someone who has served as an elected official and apply those to the position of state chair.
A New Direction
Our 15 county chairs and 30 legislative district leaders should be treated like a true board of directors. How great would it be if every two weeks our party communications staff called and asked, “what is going on in your area that ties in with our Democratic brand”. It’s time we invested more time and energy in honing our best resource of all… YOU! We could then do targeted press, marketing, and keep our Democratic brand active in all parts of the state. It’s about being bold and unafraid and to start winning elections which is something we have not been doing consistently over the past four years.
If you spent four years getting lost in the forest it would be foolish to hand the lantern to someone who you followed in and say, “please help us get out.” So too, with this election, you have a clear choice. Someone who has followed the rules, became an elected Precinct committeeman, state committeeperson, and done things the proper way or someone who did not. I did not need a legal opinion or special appointment from the state chair to run for this position. Rather, I simply needed the urging and support of individuals such as Kit Filby, Jackie Thrasher, and Elaine Bohlmeyer who ran for the state legislature and my friends and co-candidates Arif Kazmi, Manny Cruz, David Bradley, my former boss, Congressman Raul Grijalva, local leaders and LD chairs Connie Finneman, Jeff Rich, Steve Schallenberger, Janice Blackmon, and Carol Comito, just to name a few.
We need a FULL TIME state chair, traveling the state and building relationships to help get Democrats elected. I am willing to commit the time to do this properly. I am running for chair of the Arizona Democratic Party because if we keep doing the same old things we are going to keep getting the same poor results. That means we need a different kind of leader who has served as an elected official, has experienced getting elected, and knows what it is like to win firsthand. We need a state chair whose number one priority is the state party, working with everyone, and who is committed to the entire state. Someone who is willing to get in the car and visit all fifteen counties, communicate in town after town, and actually spend time building relationships and developing a network of supporters that will work towards a common goal. We need a simple plan, on how we, together, can build up our Arizona Democratic party and once again start winning elections.
Progressive and Honest Track Record
For those who are interested in my credibility on Latino issues I urge you to speak to my supporter, Congressman Grijalva. For those who are interested in my track record on LGBT issues, I urge you to speak to my supporter, State Senator Paula Aboud. For those of you who are interested in my track record on education, I urge you to speak to my supporter Penny
Kotterman. For those interested in my commitment to working with the 22 Native American nations please visit with my support, State Senator Jack Jackson, Jr. And, for those of you interested in my track record on labor, I urge you to speak to my supporter Dion Abril from Sheet Metal Workers Local #359.
I ask for your support, your ideas, and your vote. Together we will create a bold and unafraid Democratic brand, begin building relationships with our locally elected Democratic officials, and executing a 30-district strategy to get Democrats elected across the state. Together we will find our way out of the forest and move in a new direction. Together we will turn Arizona Blue!
If you have questions or ideas about how we can all work together please email me at Rodney@rodneyglassman.com.
Your Fellow Elected State Committee Member,
Rodney Glassman
I *do* care about who become the officers of the ADP for the next two years.
The list of announced candidates is here (it's not an "official" list, as candidates can only be nominated from the floor of the State Committee meeting on Saturday).
The main webpage for state committee activity, including for candidates for the various offices, is here.
Many of the announced candidates have submitted letters in support of their candidacies.
First up are the letters from the two announced candidates for Chair, Andrei Cherny and Rodney Glassman.
Here are those letters ( I haven't edited the content of the letters. However, any listed endorsements have been skipped - we've all received the emails from both candidates, and these posts will be long enough as it is :) ):
Letter from Andrei Cherny, candidate for the office of Chairman
Dear Fellow Arizona Democrat,
On Saturday, all our hearts broke. Our prayers are with our friend Congresswoman Giffords and all the victims of the tragic attack. This is a moment to hold close and reach out to those we cherish. And it’s a moment to reflect on the days we live in and our work to make this corner of the world a more gentle and more just place.
These are serious times for our nation, for our state – and for the Arizona Democratic Party. We need new leadership and we need to be more united than ever.
That’s why, after a great deal of soul-searching and encouragement from elected leaders, grassroots activists, and friends throughout the state, I have decided to run for the position of Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party. We’re at a critical point in Arizona’s history – one where so much is on the line with the choices our state and nation make. That’s why I ran for State Treasurer. And that’s why I'm running for Chair.
A couple of years ago, Arizona was seen as a state trending “purple” – a swing state where candidates for office would have to build broad coalitions to win. But in 2010, we were swamped by a tsunami. Despite the incredible efforts of Democratic volunteers and candidates, Republicans won up and down the ticket – and throughout the state – without offering any positive ideas to build Arizona’s future and by playing the dirtiest sort of wedge politics.
Democrats let that happen. As I campaigned in every part in Arizona, I saw firsthand that a lot of people who supported us in years past did not trust us to fight for their interests, defend their
values, or make their lives better. While we attacked the many Republican missteps, we failed to campaign with a unified message that told the people of Arizona who we are, what we stand for, and how we'll lead our state.
Delivering that message has to be job #1 of the next State Chair. That’s especially true because, for the first election in sixteen years, we did not elect a single statewide Democratic official to act as the spokesperson for our ideas and plans. We need the next State Chair to be a unifying figure and a strong messenger for a compelling vision of where Arizona needs to go.
The fact is that Russell Pearce’s Republican Party has deliberately vacated the center of Arizona politics. They disdain independents and their own party's moderates. They’re betting that they can rely on extremist supporters and money from out-of-state corporations to carry the day. They will if we let them.
We cannot let this happen.
Instead, we need to build a big tent Arizona Democratic Party where independents and disaffected Republicans are welcome and have a home. We need to inspire and motivate Democrats to get out and vote. And we need to go on the offense to fight for better schools, safer streets, and an Arizona economy that works for those who work hard and not just those with the connections and the lobbyists. We should not shade our ideas or sand down our message, but instead should show the contrast between Arizona's present and the brighter future Arizona Democrats can help bring.
Working with President Clinton in the White House and President Obama in 2008, that's what we did. And that's what we did in my campaign for Treasurer. I’ve worked for the Democratic Party since I started volunteering on campaigns when I was 12 years old. I've done every job from elected PC and District Chair to negotiating our National Party Platform. I believe in our party and what it stands for at its best -- and I refuse to stand by when so much is on the line.
Here’s what I'll work toward as Chair:
• A Democratic Party that Works from the Bottom-Up, Not the Top-Down. Without a statewide elected official to bring us together, we are entering a new era for Arizona Democrats. This is a chance to build a party that is not run by one elected official at the top who calls the shots, but one where county chairs, LD chairs, state committee members, precinct committee members, and activists are empowered to make more decisions on spending and recruitment, have the tools they need to do their work – and be held accountable as well. I was elected PC and elected LD chair, so I know what it means to work at the grassroots. To rebuild the Arizona Democratic Party, we need a 15 county strategy that works to win votes and convert voters in every part of our state. That's why, in the midst of my own campaign last fall, I personally raised the funds for the party that paid for GOTV efforts in areas that weren't being targeted by the party -- places like the West Valley, Pinal and Yuma counties. We can't leave any part of our state behind. Everyone's votes count!
• A Democratic Party with a Clear Vision. Before Arizonans trust our take on what the Republicans are doing to our state, they need to trust that we’ll do a better job. While we must take Russell Pearce and Jan Brewer to task, we have a responsibility to offer new, common-sense ideas to meet Arizona's toughest challenges. Arizona Democrats must offer more than responses to the Republican agenda, and instead make clear where we will lead the state. But our vision for the state is meaningless if Arizonans don't know what it is. Arizona Democrats' communications efforts have to reach newspapers, television, radio and blogs in every part of the state – from Nogales to Kingman, and Yuma to Window Rock.
• A Democratic Party that Wins Again. Ultimately, if we want to rebuild Arizona, we have to start winning more elections. Redistricting may create the most serious opportunity to make large gains in the state legislature in decades. A new congressional seat and President Obama’s reelection means the chance to make sure we have leadership in Washington that is focused on meeting America’s challenges. In this moment, we can't afford to be divided. I am the only candidate for Chair with broad support from the grassroots to our top elected officials in this campaign for Chair. Our task is to build a stronger Democratic Party, not to squander the work of the past decade. I was proud that my State Treasurer campaign raised more than any previous non-Governor statewide campaign – with the vast majority of contributions amounting to $100 or less. Though our contribution limits were only 16% of those of a candidate for US Senate, we inspired thousands – including so many of you – to join our cause. That's the job of a Chair: to inspire, to lead, to bring out the best in others, and to make sure we're getting results. It’s not enough to just fight the good fight—we need to win. Millions of Arizonans are counting on us to win – and that means we need to have the message, money, and momentum to carry the day.
As my friend from Cochise County, Bob Bland, said to me the other day: “When Republicans win, they splinter. When Democrats lose, they come together.” We lost in 2010 – and Arizonans are paying the price. Now, we need to come together, unite as one, take the fight to those who are driving Arizona into the ground, and win.
I hope to earn your support for Chair and then work with you in the months to come. Please follow my campaign on Facebook or Twitter and contact me anytime at Andrei@AndreiForArizona.com or (602) 688-2336.
I look forward to working with you to build a new Arizona Democratic Party – and rebuild the state we love.
Thank you,
Andrei
Cherny for Chair
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Letter from Rodney Glassman, candidate for the office of Chairman SUBJECT: Vote Glassman for Arizona Democratic Party Chair Dear Fellow Elected State Committee Member,
I would like to begin by expressing my feelings of sorrow for the families that lost loved ones this past weekend. Sasha, Rose, and I are praying for Gabrielle and the other victims of Saturday’s senseless violence. I am shocked to think that this happened in our hometown and in our state. It is with a heavy heart that I send out this letter today. Yet, in just twelve days we will be electing the new chair of our Arizona State Democratic party and I must ask for your feedback, your faith, and your support.
I am running for Arizona Democratic Party state chair because it’s time for us to have a party with direction. For the last four years our party has done a great job fundraising. And what we’ve learned is that we can raise a tremendous amount of money and still lose. In 2008 when states
across the country won… we lost! And in 2010 when states across the country lost… we lost worse!! It is time for us to remake our party and I have a concrete platform based on three ideas to get our party moving forward to win elections: 1. Creating a Bold and Unafraid Democratic brand 2. Working with local elected officials 3. A 30-district strategy to get candidates elected across the state.
I am proud to be the only candidate running for state chair that is an elected precinct committeeperson and an elected state committeeperson, just like you. I would like to listen to your thoughts and ideas and move them forward. Additionally, having served as a member of the Tucson City Council, I am the only candidate running for state chair that has ever won an election and held office. This is important because we need to do things differently. It’s not just about raising money… it’s about winning elections!
Bold and Unafraid Democratic Brand
The first thing we need to do is have a party that it is bold and unafraid to take our politics to the people of Arizona. We need to stand for something. We need a Democratic brand. What does it mean to be an Arizona Democrat? If we cannot all agree upon a brand as Democratic party activists then how are we going to sell our brand to other voters in the state? That is where our chair, our leader, needs to get engaged. Engaged by listening to you and caring about all of our opinions from grassroots activists to major donors. We cannot have a chair who only listens to one segment of the party. We need to identify a focus, that we all agree, make an Arizona Democrat. I believe three good areas would be jobs, education, and renewable energy. You may have other ideas and I would like to hear them. Right now, I bet you're thinking to yourself, this is the same stuff we already stand for as a party… but do we?
For example, we say we are the party of education… but are we? Last Spring the Arizona Democratic Party, the “party of education” did not have the courage to publicly endorse and work hard for the passage Proposition 100, an education initiative that eventually passed with nearly 70% of the vote. I am proud to be endorsed by our 2010 Democratic nominee for Superintendent of Schools, Penny Kotterman. Penny is the former president of AEA, a former teacher, and knows the importance of education as a core value for Democrats. We need to be the education party in Arizona and that means doing more than just taking money, around campaign time, from the Arizona Education Association. With a proper brand, whether we are speaking to Rotary clubs in Payson, Union Halls in Tucson, environmental groups in Flagstaff, or farmers in Yuma, our brand will stand out and on their own people will want to hear more about the Democratic party because we will be standing for something they are interested in… Arizona’s needs.
Working with Local Elected Officials
The second part of my plan is to reach out to local elected officials and invite them into our state party. We currently have dozens and dozens of locally elected officials across the state who are registered as Democrats but don’t promote it regularly. Did you know Bob Jackson the Mayor of
Casa Grande is a Democrat? Councilwoman Marquisha Griffin from Maricopa? Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh from Mesa? We need to enfranchise local elected officials by bringing them into state party activities. We talked about wanting to target the Latino community in 2010… why was it that all our mass party emails came from Caucasian state representatives in Central Phoenix and not perhaps, Representative Ana Tovar, Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, Congressman Raul Grijalva, Councilwoman Regina Romero from Tucson, or Councilman Alex Bejarano from Wellton. If we want to reach out and embrace diversity let’s incorporate that into everything we do as a party. We are tired of lip-service and promoting the same small group of elected officials. It does not work, it has not worked, and it will not work! We are the party of the big tent but that means we need a state chair committed to allowing others inside the tent.
30 District Strategy
Lastly, we need a 30 District strategy, much like Howard Dean’s 50 state strategy which was so successful in 2008. We should have two house candidates and one senate candidate in every legislative district. With 90 candidates, at over $30,000 of clean elections money each, that’s nearly $3,000,000 to help get Democrats elected around the state. But what is even greater is the fact that 90 legislative candidates will help bring out Democratic turnout for our statewide Corporation Commissioner candidates and our 9 Congressional candidates as well. Just remember, as President Kennedy once said, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” That’s why State Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy, who is up for re-election in 2012, is supporting my candidacy for state chair. The state party needs to have a commitment to work with legislative chairs and county chairs to identify candidates, tie their story into our brand, and help them qualify for clean elections. How many of you are willing to join me in Kingman, San Luis, or Cottonwood to help collect $5 contributions for our legislative candidates? If we all roll up our sleeves and contribute some elbow grease, the payoff will be tremendous because we will be creating new opportunities across the state. Growing up I always heard, “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”. And that means let’s get prepared! The statistical probability of winning an election when you do not have a candidate running is ZERO.
Role of the Chair
As a former City Councilman from Tucson and a Democratic candidate for United States Senate candidate running against a former Republican presidential nominee I was able to raise almost one million dollars in contributions. Having the opportunity to sell the new Arizona Democratic party brand, our local elected officials, and a 30 district strategy that will guarantee that Arizona is in play will be a great way for us to raise money and keep our party moving. I know we can raise the money we need to spread resources across the state. But, we need to remember that fundraising is not the panacea many thought it once was. We need to go grassroots and make sure that the dollars we do raise are spent contacting voters and not on consultants that never quite explain where the money goes or how it’s spent. We need transparency, open books so we know where our dollars are being invested, and we need to know who is being paid. In other words, we need a more open way of investing in our future.
I learned a great deal running for United States Senate in a 4-way Democratic primary. I learned that just because the state party recommends that you hire D.C. consultants it doesn’t mean you
should. I learned that we can collect over 15,000 signatures, we can receive nearly 5,000 contributions, and we can get nearly 600,000 people to vote for a Democrat against John McCain just two years after he ran for President of the United States. We performed better than anyone else that has in a year where we were outspent $31 to $1. I plan to take the learning experiences that I gained as a U.S. Senate nominee and as someone who has served as an elected official and apply those to the position of state chair.
A New Direction
Our 15 county chairs and 30 legislative district leaders should be treated like a true board of directors. How great would it be if every two weeks our party communications staff called and asked, “what is going on in your area that ties in with our Democratic brand”. It’s time we invested more time and energy in honing our best resource of all… YOU! We could then do targeted press, marketing, and keep our Democratic brand active in all parts of the state. It’s about being bold and unafraid and to start winning elections which is something we have not been doing consistently over the past four years.
If you spent four years getting lost in the forest it would be foolish to hand the lantern to someone who you followed in and say, “please help us get out.” So too, with this election, you have a clear choice. Someone who has followed the rules, became an elected Precinct committeeman, state committeeperson, and done things the proper way or someone who did not. I did not need a legal opinion or special appointment from the state chair to run for this position. Rather, I simply needed the urging and support of individuals such as Kit Filby, Jackie Thrasher, and Elaine Bohlmeyer who ran for the state legislature and my friends and co-candidates Arif Kazmi, Manny Cruz, David Bradley, my former boss, Congressman Raul Grijalva, local leaders and LD chairs Connie Finneman, Jeff Rich, Steve Schallenberger, Janice Blackmon, and Carol Comito, just to name a few.
We need a FULL TIME state chair, traveling the state and building relationships to help get Democrats elected. I am willing to commit the time to do this properly. I am running for chair of the Arizona Democratic Party because if we keep doing the same old things we are going to keep getting the same poor results. That means we need a different kind of leader who has served as an elected official, has experienced getting elected, and knows what it is like to win firsthand. We need a state chair whose number one priority is the state party, working with everyone, and who is committed to the entire state. Someone who is willing to get in the car and visit all fifteen counties, communicate in town after town, and actually spend time building relationships and developing a network of supporters that will work towards a common goal. We need a simple plan, on how we, together, can build up our Arizona Democratic party and once again start winning elections.
Progressive and Honest Track Record
For those who are interested in my credibility on Latino issues I urge you to speak to my supporter, Congressman Grijalva. For those who are interested in my track record on LGBT issues, I urge you to speak to my supporter, State Senator Paula Aboud. For those of you who are interested in my track record on education, I urge you to speak to my supporter Penny
Kotterman. For those interested in my commitment to working with the 22 Native American nations please visit with my support, State Senator Jack Jackson, Jr. And, for those of you interested in my track record on labor, I urge you to speak to my supporter Dion Abril from Sheet Metal Workers Local #359.
I ask for your support, your ideas, and your vote. Together we will create a bold and unafraid Democratic brand, begin building relationships with our locally elected Democratic officials, and executing a 30-district strategy to get Democrats elected across the state. Together we will find our way out of the forest and move in a new direction. Together we will turn Arizona Blue!
If you have questions or ideas about how we can all work together please email me at Rodney@rodneyglassman.com.
Your Fellow Elected State Committee Member,
Rodney Glassman
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