In April, 2010 only two Democrats (Rudy Garcia and Dr. Rodney Glassman) were running for U.S. Senate, challenging the seat held by Republican Senior U.S. Senator John McCain, who has served since 1987. In May three other Democrats from the Phoenix area joined the race: John Dougherty, Dr. Cathy Eden, and Randy Parraz.

On June 21 Parraz will speak at the weekly luncheon of Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) at the Dragon View restaurant located at 400 N. Bonita Ave. (west of the I-10, south of St. Mary’s Rd.) Then Dougherty speaks the following Monday, June 28. Expect Eden to follow thereafter, prior to the August 24 primary.

I wrote about this race on May 6 (click here), as this election on the Democratic ticket heated up. For bios on these three new candidates, go to my previous blog. (Briefly Dr. Eden is a former state legislator & now the Director of the ASU School of Public Affairs, Dougherty is a freelance investigative reporter, and Parraz is a civil rights advocate and labor organizer.)

DGT states that their “mission is to support the Pima County Democratic Party and provide a forum for elected officials, candidates, and other organizations to address area Democrats. Over the years, DGT has hosted legislators, Governors, U.S. Senators, Sheriffs, Congressmen, countless community leaders and activists.” As a social group DGT meets every Monday (except holidays) at 12 noon to 1 p.m., and the cost of the Chinese buffet lunch is $8.50, which includes tax, tip, and a drink. It’s only $2.50 if you want to hear the speaker and order a drink. Membership dues are $10/year.

DGT also have a new website: tucsondemocrats.org and they publish an electronic newsletter which you can sign up for at: democrats.greater.tucson@gmail.com. If you want further info, call President of DGT, Marilyn Freed at 520-298-7316, marilynfreed@aol.com. She was a candidate for the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) Governing Board in 2004.

Stay tuned as to whether there will be any debates between these four Democratic contenders before the August 24 primary. Last week candidate Dougherty challenged the others to debates in Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff, but candidate Glassman (who spoke at DGT on April 19) declined to commit to a debate schedule before the primary. Eden and Parraz said yes, and Garcia is not a contender according to the Arizona Secretary of State’s official website.

candidate John Dougherty

candidate Randy Parraz

On the Democratic side, there are now four men running for U.S. Senate from Arizona:

–John Dougherty, a Phoenix freelance investigative reporter, with two B.S. degrees in Journalism and Economics from ASU, www.johndougherty2010.com, born & raised in Fairfax, VA

–Rudy Garcia, former City Councilmember and Mayor (8 years) of Bells Gardens, California (population 45,000), www.arizonaonthemove.com, born in Nogales/raised in Douglas, Arizona

–Dr. Rodney Glassman, former Ward 2 Tucson City Councilmember (2 years), Ph.D. (Arid Land Studies) and J.D. from U of A, M.B.A. and M.P.A. from the U of A Eller College of Management, B.S. (Agricultural Economics) from U of A, www.rodneyglassman.com, born & raised in Fresno, California

–Randy Parraz, civil rights advocate & labor organizer, program director of the Transformative Action Institute, J.D. from U.C. Berkeley, M.P.A. from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, www.parrazforchange.com, born & raised in Sacramento, CA

No forums or debates between these men have been scheduled to date, as Dougherty and Parraz just announced their candidacies recently. Stay tuned prior to the August 24 primary.

And if you want to hear new candidate John Dougherty, drop by The Shanty, 901 E. 9th St. (at 4th Avenue) on Sunday May 9, at 6 – 8 p.m. and listen to him speak to the Drinking Liberally group.

Whoever wins this Democratic primary will face off with either:

Senior Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain (the 2008 Republican U.S. Presidential nominee), or former CD 5 Congressman & radio talk show host J.D. Hayworth of Phoenix.

Another Republican businessman Jim Deakin hasn’t been receiving a lot of attention, but is listed as a U.S. Senate candidate on the Pima County Republican Party candidate website.

5/9/10 UPDATE: Blog for Arizona reports that Democratic former 2 term State House Rep. Dr. Cathy Eden from Phoenix may be running for this seat as well. She served as the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, and Director of Administration prior to that. Apparently she has considered running for for U.S. Senate before.

More information on Dr. Eden as Director of the ASU School of Public Affairs (click here.) Her campaign website is:
www.edenforaz.com.

Lots of fanfare today for the arrival of 4 term Senior Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain and newly elected Republican Massachusetts U.S. Senator Scott Brown, at the Manning House, 450 W. Paseo Redondo in downtown Tucson. The national stature of John McCain has grown since he became the Republican nominee for U.S. President in 2008.

KJLL 1330 AM radio talk show host John C. Scott spoke first calling McCain a “bright star” to look up to, as “an Arizonan to be proud of.” Then Cindy McCain thanked the supporters (about 150 people) for their help, saying her husband always “puts his country first.” Senator McCain then introduced freshman Senator Brown, thanking him for his military and public service, and saying that Brown’s upset election was “heard around the world.”

Senator Brown spoke eloquently about how he had always admired Senator McCain for many, many years, and that he had called Senator McCain to offer help in his re-election here in Arizona (not the other way around). He asked the supporters present to be the “truth squad” for Senator McCain, since he was a man of “integrity and character and believed in America.”

Finally Senator McCain spoke again about the situation in Washington, D.C. with health care reform, the $12 trillion national debt, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how he had supported the Surge in Iraq because “he rather lose a campaign than lose a war.” He said he was confident that he could still be an effective voice in D.C. and that he “loved a good fight” (meaning his upcoming primary challenge).

U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts

Having been a legislative aide on the Capitol Hill personal staff of U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI), I knew what these Meet and Greet events would be like. Hundreds of loyal Republicans and others were in the crowd, including former state GOP Chair Mike Hellon.

Prior to this event, Senator McCain, his wife, and Senator Brown had watched the U of A vs. USC basketball game at McKale Center, then attended a private reception at the Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm Street. (The Arizona Wildcats won 86-84, in double overtime.) One of Senator Brown’s daughters plays basketball for Boston College.

Senator McCain has been in office since January, 1987 and he is facing a Republican primary challenge from former CD 5 Congressman J.D. Hayworth (served 1995 to 2007) http://www.jdforsenate.com/. There are Democratic challengers as well– former Bell Gardens, CA Mayor Rudy Garcia, http://arizonaonthemove.com/ or first term Tucson Councilmember Rodney Glassman, http://www.rodneyglassman.com/ (who will face off in the August 24 Arizona Primary). Glassman’s committee is still in the exploratory stage.

Note: Both Massachusetts U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown are graduates of Boston College Law School, which I also happen to be an alumna of. Kerry was the 2004 Democratic nominee for U.S. President.