“Recall Russell Pearce” comes to Tucson

by David Safier

Randy Parraz was in Tucson tonight at a combination pep rally and fundraiser for the Recall Russell Pearce campaign. Parraz is pumped and he's upbeat, but he made it clear, he's not through gathering signatures, not by a long shot, and he needs all the help he can get from anyone around the state who wants to come to Mesa and lend a hand. It takes 7,756 valid signatures to recall Pearce, but he noted, correctly, "If we only get 7,756 valid signatures, we lose." Just think who is going to work on the validation process — there aren't a whole lot of Democrats in high places these days — and what a black eye it will be for the Republican Party when the recall is finalized.

Parraz is aiming for collecting another 1,500 signatures before the May 31 deadline.

He was also clear, the fight isn't over when the signatures are turned in. The group Citizens for a Better Arizona needs to stay vigilant and keep up the pressure during the counting process and help spread the word after the recall is finalized. So they need funding well past the May 31 deadline.

The best line of the night was about how wonderful it will be to train a spotlight on Pearce when there are no other elections happening in the state. "There's so much on Pearce," Parraz said, "he really doesn't want to be the only election in town."

Go to Citizens for a Better Arizona if you can help with time or money. This isn't just about Mesa. It's about the future of Arizona.