Turning Arizona Blue

In this episode, a celebration and new beginning for the Maricopa County Democratic Party (MCDP). Recently, an overflow crowd of 300-plus supporters, candidates and elected officials attended the Grand Opening of MCDP's new headquarters.

We captured sound bites from almost a dozen attendees about what the event signified for Maricopa Democrats going forward. MCDP chair Nancy Schriber opened the event with the significance of this new headquarters rising like a Phoenix after the previous offices were destroyed by a firebomb over a year ago.

Here you'll capture the hope, commitment and solidarity of building on MCDP's successes to Turning Arizona Blue in local, county, state and national races in 2022 and beyond.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms. 

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It's the two minute warning! Do or die for the opportunity to turn AZ Blue in 2022. We must engage in the final act of the AZ Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) -- in these last few weeks -- to fight for fair and competitive Congressional and Legislative districts.

Deborah Howard is back to implore us to fight to the end in public hearings and written comments to the IRC.  Go to irc.az.gov to find the hearing dates and locations and how to submit your views.  She also provides messages to communicate and how to find support in legislative districts and political organizations.

The end game is Turning the AZ legislature Blue by just two districts to increase public education funding, protect women's health and create a fair tax system. Your engagement now will make a difference in the decade to come.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms. 

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The Black Engagement Committee (BEC) of the Maricopa County Democratic Party (MCDP) has been active for several years organizing, getting out the vote and serving the needs of their community. Currently under new leadership, the BEC is organized to support Democratic legislative districts (LDs) in the county as never before.

Co-chairs Karl Gentles and Pastor Warren Stewart are engaged in building partnerships in the LDs to increase Black precinct committee persons to help: increase voter registration and turnout, support the work and issues of the party, and develop Black candidates to win county and legislative seats. As former candidates themselves, Gentles and Stewart bring their experience, activism and commitment to go from “protest in the streets to power in political seats.”

In this episode, they discuss the change in the political climate wrought by the murders of George Floyd and others and their strategies to impact future elections in Arizona with Black voters and candidates on the ballot.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms. 

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Arizona was a "swing state" in 2020  -- capable of delivering votes nationally to either party -- in part because of the increased Democratic turnout in rural areas. While accounting for only nine percent of voters in Arizona, eight of the thirteen rural counties in Arizona increased Democratic vote margins from zero (remained even) to five percent from the 2016 to 2020 elections.

In this episode, we talk with three people who represent hundreds of Arizona Democratic activists in very Red rural districts who fight against divisive and sometimes threatening political environments to increase Democratic voter registration and turnout.

Matt Capalby, a Carpenters Union consultant from Flagstaff, provides a statewide perspective on the history and future of turning rural districts more Blue. Karen Ann Moscato, president of the River Valley Democrats in Mohave County, is raising the visibility of Democrats despite the intimidation of right-wing extremists. And Jay Ruby, from Yavapai County, is connecting with Democrats to show they are not alone in rural Arizona.   

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

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There are only a few remaining days where your signature on Arizona petitions can fight voter suppression, restore critical public education funding and eliminate "Dark Money" in our  elections. Between now and September 29th, your "John or Jane Hancock" on petitions in Arizona can reverse Republican legislation to subvert voting rights and public education, and restore accountability in our elections.

In this episode we talk with Eric Kramer the director of Arizona Deserves Better about the statewide petition signing effort in Arizona to get six referendums and one initiative on the ballot in 2022 to save Democracy in Arizona. He highlights efforts in Tucson and Coconino, Yavapai  and Maricopa counties.

Then, we drill down on petition signing efforts in Maricopa County with political activists John Ainlay and Mary Fortney and educatorJennifer Chastain. Their examples of hard work, long hours and comitment -- in this rush to overturn drastic policy measures -- should inspire us to lend our signatures and support to this "good trouble" effort.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

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I know, I said I was taking August off. But I couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to one of the most recognizable figures in Maricopa County Democratic politics -- who is not elected.

John David Herman Volunteer -- as he is known --  has had several roles with the Maricopa County Democratic Party over the past dozen years. He started volunteering on phone banks, became a phone bank captain and later a neighborhood organizer and area director.  Currently he is the "volunteer" office manager and self described "gatekeeper" for incoming phone calls and visitors -- before the offices were destroyed by a firebomb last year --  who he delights in telling them "where to go."

We talk about his political upbringing with the labor movement, his many professional careers  and our shared background working in radio in Florida. Our conversation brings out his true character as a "Renaissance man" on many subjects and his passion for volunteering in the political arena.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

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First up, a quick reminder that signing time-sensitive petitions before mid-September will allow AZ voters the chance to overturn draconian measures for voter suppression and cuts to public education funding.  While another petition will fight "dark money" in our politics.

Second, this episode highlights Democratic values through volunteerism at the United Food Bank in Mesa, AZ. We learn about the monumental challenge of combating food insecurity in AZ and follow Dems from LDs 12, 17, 25 and 28 in an evening shift filled with energy, music, fun and commitment.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

Scheduling Note: TAB and The Mule News will take a break in August and we'll be back in September.

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As a commemoration of the Freedom Riders of the 60's civil right movement, Arizona Freedom Riders left Phoenix on the first celebration of the Juneteenth holiday to push once again for voting rights legislation in Washington, D.C.

Four buses carrying almost 200 young and older Black, Latinx, White, middle class, poor, laborers and clergy of modern-day Freedom Riders; journeyed together to push for The John Lewis Voting Rights and the For the People Acts.  Organized by Unite Here Local 11 and Black Voters Matter they gathered to support the “For the People Act” Freedom Ride 2021.

This episode caught the sounds of the "send off" event with Maria Hernandez of Unite Here, AZ State Sen. Juan Mendez, AZ State Rep. Athena Salman, AZ Speaker of the House Reginald Bolding and a personal friend Patricia Thomas with Indivisiblewestphx.

Turning Arizona Blue (TAB) is sponsored by Matters of State Strategies a top political consultancy for Democratic candidates and issue campaigns in need of an edge in competitive and changing Arizona districts in 2022. Contact them at [email protected].

Turning Arizona Blue the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

Turning Arizona Blue Podcast:

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Matt Grodsky, is one of those people in politics who was there at the beginning of Turning Arizona Blue, the podcast, and we are pleased we can return a favor by way of this interview.

Matt is Vice President and Director of Public Affairs at Matters of State Strategies (MOS) a political consultancy in Arizona. Back then, he helped arrange one of our first "big name" interviews and is now a much appreciated advertiser to Turning Arizona Blue.

Matt talks about his career in Arizona politics, volunteering for campaigns, as director of communications for the Arizona Democratic Party and the goals of MOS to help turn Arizona bluer. Matt also announces a free crash-course to potential candidates called "So, You Think You're Running for Office." The webinar is June 9th at 5:30 pm and please register at MOS' Facebook page.

Turning Arizona Blue is sponsored by Matters of State Strategies a top political consultancy for Democratic candidates and issue campaigns in need of an edge in competitive and changing Arizona districts in 2022. Contact them at [email protected].

Turning Arizona Blue the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe for free and confirm your subscription at our website https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

Turning Arizona Blue Podcast:

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Slowly, surely and thankfully we are crawling out from under the COVID cocoon to actually meet and greet fellow Democrats who are working hard to register voters, build networks and protest against voter suppression, the "fraudit" and the filibuster rule. "Out there" is where we can reclaim the energy, passion and purpose of making "good trouble."

We follow Chris Miller and his LD1 crew to engage new voters in Anthem. We join State Rep and ADP Chair Raquel Teran at a rally to support the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the For The People Act. We meet young activists like Stephanie Maldonado with LUCHA fighting the "Faudit" at the State Capitol and we catch up with AZ House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding and State Rep Athena Salman encouraging hundreds at a downtown Phoenix rally to protest the U.S. Senate filibuster procedure.

Turning Arizona Blue is sponsored by Matters of State Strategies a top political consultancy for Democratic candidates and issue campaigns in need of an edge in competitive and changing Arizona districts in 2022. Contact them at [email protected].

Turning Arizona Blue the podcast is partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Please subscribe and confirm your subscription at https://themulenews.com/.

Please subscribe to TAB where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at [email protected] for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

Turning Arizona Blue Podcast:

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