Hello,

Please remove me from all Green Party mailing lists.

I am no longer affiliated with the Green Party because I do not believe that the “elected leaders” at the Pima County and Arizona State levels are upholding the 10 Key Values they pledged to promote. My experience over the past 4+ years has convinced me that this political party is just as corrupt at the top as the other recognized parties and that 1% of our “leaders” are doing severe injustice to the 99% of the general membership they are supposed to be serving.

I join the long list of competent and caring individuals who have tried to serve the Green Party only to be ignored, abused, ridiculed, stonewalled, and undercut by those few deeply entrenched “leaders” who seem to be interested only in self-aggrandizement and clutching jealously to whatever small rewards their positions offer.

Thank you,
Mary DeCamp

Decamp is camping out at Occupy Tucson (downtown at Veinte de Agosto Park since 10/15/11 and her mid-town home was foreclosed on 11/10/11). Her email is mdecamp@q.com.

She got 4.94% (4198 votes) in the recent Mayoral General Election, and 6.16 % (4429 votes) in the Ward 3 Council seat in 2009. She defeated Green activist Dave Croteau in the Green Party primary on August 30, 2011. Croteau was the sole challenger to Republican Mayor Bob Walkup in 2007.

Info on the Green Party of Pima County: www.pimagreen.org.

Absolute deadline: 7 p.m. on 11/8/11, or your vote will not be counted.

The list below is where the 3 political parties in Pima County are partying tomorrow night:

Green Party of Pima County, 7 to 10 p.m.
The Tasteful Kitchen (vegetarian restaurant)
722 N. Stone (south of University Blvd.)
(520) 250-9600

The Green Party has two candidates running: Mary DeCamp for Mayor, Beryl Baker for Ward 1 Council. 11/8/11 update: just heard from Baker’s campaign and she will be attending a gathering of volunteers on election night at the Doubletree Hotel, 445 S Alvernon, in the Javalina Cantina from 7 pm to 9:30 pm.

Democratic Party of Pima County, 7 to 10:o0 p.m.
Lodge on the Desert (hotel) – Palm Room & Palm Lawn
306 N. Alvernon Way (south of E. 6th St.)
Phone: 520.320.2000

The Democrats have four candidates running: Jonathan Rothschild for Mayor, Regina Romero for Ward 1 Council, Paul Cunningham for Ward 2 Council, Shirley Scott for Ward 4 Council. All the Democratic candidates for Council are incumbents.

Republican Party of Pima County, 7 p.m.
Manning House (mansion)
450 W. Paseo Redondo (east of Granada, north of Congress St.)
Phone: (520) 770-0714

The Republicans have three candidates running: Rick Grinnell for Mayor, Jennifer Rawson for Ward 2 Council, Tyler Vogt for Ward 4 Council.

Vote wisely! Then party with your respective political party. Independents and Libertarians can choose any of the above.

Note: 40% (84,072) of ballots have been returned as of 8:44 a.m. this morning per City Clerk’s office, which includes unprocessed/undeliverable ones. See website (click here).

Info about Mary from my previous blog (click here).

She is a community activist and Code Pink member, received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Sciences and Master of Arts in Communication from the U of A, and has been a college instructor. Mary is currently employed as a Connector with Pro-Neighborhoods, “organizing neighborhood communities to adopt healthier diet and exercise choices”.

Mary got 4429 votes (6.16 % of the vote) in the Ward 3 race in 2009, next to Democratic Councilmember Uhlich’s 46.98% of the votes and Republican Ben Bueller-Garcia’s 46.74% of the votes. She also defeated fellow Green candidate Dave Croteau in the recent August 30 Green Party primary for Mayor (369 to 127 votes). (Croteau was the sole challenger before in 2007 against current Republican Mayor Bob Walkup, who is stepping down after 3 terms).

DeCamp is facing off with Democrat Jonathan Rothschild (political newcomer) and Republican Rick Grinnell (ran twice before unsuccessfully for the Ward 2 Council seat) in the November General election.

On Tuesday October 4 DeCamp announced at a press conference at City Hall that her 2 bedroom/1 bath home in Tucson is being foreclosed, & she faces eviction on November 10, 2 days after the General Election. Her home has been sold by the bank in a foreclosure sale to a foreign company. Apparently Mary purchased the home in 2007 but experienced a costly bicycling accident in 2009, and then her employment at the U of A was scaled back due to the economy, causing her to miss mortgage payments.

She will continue her campaign despite this setback, and will be sign waving usually every Friday at 4 p.m. at the NW corner of Granada & Broadway, downtown. (Sign waving is wildly popular & expected in State of Hawaii campaigns, but not as popular or utilized here. In Hawaii the candidates stand out there in the streets daily, often wearing fresh lei around their neck to distinguish themselves from their campaign supporters.) Mary usually wears a Green Party (green colored) t-shirt, and this week she & her supporters will be at 4th Avenue and Broadway instead.

Campaign website: www.DecampforMayor.org.

Mary DeCamp, Green candidate for Mayor

After Mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp won the Green primary election on August 30 over fellow Green activist Dave Croteau, someone asked me if other women had run for Mayor of Tucson. Yes, a few have in the Mayoral primaries in the past, but I can only remember former 2 term Ward 6 Councilmember Molly McKasson running as a Democrat in the General election of 1999. That was the year when Republican political newcomer Bob Walkup won and went on to serve 3 terms as Mayor.

Does anyone else remember other women running in the General election for Mayor of Tucson? 4 term Councilwoman Shirley Scott (Ward 4) pointed out to me last Fall when she was considering a bid for Mayor that there had not been a woman Mayor in the City of Tucson, ever. (Scott is currently running for re-election in her own ward).

There was even one woman in the Democratic Mayoral primary back in 1971 (read my previous blog, “In what year were 10 candidates running for Mayor of Tucson?” Click here.)

Mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp announced today (Labor Day 2011) that Dave Croteau has agreed to become her campaign manager for the General Election, in the collaborative spirit of the Green Party of Pima County. Her campaign press release also emphasized the “decentralization, respect for diversity, and grassroots democracy” of the Green Party.

Her campaign website: www.decampformayor.org
or call 520-327-4705. A former college instructor and Nebraska native, Mary’s extensive bio is on her website, click here. Her previous experience in politics was when she ran for the Ward 3 Council seat in 2009 against incumbent Karin Uhlich (D) and Ben Bueller-Garcia (R).

By the way, the final vote tally for the first-ever Green Party Mayoral primary on Tuesday August 30:
Dave Croteau 127 (24.33%)
Mary DeCamp 369 (70.69%)

Having a woman Mayor is not new for me having grown up in Hawaii County where there have been at least two women Mayors (Helene Hale and Lorraine Jitchaku-Inouye), but it would be new for the City of Tucson.

Community activists Dave Croteau (who has run for Mayor before in 1999 as a write-in & challenged Mayor Walkup in 2007) and Mary DeCamp (former candidate for Ward 3 Council seat in 2009) are both running for this seat, soon to be vacated by 3 term Republican Mayor Bob Walkup. Croteau restores homes/buildings and DeCamp is a former college instructor and “Connector” for Pro Neighborhoods.

To listen to both Green candidates “debate”, tune in to the Bill Buckmaster radio show (KVOI 1030 AM) on Wed. August 3, at high noon for 1/2 hour. You can also listen to it via live stream, at www.buckmastershow.com.

They were also recently interviewed on KUAT Channel 6 on July 22 (click here).

Both Green Mayoral candidates are also available every Monday evening at La Indita restaurant on 4th Avenue for a meet & greet (click here for my previous blog).

There are 849 registered Green voters in the City of Tucson per the Pima County Recorder’s Office. Independents who registered for this Green primary can vote in it as well, on/before August 30. Vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed on August 10.

Vote wisely in the August 30 primary.

Mary DeCamp and Dave Croteau

at La Indita Restaurant (Mexican/Latin American cuisine)
622 N. Fourth Ave in Tucson (north of E. 5th Street)

Every Monday at 6:30pm

If you’re a registered Green Party voter in the City of Tucson, or an Independent who registered by July 16 to vote in that primary on/before August 30, here’s your weekly chance to meet & talk with either or both Green candidates.

Previous blogs on Dave Croteau (click here) and Mary DeCamp (click here).

This is Croteau’s 3rd bid for Mayor having run before as a write-in candidate in 1999 and as the Green Party candidate in 2007, challenging Republican Mayor Bob Walkup when no Democrat ran.

DeCamp ran for the Ward 3 City Council seat two years ago in 2009 and lost to Democratic incumbent Councilwoman Karin Uhlich.

If you can’t drop by La Indita, then view these 2 Green Mayoral candidates on Friday’s KUAT Channel 6 interview: http://ondemand.azpm.org/videoshorts/watch/2011/7/22/1830-green-would-be-mayors-tout-first-primary/.

For more information on the Green Party of Pima County, go to their website, www.pimagreens.org. This is apparently the first Green Party primary for Mayor. Another Green candidate Beryl Baker just filed to run as a write-in candidate for the Ward 1 Council seat. She ran for the same seat in 2007 and lost to Regina Romero, the current Councilmember.

Also running for Mayor:
–Democrat Jonathan Rothschild and 3 Democratic write-in candidates, David Karr, Joseph Maher Jr. and Rich Kessler — all political newcomers
–Republican write-in candidate Rick Grinnell – who’s run unsuccessfully for the Ward 2 City Council seat before in 1995 and 1999. He also sought to be appointed to that vacant seat last Spring, 2010 when Councilman Rodney Glassman resigned to run for the U.S. Senate.
–Political newcomer Daryl Peterson, also a Republican write-in candidate

Press release from Rick Grinnell for Mayor campaign:

July 12, 2011, Tucson, AZ — Long-time community and business leader Rick Grinnell announced today he has filed official documentation to run for mayor of Tucson as a Republican write-in candidate in the August primary election.

In making his announcement, Grinnell said he is asking voters to write him in as a candidate because “Tucson deserves a choice, a chance to elect an experienced leader who knows what it takes to ‘Move Tucson Forward.’

“I coined the phrase Move Tucson Forward in 2009 and organized the first forum that year to engage business and government representatives in joint discussions on how to transform our city into a thriving, welcoming business environment. Enhancing employment opportunities is what it will take to provide us with the resources to sustain our economy and to support the growing needs of our community.

“I am running for mayor because I believe in Tucson and am committed to making this vision a reality. With a strong economic and stable business environment we will be able to generate more jobs and take care of our families. We will walk our streets without fear because we will be able to hire more public safety personnel. We will have adequate resources to repair our streets. We will be able to enjoy many of the wonderful dining venues, arts and leisure activities that Tucson has to offer.

“To accomplish these goals, Tucson needs experienced leadership. For over 20 years, I have served the city as an active participant in numerous civic, professional and community efforts to help improve the quality of life for all of our citizens. I have helped our people find jobs, mentored individuals and counseled businesses owners to help them grow. As a business owner myself, I fully understand the challenges and heartache when people share their stories. Business owners who have to tell their employees they have to close the doors. Builders who tell the construction crews to not come back because they won’t be building anything for a while. Or a big employer who has to restructure, cut salaries or cut people.

“Tucsonans are frustrated with the city Leadership. They are eager and ready for a change in leadership that will give them opportunities for success and growth. I ask citizens of Tucson to write me in as a candidate for mayor, so I can help this great city of ours move forward towards a brighter future.”

Grinnell needs to get 1060 write-in votes in the Republican primary on August 30, to qualify to have his name on the General Election ballot on November 8, 2011. No other Republican qualified with enough petition signatures for the Mayor’s race.

Attorney Jonathan Rothschild, a Democratic political newcomer is running in the Democratic primary for Mayor, recently joined by 2 write-in Democrats, David Karr (click here) and Joseph Maher, Jr. (click here). Karr is a retired Correctional sergeant and Maher is an architect, and both are also political newcomers, never having run for office before.

Also running for Mayor are 2 Greens, former 2007 Mayoral candidate Dave Croteau and Mary DeCamp (click here for earlier blog about these Green candidates speaking at Drinking Liberally, which I attended). DeCamp is the only woman running and ran before in 2009 for the Ward 3 Council seat. I also recently attended the July 5 Green Party of Pima County Mayoral Mixer with candidates Croteau, DeCamp, and Karr.

Campaign websites for these Mayoral candidates (will be updating with Grinnell’s www.grinnell4mayor.com), click here. Contact info for Grinnell: email: info@grinnell4mayor.com and phone: 520-320-0529.

Deadline for any more write-in candidates with the Tucson City Clerk is 5 p.m. July 21.

Here’s a handy guide to their campaign websites all on one blog. Click on the blue hyperlinks to go to the specific candidate’s website:

–Mayor of Tucson (Democrat & Green Party primaries, no Republican running to date*)

Democrat: Jonathan Rothschild, www.jonathanformayor.com

Democrat (write-in): David M. Karr, http://karrfortucsonmayor.webs.com/

Democrat (write-in): Joseph Maher, Jr., http://josephmaherformayor.com/

Democrat (write-in): Rich Kessler (withdrew 8/5/11)

Green: Dave Croteau, http://futurefocustucson.blogspot.com/

Green: Mary DeCamp, www.decampformayor.org

* Update 7/12/11 – Republican (write-in): Rick Grinnell, www.grinnell4mayor.com

* Update 7/22/11 – Republican (write-in): Daryl Peterson

–Council Ward 1 (primary)

Democrat: Joe Flores, www.joefloresforcouncil.com

Democrat: Regina Romero (incumbent), www.votereginaromero.com

Update 7/22/11: Green (write-in): Beryl Baker

–Council Ward 2 (general)

Democrat: Paul Cunningham (incumbent), www.votepaulcunningham.com

Republican: Jennifer Rawson, www.rawsonforcouncil.com

–Council Ward 4 (general)

Democrat: Shirley Scott (incumbent), www.shirley2011.com

Republican: Tyler Vogt, www.vogt4tucson.com

Council seats in Wards 3, 5, and 6 are up in 2013.

Stay tuned for any more write-in candidates in all races, as the deadline to file is July 21, 2011, 5 p.m. And Independents need to contact the Tucson City Clerk at 520-791-4213 by July 16 if they want to vote in any specific primary election.

At last night’s Green Party of Pima County’s Mayoral Candidate Mixer, Green Dave Croteau, Green Mary DeCamp and Democratic write-in candidate David Karr participated, facilitated by former Mayoral candidate Jon McLane. All 3 candidates answered hosted questions by Green Party members:

“Why did you decide to run for Mayor, what issues are most pressing, how would you address the economic crisis (re: jobs, education, poverty), the 4 pillars of the Green Party: ecological wisdom, social justice, nonviolence & grassroots democracy”. Audience questions covered their positions on the proposed Rosemont mine, TUSD ethnic studies, the military institutions of Raytheon & DMAFB.

Results of the instant run-off vote were: Dave Croteau (47 points), Mary DeCamp (42 points), David Karr (29 points).

Co-Chair Beryl Baker, former Ward 1 Council candidate was present, along with 12 others for this monthly meeting of the Green Party of Pima County at the Trinity Presbyterian Church at 400 E. University Blvd.

Both Green Party candidates will be at The Shanty on Sunday June 26, 6 p.m. to talk to the so-called “liberals” of Drinking Liberally about why they are running for Mayor, and the Green Party primary on August 30. Independents can vote in the Green Party primary, but need to inform the Tucson City Clerk’s office (520-791-4213) if they want a Green ballot by July 16, 2011.

Croteau ran for Mayor as a Green write-in candidate in 1999 (against Democratic Councilwoman Molly McKasson and then political unknown Republican Robert Walkup – who prevailed). Then Croteau ran for Pima County Sheriff in 2000 garnering 16% of the vote, and lost to Sheriff Clarence Dupnik. In 2007 Croteau challenged Mayor Walkup (when no Democrat ran), and got 28% of the vote. Read my previous blog about Croteau’s background (click here).

DeCamp ran against Councilmember Karin Uhlich in 2009 and Republican challenger Ben Bueller-Garcia. DeCamp got 6% of the vote, with Uhlich narrowly beating Bueller-Garcia by 175 votes.
Read my previous blog about DeCamp and her background (click here).

The Shanty is at 401 E. 9th St. (NE corner of 4th Avenue and E. 9th Street), just north of the 4th Avenue Underpass. For more information on Drinking Liberally, go to www.livingliberallytucson.org. They meet at The Shanty to discuss political issues and/or listen to speakers every Sunday at 6 p.m.

For more information on the Green Party of Pima County, go to their website, www.pimagreens.org. If you miss this Drinking Liberally meeting, you can hear both Green candidates speak at their upcoming monthly Green Party meeting on Tuesday July 5th, 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 E. University Blvd. #205.

The Green Party of Pima County (GPPC) is the official county chapter of the Arizona Green Party and the Green Party of the United States, Our primary mission is to get Green Party members elected to local, state, and national office. We also work to reform the electoral system, increase grassroots participation in government decision making, develop cooperative leadership models, and ensure that Green politicians remain accountable to those who place them in office.

Dave Croteau

Mary DeCamp

Mary DeCamp

Mary DeCamp, who ran against Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich in 2009 has also entered the race for Mayor of Tucson. She has taken out the papers at the Tucson City Clerk’s office an has gathered 23 signatures (between 17 and 32 signatures were needed for a Green candidate) before the June 1st deadline.

Mary got 4429 votes (6.16 % of the vote) in the Ward 3 race in 2009, next to Democratic Councilmember Uhlich’s 46.98% of the votes and Republican Ben Bueller-Garcia’s 46.74% of the votes. She is a community activist and Code Pink member, received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Sciences and Master of Arts in Communication from the U of A, and has been a college instructor. Mary is currently employed as a Connector with Pro-Neighborhoods, “organizing neighborhood communities to adopt healthier diet and exercise choices”.

Her entry into the race could lead to a Green Party primary on August 30, as fellow Green Party candidate Dave Croteau entered the race a few weeks ago. He ran for Mayor before in 2007 against Mayor Bob Walkup and got 28.08% of the vote compared to Mayor Walkup’s 71.20 %. There are 636 registered Greens in the City of Tucson. (Another Green candidate Jon McLean entered this race for a few months but withdrew in May due to problems with his voter registration, and endorsed Republican Shaun McClusky.)

Mary will be announcing her candidacy on June 7 in front of the Tucson City Hall at 1 p.m. Stay tuned for further announcements from her campaign. She can be reached at mdecamp@q.com or at 520-408-4974, and her campaign manager is Mike Cease at 520-327-4705.