Time For Progressives To Step Up And Take Over The Arizona Democratic Party

Schumer doppelgänger Krysten Sinema

I got a nice letter the other day from Noelle David, a DWT reader and faithful Arizona Democrat-- a faithful Arizona Democrat whose faith is being tested and strained.

I am horrified that our party would even consider putting Sinema as the anointed one to run for the Senate seat next year. It is an open secret that she is an opportunist-- however, even I, as an active Democrat living in the east valley for over a decade had no idea how terrible she is until I read a recent piece in the New Times. I read the piece yesterday and was so nauseated by what I read that I texted our district chair telling him as much. He told me to “calm down” and that it is better her than Ward. I responded by telling him that I have always voted straight ticket but that if Sinema is the Dem candidate it will be the first time in 30 years that I will not vote for a Dem on the ticket. I also said that I will not “calm down.”

I would think that our party should be worried about people like me because for better or worse I have always abided by our party’s suggestions and voted for our candidates-- as much as it has hurt at times I have always voted for the Democratic candidat-- literally ALWAYS. But, not this time.  I refuse to vote for Sinema. We are at a time in our politics where people are aware more than ever before of politicians’ voting record... i.e. people, particularly younger people, are NOT stupid. Sinema IS the worst kind of opportunist and maybe that kind of behavior is rewarded in the Republican party it should NEVER even be tolerated in our party.

Honestly, if this were not so pathetic it would be funny.

Anyways I just wanted to email you to tell you that I appreciate you writing about her true nature in your blog.

Have a good day.

Noelle David

I once served on a board with Sinema-- before she was in Congress-- so I've known what a dangerous sociopath she is before most people had an opportunity to see for themselves. She's as crazy and unhinged as Trump... and if Schumer gets his way, she'll soon be in the U.S. Senate demonstrating that. The chair of the Blue Dog Caucus, she's corrupt beyond what's normal even for this Congress and she, literally, has the worst voting record of any Democrat-- or even fake Democrat-- in Congress.

There are few as bad, though the hollowed out and sad Arizona Democratic Party knows how to turn them out. Tom O'Halleran is a Republican legislator who was defeated in a primary and "switched" his registration for the sake of opportunism and pretends to be a Blue Dog Democrat while voting with his old party on most crucial roll calls. There are also two excellent Democrats in Congress from Arizona: Raul Grijalva from Tucson and Ruben Gallego from Phoenix-- so two piles of crap and two exceptionally good members. The race for the other Tucson seat-- east of Grijalva's-- is a swing district likely to elect a Democrat next year. The primary will determine what kind of Democrat-- one like Sinema and O'Halleran from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party or a real Democrat.

AZ-02 has 7 Democrats running for the seat held by Republican Martha McSally. The district's 2015 PVI (R+3) is now R+1. Although Romney edged Obama there by less than a point in 2012, Hillary beat Trump 49.6% to 44.7%. The DCCC is eager for a right-of-center corporate Democrat from the northern part of the state, Ann Kirkpatrick, to be the candidate-- mostly because they know her from her days in Congress before suffering several defeats, defeats because she is so right-of-center that Democratic base voters just refused to show up at the polls to support her. Kirkpatrick is a New Demo and a picture-perfect example of the opposite of courageous. I can't think of any defeated incumbents less worthy of bringing back to Congress-- and I doubt the voters in her new district will either. No one wants her to be the candidate except the DC Dems at the DCCC... and Martha McSally, who knows her best shot at reelection would be a carpetbagger from Flagstaff depressing activist turnout. Take a look at this website put together by one of her primary opponents. Does this sound like a Democrat?

Ann Kirkpatrick in her own words on supporting the NRA

“I am not going to allow Washington to ignore the values of Arizonans and the traditions of four generations of my family in District One, and I am proud to be pushing back against the federal government to stop our Constitutional rights from being infringed. Every time the anti-gun rights groups propose legislation that restricts our freedoms, I am going to make sure they know millions of Americans will fight them every inch of the way.” [Congressional Documents and Publications. May 13, 2010. “Rep. Kirkpatrick Updates Greater Arizonans on Her Fight to Defend Second Amendment Rights in Tele-Town Hall.”]

Kirkpatrick welcomed the NRA to Phoenix for its annual convention, calling it “one of the country’s oldest continuously operating civil liberties organizations” in a press release.

“As a gun owner myself, I firmly believe in the right of all Americans to keep and bear arms, and I am proud that my state is hosting the group that has protected that right for 138 years. This is a chance for Arizonans to show our nation’s leaders we will not let them take away our freedoms.”

“People in Washington need to stop undermining the Second Amendment. That’s why I took on the Attorney General for his proposal to ban so-called ‘assault weapons. I will continue to work vigilantly to maintain and protect our Second Amendment rights against every challenge they face.”  [States News Service. July 22, 2009. “Rep Kirkpatrick Reaffirms Support for Critical Second Amendment Protections, Continues “Defending Arizona Values” Campaign.”]

Kirkpatrick was a co-sponsor for the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act which allows those authorized to carry firearms in their home state to travel with their weapons. [Congressional Documents and Publications. November 20, 2009. “Rep. Kirkpatrick Emphasizes Importance of Protecting Second Amendment Rights to Greater Arizonans in Tele-Town Hall.”]

Kirkpatrick agreed with a radio caller in 2010 that citizens should be able to buy and own fully automatic firearms. “I agree with you, I think people should be able to legally purchase and carry the gun they want.” She also stated that she opposed bans on some types of firearms, opposed DC and Chicago laws barring private ownership of some gun types, and supported allowing guns in national parks.[Arizona Daily Sun. January 10, 013. “Kirkpatrick pivots on guns.”]

Kirkpatrick did not support President Obama’s call to reinstitute the assault weapons ban and limit magazine size. [Eastern Arizona Courier (Safford, Arizona). February 5, 2013. “Kirkpatrick talks guns, jobs, water.”]

Kirkpatrick continued her opposition to limiting extended magazines.

Kirkpatrick was the only Congressional Democrat in Arizona to receive an “A” rating from the NRA in the last decade which she maintained through Fall 2012. [The Arizona Republic April 5, 2013. Final Chaser Edition. “Arizona’s Gun Divide.”]

Ann may be right for Flagstaff. But she's not right for us.

As far as I can tell, the best candidate to win this seat and serve working families in Congress would be former Assistant Secretary of the Army Mary Matiella. (Watch the video below.) What we don't need is another tired white bread candidate who will spend and do the same old mailer and media buys without the kind of grassroots field operation and ground game that will be needed to inspire voters and oust McSally. That's certainly not Kirkpatrick, the recycled DCCC-imposed candidate.