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Green Party Mayoral candidate Jon McLane withdraws from race, endorses Republican McClusky

by on May. 12, 2011, under Life, Politics

Press release from Jon McLane, Green Party candidate for Mayor:

I joined Tucson’s mayoral race to ensure the strategies and plans were in place to recover our economy, improve our educational system and protect our natural resources. As Mayor, I thought I could deliver a concerted focus on sustainability that would allow our city government and residents to minimize or even eliminate the need to outsource dollars that should be staying in Tucson—money for energy, fuel and water that could be better spent here at home.
I am a proud member and elected officer of the Green Party of Pima County. Yet since the inception of the Green party of Pima County more than twenty years ago, our registered voter count is a humble eight hundred and fifty seven in the City of Tucson.
This humble number of registered Greens has to be accounted for. Not only for the sake of the members who have put their faith in our leadership, but for the two hundred thousand registered voters in the city of Tucson who do not believe in the Green party or our ability to create a sustainable city. This is an issue that the Green Party of Pima County, including myself is accountable for.
While the Green party of Pima County is an amazing organization, and I wish Dave Croteau the best in his recently announced campaign, I have decided to withdraw from the Tucson mayoral race. The Green Party of Pima County is an amazing organization, and I will continue to serve as At-Large Representative with the Green Party – the path that I believe will provide the most direct impact for creating a sustainable Tucson.
While I will not be running for Mayor myself, I have decided to join the campaign committee and act as chair of the Sustainability Committee for Shaun McClusky, Republican Mayoral candidate. After meeting Shaun I was impressed not only by his knowledge on local issues, but his precise plans and strategies for rebuilding Tucson.
Subsequent conversations with Shaun, including one about practical ideas to solve our water shortage issues, showed me that Shaun McClusky has ideas, openness and courage to be a good leader for a more sustainable Tucson. He doesn’t make decisions by what the status quo demands.
Thank you, to Ron Asta, Marshall Home, Dave Croteau, and Jonathan Rothschild for the invitations to join your campaign committees. I have become close with all of the mayoral candidates, but Shaun McClusky is the most inspiring candidate in this race, and I am confident that he will have the ability to rebuild Tucson in a vibrant, sustainable, economical way. With my help and the help of other local resource professionals he will be able to model Tucson as the first sustainable city in the United States of America.
Thank you, to all of my supporters who share the same vision for Tucson that I do. With your support I will continue to dedicate myself in service to you, to the Green Party of Pima County, to the City of Tucson, and to the State of Arizona.

Yesterday I reported that Green Party activist & former Mayoral candidate Dave Croteau has entered the race for Mayor (click here).

McLane did not endorse Croteau, although they both belong to the Green Party of Pima County, choosing to support Republican Shaun McClusky for Mayor. (McClusky also recently got the endorsement of former LD 30 State Senator & Rep. Jonathan Paton, who ran for CD 8 last year & lost to political newcomer Jesse Kelly).

Stay tuned as the deadline for filing of nomination petitions for Mayor (and Council wards 1, 2, and 4) is June 1st.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 12th, 2011 at 12:14 pm and is filed under Life, Politics. Tags for this post: , , , , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • Bystander No More

    McLane must have been one of the Red Green’s, a Republican behind a tree.

    • Carolyn Classen

      With McLane’s withdrawal, there are still 2 Democrats (Jonathan Rothschild & Marshall Home) , 2 Republicans (Shaun McClusky & Ron Asta) and one Green Party candidate (Dave Croteau) vying for Mayor.  Someone did ask me when McLane announced whether if he was a true “Green” or not.

  • Fraser007

    Not a great list. Out of almost 1 million people who live in this valley. (total # not just in City Limits) this is the best we can do. We really are doomed.

    • Carolyn Classen

      In most cities Councilmembers are the ones who run for Mayor, after some experience on the City Council.  Sitting Councilmembers Cunningham (recently appointed to Ward 2), Fimbres (Ward 5) and Kozachik (Ward 6) are new and were not likely to run so soon. That left longest sitting Councilmember Scott (4 terms) but she opted out to safely run in her own ward. Councilmember Uhlich (1 1/2 terms) was almost defeated two years ago and was probably hesitant thereby, and Councilmember Romero is only in her first term & running for re-election.
      That would leave former Councilmembers: Republicans Fred Ronstadt (2 terms) and Kathleen Dunbar (1 term) were both defeated as incumbents, and Dunbar moved out of town allegedly. Independent Carol West (2 terms) lost her Democratic support when she changed party affiliation.
      So what about the former Democratic Councilmembers: Steve Leal (5 terms), Janet Marcus (3 terms), Jose Ibarra (3 terms), Molly McKasson (2 terms, defeated in bid for Mayor), Bruce Wheeler (2 terms, now serving as LD 28 House Rep.), Jerry Anderson (1 term), Nina Trasoff (1 term, defeated as incumbent), & Rodney Glassman (1/2 term)? All were not interested enough or had served their time on the Council. That’s probably why we are left with the 5 choices mentioned above.

      • Fraser007

        Thanks for the extensive response. The list you gave almost turned my stomach. I still don’t have much hope for this community. Sorry.

        Nina as mayor??!!

        • Carolyn Classen

          Sorry to have upset you at breakfast time, Fraser.  I starting wondering who else could have run after you commented, so that’s the list.  There are still two & a half weeks before the filing deadline.

  • Matthew Laos

    Carolyn:
    The mayoral race offers voters a chance to again evaluate Tucson’s past, present and future.   Tucson has a vibrant community that cares about so many issues both locally, statewide and nationally.  I respect the opinions from all sides even when I disagree with them, as I sense the deep passion.  All the candidates deserve our respect for their efforts and so do their supporters who give their time and effort  to help them make their case.   I am often more heartened then disheartened by the engagement and volunteerism and willingness of people here in the Old Pueblo to get involved.   Yes, Tucson is not perfect and there are challenges ahead (graffiti, economy, development).  Yet, Tucson’s greatest threat appears to be less about it’s own decisions and more about how it deals with a litany of outside issues affecting it both statewide and  nationally.    As a community, Tucson can come together to identify that it is unique.   Culturally, Tucson is rich with an affinity for its Mexican heritage, its pioneer roots, its patriotism and sacrifices (veterans) and its ever growing community of newcomers to include its retirees and snowbirds and others-UofA graduates/DM transferees/Raytheon newhires etc or just other visitors who enjoy its distinctive charm  and decide to stay for the golf or sun or space.    Maybe, Tucson will become the future for Energy with Solar or maybe it will realize biotech or other opportunities.  Ultimately, Tucson’s greatest strength is that it is a community that resides in the Sonoran desert; thus we must respect and value water and eachother in our willingness  to coexist together in the hot desert sun.
    Best Always, Matthew

  • Bystander No More

    In McLean’s press release he said he is a proud member of the Green Party and yet and doesn’t endorse his party’s choice, who founded the local chapter?

    • Carolyn Classen

      Not sure, the history on their website (Green Party of Pima County) only states this: “The Green Party has been active in Pima County since the mid-1980′s.”

    • Carolyn Classen

      Mary DeCamp found a wikipedia link which says that Carolyn Campbell & others founded the Arizona Green Party in the 1990s:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Green_Party

  • alohapuna

    As one of the original organizers of the Green Party USA, when I moved to Tucson in 1991 I was given the names of several Greens who lived in Tucson who had already been meeting regularly. At the time, the most active regulars were Carolyn Campbell, Bruce Gungle, Jack Strasburg, Dave Yerkey, David Fuller (now deceased) and myself. There were several others, some whose names escape me at the moment. Others later became involved, including Darlene Franklin who ran for County Attorny but pulled when intimidated by the one who held that position.

  • alohapuna

    Darlene ran in an effort to help us obtain ballot status. Interestingly, a law degree was not a requirement to run for that office, but obviously it wasn’t possible to function in that position without being an attorney. Claudia Ellquist who is an attorney then stepped in and became active.
    To the best of my recollection, it was the very early 90s when we were most active and had the most participating members. I also had served as vice chair and later as treasurer.

    • Carolyn Classen

      Thanks Alohapuna, for the info.  I’m surprised Dave Croteau wasn’t mentioned since he is a life long resident of Tucson. According to Mary DeCamp the Green Party of Pima County Bylaws were adopted in December of 2000, with list as officers:
      COUNTY COMMITTEE MEETING 12/12/2000
      Signed by Matt Scholz, Chairperson, 12/20/00
      Ann Samuelson, 1st Vice Chair
      Carolyn Campbell, 2nd Vice Chair
      Peter Hormel, Secretary
      Jeff Simpson, Treasurer

  • alohapuna

    Yes, that was when I was still registered but no longer active. There were existing by-laws before then because we were required to submit financial reports to the state. I had withdrawn from my involvement because I did not support Ralph Nader. But that’s a whole other story. There was a gap with little activity sometime before 2000 as far as I know as I received few or no updates on what was happening. I had turned all my records over to Jeff when he became treasurer.
    Peter Hormel re-registered as a Democrat when he ran for state legislature in 2004.
    As a registered Democrat now, I stil espouse the Ten Key Values. I also have a lot of respect for Dave and Mary as they seem to be breathing new life into the Greens and are willing to listen.

  • alohapuna

    As for Dave Croteau, I’ve only known him since a little before he ran for mayor. Though maybe not officially, I believe Dave has been “Green” for quite a long time.

  • Mary DeCamp

    Thanks so much, Carolyn, for giving us leads on the history of the Green Party in Pima County.  I’ve been trying to access our party’s historical records, but have not found any archives from before 2007, when I joined the party.  I look forward to finding Alohapuna and visiting about early and recent Green Party history.  What a great service you provide!

  • Carolyn Classen

    News update: Apparently Pat Darcy (now an Independent, formerly a Democrat) has entered the race for Mayor as well.
     

  • Mary DeCamp

    And stilll no women in the race?  Pat’s another real estate guy, right?  I wonder what he’ll bring to the table in the way of solutions.

  • http://www.invitingconcepts.com.au Elizabeth Morgan

    I enjoyed reading the exchange of comments and ideas. In my area, government candidates are no difference. Different platforms but ever since, they are only promises but only implemented one out of 10 of it.

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