State Senator Jorge Luis Garcia

LD 27 State Senator/Senate Minority Leader Democrat Jorge Luis Garcia passed away suddenly due to a heart attack on Friday, October 15, 2010. He was 57 years old. Senator Garcia was elected to the Arizona State Senate representing LD 27 in 2003 and has served as Senator Minority Leader for the past 2 years. He had previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives (2 terms) from 1993 to 1997.

His colleague LD 28 State Senator Paula Aboud stated this morning: “Senator Garcia was one of the most committed and dedicated senators I have ever known. In the Senate he was our beacon of goodness and kindness…and he will be missed so dearly by our Democratic community and his colleagues who loved him so.”

Because Jorge was termed out of the State Senate he chose to run for state-wide Corporation Commission this year. He was the top vote getter in the 8/24/10 Democratic primary for Corporation Commission, garnering 142,859 votes (34.08%), more than fellow candidates David Bradley and Renz Jennings. I last wrote about that race on October 4 (click here). His name will remain on the General Election ballot since early voting has begun.

In his own words from his campaign bio for Arizona Corporation Commission (www.votegarcia.org):

“I was born in Nogales, Sonora. At age 9 my mother, who was born in Miami, AZ, moved us to Nogales, AZ, and later to Phoenix. After graduating from Phoenix Union HS, I moved to Tucson with my wife. I earned my Bachelors degree (Sociology) from the U of A and a Master’s degree in Social Work from ASU. Maria and I have three adult children: Yvette (Special Education Teacher), Dominique (Marketing) and Rolando (Civil Engineer). Maria and I also have four grandchildren.
In my 7 years as STATE SENATOR for District 27, I have worked hard to bring JUSTICE to the interests of WORKERS, CONSUMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.”

I worked with Jorge back in 1996/97 when I served as Tribal staff attorney for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona. He served as Director of Social Services at the Pascua Yaqui Tribe from 1988 to 1999. He was soft-spoken, but caring and compassionate for the underprivileged. When I last spoke with Jorge, I joked with him saying that he would miss the excitement of being in the State Legislature since he was termed out, and now running for Corporation Commission.

His career history from Project Vote Smart:

Social Worker/Practicing Registered Nurse, University Physicians, Incorporated, 2005-present
Contract Social Worker, Self Employed with Indian Tribes, 2002-present
Independent Contractor, Various Tribal Governments, 2000-2005
Home Health Administrator and Program Manager, Tohono O’odham Nation, 1999-2001
Social Service Director, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, 1988-1999
Emergency Room Social Worker/Practicing Registered Nurse, Maricopa Medical Center, 1990-1998
Social Worker/Practicing Registered Nurse, University Medical Center, 1991-1993
Clinical Manager, Maricopa Medical Center, 1984-1987
Deputy Director, El Rio Health Center, 1980-1984

You can see that Jorge dedicated his life to social service work and health care. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends & constituents in Legislative District 27, his fellow legislators, the Pima County Democratic Party, and the Arizona Democratic Party.

Memorial services are pending (click here.)

Coming up on Thursday Sept. 9, the Arizona Citizens Clean Election Commission (CCEC) debate between “clean” candidates running for LD 27 State Senate and House of Representatives. There are 2 open seats in the House race as both current Democrats Rep. Phil Lopes and Rep. Olivia Cajero Bedford are termed out.

Ms. Cajero Bedford just won the Democratic nomination for State Senate in that same district, and faces little opposition in the General Election, only write-in Republican candidates Duke Schechter and Jaime Vasquez.

The CCEC debate is at PCC West campus
West Campus Student Lounge
2202 W Anklam Rd
at 6 p.m.
and the video of this debate will be available online w/in 72 hours, at http://www.azcleanelections.gov/home/video/generaldebatevids2010.aspx

However there is lots of opposition for the 2 Democrats Sally Ann Gonzales and Dr. Macario Saldate nominated in the August 24 house primary. Their websites are: http://www.votemacariosaldate2010.info/, and www.www.votesallygonzales.com. Gonzales is President of Guadalupe Community Development Corp., and is a former 2 term District 10 House Rep.(1996 to 2000), former Tribal Council member & Secretary of Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona (1992 – 1996). Dr. Macario Saldate IV, is the Director of Guadalajara Summer School,and a retired UA Educational Foundations & Administration professor.

Republican Robert Compton, a service technician at Hamstra heating/cooling company (www.thatcomptonguy.com) is making his first bid for public office. Green Party candidate Solberg ran before for this seat in 2008, and is the owner of Kent’s Tools (a small business on Grant Road), www.kent4house.org. Chaplain Gene Chewning (www.votechewning.com) ran for this seat in 2006 as a Republican, and is now an Independent seeking one of the these two House seats as well. So there’s one of each– Republican, Green, and Independent, facing off with the 2 Democrats.

All candidates are participating in the “clean” elections program.

Choose between 2 of these 5 candidates for LD 27 House of Representatives. LD 27 has
the following registered voters: 40,600 Democrats, 16,156 Republicans, 800 Libertarians, 295 Greens, and 24,290 Independents, for a total of 82,151 voters (from Pima County Recorders website, click here.)

UPDATE 9/15/10: CCEC video online click here.

Gene Chewning

Robert Compton

Sally Ann Gonzales

Dr. Macario Saldate

Kent Solberg

If you live in Legislative District 30 and haven’t yet decided whom to vote for as your two representatives in the State House in the Republican primary on August 24, go to this meeting:

Eastside Republicans Meeting with Legislative District 30 House Candidates Brian Abbott, David Gowan, Kurt Knurr, Parralee Schneider, Doug Sposito, and Ted Vogt.

When: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 6:00 PM

Where: Miller-Golf Links Branch Library – Community Room
9649 E. Golf Links Road (east of Harrison Rd., south side)

Besides the two incumbents Rep. Gowan and Rep. Vogt, you can consider the four other candidates. Rep. Gowan was elected to this seat in November, 2008, and Rep. Vogt was appointed to it in March, 2010, by the Pima County Board of Supervisors.

I blogged about them recently when four of them (Gowan, Knurr, Schneider, & Sposito) debated on July 20 for the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections program. Click here for my earlier blog (with photos) announcing that debate.

There is only one Democrat Andrea Dalessandro running in this LD30 house race, to face off in the General Election, with the 2 winners of the Republican primary. She ran before for this same seat in 2008.

Contact info for Eastside Republicans: Lori Oien, oienjmo@msn.com, 520-749-3472.

More info on LD 30, click here, from Pima County Republican Party website.