Sen. Kyrsten Sinema resigns to run for Congress in new CD 9

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Let the games begin! The new competitive congressional district 9 in the Phoenix Metro area, the first winnable congressional district for Democrats in Maricopa County in decades without a lot of help from a weak GOP opponent (Democrat Harry Mitchell won in CD 5), is drawing the attention of young ambitious Democrats.

As long-expected, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Phoenix) gave notice on Tuesday that she is resigning her seat to run for Congress in the new CD 9. Sinema quits Legislature to run for Congress:

A veteran state lawmaker quit Tuesday to launch a bid for the state's new congressional district.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, acknowledged that in leaving the Legislature she was giving up the natural forum she has for publicity. Sinema is one of the most frequent speakers on legislation.

But Sinema said she had between 2 and 2 1/2 million reasons to quit now – the amount of money she figures she will need for a successful bid.

"If you're going to do something, do it right. Right?" she said.

"And if you're going to run for Congress I think you need to put your heart and soul into it and work hard and do it right," Sinema said. "And it's not really fair to your job in the Senate if you're spending most of your hours running for Congress."

Sinema said her decision to quit – and now – was not designed to undermine the possible candidacy of fellow state Sen. David Schapira, D-Tempe.

Schapira, who has formed an exploratory committee, said he has not yet made a decision on his political future. But he said that if he decides to run, he will not be quitting the Legislature.

"My constituents elected me to a two-year term to come and serve them," Schapira said.

I have been told that Arizona Democratic Party Chair Andrei Cherny is expected to step down soon to run for Congress in the new CD 9 as well. This will leave the Arizona Democratic Party with an interim chair during the 2012 campaign until reorganization in January 2013.

The Arizona Republic reports that former congressional candidate Jon Hulburd is also considering running in CD 9.

The Arizona Capitol Times reports that Republicans are lining up for the new CD 9 as well: Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, previous congressional candidate Steve Moak (who lost to Ben Quayle in the 2010 GOP primary), and Travis Grantham who is running in the current CD 5 may switch to the new CD 9. Rep. Ben Quayle who resides in the new CD 9 is looking instead at a primary challenge to Rep. David Schweikert in the new CD 6.

Sinema has done her due diligence and has a credible campaign staff in place. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Sinema staffs up big and early:

Kendra Leiby, Sinema’s field director, served as a lobbyist for the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence and field coordinator the anti-Proposition 107 campaign in 2006 – the failed same-sex marriage ban – and has worked on Sinema’s prior legislative campaigns.

General consultant Rodd McLeod worked on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ 2006 and 2010 campaigns and new Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild’s campaign, and is also working on former Surgeon General Richard Carmona’s U.S. Senate campaign.

Roopali Desai, of the law firm Coppersmith, Schermer and Brockelman, which often handles high-profile cases for the Arizona Democratic Party, is serving as Sinema’s campaign attorney.

Karl Struble of the Washington, D.C.-based firm Struble Eichenbaum, whose clients have included six Democratic governors and a dozen U.S. senators, will handle Sinema’s television ads.

Jim Crounse, of the Mack Crounse Group in Alexandria, Va., is serving as Sinema’s direct mail consultant. Crounse has also worked for a number of Democratic senators, governors and House members, as well as President Barack Obama.

The Portland, Ore.-based firm Grove Insight will do Sinema’s polling.

The immediate concern is who will replace Sinema in the state senate. Sinema's resignation set in motion the process of LD 15 Democratic precinct committee persons to hold a special election to select three nominees to send to the Republican-controlled Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which has to choose from the list of three nominees.

Former State Rep. David Lujan (D-Phoenix), who is from the same district, has stated he is interested in serving out Sinema's term, although he apparently is not interested in running for the Senate in the new LD 24. Sinema’s resignation to trigger changes at Capitol Arizona Capitol Times:

Meanwhile, Rep. Katie Hobbs told the Arizona Capitol Times she is interested in running for Sinema’s senate seat in 2012.

The other two incumbents who have been drawn into new Legislative District 24 are Rep. Lela Alston and House Minority Leader Chad Campbell.

Campbell said he has no intentions to seek the Senate seat in 2012, adding Hobbs would be a great candidate.

You can check out Kyrsten Sinema's congressional campaign web site at Kyrsten Sinema for Congress (www.kyrstensinema.com/). Here is her announcement video.