From one term Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik’s re-election campaign:

On Wednesday, March 20th, Ward 6 Council Member Steve Kozachik will be joined by the City of Tucson’s four most recent mayors for a campaign kickoff event. Former mayors George Miller, Tom Volgy and Bob Walkup will join current Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild at Borderlands Brewery in downtown Tucson for the event.

Steve Kozachik Campaign Kickoff
Wednesday, March 20, 5:30 – 7:00 P.M.
Borderlands Brewing Company
119 E. Toole Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701

“Borderlands is the perfect venue for this kick-off,” said Kozachik. “It’s the poster child of a successful private sector venture that has quickly grown into a successful downtown business. It is emblematic of the successes we’re seeing in the downtown core, a success story that I’m proud to have been a part of and one that I am excited to continue to support.”

Former Council Member and honorary campaign co-chair Carol West will also be in attendance. Kozachik announced previously that West, Walkup and former United States Surgeon General Richard Carmona will be co-chairing his campaign.

The event marks the first time in recent memory that four mayors, representing two parties have come together in support of a city council candidate. Each mayor offered their own insights into what makes Kozachik an effective leader, deserving of their endorsement.

The current Mayor Jonathan Rothschild (elected 2011) is a Democrat, along with former Mayors Tom Volgy (1987 to 1991) and George Miller (1991 to 1999). Former Mayor Robert Walkup (1999 to 2011) is a Republican.

Councilman Steve Kozachik (aka “Steve K” or “Koz”) is running unopposed for the Ward 6 Council office so far. He was elected to this seat as a Republican and just changed to a Democrat on January 14, 2013.

Two term Ward 3 Councilmember Democrat Karin Uhlich is facing Republican challenger Ben Buehler-Garcia, who ran against her before in 2009. He lost by 175 votes in a three-way race with Councilmember Uhlich and Green candidate Mary DeCamp.

One term Ward 5 Councilmember Democrat Richard Fimbres is facing a Republican challenger as well, political newcomer Mike Polak II, a self employed businessman. Stay tuned for a future post about Polak’s candidacy. He just filed his Statement of Organization on March 6 with the Tucson City Clerk.

Councilman Steve Kozachik Announces His Re-election Campaign

Councilman Steve Kozachik

VoteKoz2013 Campaign Honorary Co-Chairs
Robert Walkup – Former Mayor (R)
Dr. Richard Carmona – Former U.S. Surgeon General (D)
Ms. Carol West – Former Tucson City Council Member (I)

Last week I formally filed papers for re-election to the Tucson City Council, Ward 6 seat. It has been my honor to serve the constituents of this Ward, and of the broader City. I look forward to continuing working on behalf of all residents of the community in the years to come. We’re just putting together the current campaign. You will be hearing more on how it will roll out in the days to come.

Over the course of the past three years I have demonstrated my willingness to study issues individually, and to advocate for policy based on the specific set of facts related to each of them, not being bound by preconceived notions or rigid ideology. The public policy issues we face are too complex to approach the task of governance in any other manner.

Through that process, I have worked with constituents who reflect all political parties. Whether the issues involve business interests, the rights of private property owners, protecting the taxpayers money, labor, or management, my approach has consistently been to listen to the multiple voices as they weigh in on a given issue and work to find the common ground that represents sound public policy.

That approach to governance has resulted in my being in a position to announce today that three highly respected members of our community, each reflecting a different place on the political spectrum have agreed to serve as Honorary Co-Chairs for my campaign. I believe their willingness to attach their names and reputations to my campaign validates the approach that I have taken to create informed and transparent public policy since 2009. I am extremely thankful to Bob Walkup, Dr. Richard Carmona, and Carol West for this showing of support. I am committed to continuing to work in a way that earns their trust, as well as that of the electorate in this community.

Contact
Ann Charles 520-977-5161
VoteKoz2013@gmail.com
rcharles@theriver.com
(520) 977-5161

Also up for re-election this year is 2 term Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich, who announced her candidacy at Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) on Monday, and 1 term Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres, who is seeking re-election. He is listed as a future speaker at DGT, www.tucsondemocrats.org.

Councilman Kozachik, formerly a Republican and political newcomer, defeated incumbent Democrat Nina Trasoff for the Ward 6 seat in 2009.

All three Councilmembers seeking re-election in 2013 are Democrats.

From Pima County Recorder’s Office: http://www.recorder.pima.gov/public/voterttlsdist.aspx

Registered voters in City of Tucson (as of April, 2011)

Democrats 99,877

Republicans 56,232

Independents/others 69,735

Libertarians 2135

Greens 857

Total registered voters right now in City of Tucson are 228,836 (all six wards)
which gives the Democrats almost a 2:1 edge over the Republicans, but there are almost 70,000 Independent voters who could vote either way in the primary.

But according to Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez and UA Asst. Prof. of Communications Kate Kenski, Independents have a low voter turnout, probably because they don’t choose to vote at all or belong to an organized party.

Back in the last City of Tucson election of 2009, with Wards 3, 5 and 6 up for election, 33.5% of the total registered voters (221,316) voted. So 74,168 votes were cast city wide.

Karin Uhlilch (D) received 33,782 votes, Richard Fimbres (D) 37,749 votes and Steve Kozachik (R) 36,451 votes to prevail over their opponents. Uhlich won by only 175 votes over Republican Ben Bueller-Garcia, although the Green Party candidate Mary DeCamp received 4429 votes, which may have taken votes from the Democrat. In 2005 Uhlich had defeated Republican one term Ward 3 incumbent Kathleen Dunbar, in an upset.

Fimbres won by 4573 votes over Shaun McClusky (now running for Mayor) and Kozachik won in an upset by 1756 votes (defeating one term Democratic incumbent Nina Trasoff). Trasoff herself had upset 2 term Ward 6 incumbent Republican Fred Ronstadt in 2005.

How did Steve Kozachik, a Republican win in a predominantly Democratic city?

And with the Democratic voter edge in this city, how did Republican Robert Walkup win 3 terms? He defeated 1) two term Councilwoman Democrat Molly McKasson, then 2) former Democratic Mayor/Councilman Tom Volgy, and lastly 3) Green Party candidate Dave Croteau (no Democrat even ran for Mayor in 2007). See my previous blog “Will Mayor Walkup run again? (click here).

The Mayor’s seat is up for election this year, with Republican Bob Walkup not running for his 4th term. 6 men are currently seeking that position (3 Democrats, 2 Republicans, 1 Green), with nomination petitions/signatures due on June 1st. None of the candidates have served on the City Council, the usual testing ground for qualification to be a Mayor.

Council Wards 1, 2 and 4 are also up for election this year.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Regina Romero (D) has a Democratic opponent (Joe Flores), and almost had a Republican challenger (political newcomer Janet Gallup who filed last week but told me via email that she is withdrawing this week “for several personal reasons that were unforeseen”).
Regina has served for one term and is the incumbent. (In 2007 she defeated Democrat Ken Green in the Primary, then Green Party candidate Beryl Baker in the General.)

Appointed (May, 2010) Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham (D) has a Republican opponent (political newcomer Jennifer Rawson). 4 term Ward 4 Councilwoman Shirley Scott (D) is being challenged by political newcomer Republican Tyler Vogt. Can either Rawson or Vogt upset the incumbent Councilmembers– like Kozachik did in 2009?

It seems that both Republicans and Democrats have served in Wards 3 and 6, with predominantly only Democratic Councilmembers in Ward 1, 2, 4, and 5 (except for one Democrat who turned into an Independent in Ward 2). And Tucson has had long term serving Republican Mayors (Lew Murphy and Bob Walkup).

So maybe it’s personality over partisan party affiliation that determines the winners in the City elections. What do you readers think?

The AZ Court of Appeals ruled recently for the City of Tucson in a challenge to a recent state law that would have mandated Ward only, nonpartisan elections instead of the current partisan, city-wide elections (though the Councilmembers have to live in the Ward they run from). This decision may be appealed to the AZ Supreme Court.

5/13/11 UPDATE: 6 men still running for Mayor (2 Democrats, as 1 dropped out last week, 2 Republicans, 1 Green (one dropped out, replaced by another Green), and an Independent).
Here’s the current list: Jonathan Rothschild (D), Marshall Home (D), Shaun McClusky (R), Ron Asta (R), Dave Croteau (G), Pat Darcy (I). But the list keeps changing…