Kyle Nitschke is LD Seven’s Best Chance to Consign Extremist Oath Keeper Wendy Rogers to the Dustbin of History

It is safe to say that Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers is an embarrassment to public service.

A known alt-right fringe dangerous, extreme, Trump endorsed Oath Keeper Republican who has embraced numerous conspiracy and white nationalist platform positions, the former air force pilot has continuously pushed the political envelope further and further to the fringe right during her close to two years in the Arizona State Legislature.

She has also been accused of workplace harassment by one of her legislative aides.

The people of the new Legislative District (LD) Seven (Republicans, Independents, Democrats) can do better than Wendy Rogers.

The Democrat looking to consign Rogers to the dustbin of history is Kyle Nitschke.

A Flagstaff resident with degrees in Political Science and Strategic Communications, Mr. Nitschke offers a complete contrast to the Trumpist Oath Keeper Rogers.

For example, he believes in reality and that the 2020 elections were conducted fairly.

Another example.

He, unlike Rogers, likes everyone including Jews, members of the LGBTQ community, and people that think the Union was on the right side during the American Civil War.

Finally, unlike the anti-democratic, reactionary, and science-denying Rogers (who thought COVID vaccines were the mark of the beast,) Nitschke will champion policies that will move the state forward and lift people up like:

• Fully funding public schools.
• Promoting an economy that works for everyone.
• Combatting climate change.
• Protecting the LGBTQ Community and a woman’s right to choose.

Mr. Nitschke graciously took the time to respond to questions about his candidacy.

The questions and his answers are below.

•  Please tell the voters at least three reasons they should vote for you over your opponent.

1. Money and corporate interests. Wendy and AZ Republicans have spent their time in power advocating for the interests of the wealthiest Arizonians and big corporations. That’s most evident in Wendy’s $3 million war chest that she has raised jet-setting around the country sucking up to the uber-rich. I am a clean elections candidate. I raised my campaign funds by collecting $5 contributions from voters in my district; and I’ve spent my campaign talking to voters in my community, not fundraising across the country. When elected to State Senate I will represent working-class people, the everyday Arizonians that keep our economy going.
2. I believe in our Democracy. I’ve spent my adult life registering students to vote and helping them become more civically engaged. In my work with the Arizona Students’ Association, we’ve registered thousands of AZ students to vote and fought to protect our voting rights against attacks from the conspiracy-filled Republican-controlled state legislature. In 2019, we were a part of stopping a bill from becoming law that would have not allowed students to register to vote at their college addresses. Wendy Rogers has been the perpetrator of several bad election bills during her time in the legislature and has fundraised off lies that the 2020 election was stolen.
3. I’m running an issues-based campaign. Arizona voters are tired of hearing about the 2020 election and know that investing our state tax dollars on a border wall is a stupid waste of money. We need to invest in education, our environment, and each other.

•  Please advise what are at least three main issues in the Legislative Race. Please explain.

1. Education. Fascists in our state government continue to not listen to the will of the voters and have once again tried to pass the Universal Voucher Expansion into law. We need to keep public tax dollars in public schools. This blatant giveaway of our tax dollars to unaccountable private schools is disgusting. That’s why throughout this campaign we will be collecting signatures with Save Our Schools to stop the voucher expansion from going into law and refer it to the ballot in 2024.
2. Environment. To me, that means climate, housing, and transportation. We need a long-term plan for Arizona that takes into account our changing climate, and the unique issues that affect different regions of our state. Where we can, we need dense walkable, bikeable communities, we need to invest in public transportation, and we need to prioritize affordable housing.
3. Reproductive Justice. Abortion is healthcare. Abortion is a human right. Not only do we need to restore the right to abortion in Arizona, but we need to expand access in the state. Abortion should be safe, legal, and free.

• Please describe your campaign strategy to reach voters in the new LD and convince Independent and disaffected Republicans to vote for you.

1. As a candidate, I am spending my time talking to as many voters as possible. We’re limited in the amount of money we can spend ($50,000) so we rely on volunteers instead. We believe that people power will beat money when it comes down to it. Otherwise, I’m using our limited funds as wisely as possible, we’re going to do some targeted mailing, invest in our volunteers w/ t-shirts and food, and we’re getting giant street signs out in the next couple weeks to cover our large rural district.
2. We will get disaffected Republicans and Independents to vote for us by focusing on the issues. Folks that are paying attention know that we desperately need a change in leadership and direction in our state. We need to get those folks out to vote for us and get them to bring 3 friends to the polls with them. We can win this race, but it’s going to take a lot of conversations and a lot of folks stepping up who haven’t in the past. Wendy Rogers is too extreme for AZ, we need a return to the values I was raised on in AZ, looking out for your neighbor and valuing public education.

• Is there anything not covered in the first four questions you would like the readers to know about you and your candidacy? Please explain.

We’re only going to win this campaign with the help of voters in the district. Let’s Organize Today, Win Together. https://www.nitschkeforaz.com/get-involved.html