Drinking Liberally Tucson has been meeting for quite a while on Sundays at 6 p.m. at The Shanty, 401 E. 9th St., NE corner of N. 4th Avenue and E. 9th Street.

Starting Wednesday March 28 they are moving these weekly meetings to Wednesdays, same time, same place. The change is due to membership request, especially from those who disliked Sunday nights out. So no Drinking Liberally on Sunday March 25.

The group usually invites “liberal” speakers (Democrats, Greens, Independents) but has upon occasion invited Republicans. A few weeks ago my husband and I, along with about 20 people waited for Republican CD 8 House candidate Martha McSally to show, but her campaign cancelled due to miscommunications.

Last August I attended a debate there at Drinking Liberally between Green Mayoral candidates Dave Croteau & Mary DeCamp.

Local chapter website: www.livingliberallytucson.org. Living Liberally national website: www.livingliberally.org.

Drinking Liberally is a place for citizens to indulge in the pleasures of democracy: conversation, debate, socializing, networking, rabble-rousing, and just enjoying the company of your fellow citizens. The idea of an American Republic was born in the taverns of the American colonies. We strongly believe that the dreams that shape tomorrow’s America will also be born in our taverns, among everyday folks like you and me.

These meetings usually feature a speaker, then a Q & A period, and end by 9 p.m. (or so), and they do not encourage driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Keeping on top of who’s in and who’s out of the race for Mayor of Tucson can be challenging with several changes last week.

As of today (May 17) with nomination petitions due 5 p.m. on June 1st to the Tucson City Clerk, here’s the current slate.

IN (in order of initial filing of paperwork with Tucson City Clerk‘s office):

–Republican Shaun McClusky, former candidate for Ward 5 Council office in 2009, chaired anti-Prop 400 sales tax campaign in 2010; a realtor, www.voteshaun.com

–Democrat Jonathan Rothschild (already submitted 3283 signatures, the maximum for his party), attorney & political newcomer; www.jonathanformayor.com

–Republican Ron Asta, former Democratic District 1 Pima County Supervisor (1972-1976), ran for Mayor in 1983 as a Democrat against Republican then-current Mayor Lew Murphy & got 36.4% of the vote; a land planner, www.ronasta4mayor.com

–Democrat Marshall Home (formerly registered as an Independent & Republican), a self-reported “multi-billionaire”, political newcomer

–Green Dave Croteau, former candidate for Pima County Sheriff (2000) and Mayor (2007– he’s the only one that challenged Mayor Bob Walkup in that race & got 28% of the vote, no Democrat or Libertarian ran); a community activist

–Independent Pat Darcy, former candidate for Mayor in the 4-way Democratic primary of 1999 (Councilmember Molly McKasson won that race over Councilmember Janet Marcus, Betsy Bolding, and Darcy– who got 8.6% of the vote–, but then Molly lost to Republican Bob Walkup, then a political newcomer); a realtor and former major league baseball player (pitcher for Cincinnati Reds)

Darcy had been considering a bid since March (click here for earlier blog) but only registered as an Independent on April 1, 2011, and took out paperwork with the City Clerk on Friday May 13, 2011 to run for Mayor. He has been registered as a Democrat since 1971 per Chris Roads (Deputy Recorder & Registrar of Voters) at the Pima County Recorder’s Office.

OUT:

–Democrat Thomas Lombardi, a hall monitor at Mt. View High School, political newcomer (withdrew)

–Green Jon McLane, a businessman & political newcomer who withdrew last week & endorsed Republican Shaun McClusky

Democratic Mayoral candidates need between 1642 and 3283 signatures, Republicans between 1060 and 2119, and Green Party candidates only 17 to 32 signatures to qualify to run for the office of Mayor.

Independents (Nomination Other Than by Primary-NOP) only qualify for the Mayoral General election ballot (no primary) but need to get 2596 signatures by June 1st. “Any registered voter can sign the petition for an NOP candidate as long as they have not already signed a petition for another candidate running for the same office” according to the 2011 Candidate Information Pamphlet issued by the Tucson City Clerk. The number of valid signatures on the NOP petition must be equal to at least 3% of the total number of registered voters who are not members of a qualified political party (Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or Green) — as of 3/1/11.

Stay tuned for any other changes in the next weeks before the filing deadline. I hear other rumors of other potential candidates…and no woman is running as yet.

CD 8 Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords just won re-election to a 3rd term. Here’s the elections breakdown of her past races with her Republican challengers in Pima County:

Nov. 2006:
Gabrielle Giffords 55.20% 116,043
Randy Graf 41.09% 86,386
(14.11 percentage point difference)

Nov. 2008:
Gabrielle Giffords 56.00% 151,556
Tim Bee 41.61% 112,612
(14.39 percentage point difference)

Nov. 2010:
Gabrielle Giffords 49.93% 117,389
Jesse Kelly 46.08% 108,327
(3.85 percentage point difference)

Why was this 2010 race so close? Probably due to the rise of the Arizona Tea Party & Tucson Tea Party, the national economic crisis, the Republican Party anger over the passage of Federal Health Care legislation (aka “Obamacare”), the furor over the constitutionality of S.B. 1070 in Arizona, continued immigration problems at the border which includes CD 8, etc. And voters appeared tired of incumbents this year, who seemed responsible for the nation’s economic woes.

This was definitely 2 term incumbent Congresswoman Giffords’ toughest race, and she prevailed by only 4,156 votes out of a total of 283,978 votes cast in CD 8.

Her previous opponents in 2006 and 2008 were experienced politicians. Former LD 30 Rep. Randy Graf served 2 terms in the Arizona state house, and former State Senate President Tim Bee served 8 years in the Arizona State Senate, also from LD 30. So they were both somewhat well-known figures in LD 30, a part of Congressional District 8.

Then her third opponent was Jesse Kelly, a young Marine who had served in Iraq, with no political experience, yet he came the closest to winning. I heard Jesse speak at a number of forums, debates and events, and he had a dynamic, fresh personality that attracted voters, and he took advantage of the changing political times of this campaign year.

When I spoke with Randy Graf after the CD 8 debate at the University of Arizona Grand ballroom on October 18, he merely told me that in comparing his race in 2006 to the 2010 race, that “times have changed.” Indeed, it has. Read Randy’s review of that debate from his new online Arizona News-Telegraph by clicking here (from his PoliGRAF column).

Voter registration numbers in CD 8 from Pima County Recorder’s Office :
Democrats 114,523, Republicans 126,054, Libertarians 2499, Greens 719, independents 98,328.

The fact that CD 8 Libertarian candidate Steve Stoltz got 3.93% of the vote -11,174 votes) obviously shows that he drew votes from outside his party of only 2499 registered voters. Apparently Gabby got her 114,000 Democratic votes plus 24,000 other votes (likely the independents). Kelly got his 126,000 Republican votes but only 8,000 others. (But that’s only based on the assumption that all registered voters in CD 8 voted, and they didn’t.) Voter turnout was 55.65% statewide.

For a breakdown county by county in CD 8, check the Arizona Daily Star analysis this morning in their paper edition, page A5. They say that Kelly won in Cochise & Pinal Counties, with Giffords carrying Pima and Santa Cruz. Pima County voter turnout was 65.54%.

Regardless, attracting the “Independent voter” does matter in CD 8. Giffords said at her HQ volunteer appreciation party on November 6 that her win was due to a “broad based coalition” and her dedicated volunteers.

Wonder which Republican in Southern Arizona will challenge Congresswoman Giffords in 2012?