Arizona Womenh’s Political Caucus (AWPC) 2012 Primary Election Endorsements
Federal Races (endorsements done by National Women’s Political Caucus)

U.S. House CD 1 Ann Kirkpatrick (D)
U.S. House CD 9 Kyrsten Sinema (D)

Arizona Statewide Races
Corporation Commission Marcia Busching (D)
Corporation Commission Sandra Kennedy (D)*

Arizona Legislative District (LD) Races
LD 2 Senate Linda Lopez (D)* (unopposed)
House Andrea Dalessandro (D)
House Rosanna Gabaldon (D)

LD 3 Senate Olivia Cajero Bedford (D)*
House Sally Ann Gonzales (D)*

LD 4 House Charlene Fernandez (D)

LD 6 House Angela LeFevre (D)

LD 8 Senate Barbara McGuire (D)
House Emily Verdugo (D)

LD 9 House Mohur Sarah Sidhwa (D)
House Victoria Steele (D)

LD 10 House Stefanie Mach (D)

LD 11 Senate Jo Holt (D)

LD 14 Senate Patricia Fleming (D)

LD 17 House Karyn Lathan (D)

LD 18 Senate Janie Hydrick (D)

LD 20 House Tonya Norwood (D)
House Jackie Thrasher (D)

LD 21 House Carol Lokare (D)
House Sheri Van Horsen (D)

LD 24 Senate Katie Hobbs (D)
House Lela Alston (D)*

LD 30 House Debbie McCune-Davis (D)*

Pima County Races
Board of Supervisors Dist.1 Nancy Young Wright (D)
Board of Supervisors Dist.3 Sharon Bronson (D)*
County Attorney Barbara LaWall (D)*
Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez (D)*
School Superintendent Linda Arzoumanian (R)*
Treasurer Elaine Richardson (D)

* indicates incumbent. CD 1, 2 & 3 and LD 2,3,9,10,11 & 14 are in Southern AZ. The Arizona Women’s Political Caucus endorses women of all political parties. More info about this group, click here.

Their quest is “to increase the number of pro-choice women elected and appointed to office. Getting women involved in the political process while targeting, recruiting, training and supporting women candidates at the local, state and national level has been and remains the primary activity of the Caucus. In 1971 when the group first convened, 14 women served in the Arizona Legislature. In 2012 30 of the 90 members are women.”

I also just learned via the Pima County Tucson Women’s Commission and the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson that women were granted suffrage in Arizona in Nov. 1912 — before the federal 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed in 1920. So women in Arizona have been voting for 100 years. (Remember that Arizona became a state that same year on February 14, 1912.)

Vote wisely on August 28.

This holiday party will be once again at the home of attorneys Sherry Teachnor and Michael McCrory in mid-town Tucson. Call 520-327-3527 for directions.

“Come raise a glass to celebrate our public officials and to cheer on those 2012 candidates seeking an end to all the insanity.”

Welcome guest speaker Krista Millary, Th.D, the new (and first) Program director of the UA Women’s Resource Center.

RSVP to Linda at 520-625-4579 or lhbarter@cox.net. Members and friends (and guests) welcome to enjoy a delicious appetizer buffet and to talk politics.

I attended last year AWPC’s holiday event (click here) and met Pam Simon, Outreach Coordinator of CD 8 Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’s office. Less than a month later Pam was shot twice in that January 8, 2011 mass shooting. Thankfully she has fully recovered.

For more info on the AWPC, log onto www.awpconline.org. It is the state affiliate of the National Women’s Political Caucus. Their goal is: “50/50 by 2020! Changing the face of Arizona politics!”

We are the only multi-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to increasing the number of pro-choice women in elected and appointed office. We work to help women attain leadership positions at all levels of government

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Here’s a list of the women candidates seeking office in Southern Arizona and statewide. Most of these candidates have been endorsed by the Arizona Women’s Political Caucus (AWPC), EXCEPT for Republicans Governor Brewer, candidates Ruth McClung, Brenda Burns, Gail Griffin, Peggy Judd, and Terri Proud, and Democratic candidate Margaret DiFrank.

The AWPC only endorses women candidates who are pro-choice.

Congressional District 7: Ruth McClung (R), candidate
Congressional District 8: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D), incumbent

Governor Jan Brewer (R), incumbent (appointed)
Attorney General – Felecia Rotellini (D), candidate
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Penny Kotterman (D), candidate
Corporation Commission (2 seats) – Brenda Burns (R), candidate

Southern AZ legislators:

LD 25 Senate – Gail Griffin (R) candidate, former legislator
LD 25 House (2 seats) – Rep. Pat Fleming (D),incumbent and Peggy Judd (R) candidate

LD 26 Senate – Cheryl Cage (D), candidate
LD 26 House (2 seats) – Terri Proud (R) candidate, and Rep. Nancy Young Wright (D), incumbent

LD 27 Senate – Rep. Olivia Cajero Bedford (D), candidate, current legislator
LD 27 House – Sally Ann Gonzales (D), former legislator

LD 28 Senate – Senator Paula Aboud (D), incumbent

LD 29 Senate – Senator Linda Lopez (D), incumbent (unopposed)

LD 30 House – Andrea Dalessandro (D), candidate

Clerk of Superior Court – Margaret DiFrank (D) candidate, Clerk Patti Noland (R), incumbent

After the General Election 5 of the 6 Southern Arizona State Senators could be women, mostly Democrats — incumbents Senators Paula Aboud and Linda Lopez, plus veteran legislator Olivia Cajero Bedford, former legislator Gail Griffin, and newcomer Cheryl Cage.

Here’s their mission statement of AWPC:

“The Arizona Women’s Political Caucus is the state affiliate of the National Women’s Political Caucus. We are the only multi-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to increasing the number of pro-choice women in elected and appointed office. We work to help women attain leadership positions at all levels of government.”

Early voting starts on October 7 for the November 2nd General Election.