David Gordon 
Over breakfast at the Doubletree Resort in Tempe, Dr. Nancy MacLean discussed her book Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America
After a Democratic surge in the August 28 primary and subsequent rallies to unite and energize party activists, Maricopa County Democratic Party Chairperson Steven Slugocki took time to give his impressions about the primary results and the campaign ahead to turn Arizona blue.
In her Glendale office filled with dedicated staff and volunteers, Dr. Hiral Tipirneni sat down with her campaign advisor Jason Kimbrough to convey how she would win in the November elections over Debbie Lesko and what she will do in her first months as the new House Representative in District Eight.
This will be the second race between these two candidates in seven months. Tipirneni is an emergency room physician, a cancer research advocate and Democratic rising star. In April, she gave a voice to all the Democrats, independents, and disaffected Republicans yearning for someone to campaign for them (the previous office holder Trent Franks had run virtually unopposed in the last three election cycles) and shocked the political establishment by coming within five points of defeating Debbie Lesko.
Her performance in a district that Donald Trump won by 21 points catapulted Dr. Tipirneni to political stardom and further reinforced the impression that a Blue Wave is coming this November.
At their headquarters in Phoenix, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate David Garcia, along with his Communications Director Sarah Elliott relayed how the candidate plans to win the Governor’s race and what he would do once inaugurated in January 2019.
A former Army veteran (unlike his opponent), a teacher and professor, a legislative analyst and Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Garcia displayed a vibrant and charismatic persona when presenting his reasons for running and what he would do if elected Arizona’s next Governor in November.
More than 150 people jammed into the September 24th Arizona State Board for Education Meeting to witness or speak about proposed new academic standards. It pitted the activists wanting to move education forward with an agenda for tomorrow against the enthusiasts who wanted education to reflect the nostalgic features of yesterday.
It had one group of educators and their allies advocating for tomorrow, wearing shirts that said “students deserve an accurate science education” holding up signs before the meeting that said, “Protect Science Fact, not Science Fiction (one sign said fairy tales).” They wanted the Board of Education to approve the proposed higher and creative thinking Science and History Standards that were unmolested by the inner review team comments of the lame duck Superintendent, Diane Douglas, and her reviewers.