Bill Buckmaster, radio talk show host of the Buckmaster Show on KVOI 1030 AM interviewed Congressman Raul Grijalva today, and he announced that he will seek re-election in 2012. Sarah Garrecht Gassen of the Arizona Daily Star joined Bill in conducting the interview.

Click here for the interview.

Grijalva is in his 5th term representing CD 7, serving since January 2003. He faced a tough bid last year against political newcomer physicist Ruth McClung, winning by 9550 votes. There was also a Libertarian George Keane and Independent/Nonpartisan Harley Meyer running in that race in November, 2010.

Two Republicans are already listed on the Pima County GOP website as running for this CD 7 seat:
Chris Flowers, and Gabby Saucedo Mercer, whose announcement I attended back in March (click here for previous blog).

Information on Flowers:
chris@voteflowers.com
www.voteflowers.com
623-308-9732

Information on Mercer:
gabriela@saucedomercer.com
www.saucedomercer.com
P.O. Box 87332
Tucson, Arizona
520-344-3847

Congressional District 7 will be subject to redistricting by the Arizona Independent
Redistricting Commission (due to population increase in Arizona from the 2010 Census). The first round of public hearings are being conducted by the Commission throughout Arizona, with the next one scheduled for August 15 in Casa Grande. Two public hearings were held recently in South Tucson/Tucson on August 2 and 6.

Gabriela Saucedo Mercer, a Mexican American Republican who immigrated to the U.S in 1986, is announcing her bid for the CD 7 U.S. House seat held by 4 term Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva. She is also known as “Gabby”, like Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of CD 8. Grijalva is not up for re-election until November, 2012.

Gabriela Saucedo Mercer

Her announcement will be made at 11 a.m. Wednesday March 2nd at the Inn Suites/Tucson Hotel, 475 N. Granada Avenue, Copper room in Tucson, 85701. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.

From her website:

Gabriela Saucedo Mercer lives on Tucson’s west side with her husband of 24 years, Ted Mercer. Gabriela, “Gabby” for short, set aside her work career with a defense electronics firm in order to raise her 3 children and continue her education. As the kids were growing up Gabriela became more and more concerned about the direction that her adopted country had taken in recent years. She legally emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in 1986 in order to live in a nation full of opportunity and Constitutional protections of individual liberties. She became a proud U.S. citizen in 1991.

I happened to be at the Tucson City Council meeting last Spring when Gabriela stood up & spoke against the Council’s opposition of SB 1070, and Congressman’s Grijalva’s call for a boycott of the State of Arizona. Most of the Mexican Americans in the room spoke against SB 1070.

Campaign info: www.saucedomercer.com, 520-349-5600, gabriela@saucedomercer.com.

Congressman Raul Grijalva has served since January, 2003 and won his last November, 2010 campaign against political newcomers Republican Ruth McClung, Libertarian George Keane, and Independent Harley Meyer. Results of that recent race:

GRIJALVA, RAUL M. (DEM)
50.16% 79,935
MCCLUNG, RUTH (REP)
44.16% 70,385
KEANE, GEORGE (LBT)
2.71% 4,318
MEYER, HARLEY (I-N)
2.83% 4,506
Write-in
0.14% 228
159,372 total votes cast

3/3/11 UPDATE: 2 live videos of this campaign kick off event:

http://tucsoncitizen.com/in-the-aggregate/2011/03/02/gabriela-saucedo-mercer-releases-two-videos-in-race-for-cd-7/

Two GOTV events for this afternoon, a day before General Election Day 2010:

1) Join U.S. Senator John McCain, U.S.Senator Jon Kyl, Jesse Kelly (for CD 8 U.S. House) and Ruth McClung (for CD 7 U.S. House) for a Republican get out the vote rally on Monday, November 1st from 3:30PM till 4:30PM. “This will be a great opportunity to bring out those undecided voters so that they will have a chance to meet with the candidates prior to Election Day.” This event is free and open to the public.

Location: 2945 E. Grant Rd., Tucson (McCain/McClung HQ). This is on the NW corner of Grant & Country Club.

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2)Get Out The Vote rally with Democrats on Monday

Join Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, candidates Penny Kotterman (for Superintendent of Public Instruction), Rep. Chris Deschene (for Secretary of State) and Manuel Cruz (for State Mine Inspector) along with other candidates to Get Out the Vote! Also free & open to the public.

When: Monday, November 1, from 4:30 – 5:30 pm

Where: El Guero Canelo, 5201 S. 12th Ave, Tucson (SE corner of Utah Street, south of Irvington) — home of the famous Sonoran hot dog

Last chance today to meet & greet these politicians & wannabees before the election tomorrow!

Both major parties need every vote for those close races. Vote wisely tomorrow. Polls open at 6 a.m., close at 7 p.m.