Now that Ward 1 Councilmember Regina Romero (D) announced her bid for Mayor of Tucson, I wondered how many other women have run for this top position. Here’s the stats from the past (not including write-ins):
November 2011 General – Mary DeCamp (G) who lost to Jonathan Rothschild (D, political newcomer). She got 4.94% of the vote.
November 2003 General – Kimberly Swanson (L) lost to Mayor Robert Walkup (R). She got 2.67% of the vote.
November 1999 General – Molly McKasson (Ward 6 Councilmember, D) lost to Robert Walkup (R), political newcomer. She got 39.45% of the vote.
Primary 1999 – Betsy Bolding (D, got 34.09%), Ward 2 Councilmember Janet Marcus (D, got 11.96%) , Ward 6 Councilmember Molly McKasson (D, got 44.84%) all ran for Mayor in Dem primary
November 1995 General – Sharon Collins (R) lost to Mayor George Miller (D). She got 33.92% of the vote.
November 1991 General – Gay Lynn Goetzke (L) lost to George Miller (D, Ward 3 Councilmember). She got 10.06% of the vote.
Primary 1991 – Emily Machala (D) also ran in the Dem primary and got 4.34% of the vote, lost to George Miller.
City of Tucson election summary only goes back to 1991: https:/ww/w.tucsonaz.gov/files/clerks/Election_Summary_Report_1991_-_2017_0.pdf
Should Ward 1 Councilmember Regina Romero win the Democratic primary against former LD 9 State Senator Steve Farley, and then the General Election, she will be the first woman Latina Mayor of the City of Tucson. There may still be other candidates announcing for Mayor, as it is still early in this race.
In the past Ward 2 Councilmember Janet Marcus and Ward 6 Councilmember Molly McKasson ran for Mayor, and both lost.
UPDATE: Political newcomer/developer Randi Dorman has also entered the race for Mayor of Tucson, so now there are 2 women vying for that seat. Nomination papers are due on May 29, 5 p.m. for official candidate status with City of Tucson Elections.
UPDATE: August 2019 primary: Regina Romero won a 3 way race with 50.17%, Steve Farley 37.08%, Randi Dorman 12.46%.
In the Aug. 27 primary the Democrats of Tucson nominated Regina Romero, Ward 1 Councilmember to run for Mayor of Tucson. She got 50.17% of the vote, Randi Dorman got 12.46% in the primary. So Regina is the 2nd D candidate to run for Mayor, following Ward 6 Councilmember Molly McKasson who ran and lost in Nov. 1999 to a political newcomer/Republican Bob Walkjup. Regina faces political newcomer/Independent Ed Ackerley (former D) and Green Party candidate Mike Cease, who ran for Ward 6 Council in Nov. 2018. Vote wisely on or before Nov. 5, 2019.
After I wrote this post, political newcomer/developer Randi Dorman announced for Mayor of Tucson. She is speaking at DGT today, at Nucleus Club on Thursday. Watch the first Mayoral candidate forum on April 18 at ENR 2 Building on UA campus.
Nomination petitions due for all City candidates in the Primary on 5/29/19, 5 p.m. Then we will have the official list of who’s running for Mayor.
Thank you for this informative summary. It is past time that a qualified woman lead the City of Tucson. Regina Romero is that woman. I live in her ward, and I am impressed with her engagement with constituents of all economic backgrounds, her emphasis on good paying jobs for Tucsonans, her commitment to protecting the environment and restoring a stretch of the Santa Cruz River, her deep knowledge and love of Tucson’s diversity and the accomplished staff that she has chosen. Regina Romero is an outstanding candidate for Mayor of Tucson.
Regina is a 3 term Councilwoman, so she knows the City of Tucson government quite well. Let’s see who else decides to throw their hat in for Mayor of Tucson. There are rumors of others, all Democrats so far. T Weekly Editor Jim Nintzel said on the radio that he thought women had an edge in Tucson races.