Arizona
Since the early 1990's, conservatives have been on the rise — they took control of the majorities of Governorships, state legislatures, the U.S. Congress and elected a president. Yet, also in the 1990's, another strange thing occurred: Despite being the only state to vote Republican in every presidential election from 1952—1992, Arizona became competitive.
| Arizona Legislature | ||
Democrats |
Republicans |
|
| Senate | ||
| 2006 | 12 |
18 |
| 2008 | 13 |
17 |
| Today | 12 |
18 |
| House | ||
| 2006 | 21 |
39 |
| 2008 | 27 |
33 |
| Today | 25 |
35 |
A voluntary clean money system has been in effect in Arizona since 2000. That gives Progressive Majority the opportunity to recruit candidates early to run in every competitive race and train them under the system. Then they are free to campaign, without the focus on money, while we move on to recruit for the next election — literally paving the way to progressive power.
Arizona is a great state to test whether or not, when we have a strong candidate recruitment program in place, progressives can fare better politically under good campaign finance reform. Progressive Majority has already seen an increase in the number of progressives willing to run — and an increase in the numbers of women and people of color taking on the challenge.
Corey Woods
Elected to Tempe City Council - At Large (Challenger)
In 2008, Corey Woods was elected to the non-partisan Tempe City Council. Corey ran unsuccessfully for the council in 2005, but afterward he became more involved in the community by serving on the City of Tempe's Transportation Commission, the Boards of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs, Communities in Schools, Kiwanis Club of Tempe, and Tempe Community Action Agency. Corey is the first African-American to serve on the City Council of Tempe.
Pat Fleming
Elected to State Representative - District 25 (Open Seat)
Bisbee, Douglas, Gila Bend, Marana and Nogales
Progressive Majority fielded Pat for her in her first bid for the House in District 25 in 2006 against an entrenched incumbent. While unsuccessful, Pat ran a great race and is ran again, this time for an open seat. Pat is a retired member of AFGE, the federal government employees union. District 25 is a sprawling rural district that runs along much of the Mexican border where illegal crossing is occurring. Pat is retired from the U.S. Department of the Defense, where she oversaw multi-million dollars budgets. She was a Clean Elections candidate.
Rae Waters
Elected to State Representative - District 20 (Open Seat)
Ahwatukee and Chandler
Rae Waters is a member of the Kyrene School Board who ran for state representative in District 20. Rae received endorsements from all corners of organized labor. District 20 is a traditionally Republican district that, due to changing registration numbers and the political climate, is trending Democratic. Rae ran on the Democratic Party's platform of fiscal responsibility, and strengthening health care and education. She was a Clean Elections candidate.
Rick Heumann
Elected to Chandler City Council - At Large (Open Seat)
Rick Heumann, won race for the Chandler City Council, is a long-time resident of Chandler and has been active in the community for more than 20 years. Rick has served eight years on the city planning and zoning commission, has served on several other city commissions, and has been president of a large homeowner's association. Chandler is a conservative community east of Phoenix, but a well-run progressive campaign can succeed there. Progressive Majority candidate Trinity Donovan was the top vote-getter in Chandler's elections two years ago, and as the lone progressive on the council, she now has help to move forward a progressive agenda. On the council, Rick will advocate smart and sustainable growth policies, expansion of mass transit and a greater emphasis on parks and other city services that increase quality of life.
Marquisha Griffin
Elected to Maricopa City Council - At Large (Challenger)
Marquisha Griffin is a 32-year-old member of the Maricopa City Council. She is the only female and the only person of color on the city council. Marquisha is also in her third term on the City of Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission. She volunteers at local charity events and city-sponsored activities and is currently employed by the City of Mesa as a City Council assistant.
Matt Jewett
Elected to Creighton Elementary School Governing Board (Incumbent)
A Center for Progressive Leadership fellow, Matt Jewett ran to fulfill the remaining two years of the term Progressive Majority candidate Tiffany Troidl left vacant on the Creighton Elementary School Governing Board when she left the board. Tiffany recruited Matt and helped him get appointed by the county superintendent of schools to serve on the board until the November election, so he is technically an incumbent. Matt's day job is working for the Children's Action Alliance, a prominent Arizona non-profit. He is openly gay. Matt campaigned on a platform of strengthening student performance even in the face of declining enrollment, and assuring that all students have the tools to succeed at the high school level.
Carl Zaragoza
Elected to Creighton Elementary School Governing Board (Open Seat)
Carl Zaragoza is a former Teach for America corps member and an Army veteran. Progressive Majority recruited Carl through local community partners and past candidates. Progressive Majority has worked with Carl since the beginning of his race for the Creighton Elementary School Governing Board. He ran on the platform of celebrating real, significant academic achievement, Carl understands how critical the public school system is for a community's growth. Carl won one of three available four-year seats, the three highest vote getters win this race.
Rosemary Arthur
Elected to Glendale Elementary School Govering Board (Open Seat)
Rosemary Arthur, a medical billing specialist at Planned Parenthood, ran for an open seat on the Glendale Elementary School Governing Board and won. This was her first run for public office. We recruited Rosemary through our partnership with the Arizona Education Association, Planned Parenthood and the Center for Progressive Leadership. One of the reasons Rosemary ran, is to guarantee medically-accurate sex education in Glendale's schools, a program that is threatened by a growing conservative bloc in the city.
Robin Stamp
Elected to Madison Elementary School Governing Board - At Large (Open Seat)
Robin Stamp was a first-time candidate for the Madison Elementary School District Governing Board. Robin, 30, was a fellow at the Center for Progressive Leadership and works for the Arizona Attorney General's Office in its consumer outreach division.
Robin is dedicated to safer schools for our children. In his position as an outreach coordinator for the attorney general, Robin has extensive experience working with students, teachers, administrators and parents on school safety.
Robin understands the importance of a supportive work environment for Arizona's educators. One of Robin's primary goals is to attract and retain top teachers in the Madison School District. Robin's vision is for the district to be the leader in 21st century education, and he believes we must educate our children to be leaders and innovators in the new global economy.
Liz Meza
Elected to Phoenix Elementary School Governing Board - At Large (Open Seat)
Liz Meza was a candidate in the non-partisan race for an open seat on the Phoenix Elementary School Governing Board and won. Three seats were up, all elected at-large. Liz, the sister of Robert Meza, a progressive member of the Arizona House of Representatives, is a prominent member of the community making her first run for public office. She ran on a platform of improving conditions in Phoenix's inner city schools, effectively confronting the issues of reduced enrollment due to enhanced immigration enforcement and charter schools, and improving communication between school administration and the community. Liz's perspective as a member of the Latino community is desperately needed - this school district has an enrollment of 85 percent Latino students and 5 percent Caucasian students, yet all five board members are Caucasian.
Sherri Connell
Elected to Tempe Elementary School Governing Board - At Large (Challenger)
Sherri Connell, 36, was a first-time candidate running for a position on the Tempe Elementary School Governing Board. A graduate of Emerge Arizona, Sherri is a young candidate with a bright political future. A mother of two, Sherri understands the issues facing the Tempe Elementary District from the perspective of a parent whose children attend the schools. She wants to improve communication between school administration and parents, reduce class sizes and work to retain quality teachers. Sherri was a challenger running for one of three seats up for election in this non-partisan race.
Rochelle Wells
Elected to Tempe Elementary School Governing Board (Incumbent)
Rochelle Wells is a social worker and an appointed incumbent member of the Tempe Elementary School Board who ran to retain her seat. This is her first run for public office. Rochelle has been a standout board member since her appointment, keeping a very high-profile in the community with both public appearances and newspaper op-eds on behalf of students and teachers. Rochelle ran along with another Progressive Majority candidate, Sherri Connell, for two of the three available seats on the board.
Mark Stegeman
Elected to Tucson Unified School Governing Board - At Large (Open Seat)
Ran as a challenger for the Tucson Unified School Governing Board, first-time candidate Mark Stegeman is an MIT-educated professor of economics at the University of Arizona. Mark ran for this non-partisan office because of his passion for education and because of the terrible mismanagement the district during the past several years. Tucson Unified is the largest school district in Arizona; it includes more than 150 schools and receives more dollars per student in funding than any other district in the state. Due to bloated bureaucracy, however, the district ranks near the bottom in the state in terms of dollars spent per student. During the past few years, Mark has been serving on the district's budget advisory committee, and he will use his experience on the committee, as an economist, and as a small business owner to streamline the district's overhead to put more money in the classroom and increase teacher pay.
Carolyn Lane
Elected to Arcadia-Biltmore Constable (Challenger)
Maricopa County
Carolyn Lane is a real estate agent, small-business owner who ran for constable in the Arcadia-Biltmore justice precinct. The constable is a county-level partisan elected official who carries out court actions assigned by the justice of the peace. Carolyn is openly LGBT and is very active with the Human Rights Campaign, even serving as host of HRC's gala fundraiser last year. Progressive Majority has been involved with Carolyn's campaign since before she announced her candidacy. Carolyn ran on a platform of competent, effective administration of the constable's duties. She believes, as one of the only locally elected officials in the justice system, the constable has an important responsibility to the citizens of Maricopa County.
Steve Sarkis
Elected to Arcadia-Biltmore Justice of the Peace (Open Seat)
Maricopa County
Steven Sarkis is a 24-year-old legal clerk who ran and won for justice of the peace in the Arcadia-Biltmore justice precinct in Maricopa County. This was Steven's first run for public office. Steven worked for the justice court for two years before he left to run for justice of the peace, which is a partisan elected office. This was an open seat held by a Democrat. Progressive Majority was been involved in Steven's race from the beginning and he relied heavily on our advice. Steven walked very aggressively for several weeks. The general election was very competitive, with the district almost exactly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.