Larry Bodine

Larry Bodine, a journalist and attorney, is the former Chair of LD18 Democrats, a Board member of Democrats of Greater Tucson for 5 years (3 years as President) and has been an elected Precinct Committeeman since 2006 in Arizona and Illinois. He was a Delegate to the 2024 and 2020 Democratic National Conventions.   ✍He began writing for the Blog for Arizona in June 2017. ✍His 44-year career includes reporting for the New York Daily News, which was then the largest-circulation US newspaper, at a time when he won 7 awards for investigative journalism.   ✍Larry is an attorney and is a member in good standing of the Wisconsin State Bar. ** SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MY ARTICLES BELOW **

Chastened, a Data-Driven Matt Heinz Wants Another Shot at McSally

by
Matt Heinz addressing Democratic precinct captains in Sept. 2016
Matt Heinz addressing Democratic precinct captains in September 2016.

After a resounding loss in 2016, Matt Heinz is running again in Tucson’s Congressional District 2, hoping that data, dollars and good publicity will help him beat incumbent Martha McSally.

A doctor and former AZ state representative (2009-2013), Heinz is doing the nuts-and-bolts work of planning to appear at 120 house parties and calling Democratic precinct captains like me.

A physician since 2003, his key issue is health care and making sure that Americans have health insurance. In contrast, McSally eagerly voted to end health insurance for 22 million people, telling her GOP colleagues, let’s get this “fucking thing” done.

Read more

7 Reasons Why Bruce Wheeler Can Beat McSally

by

Among all the candidates running for Congress in Tucson, no one but Bruce Wheeler can say that he’s been elected three times from the district. That is the #1 reason that he can beat Martha McSally.

“I understand the district,” he said at a home reception in my own Precinct 238. “This is the district where Hillary won by 15,000 votes.”

Indeed, Wheeler was a state representative for Tucson from 1975-1977, a Tucson City Council member from 1987-1995, and state representative again from 2011 to 2017.

This gives him name recognition, which will be backed up by a door-to-door initiative and a social media campaign. Wheeler knows how to win elections.

It also gives him a leg up on other candidates like carpetbagger Ann Kirkpatrick – who has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and ex-Congressman Ron Barber  – and candidate Mary Matiella, who has the backing of Bill Roe, the First Vice Chairman of the AZ Democratic Party.

2. McSally is vulnerable this year, especially because she voted against health insurance for 22 million Americans. “I am absolutely convinced she will be defeated,” Wheeler said. “She is an enabler for Donald Trump’s policies.”

Wheeler favors Medicare for all. 

Read more

Billy Kovacs Congressional Kickoff Snubs Lifelong Democrats

by

Billy Kovacs officially launched his congressional campaign at a bar in Tucson, snubbing lifelong Democrats who were meeting at the exact same time, four miles away. The kickoff was held in the student drinking district of the city with a crowd of 200 people. It was short on specifics and long on his slogan, “new voice…new … Read more

3 Things You Don’t Know that Democrats Are Thinking About

by

Jobs When Democratic candidate for governor Steve Farley said that “driver” is the #1 most threatened job, I made a mental note. Today’s New York Times article about The Real Threat of Artificial Intelligence fleshed out his thought for me. Modern technology dooms the following jobs: bank teller customer service rep telemarketer stock trader paralegal radiologist factory … Read more