Gary Watson

LWVGT City Council candidate forum on October 11

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Hopefully all candidates will attend this League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson (LWVGT) candidate forum. The forum will be moderated by former LWVGT President Shirley Sandelands.  Members of the audience will be able to submit questions in writing.  Index cards will be made available for questions.

Ward 3 (open seat)

Paul Durham (D)

Gary Watson (I)

Ward 5 (unopposed)

Richard Fimbres (D), incumbent – 2 terms

Ward 6

Mike Cease (G)

Steve Kozachik (D), incumbent – 2 terms

Mariano Rodriguez (R)

Also this week on October 11: Both Ward 3 candidates will be hosted on the Bill Buckmaster radio show (1030 AM on the dial) at 12:30 p.m., www.buckmastershow.com.

AZPM Channel 6 Metro Week will be hosting the City Council candidates on Friday the 13th of October, 6:30 p.m., or online  at ww.azpm.org.

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Can an Independent candidate win in Tucson?

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Can an Independent candidate win in a Tucson City Council race?  For the first time in a long time, an Independent (Gary  Watson in Ward 3) is running for political office in Tucson.  Having reported for Tucsoncitizen.com for 4.5 years and here at Blogforarizona.net for 3.5 years, I’m trying to recall when Independents have run or been in political office.

Former Republican Pima County Supervisor Ed Moore ran for re-election in Nov. 1996 as an Independent, and lost to newcomer Democrat Sharon Bronson.  Tucson City Council member Carol West was a long time Democrat and changed to Independent, then did not seek re-election in 2007.   Former Republican Gene Chewning ran for AZ House in LD 27 in 2010 as an Independent and lost, as did former Dem AZ House Representative Ted Downing in LD 28 State Senate race. And didn’t Green Party candidate Dave Ewoldt also run as an Independent for State Senator in LD 28, to get onto the 2010 General Election ballot?  They both lost to the Democrat incumbent Senator.

So, no Independent candidate has run and won  in Tucson (as far as I know). Chewning told me after his 2010 loss, that because he ran as an Independent, he no longer had a party structure to assist in his campaigning. He got a lot more votes as a Republican for the same LD 27 House race in 2006 (11,327 to 4,526).

Firefighter /Captain of a Northwest fire station Gary Watson (I, former Republican) said at a recent AZ Independents forum at Murphy-Wilmot library that he was “not R enough for the Republican Party”, and “not D enough for the Democratic Party”.

Gary Watson

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City Council Dem candidates at Tanque Verde Valley Democratic Club meeting

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Saturday Sept. 9, at 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Risky Business, 8848 E. Tanque Verde Rd.  Tanque Verde Valley Democratic Club drop in meeting.

Hear from the 3 Democrats running for City Council in Tucson:  Retired attorney Paul Durham, winner of the Democratic primary in Ward 3; Ward 5  2-term Councilman Richard Fimbres (running unopposed in the Primary and General); and Ward 6 2-term Councilman Steve Kozachik.

Paul Durham

 

Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres
Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik

 

 

Durham has an opponent in the General Election – Independent (former Republican) Gary Watson, Captain of a NW fire station.  Kozachik is facing off with Republican architect Mariano Rodriguez, and Green candidate Mike Cease, Chair of the Green Party of Pima County.

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2017 City of Tucson Primary Election results

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Only 2 contested primaries to report on tonight from City of Tucson Elections  in Ward 3 (Democrats) and Ward 6 (Greens): Ward 3 Council  (Democrats). Open seat as Councilwoman Karin Uhlich is stepping down after 3 terms. Felicia Chew  1703   32.09% Paul Durham  2416  45.52% Tom Tronsdal  1177  22.18% (to face off with Independent Gary Watson in … Read more

Tucson Weekly endorses attorney Paul Durham for Ward 3 Council seat

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The Tucson Weekly issued their endorsement today in the contested Democratic primary for the Ward 3 Council seat.  Councilwoman Karin Uhlich is stepping down after 3 terms.  The Weekly endorsed retired attorney Paul Durham, former Chief of Staff for Ward 6 Councilwoman Nina Trasoff.

Paul Durham

Read their endorsement here: https://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/paul-durham-for-city-council/Content?oid=11123258.

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