An Arizona progressive group is pouring half a million dollars into key legislative races – one more sign Democrats believe control of the state Legislature is in reach.
Our Voice, Our Vote Arizona turns out voters and advocates for progressive policies. The group is investing $500,000 in swing-district races.
"You know, the reality is, for the first time in a long time, we have the chance to move from defense to offense,” said Sena Mohammed, the group’s executive director.
Democrats haven’t controlled the Arizona Legislature in decades. The party last had majorities in both chambers in the 1960s.
But with Republicans holding razor-thin, one-seat majorities in the Senate and House, Democrats see an opportunity.
“We have more staff on the ground earlier than we've ever had before,” said Sen. Priya Sundareshan, D-District 18. “We have raised more money and have put more money towards this flip effort than we ever had before.”
Sundareshan, who heads up the Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said the party is also doing something new: Running candidates in every district.
“We need Democratic control of the Legislature simply to be able to make sure that we focus on governing and to actually fix the issues that Arizona voters want to see addressed,” she said.
But Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican representing District 14, said his party feels “really good” about this year’s election.
“As we're talking to people, we're finding out that people think it's really important to have a check on power," he said. “They don't necessarily want one party, especially the Democrats, completely in charge of everything.”
Before the election of Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, Republicans held the governor’s office and both chambers of the Legislature for more than a decade.
Sundareshan said voters should opt for a change because Republican lawmakers have been focused on "extreme" legislation.
"The types of Republicans who are getting elected are no longer the 'John McCain' type of moderate Republican,” she said. “We've seen the Republican Party move to the extremes, and that's really true at the Legislature as well.”
Petersen has a similar appeal to voters.
“They need to vote to retain the Republican Legislature at a minimum to keep a check on, you know, a radical left agenda,” he said.
Both parties are concentrating their efforts on Senate and House races in six key swing districts: Legislative Districts 2, 4, 9, 13, 16, 17.
Our Voice, Our Vote Arizona has endorsed the Democrats running in all six of those districts. The group is conducting a massive get-out-the-vote operation in Arizona, including voter outreach in those swing districts.
“We're knocking on 1 million doors statewide and sending over 500,000 text messages and making over 500,000 phone calls as well,” Mohammed said.
She expects every race, from president on down the ballot, to be very close.
“So if you want to have a say and have your voice heard this election cycle, you must vote,” she said.
