Seven (yes, SEVEN) Democratic candidates are running for two state house seats in LD 27. Your first chance to meet & greet all of them is coming up on Tuesday May 11, at a League of Women Voters moderated forum at the Joel D. Valdez Main library lower level meeting room, from 6 to 8 p.m. Here’s the list of who’s running (click on their campaign websites in blue to see their photos and positions on issues.)

–John Martin Bernal, Math and Economics teacher at Calli Ollin High school, (nephew of Pima County Public Works director John Bernal, his namesake),www.people4bernal.com

–Eric Carbajal Bustamante – Behavioral Health Associate for the Arizona Children’s Association, former Americorps volunteer, candidate in LD 29 state house in 2008, www.ericcarbajalbustamante.com

–Dustin Cox, former Executive Director of Anytown, Arizona Inc., 2009 Arizona Daily Star’s “Top 40 Under 40″ finalist & awardee, www.dustincox2010.com

–Bob Gilby, Math teacher at Marana High School and PCC, (husband of Donna Branch-Gilby who was a candidate for Ward 3 Pima County Supervisor in 2008), www.bobgilby.com

–Sally Ann Gonzales, President of Guadalupe Community Development Corp., former 2 term District 10 House Rep.(1997 to 2000), former Tribal Council member & Secretary of Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona (1992 – 1996), www.votesallygonzales.com- under construction

–Sami Hamed, district aide to CD7 Congressman Raul Grijalva, Hearing Officer (inactive) in Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts, Small Claims, www.samihamed.com

–Dr. Macario Saldate IV, Director of Guadalajara Summer School, retired UA Educational Foundations & Administration professor, www.votemacariosaldate2010.info

Also running for LD27 house: Republican Robert Compton, a service technician at Hamstra heating/cooling company (www.thatcomptonguy.com – under construction), and Green Party candidate Kent Solberg. Solberg ran before for this seat in 2008, and is the owner of Kent’s Tools (a small business). Chaplain Gene Chewning (www.votechewning.com) also ran for this same seat in 2006 as a Republican, and is now an Independent seeking one of the these two House seats as well.

So that’s a total of TEN candidates for two House seats in LD 27. Quite a crowded race.

Voters will have to choose two of these candidates to represent them in LD 27 House. The current House Reps. Phil Lopes and Olivia Cajero Bedford are termed out, and Ms. Bedford is running for the LD 27 State Senate seat.

Contact: Jim Hannley, LD 27 Chair, at jhannley2@msn.com, (520) 792-1229, or for more information on LD 27, click here for the Pima County Democratic Party website.