Lucy Gutierrez Speaks Out

In a Harvard Review article, 10 letters selected from president's correspondence were chosen to be followed back to their sources. One of these courageous letters to the president was from  Arizona's own Lucy Gutierrez. A young woman in her twenties, she was forced to live as a second class citizen in her home town of Kingston, Arizona after the devastating Senate Bill 1070 was passed.  Gutierrez, a US citizen, had to make a decision as the de facto matriarch of her family to stay or to leave their home and the persecution behind.

Please read about Lucy's story here.

Californian Lady Dems Chomping at the Bit to Aid Arizona

The event, California's launch of the national initiative, Women for Obama, offered a strategy session and motivational punch for local women willing to roll up their sleeves - and drive to Arizona.

Many guests had already volunteered in the campaign that got Obama elected, but this time, Chicago is hoping to use its blue-state resources to turn battleground states like Arizona.

It's one of several dozen strategies the campaign says it has toward securing the 270 necessary electoral votes for Obama in 2012.

source- Pasadena News

Grijalva Has Some Competition

"PHOENIX -- A former state senator from Yuma has taken the first tentative steps to challenge incumbent Congressman Raul Grijalva in the Democratic primary.

Amanda Aguirre, who formed an exploratory committee, told Capitol Media Services she is more of a moderate than the five-term Tucsonan. She also said her experience as a Democrat in a Republican-controlled Legislature showed her what it takes to build the kind of bipartisan consensus that is lacking in Washington."


Source Verde Independant

Wednesday Forcast

Flagstaff

Wednesday Mostly Sunny High 39°F Not as cold. Mostly sunny. Highs 36 to 42. Light winds.

Wednesday Night Mostly Clear Low  2°F Mostly clear. Lows 2 below to 6 above zero. Light winds.

Phoenix

Wednesday Mostly Sunny High 58°F Mostly sunny. Highs 55 to 60. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night Mostly Clear Low  34°F Mostly clear. Lows 29 to 38. Light wind in the evening becoming northeast 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

Tucson

Wednesday Partly Cloudy High 58°F Partly cloudy. Highs 55 to 60. East wind 5 to 15 mph.

Wednesday Night Mostly Clear Low  33°F Mostly clear. Lows 30 to 35. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.

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McCain Changes his tune to Mitt

"I asked McCain today if he might endorse in the Presidential primary today, and he said yes, but probably not for some while," says Bolton.

That is still far from a definitive answer, but Bolton says this indicates he is closer to making an endorsement than he was earlier this year, when he said categorically that he would not get involved in the 2012 presidential primary.

Why might he be changing his mind about endorsing?

Senate Republicans are very worried about Newt Gingrich's electability.

"Romney was very helpful to McCain's 2008 presidential campaign after he clinched the nomination -- Romney would go wherever McCain asked whenever McCain asked. And he also went to Arizona in 2010 to campaign for McCain during his difficult primary race."

source

Richard Carmona Wants to Replace Kyl

Richard Carmona, a former U.S. surgeon general who's seeking the Democratic nomination for the Senate, was endorsed by all six of Tucson's City Council members, his campaign said Tuesday.

Carmona, who wants to succeed the retiring Republican Jon Kyl, will face Don Bivens in next year's primary. On the GOP side, Phoenix-area Rep. Jeff Flake leads a crowded field, at least in fundraising.

source

Redistricting maps cut up Gila County

As a result, the proposed congressional map would cut Gila County in two. Payson would end up in a district dominated by cities along the Colorado River.

The proposed maps divided Gila County among three different state legislative districts. None of the state lawmakers who now represent Rim Country live in Payson, although Rep. Brenda Barton recently bought a home in Payson to establish residency here.

After statewide complaints about the actions of the redistricting committee and its refusal to open up its records, Gov. Jan Brewer with the support of the Legislature removed the redistricting committee chair from office for “gross misconduct.” That included hiring a consulting firm that had previously worked for Democratic clients and meeting to discuss key decisions behind closed doors.
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