A poll of voters conducted late last month revealed that the Democratic primary for Arizona’s District One congressional race remains highly competitive.
Leading candidates Andrei Cherny and Amish Shah reflected 16 percent support, with Marlene Galan-Woods trailing slightly at 14 percent, then Connor O’Callaghan at 11 percent.
Those numbers were low because a majority remained undecided on their preferred candidate.
The poll, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights (NPI), found that 35 percent of the over 400 Democratic voters didn’t know if they were going to support Cherny, Shah, Galan-Woods, or O’Callaghan.
NPI Chief of Research David Byler opined in a press release with the poll results that the lack of voter enthusiasm for any one candidate was due to the race being “a mess” and none of the Democratic primary candidates being well known.
“On the Democratic side of the aisle, there’s no single issue that focuses and divides up primaries,” said Byler. “Many Democrats haven’t tuned in, and those who have are split and unsure.”
Certain candidates turned out higher likeability scores among undecided Democratic voters. Cherny had a net favorability rating of 43 points, followed by Galan-Woods at 41 points and then Shah at 34 points.
Cherny was endorsed by former President Bill Clinton; congressmen Adam Smith (Washington), Brad Schneider (Illinois), Mike Levin (California), Seth Moulton (Massachusetts), and Wiley Nickel (North Carolina), Senate Democratic leader Mitzi Epstein; former State Representatives Debbie McCune Davis and Kelli Butler; mayors Ginny Dickey (Fountain Hills), Kate Gallego (Phoenix), Jerry Bien-Wilner (Paradise Valley); former Congressman Harry Mitchell; Central Arizona Project and Arizona’s List board member Heather Macre; Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo; former Vice Mayor of Tempe Lauren Kuby; former Attorney General Terry Goddard; AFSCME; Brady PAC; Foreign Policy for America; League of Conservation Voters; Moms Demand Action; New Politics; Serve America; Taking the Hill PAC; and VoteVets.
Shah’s endorsements are mainly Democratic lawmakers: House Minority Leader Andrés Cano, House Minority Leader Lupe Contreras; House Assistant Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos; House Whip Nancy Gutierrez; and Representatives Analise Ortiz, Stacy Travers, Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton, Cesar Aguilar, Christopher Mathis, Keith Seaman, Patty Contreras, Myron Tsosie, Seth Blattman, Mae Peshlakai, Deborah Nardozzi, Charles Lucking, and Senators Eva Burch and Flavio Bravo. His other endorsements include Councilman Kevin Robinson, former Representative Lorenzo Sierra, César Chávez, and Aaron Lieberman; and former senators Robert Miza and Sean Bowie.
Galan-Woods has a diverse array of endorsements among Democratic leaders. Among them are Congressman Raúl Grijalva; attorney general Kris Mayes; State Representative Laura Terech; former Arizona Governor and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former Senator Dennis DeConcini; former Congressman Ron Barber and Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick; former State Representative Marcelino Quiñonez; former Mayor of Tempe, Neil Giuliano; former Arizona Democratic Party Chair Felecia Rotellini; and 2014 Democratic nominee for Arizona governor and Deputy Chief of Protocol for former President Bill Clinton, Fred Duval.
Galan-Woods’ list of endorsements from organizations also has diversity: Emily’s List, Bold Democrats, Elect Democratic Women, Moms Fed Up, Latino Victory Fund, Moms Demand Action, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 104, Ironworkers Local 75, American Federation of Government Employees, United Food and Commercial Workers, National Education Association, Arizona Education Association, Professional Firefighters of Arizona, International Association of Fire Fighters, Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, and Communications Workers of America.
O’Callaghan’s endorsements generally cover a more national scope, with some more local Arizona endorsements. Those Arizona endorsements include State Representative Mariana Sandoval; elected Central Arizona Water Conservation District board members Ylenia Aguilar and Ben Graff; pro-tem Justice of the Peace in Maricopa County Ayensa Millan; Scottsdale Unified School District board member Julie Cieniawski; Phoenix Elementary Governing Board member Regional Carrillo; Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board member Kerry Baker; former Scottsdale Education Association President Eric Kurland; former Nogales Mayor Marco Lopez; former Maricopa County Democratic Party Chair Steven Slugocki; activists Tony Moya, Shea Najafi, and Mark Ashley; former Turning Arizona Blue host Ron Williams; former congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia.
O’Callaghan’s endorsements outside Arizona list among them several A-list celebrities: Kate Walsh, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Laura Benanti, Beth Dover, and Cissy Jones. Other endorsements were Congressmen Dan Goldman (New York), Brendan Boyle (Pennsylvania), Val Hoyle (Oregon); former New York Congressman Max Rose; political scientist and author Rachel Bitecofer; former senior advisor to former President Bill Clinton, Justin Cooper; Obama 2012 State Director Miguel Medrano; former Bernie Sanders Deputy Director Roy Tatem Jr.; TNT reporter and host Allie LaForce.
O’Callaghan also had a number of organization recognitions: BlueAmerica, Common Defense, Patriotic Millionaires, Stonewall Democrats of Arizona, Penjamo Yaqui Pueblo, Power PAC Plus, Down with Tyranny, Vote Common Good, American Promise, and Moms Demand Action.
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Arizona’s Congressman for the 2nd District, Eli Crane, definitively and vociferously professed his support this week for the SAVE Act, stating in a post to X that “American citizens are the only ones who should be voting in American elections.”
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, would require that voters provide “documentary proof of United States citizenship” to vote in federal elections, and that the states “shall remove an individual who is not a citizen of the United States from the official list of eligible voters.”
American citizens are the only ones who should be voting in American elections.
Essentially the law would federalize and answer in broad scope the controversy across the states which has seen illegal immigrants suspected of voting illegally in federal elections, by providing a common, overarching standard each state must meet.
Despite it’s straightforward and obviously constitutional construction, the SAVE Act has been met with unremitted hostility and vehement opposition from both the Biden White House and Congressional Democrats. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) sent voting instructions to her House Caucus telling them they are “urged to VOTE NO” on the bill, according to a report by Axios. Clark’s office claimed that the bill would “prevent Americans from registering to vote with their drivers’ license alone,” would make a passport the “only acceptable standalone form of identification,” and suggested it would create what they called an “extreme burden for countless Americans” and “further intimidate election officials and overburden states’ abilities to enroll new voters.”
But the Democrats have drawn open scorn and rebuke from a broad host of prominent Americans who see the bill as a much needed step to rebuild faith in the American electoral system.
Responding to a report by Axios that “House Democratic leadership is bringing out the big guns against a Republican bill set to be voted on next week that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections,” Tim Pool of Timcast News commented in a post to X, “What? Why? Who disagrees with this?”
Mr. Pool, a prominent, classically liberal voice in American politics drew responses from Elon Musk who replied directly, “Because they want to cheat.”
The Redheaded Libertarian observed, “Every voting amendment is clear. Blocking the SAFE Act is shirking their oath to defend the Constitution,” and provided basis for this in the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments citing their use of the words “citizens of the United States.”
Every voting amendment is clear. Blocking the SAFE Act is shirking their oath to defend the Constitution pic.twitter.com/CWIsYUdlu2
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) July 8, 2024
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) also noted in a video posted to X, “Biden let in millions of illegal aliens. Now he’s opposing the SAVE Act, which would prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections. Tell your members of Congress: pass the SAVE Act!”
The Libs of TikTok commentary account of Chaya Raichik responded matter-of-factly, “Only traitors are against the SAVE Act!”
At the end of June, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) released a report making the case for the SAVE Act.
The report points out: “There is ample evidence that noncitizens are voting in U.S. elections:
A 2014 study that analyzed the 2008 and 2010 elections concluded that not only had noncitizens illegally voted in U.S. elections but also that the votes of noncitizens likely determined the outcome in certain races.
In states like Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia, noncitizens have recently been removed from the voting rolls – and many of those noncitizens had voted.
The Arizona Secretary of State website is currently falsely promoting the idea that individuals who fail to present proof of citizenship when registering will ‘be eligible to vote in federal elections.'”
The report calling for the passage of the SAVE Act concludes, “The evidence is overwhelming. Many noncitizens are able to obtain a Social Security Number. Over the past three years, the Biden Administration’s policies have encouraged illegal immigration and aided a large number of noncitizens in obtaining an SSN. Loopholes in federal law could allow noncitizens to register to vote. An SSN alone is ineffective to prevent noncitizen registration and noncitizen voting. Noncitizens have been illegally voting in federal elections and have, according to one study, even affected the outcome of elections. Noncitizen voting is a threat to election integrity. Congress must pass the SAVE Act to close the loopholes that have allowed noncitizen voting, to enhance election security, to reduce the risk of foreign election interference, and to restore Americans’ confidence in U.S. elections.”
Arizonans will likely soon be faced with the proposition of enshrining abortion into their state’s constitution.
Last week, Arizonans for Abortion Access dropped off 823,685 signatures with the Secretary of State, putting their measure one step closer to qualifying for the ballot in the November General Election.
The group stated, “Today, we made history submitting 823,685 signatures toward an amendment enshrining the right to access abortion in the Arizona Constitution. That number represents one out of every five Arizona voters, more than double the number of signatures required. When passed by voters in November, the Arizona Abortion Access Act will enshrine a right to abortion in the constitution and prevent the state from passing laws that restrict access to abortion before fetal viability or after that point to protect the health and life of the patient.”
Today, we made history submitting 823,685 signatures toward an amendment enshrining the right to access abortion in the Arizona Constitution. That number represents one out of every five Arizona voters, more than double the number of signatures required. pic.twitter.com/ECnFAv4bSg
— Arizona for Abortion Access (@azforaccess) July 3, 2024
Arizona for Abortion Access shared on its “X” account that “signatures were gathered by more than 7,000 volunteers across all 15 Arizona counties in support of the amendment. On trailheads, in coffee shops, book stores and public events, signature-gatherers were overwhelmed by support in all demographic groups.”
Signatures were gathered by more than 7,000 volunteers across all 15 Arizona counties in support of the amendment. On trailheads, in coffee shops, book stores & public events, signature-gatherers were overwhelmed by support in all demographic groups. pic.twitter.com/uwgoK0p6CM
— Arizona for Abortion Access (@azforaccess) July 3, 2024
Arizona for Abortion Access had until July 3, 2024, to gather 383,923 valid signatures to refer this initiative to the November 2024 ballot. If the signatures survive any legal challenges that might arise in the coming weeks, the initiative would amend the state’s constitution to install abortion as a right in Arizona if voters approve of the measure.
Last year, one of Arizona’s top pro-life leaders, Cathi Herrod from the Center for Arizona Policy, came out in fierce opposition to these efforts, alerting her followers that this measure “would tear down virtually all pro-life precautions and make it nearly impossible to regulate abortion.” Herrod also explained how, if passed, the constitutional amendment would likely allow abortion at all stages of life in the womb, stating, “The broad exemption of ‘mental health’ of the mother after viability is widely understood, even in the courts, to mean virtually anything the abortion provider wants it to mean, including stress or anxiety. Even barbaric partial-birth abortion is legal under this exemption.”
Arizona for Abortion Access lists endorsements from the ACLU of Arizona, Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health, Healthcare Rising Arizona, Arizona List, NARAL Arizona, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, on its website.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Attorney General Kris Mayes’ five new selections to the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board (ACRAB) are all progressive Democrats, challenging her characterization of the board as “politically balanced.”
These latest ACRAB additions are Heather Ross, Enrique Davis-Mazlum, Justin Weinstein-Tull, Holli Ploog, and Lydia Peirce Linsmeier.
Ross and Weinstein-Tull are Arizona State University professors. Ross specializes in health equity and policy, while Weinstein-Tull specializes in constitutional law, state and local courts and governments, and election law. However, both were highly supportive of centralized COVID-19 government responses and oversight.
As a special advisor to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego from 2019 to 2022, Ross was principally behind the mask mandates and ordinances. Ross also advocated for an expansive COVID-19 contact tracing team to ensure quarantining. In a 2022 paper, Weinstein-Tull advocated for increasing the power of the federal government, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as justification.
Ross is also, notably, an elected precinct committee person and state party delegate for the Arizona Democratic Party, and was a Democratic congressional candidate in 2018.
During her 2018 run, Ross advocated for progressive policies such as stricter gun control, expanding Medicare and Medicaid, and expanding clean energy.
Ross also chairs both the Arizona Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Phoenix Women’s Commission.
Weinstein-Tull signed onto a letter opposing now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the highest court, along with 13 other ASU professors.
Weinstein-Tull formerly served as a DOJ Civil Rights Division trial attorney and clerked with Ninth Circuit Justice Sidney Thomas.
Davis-Mazlum holds a doctorate in Gender Equality in Politics, noted for his defense of secularism while promoting gender equality and human rights. Davis-Mazlum has led several prominent progressive organizations: he was Arizona State Director for UnidosUS and UnidosUS Action Fund, campaign director for LUCHA Blue Campaign, and organizer for Voter Choice Arizona.
Through these groups, Davis-Mazlum has advanced progressive agendas, such as legalizing illegal immigration and abortion, and backed Democratic candidates for office: President Joe Biden, along with congressional candidates Ruben Gallego, Raquel Teran, and Kirsten Engel.
Holli Ploog is the vice mayor of Sedona, endorsed by pro-abortion Democratic organization Arizona List. Ploog is on the Democrats of the Red Rocks Board of Directors, and a supporter of progressive policies to address climate change.
On her reelection website, Ploog is seen posing with Governor Katie Hobbs. Ploog also pledged her support for Senator Mark Kelly back in 2020 during his reelection bid.
Ploog was the sole dissenting vote on a council plan allowing the homeless with full-time jobs to sleep in their cars in a parking lot at Sedona Cultural Park. Ploog voted against the plan due to the uproar from constituents.
Peirce Linsmeier works as an attorney specializing in fair housing, and serves as a board member for Disability Rights Arizona. Concerning disabilities, Peirce Linsmeier recently defended President Joe Biden’s reelection bid: she compared 32nd president Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s physical disability (paralyzation from polio necessitating a wheelchair) to Biden’s apparent mental disability (a cognitive impairment resembling dementia).
“FDR used a wheelchair, and he did a pretty good job as president. Mobility aids have nothing to do with competence. #ableism,” wrote Peirce Linsmeier on LinkedIn.
In a press release, Mayes explained that these five additions provided much-needed expertise to ACRAB.
“Their contributions will be invaluable as we work together to advance justice for all Arizonans,” said Mayes.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
A new study released by the ASU Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy found that while Generation Z voters have become frustrated with the current state of American politics, there is still major motivation to participate in the 2024 election.
The survey, published by Noble Predictive Insights, polled Arizona registered voters from 20-30 years old and showed that 66% of them say they will “definitely” participate in the 2024 election but are wildly dissatisfied with the political parties as they exist today. 80% said they feel that the major political parties are “out of touch” with their generation and that there should be more choices on the ballot.
According to the poll, several conclusions stood out. Notably, the cohort predominantly identifies as independent with 49% of them eschewing membership in either major party.
The pollsters added, “they are profoundly frustrated with the political world that has been handed down to them. Only 20 percent of this group feels that the current political system works for their generation and 80 percent feel that both the Democratic and Republican parties are out of touch with people their age. Well over half feel that all politicians are corrupt.”
Thom Reilly, professor and co-director for ASU CISD explained, “Arizona’s Gen Z voters are sending a clear message that they are dissatisfied with the political status quo. They’re rejecting traditional party affiliations in favor of a more independent stance. Still, they haven’t given up on the democratic process. They are looking for alternatives and believe in their power to affect change through voting.”
Our recent survey of 1315 registered Gen Z voters: 2 out of 3 in Arizona say they will vote in November; 4 in 5 say the 2 major parties don’t represent them ; 49% are registered as independent ; top issues: economics , abortion, fair and secure elections https://t.co/ecsdYzVIKl
The poll indicated that by far the most pressing concerns of the Generation Z voters are economically and resource driven with the cost of living, affordable housing, and the protection of the water supply as most important, followed by healthcare, free and fair elections, jobs, and abortion.
Co-director Jacqueline Salit added, “Understanding these priorities is crucial for any candidate or party hoping to engage with Gen Z voters. These young Arizonans are deeply concerned about their economic futures, but they’re also engaged with broader social issues like healthcare access, election integrity, and reproductive rights.”
Clean Elections Executive Director Tom Collins told ASU News, “Understanding how Gen Z voters see our electoral system is particularly important for outreach to build and sustain democratic principles.”
Conversely, lowest on the agenda for Generation Z voters according to the survey are the potential ban of Tiktok, the U.S. role in the Russo-Ukrainian war, student loan debt, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Noble Predictive Insights found that the broad issue revealed by the poll is political disengagement in addition to a general dissatisfaction with the existing political status quo. Mike Noble, NPI Founder & CEO noted, “Young voters are giving us a clear message: ‘Show me that you care about what I care about.’ The data from this survey can act as a roadmap for political campaigns and civic organizations to motivate young voters.”
He added, ”What we’re seeing is a generation that’s rejecting political labels and traditional party loyalties. They’re independent-minded, issue-focused, and deeply committed to their principles. Any candidate or party that hopes to succeed with these voters will need to speak to their unique concerns and values and engage with them on the digital platforms where they’re getting and communicating information and opinions.”
Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-AZ03) and Republicans for National Renewal issued “America First Platform Planks” on July 5 and put forth a call for them for to be adopted by the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to meet July 15-18, 2024 in Milwaukee, WI. In a post to X, Republicans for National Renewal challenged RNC Chairman Michael Watley and co-chair Lara Trump to support their proposal.
@RNRenewal has been working with RNC delegates to craft strong America First platform planks.
— Republicans for National Renewal (@RNRenewal) July 5, 2024
Rep. Kolodin reposted the statement writing that he, “was proud to help with the drafting of these America-First proposed planks for our party platform!” The RNR document shared via X outlines eight platform planks:
Restricting Mass Immigration
The First Amendment: Freedom of Expression; Defeating the Deep State and its Weaponization of the U.S. Government
Fighting Racism and Defending the Individual Rights of Americans
The U.S. Territories; Our Nation’s Capital
Voting Rights
Against Interventionism and Unconstitutional War in Ukraine
In Support of the “Defend the Guard” Act
Sound Money in the Digital Age
Under the heading “Restricting Mass Immigration,” the proposal explains that, “If a person comes into the country and/or stays in the country in violation of the country’s laws, that person, no matter what their motivations or personal circumstances are, has absolutely no business being in the country, nor does this country have any obligation to show these lawbreakers any leniency.”
The proposal posits that many illegal immigrants who by definition break the laws of our nation merely by being here “continue to break other laws while here. This has led to an explosion in crime, severely underreported by the media, that is felt in border towns and across the country,” and recommends a policy of eliminating welfare benefits to illegal immigrants, and an overall end to mass immigration in the form of a pause or reasonable reduction in immigration overall.
Regarding the Weaponization of Government, the RNR has suggested that the next of President of the United States, “ensure the survival of the First Amendment by prioritizing and aggressively dismantling the deep state and its pervasive weaponization of our government.” They add, “Cutting this weaponization off at the roots is not optional; it must be utterly thwarted, or else our society is not free, our citizens are not free, and our Constitution is just lofty words on paper.”
The proposal addressing racism and individual rights also offers a direct rebuke to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion narratives and Critical Race Theory saying, “Terrifyingly, the Democratic Party is waging war with the egalitarian ideals of the Civil Rights Movement. Pervasive and anachronistic critical race theory (CRT) dogma, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) mandates in the workplace and in government, and the racialization of every facet of daily life have had the effect of undoing the progress achieved by the Civil Rights Movement.” The RNR specifically calls out the simultaneously much maligned and willfully ignored rising specter of “anti-white racism and hatred,” describing it’s insidious rise as, “something that would be considered beyond the pale if it were directed at literally any other community in this country, is becoming increasingly commonplace in every institution.”
In addition, the platform rejects the non-Constitutional notion of statehood for Washington, D.C., and the admission of U.S. territories such as Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico to the union as states. It further recommends aggressive voting security measures, the abolition of mail-in-voting and Ranked-choice voting, and the use of electronic voting machines as well as a requirement of photo ID and proof of citizenship for all voters.
Finally, the recommendations breaks from many establishment voices in Washington, D.C. by arguing strongly against interventionism and American participation in the Russo-Ukrainian War. It also calls upon President Trump to enact his avowed support for market-driven crypto-currency and rejects central bank digital currencies or CDBCs.
