State Senator Sylvia Allen has amassed an impressive war chest of
controversial statements since her appointment to the upper house in 2008.
On the effects of uranium mining: “[The Earth] has been here 6,000 years,
long before anybody had environmental laws, and somehow it hasn’t been
done away with.”
On SB1070: “We have already lost our language; everything must be printed
in Spanish also. We have already lost our history; it is no longer taught in our schools.”
On cuts to state healthcare: “This isn’t the only time in our history when people
had to choose between food and medicine.”
On chemtrails: “We just don’t want to believe that our government would do
anything terrible to us…[W]e think that they would not manipulate our weather?”
Disgusted voters. Pot on the ballot. A huge orange shadow looming over it all. Strange days indeed, even for Arizona.
Perhaps even stranger is yet to come: Except for two-year hiccups in 1991-92 and 2001-02, Republicans have controlled both houses of the Arizona Legislature since LBJ was in the Oval Office, making Arizona one of the reddest of the red states. But with competitive Senate races in three GOP-controlled districts – 6, 18 and 28 – Democrats think they might be able to force a 15-15 tie in the upper house and break the Republicans’ legislative monopoly in 2016. The GOP currently holds an 18-12 advantage.
“We’re hungry,” says Sean Bowie, Democratic candidate for senator in District 18, which includes Ahwatukee, west Chandler, Mesa Dobson Ranch and south Tempe. He says he’s knocked on about 8,000 doors canvassing to replace Republican Jeff Dial, who at press time was upset by GOP challenger Frank Schmuck.
“[The district is] about 50-50 [between the parties] in a normal year, and this is certainly not a normal year,” Bowie says. Noting that three of four Democrats for statewide office – attorney general, secretary of state and schools superintendent – carried District 18, he says: “We can win races in this district.”
Not so fast, says GOP district chair Mary Fritsche. The redistricting process was designed to make places like LD18 more competitive, “and they’ve succeeded,” she says, but her party is still favored, polls indicate.
Another competitive-looking race is LD6, encompassing conservative-leaning Snowflake and Heber, but also Sedona and Flagstaff. Democrat and former Jerome mayor Nikki Bagley says she’s racked up 15,000 miles on her Camry to convince voters to let her replace incumbent Sylvia Tenney Allen, one of the state’s most vocal and controversial legislators (see sidebar). “I’ve been really disturbed by the extremism I’ve seen developing in the Legislature,” Bagley says, adding that Allen “is good at talking to people who agree with her.”
Bagley points to her endorsement by Tom Poscharsky, Republican mayor of Allen’s hometown of Snowflake: “I think that’s an indication I’m getting some really good broad support.” In a voicemail message, Allen scoffs: “He’s always endorsed my opponent, and I’ve always won anyway.” She beat Poscharsky for Navajo County supervisor in 2012, she said in the same message, but did not respond to further questions.
Another race to watch: District 28, encompassing parts of North-Central Phoenix, where two House incumbents are running for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Adam Driggs: Democrat Eric Meyer and Republican Kate Brophy McGee. Both candidates agree their district swings, and that the outcome depends on which voters show up. Meyer hopes for a good Latino turnout: “They can’t wait to vote.”
Then there’s the race for U.S. president, and how national chaos might play out locally. Fritsche says the Republican candidate – and the threat of a Hillary Clinton presidency – inspired 200 new volunteer precinct chairs for the GOP in LD18. “[Trump will] probably increase turnout.”
Democratic district chair Jane Hydrick disagrees. “If Trump moves unhappy GOP voters to stay home or vote indie, that will… boost Democrats in state and local contests.”
Bagley claims she’s talked to people who say they’ll vote for her and Trump. Voters splitting tickets in these hyperpartisan times? That would be strange indeed.
