With lesser numbers than hoped, the Arizona Legislative Democrats met today and selected their new Senate and House leaders.
In the Senate, Priya Sundareshan will become the new Democratic Leader replacing Mitzi Epstein.
Flavio Bravo will be come the Assistant Democratic Senate Leader.
Rosanna Gabaldón will become the Senate Democratic Whip.
Lela Alston will become the Democratic Senate Caucus Chair.
In a statement following her election as leader, Senator Sundareshan said:
“It is a great honor that my fellow caucus members have elected me as their Minority Leader for the upcoming legislative session. The fight ahead will be uphill and the work will be hard. I am confident that along with my newly elected leadership team, we will deliver the very best possible for the people of Arizona. Our commitment to ensuring every Arizonan has access to a good paying job, affordable housing, quality education, and secure water for the next 100 years is unwavering. While Republicans have expanded their majority, it is paramount that we communicate and provide a better, bipartisan pathway forward. No matter what setback we may face, our priorities will continue to center working class Arizonans, vulnerable populations, and our future generations.”
In the State House, Oscar De Los Santos has taken over the Democratic Leadership from Lupe Contreras.
Nancy Gutierrez will become the Assistant Democratic House Leader.
Representatives Quantá Crews and Stacey Travers were elected as Whips.
Commenting on his selection, De Los Santos relayed:
“It’s an honor to be chosen to lead this outstanding caucus. This is a strong, smart and experienced team who will fight for you, for your public schools, for your rights, for our state’s precious resources, for your bottom line and for your neighborhood. We have tremendous challenges ahead as state, and as a country, but we will not back down from extremism, and we will face them together.”
On the Republican side, Steven Montenegro, a Pastor, legislator and man who became embroiled in controversy when he traded sexually suggested Snapchat messages with a Republican staffer will become the new Speaker of the House.
Warren Peterson will remain Senate President.
Senator Janae Shamp will be the new Senate Republican Leader.
Representative Michael Carbone will be the new House Republican Leader.
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Folks, let’s be a bit more substantive and a little less ad hominem (or at least a bit more subtle about it…), shall we? Blog Jester John’s personal qualities (or lack thereof) are his own (incredibly heavy) cross to bear. We do other readers no service with such attacks, as fun as they may be. I’m sure readers can draw their own conclusions about John from the quality and content of his comments and his other public acts.
Just speaking for myself, I (sometimes) find it fun and interesting to sharpen my blade on the incredibly dense whetstone of John’s boulders of bullshit. Let’s not be like MAGA media where they simply ban or dismiss the other side. Let’s rip up their tissue of lies with the manly meathooks of truth! (and for The Tick fans out there…) Spoon!
Now, as to John’s apparent main assertion that Dems should moderate toward some imaginary ‘center’ of politics, I call bullshit. If such a ‘triangulation’ worked for Dems in the ’90s (a premise I would contest), such a paradigm really no longer applies to the politics of the ’20s. Where exactly is the ‘center’ anymore? Can one meet fascist rhetoric and unmitigated bigotry in the ‘center’? Can one propose policies that ‘compromise’ with a purely imagined agenda? MAGA has NO real legislative accomplishments that we can ape or implement (other than a massive tax cut for the wealthy – which is not why they won more votes). Shall we only hate different sorts of people a little bit? Only promise to deport a few million instead of a lot of millions? Only rip up a little bit of the Constitution? It makes no sense given that MAGA doesn’t really want any sort of intelligible program of policies; they want a revolution that will create a permanent underclass and an elite ubermenschen while lying to everyone about their real goals. In this regard, they are much more like the Bolsheviks than the Nazis.
Faced with such a revolutionary agenda, one can do two things: promise to preserve the status quo (counter-revolution and conservatism) and maybe make the current paradigm a bit better, or propose your own revolution that favors a different goal and benefits a different group in society. We tried the first option in this election, and it didn’t work: we bled support from almost every demographic in the Democratic coalition and lost the election (albeit more narrowly than it seemed at first…).
I would propose that it may be better to try option two: let’s propose our own revolutionary movement that truly benefits and supports the interests of working folks and the poor against the wealthy and powerful. That’s what MAGA is doing, despite risibly lying about whence the benefits of their revolution will accrue. They are at least talking about fundamentally changing the system; we are not.
Perhaps, Dems will choose leaders who can articulate a ‘new New Deal’ that truly moves those dissatisfied with the status quo to vote for us instead of them. Perhaps De Los Santos and Sundareshan will rise to the occasion. I certainly hope that we Dems will endeavor to articulate our own revolution rather than simply trying to preserve a past order that wasn’t such a great deal for a whole lot of folks in the first place. We’ll see in the coming years and future elections how that might go. But if we allow MAGA to be the only party even calling for a deep revolutionary change in our democracy and government, their dystopian version will continue to win by default, I suspect.
What do you mean by “Do you mean care John?” Am I missing the meaning?
Why do you frequently answer a question with an evasive counter-question? Don’t you believe in exchanges of ideas? I asked a simple political question. Commentators on the presidential election are saying that the Democrat party can either hang in with very liberal policies or respond to the voters and moderate. I was curious about the same dichotomy in the state legislature. Care to comment?
This is coming from the person who repeatedly evaded whether he was okay supporting a twice impeached, 34 time convicted, and enabler of a domestic insurrection. Again, you need to ask your colleagues on why they bypassed, in your view, the more moderate members. I am currently not privy to their rationale for the decisions they made.
I did not ask your thoughts about why they did it. I asked what you think it means going forward.
PS. I am more than happy that Trump was elected president by both the electoral and popular votes. Also, the impeachments and trials were political, and last I checked, nobody charged the president-elect with insurrection or inciting insurrection, and I am sure the weaponized AG’s office would have done so had they thought they would have had the tiniest chance of success.
John. If the impeachment trials and trial in New York were political, then why did Republican Senators and Jurors in both cases vote for conviction. As to the first question, Democrats have pretty consistently spoken with one voice on most legislative matters. I suspect that when the legislative session begins, they will put forward their party’s program that reflects the united goals of their caucus and actual programs that will help the people. Take care.
Golly-gee, Mr. Kavanagh sir, what in the gosh darn heck are you talking about?
Progressive policies won all over the place, including deep red states!
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/ballot-measures-deliver-big-wins-progressive-policy-priorities-rcna179308
https://www.axios.com/2024/11/08/red-states-2024-election-minimum-wage-sick-leave
Voters approved minimum wage increases to $15 per hour in two states (Alaska and Missouri).Voters expanded workers’ ability to earn paid sick leave in three states (Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska).
Voters approved a state constitutional right to abortion in seven states (ARIZONA, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York).
Voters rejected school vouchers in three states (Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska).
Alaska voters opted to ban anti-union captive audience meetings, while Oregon voters passed a measure to protect cannabis workers’ right to unionize.
All things YOU support got voted down! LOL!
Voter’s rejected Biden, via Kamala, and are tired of inflation, which is a GLOBAL problem, not caused by Biden.
And incumbents lost WORLDWIDE because of it.
Even here in AZ LaKKKe lost and women’s rights won.
Most Dems ran center, even Kamala bragged about her Glock.
If you’re going to spend your dotage trolling at least be informed, FFS.
AND STILL NO ARGUMENTS FROM KAVANAGH ON WHY HIS TEAM’S IDEAS ARE BETTER…
You are correct. Republicans got trounced. I guess I will do the grief counseling with David.
And, again, your reading comprehension skills are questionable.
Progressive policies won, in spite of what you’ve been saying here.
Most Dems did not run on the things you say.
Dems lost but not for the reasons you claim.
I’m starting to think you see something on Fox News, then jump up, say “oh, oh, I gotta’ post that on BforAZ! That’ll get me respect from them libs!” and run to your keyboard.
Learn to think for yourself.
Anyway…. STILL NO ARGUMENTS FROM KAVANAGH ON WHY HIS TEAM’S IDEAS ARE BETTER…
Because he can’t.
See you in four years, when all the world’s problems are solved and we’re all billionaires. LOL.
And again, you seem to presume that with his non-respone , he’s dumb.
I believe that, at best, he’s being deliberately dumb and truly believes he’s smarter than everyone here.
Hey Craig, I think he’s of low-to-average intelligence, and limited by his insecurity.
Racists blame others to feel better about themselves.
Full disclosure, I’m not a professional head-shrinker, but I did take Psychology for a year in high school, so you know, pretty much same as a doctor! 🙂
I think he posts here for the same reason Truth Social and now Xitter users, since Elon came out Third Reich-Friendly, are complaining.
Smart people got tired of trolls and Russian bots and went elsewhere.
No libs to own for JGCK at the Klan meetings. 🙁
He never answers the question “why should we vote for your guy” because he’s insecure in his beliefs.
KKKavanagh thinks we’re trapped in here with him and MAGA, but really, he’s trapped in here with the policies of convicted rapist and felon Don-old, who’s stated plans are bad for the economy, public health, and world stability.
I’m enjoying the victory lap he’s taking here, because the next four years, and karma, will not his friend.
And he’s writing the reciepts for us himself. Ha!
@Sharpie –
Here’s where we disagree (a little bit).
I don’t believe he’s unintelligent. However, like most of us, he’s not as smart as he thinks he is.
He’s Cheeto-esque in at least one way, (OK, he’s as bigoted as Cheeto, too) though.
He believes that he’s smarter than everyone else.
Like Cheeto, he’s not.
Care to comment on the Dems bypassing more moderate members, especially in the House.
What does that presage?
Do you mean care John? I think the question needs to be directed toward your colleagues and why they made the choices they did.
Hey Lil’ Johnny, since you mentioned it in other comments, care to comment on why you freak out about trans folks, but have no issue with:
Breast enlargement
Breast reduction
Penile implants
Penile enlargement
Calf implants
Face lifts
Tummy tucks
Brazilian Butt Lifts
Rhinoplasty (nose jobs)
Leg lengthening (for short folks)
Lyposuction
Decorative lyposuction, where they make fake six packs
Hair plugs
Scalp reduction surgery
Vasectomies
Whadda’ ya’ call it, where they take butt fat and inject it into your lips?
Or when they take butt hair and screw it onto your head
Cosmetic eye surgery
Vaginal rejuvination
Etc., etc., etc.
What is it about trans people that freaks you out so much, but not all the other stuff people change? Including children for some of the list.
Please share with the class, because millions of those operations are performed every year, some on all ages, but only trans surgeries bother you.
By what method do you decide what types of “body mutilation” is good and what is bad?
Can’t wait to hear you, a child of immigrants who hates immigrants, explain why you’re not the worst kind of hypocrite.
Maybe it will help me understand how a man who gets multiple government checks every month thinks OTHER people getting government checks are mooching off the taxpayer.
I do not have a problem with adults doing those things if they want. It’s their business. Why do you think I want to ban them????
Maybe some of our differences are just based on your misinformation.
“Misinformation “?
Such as your track record in the legislature?
Or maybe like your track record here, one of giving non-responsive responses?
Wow, can you read? I mean, at all?
That’s not in any way what I asked you. I mean, not in the slightest.
I asked why, if you’re okay with all those things, are you freakin’ out about trans people?
Your reading comprehension skills are concerning.
Must be a Jersey school system thing.
Wow.
Hey John, did you see that The Onion bought Infowars? LOL!
Alex Jones is literally owned by the libs! Ha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Go woke go broke, amirite! 🙂
Hey, fun fact, it’s not just progressive policies that won, Red States used more of their infrastructure money on GREEN projects than Blue States.
Have Red States gone full Agenda 21? Again, LOL!
Seems like on the state and local level, progressive policies are winning, and you are the one with your head in the sand. Nice.