ADP State Committee Meeting Results

Today was the state committee meeting of the AZ Democratic Party, of which I am a member.

Bottom Line Voting Results:

There was an election to replace our Senior Vice Chair Yamanata, who recently resigned. The candidates were Bonnie Heidler of Pima County and Elisabeth Tyndall of Cochise County. Ms. Heidler was elected 269/219.

We had two pending by-law amendments, the first for the creation of a state convention for the selection of delegates to the presidential nominating convention and the second for the creation of a new standing committee focused on the decennial redistricting process and the Independent Redistricting Committee. The body voted to adopt the state convention plan to conform with DNC requirements and prevent any challenge to the selection of our national delegates by 338/46 following a number of amendments. The redistricting standing committee was adopted by acclimation after discussion.

We had four resolutions pending to vote on, which can be accessed here. All were adopted by acclamation on the consent calendar.

VIP Addresses:

We also heard from a number of prominent elected officials during the introduction of the session.

Ginger Sykes Torres gave our land acknowledgment and asked to turn AZ blue, and then go a step further and turn it turquoise. Clever, and on point – given the importance of turning out our Native brothers and sisters to win in AZ.

Governor Hobbs joined us and spoke live:
Points out that we need to talk to voters and turn out our voters in all 15 counties to win our victories by the narrow margins we currently are.
Vowed to protect democracy and voting rights
Vetoed 143 bills this session (2X Janet’s record!)
Insistend that GOP is out of touch with the priorities and values of the majority of AZ voters.
Published Executive Actions to protect abortion rights, over-the-counter contraception, and to crack down on fraud against Native American Nations, worked to make housing more affordable
Must and can win both chambers
Vows to make winning the lege her top priority

Congressman Stanton joined and spoke via pre-recorded message:
Underlined importance of AZ as a battleground state in ’24 to reelect Biden and elect enough Senators to end the filibuster and take back the House to stop the MAGA clown show in that chamber.
Emphasized that Biden can’t move our agenda without the House.

Attorney General Mayes joined and spoke live:
She just met with other Dem AGs where the topic of comment was the nailbiter victory of Mayes by 280 votes, the closest vote in America last year.
She pledged to work to protect abortion rights and reproductive freedom, including access to chemical abortion, and will lead the fight to oppose the state 1868 abortion ban and advocate for passage of the citizens’ initiative to protect abortion rights.
She reported on her progress leading the fight against exploitation of our ground waters by foreign entities.
She has now stood up a Labor Unit to support prevailing wage laws in our cities, and continue to fight for union organizing rights.
She vowed to protect elections and elections workers, and will vigorously prosecute anyone who threatens our officials and workers.
She is working on the Kroger merger and will oppose it because of negative effects on consumers.
She is cracking down on fraud against Native Nations and citizens allowed by Ducey’s Admin in addiction treatment centers to the tune of $100s of millions.

Ruben Gallego joined and spoke via pre-recorded remarks:
He is in Navajo Nation this weekend and cannot attend live.
He listed all the AZ communities he’s visited in his campaign for Senate.
He spoke about the everyday people and groups he’s working to represent in Congress, emphasizing abortion rights, voting rights, and lower drug prices, and bring Dreamers into full citizenship status.
He reminded listeners that w only win the top of the ticket by voting from the bottom up.