Latest news with #ArizonaDemocraticParty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arizona Democrats fear infighting will hurt them in midterms
Democratic frustrations are growing in Arizona amid a feud within the state party, triggering concerns about the ramifications for 2026 and beyond. Only months into his tenure as Arizona Democratic Party chair, members of the party have voiced exasperation with Robert E. Branscomb II for various actions, including airing grievances with Democratic elected officials publicly, his handling of the party budget and fundraising, and for suspending another party official. While Branscomb has urged Arizona Democrats to have patience and said his job has a steep learning curve, it's done little to quell discontent within the party: Dozens of Arizona Democratic Party state committee members have signed onto a petition calling for a special meeting to consider removing Branscomb. Members are already bracing for a chaotic state committee meeting on Saturday, and some are concerned the party's fundraising and coordinated campaign could be impacted ahead of the 2026 elections if the dispute doesn't resolve itself soon. 'We run out of money, then what do we do?' said one state committee member, who — like others interviewed in this piece — requested anonymity to speak candidly. 'Who's going to run … the party if there's no money?' Patience is wearing thin among Arizona Democrats since Branscomb was elected chair in January. Months into his term, he roiled the party after accusing the state's two Democratic senators of intimidating him following his selection of a new executive director for the party, prompting both senators, in addition to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), state Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) and state Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) to issue a statement refuting Branscomb's letter to state committee members and saying Branscomb had lost their trust. More recently, he suspended First Vice Chair Kim Khoury, with an investigation being launched 'into potential violations of the ADP Code of Conduct and governing procedures,' according to the Arizona Republic, which obtained a copy of the letter. Democrats have also voiced concern over the state party's fundraising after its treasurer recently estimated that, at the current rate, the party would run out of money by the end of the year. One longtime state committee person believed there would be money coming into the state for elections and congressional races, but they noted 'it's not going to be through the state party at this point as long as he's involved.' In an interview with the Arizona Republic last month, the state party chair said Democrats needed to give him some time to get adjusted to the role and that they needed to have patience. While he's acknowledged there are things he could have done differently as chair, he's suggested the circumstances he entered into when he took over as chair didn't place him in a strong position to lead the party. The Hill contacted Branscomb on Thursday, and he indicated he was not immediately available for an interview. He did not respond to additional requests for comment. While some members of the party are sympathetic to the fact helming a state party can be challenging, they also say Branscomb did himself no favors publishing his letter invoking the two senators. 'I wouldn't disagree with that,' the longtime state committee member said when asked about Branscomb's comments to the Arizona Republic, 'because I know it's a hard job, and I know there's a learning curve, and I know he's new to the job.' 'The problem is that email basically makes it almost impossible to recover from.' State party feuding is not new, of course. Former Arizona GOP Chair Jeff DeWit left his position early last year following a leaked conversation between him and Kari Lake, in which DeWit sought to dissuade the former local news anchor from running for Arizona Senate. In Nevada in 2023, Democrats ousted their chair, Judith Whitmer, whose election prompted a number of officials to exit the state party. And while some members see intraparty conflict as unhelpful and an annoyance, they argue that their candidates, including all three Democratic statewide elected officials, will have the resources needed to be successful and competitive next year. Multiple avenues would be available to them, particularly county parties, to help with fundraising. 'I do think it will be more of a temporary annoyance than something that is actually going to have any sort of electoral impact,' one party insider said, noting that the conflict itself doesn't resolve around an ideological split. But other Arizona Democrats — even those who voted for Branscomb in January — are concerned that the dragged-out rift could negatively impact the party's fundraising and organizational efforts. 'I don't think we'll have an effective coordinated campaign,' said Steven Jackson, the Legislative District 8 chair who has led circulation of the petition calling for the special meeting to consider removing Branscomb. Jackson supported Branscomb during the January chair election. 'I think it would affect the [Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee], which will affect legislative races. You know, we've got an attorney general who [won] by 250 votes last time, and a governor's race that's going to be tough,' Jackson added, referring to Mayes's race against Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) in 2022, which she won by 280 votes. Despite members' frustrations with Branscomb, removing him as chair is still a tall task: Two-thirds of the entire state committee need to vote for his removal in order for it to move forward. Some members question whether there's enough frustrated Democrats to meet that threshold. 'It's hard to gauge because it is a high threshold, right?' the first state committee member said. 'But the more he stays on, the more he loses trust and confidence.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Arizona Democrats fear infighting will hurt them in midterms
Democratic frustrations are growing in Arizona amid a feud within the state party, triggering concerns about the ramifications for 2026 and beyond. Only months into his tenure as Arizona Democratic Party chair, members of the party have voiced exasperation with Robert E. Branscomb II for various actions, including airing grievances with Democratic elected officials publicly; his handling of the party budget and fundraising; and for suspending another party official. While Branscomb has urged Arizona Democrats to have patience and said his job has a steep learning curve, it's done little to quell discontent within the party: Dozens of Arizona Democratic Party state committee members have signed onto a petition calling for a special meeting to consider removing Branscomb. Members are already bracing for a chaotic state committee meeting on Saturday and some are concerned the party's fundraising and coordinated campaign could be impacted ahead of the 2026 elections if the dispute doesn't resolve itself soon. 'We run out of money, then what do we do?' said one state committee member who, like others interviewed in this piece, requested anonymity to speak candidly. 'Who's going to run … the party if there's no money?' Patience is wearing thin among Arizona Democrats since Branscomb was elected chair in January. Months into his term, he roiled the party after accusing the state's two Democratic senators of intimidating him following his selection of a new executive director for the party, prompting both senators in addition to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) to issue a statement refuting Branscomb's letter to state committee members and saying that Branscomb had lost their trust. More recently, he suspended first vice chair Kim Khoury, with an investigation being launched 'into potential violations of the ADP Code of Conduct and governing procedures,' according to The Arizona Republic, which obtained a copy of the letter. Democrats have also voiced concern over the state party's fundraising after its treasurer recently estimated that, at the current rate, the party would run out of money by the end of the year. One longtime state committee person believed there would be money coming into the state for elections and congressional races, but noted that 'it's not going to be through the state party at this point as long as he's involved.' In an interview with the Arizona Republic last month, the state party chair said that Democrats needed to give him some time to get adjusted to the role and that they needed to have patience. While he's acknowledged there are things he could have done differently as chair, he's suggested the circumstances he entered into when he took over as chair didn't place him in a strong position to lead the party. The Hill contacted Branscomb on Thursday, and he indicated he was not immediately available for an interview. He did not responded to additional requests for comment. While some members of the party are sympathetic to the fact that helming a state party can be challenging, they also say Branscomb did himself no favors publishing his letter invoking the two senators. 'I wouldn't disagree with that,' the longtime state committee member said when asked about Branscomb's comments to the Arizona Republic, 'because I know it's a hard job, and I know there's a learning curve, and I know he's new to the job.' 'The problem is that email basically makes it almost impossible to recover from.' State party feuding is not new, of course. Former Arizona GOP chair Jeff DeWit left his position early last year following a leaked conversation between him and Kari Lake, in which DeWit sought to dissuade the former local news anchor from running for Arizona Senate. In Nevada in 2023, Democrats ousted their chair, Judith Whitmer, whose election prompted a number of officials to exit the state party. And while some members see intraparty conflict as unhelpful and an annoyance, they argue that their candidates, including all three Democratic statewide elected officials, will have the resources needed to be successful and competitive next year. Multiple avenues would be available to them, particularly county parties, to help with fundraising. 'I do think it will be more of a temporary annoyance than something that is actually going to have any sort of electoral impact,' one party insider said, noting that the conflict itself doesn't resolve around an ideological split. But other Arizona Democrats — even those who voted for Branscomb in January — are concerned that the dragged-out rift could negatively impact the party's fundraising and organizational efforts. 'I don't think we'll have an effective coordinated campaign,' said Steven Jackson, the Legislative District 8 chairman who has led circulation of the petition calling for the special meeting to consider removing Branscomb. Jackson supported Branscomb during the January chair election. 'I think it would affect the [Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee], which will affect legislative races. You know, we've got an attorney general who [won] by 250 votes last time, and a governor's race that's going to be tough,' Jackson added, referring to Mayes's race against Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) in 2022, which she won by 280 votes. Despite members' frustrations with Branscomb, removing him as chair is still a tall task: Two-thirds of the entire state committee need to vote for his removal in order for it to move forward. Some members question whether there's enough frustrated Democrats to meet that threshold. 'It's hard to gauge because it is a high threshold, right?' the first state committee member said. 'But the more he stays on, the more he loses trust and confidence.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arizona Democratic Party's meltdown continues
The tension between Arizona Democratic Party chairman Robert Branscomb II and his vice chair is now public. Branscomb informed Kim Khoury, the first vice chair of the Arizona Democratic Party of her suspension through an email, obtained by AZ Central. Branscomb alleged Khoury failed to perform her duties. Among the reasons he listed for her suspension, Branscomb wrote that Khoury engaged 'in political activity directed against party leadership while holding an executive officer role.' Khoury's attorney told reporter Mary Jo Pitzl the state party's bylaws don't say anything about a chair being allowed to suspend a party member, although one can be removed through a vote. Branscomb previously alleged Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego interfered with and intimidated the chair over staffing decisions. In response, the two Arizona senators, joined by other state leaders, said they've lost faith in Branscomb's ability to serve as chair. The timing of this internal turmoil is unfortunate news for the vulnerable Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, up for reelection in 2026. 'Rather than bolstering her with vital political muscle and support, the party has been consumed by an acrimonious and seemingly petty feud between the new state Democratic chairman and Arizona's two Democratic senators,' writes The New York Times' Kellen Browning. Hobbs has shied away from national level politics and barely campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. The report notes the possibility Hobbs will face a tougher opponent than she did in 2022, when she ran against Kari Lake. And Hobbs is already at a disadvantage in the swing state that has roughly 300,000 more registered GOP voters than Democrats. Meanwhile, on the Republican side, President Donald Trump made a double endorsement for the Republican nomination for governor — Rep. Andy Biggs, who previously chaired the House Freedom Caucus, and businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson. That could give Trump loyalist and founder of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk additional sway. In some ways, Turning Point USA is 'taking over the GOP from within,' Chuck Coughlin, the CEO of High Ground, a political consulting firm in Arizona, previously told the Deseret News. He served on GOP Gov. Jan Brewer's transition team in 2009, and was GOP Gov. Fife Symington's campaign manager. Robson has the support of many in the Arizona Republican Party, and enjoys access to a large war chest thanks to this association. But Turning Point USA's preferred candidate is the anti-establishment option; Biggs, a BYU graduate and part of the Latter-day Saints for Trump coalition ahead of the 2024 election. 'We are going to make our endorsement official for the governor's race,' Kirk said on his radio show last week, as AZ Central reported. 'We have to win back the governor's mansion here in Arizona, and we are fully endorsing my friend, Andy Biggs.' Should Biggs manage to beat Robson in the Republican primary, Hobbs will again face a strong Trump supporter. But Biggs has won both state and federal elections in Arizona, unlike Lake.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arizona, Michigan only governor's race toss-ups: Sabato's Crystal Ball
Nonpartisan election handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball from the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia is rating the gubernatorial races in Arizona and Michigan as initial toss-ups, according to its analysis released Thursday. Sabato's Crystal Ball managing editor Kyle Kondik noted in the analysis that Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) could potentially face a strong Republican challenger this cycle after she narrowly defeated Republican candidate Kari Lake in 2022. Kondik noted President Trump's performance in Arizona in November coupled with intraparty divisions that have boiled over in public within the Arizona Democratic Party could create a challenging path to reelection. At the same time, Kondik noted Hobbs has benefited from the fact that she avoided a primary challenger of her own this cycle, and she could potentially be matched up against a weaker Republican opponent again. 'Donald Trump has endorsed both wealthy businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson — who quite possibly would have beaten Hobbs had she not lost the 2022 primary to Lake — as well as right-wing [Arizona] Rep. Andy Biggs … a more recent entrant who would be the more enticing opponent for Hobbs,' Kondik noted. Kondik also said Michigan's governor's race is also starting off as a toss-up, noting the entrance of an independent candidate in the race — Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is a Democrat but is running as an independent — as Democrats look to hold control of the governor's mansion. The race has attracted a crowded field on both sides; several notable names running include Rep. John James (R-Mich.) and Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R) on the GOP side, and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II (D); Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who gained notoriety in 2020 for marching with protesters during a demonstration in the wake of George Floyd's death; and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) on the Democratic side. 'A Democrat has not succeeded another Democrat as Michigan governor since 1960, although these sorts of historical streaks are made to be broken—we once noted how Pennsylvania had a longstanding trend of alternating between eight years of one party followed by eight years of another,' Kondik wrote. 'That was true until it wasn't: Democrats have now won three straight elections there and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is favored to win a fourth,' he added. Notably, both states are battleground states Trump won in November, and they'll offer tests next year of whether Democrats can improve their standing with voters they lost in 2024. — Updated at 12:10 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We are the majority': May Day marches challenge Trump's dismantling of democracy
A sign at the "People's Rally" at the state Capitol on Jan. 18, 2025, in advance of Donald Trump's inauguration. Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez | Arizona Mirror The mass protest marches slated for May 1 across Arizona and nationwide are just the latest show of people power against the seemingly bottomless pit of White House directives aimed at dismantling our democracy. Organizers predict hundreds of thousands of people will take to the streets in all 50 states on May Day, known globally as International Workers Day. Millions more are set to rally around the world — not necessarily because of President Donald Trump, but because democracy and workers' rights matter. On the May Day 2025 website, organizers posted this: 'Trump and his billionaire profiteers are trying to create a race to the bottom — on wages, on benefits, on dignity itself. … We are demanding a country that puts our families over their fortunes…' Not a word of that is hyperbole. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Denying the very real threat posed today by Trump and his abettors, not just in Washington but also at the state and local levels, is to live in a fantasy world of empty patriotism where simply pledging blind allegiance to the flag and chanting 'U.S.A., U.S.A.' passes for a meaningful defense of 'liberty and justice for all.' Hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their lives defending our democracy, but we now have a president who is fine with letting people die so long as it furthers his goal of becoming our nation's first dictator. Consider the cutoff of foreign aid that's literally led to more children starving and the premature death of people with AIDS across Africa; or the decision by Trump appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court, whose repeal of abortion rights has fueled a jump in mortality rates for pregnant women in states with abortion bans; or Trump's denigration of vaccines that almost certainly contributed to tens or even hundreds of thousands more COVID-19 deaths that might otherwise have occurred and a subsequent drop in vaccination rates nationwide, including in Texas, where an ongoing measles epidemic has led to the death of two unvaccinated children and the infection of hundreds more. Former Arizona Democratic Party Chair Raquel Teran, an organizer of Thursday's May Day rally in Phoenix, says, 'It's important that we speak up…and rise up against the atrocities happening at all levels of government. [On May Day] we'll be marching with workers. We'll be marching with immigrant communities. We'll be marching with faith leaders. This is a moral crisis.' Indeed. The growth in grassroots activism across the U.S. is in direct response to President Trump's heinous agenda and deep-seated immorality. How else do we account for Trump's willingness to deport U.S. residents, without due process, to a notorious prison in El Salvador, as he has done with alleged, not tried or convicted, gang members, and now three U.S.-born children to Honduras, including a Stage 4 victim of cancer. Let that soak in. U.S. citizens are now being deported. While Teran believes protest marches serve an important role, mainly as a public display of the popular sentiment, marches are just one piece of the puzzle needed to counter the Trump agenda. She praised Gov. Katie Hobbs for vetoing dozens of 'bad bills' proposed by Republicans over the past two-plus years. And Joe Murphy, political director in Arizona for the AFL-CIO, lauded Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes for her work on at least a dozen lawsuits challenging the Trump administration on multiple fronts. In fact, more than 200 lawsuits have been filed against Trump's legally dubious, if not outright unconstitutional, executive mandates. The president's approval ratings, meanwhile, have dipped dramatically during his first 100 days in office. At 41%, a CNN headline reports: 'Trump's approval at 100 days lower than any president in at least seven decades.' Still, the Trump administration had proven time and again it could care less if it's violating federal statutes. That's why, in their pursuit of scapegoating immigrants, there's no concern about deporting them on the flimsiest evidence — or no evidence at all, as happened with a Maryland man named Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Supreme Court has ordered returned to the U.S., after the Trump administration admitted to deporting him by mistake. Ironically, Trump's opponents may have the law on their side, but their commitment to abide by the law carries inherent disadvantages, said Arizona Director of Mi Familia Vota Monica Sandschafer, another top organizer of this week's rally in Phoenix. 'Change takes time. Community-led change takes time,' she said. 'Unfortunately, there's been an onslaught of terrible actions coming from the White House. [Trump] has the ability to move very fast and our [efforts] to push back are happening at a slower pace, but that doesn't mean they're not working.' In fact, as of April 28, 'at least 123 of those rulings [in court challenges to Trump's executive orders] have at least temporarily paused some of the administration's initiatives,' according to the New York Times. 'If you listen to Trump, he's the most popular president that has ever existed,' Sandschafer added, 'but when we march and say 'hell no' and show we oppose everything he is doing, his attacks on immigrants, citizens, workers, students, the environment, our support systems, like Medicaid and Social Security, this is our way of saying he does not have as much power as we have. 'We are the majority.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
