New to DU. New to the group. Decided to run for LD4 House seat

[AZLD4Candidate]

Greetings fellow Arizonans. I am a social studies teacher in the Baboquivari School District on the Tohono o'Odham nation. To be closer to my students, I will be moving to Sells in June.

With that, I have decided to throw my hat in the ring for LD4 House seat, trying to unseat odious freshman Republican Joel John and take the seat back for the Democrats, where I would serve with Charlene Fernandez.

I am a political neophyte, though I do teach it and have for 15 years.

The decision did not come lightly. It was made after I spoke to my wife, who was denied entry into the country, detained at the airport in Seattle without allowing me to contact her for three days, and then unceremoniously kicked out of the country by the CBP. I was threatened with arrest if I kept calling to contact her because I "couldn't prove I was her husband," that she "had no right to speak to me," and that they were getting "tired of me tying up their phone lines" with my "unnecessary nonsense (nonsense was not the word they used)." She had a valid, legally issued US visa, was in the process of starting her green card, and had all her COVID19 and marriage papers with her, and they didn't care.

While I know that immigration is not a state issue, the issues of police/prison reform, voting rights, taxation, and education, are the issues I will live and die upon.

I realize that John is well connected, and well funded. I am asking for your help to get me on the ballot. PM me if you want more information and we can talk privately about personally sensitive things (like my personal information) I do not feel as yet comfortable putting on a public forum.

I have been a lurker for years. And I am a believer in what the Lincoln Project did to Trump, taking the fight to the opponent, controlling the language of the debate, and constantly putting John on the defensive.

I hope I can find help doing this, as I am a political neophyte at 42 years old.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Best of luck to you, and Welcome to DU!

[AZLD4Candidate]

5. Thank you. I hope my attitude of taking the fight to Republicans

is well received. I have a bit of an attack dog mentality, am well read and researched, logical and proactive in debating, and never back down from a fight.

To me, politics is a war and in war, all is fair.

I also don't believe in "when they go low, we go high." I believe in a line from The Untouchables Sean Connery's character said: "If they bring a knife, you bring a gun. If they put one of yours in the hospital, you put one of theirs into the morgue."

[dawg day]

2. Thank you for running!

I'm not in Arizona, so can't help with the petition to get on the ballot. But let us know when you've set up an ActBlue account for contributions!

[AZ8theist]

3. I am in Arizona.

Let me know what I can do to help.

[AZLD4Candidate]

4. I am setting up my Actblue

Right now, I'm trying to setup meetings with AZ Party heads, finding out meeting times, and trying to get my name out.

I am starting out like AOC did. . .unknown with just ideas and a firebrand's spirit.

[iluvtennis]

22. Wow, love that you are running. Please provide your ActBlue link when you have it and I'll

make a small donation.

Welcome to DU AZLD4Candidate

[onecaliberal]

6. Thank for throwing your hat in the ring. There is so much to do, and so little time.

Do not hail from Arizona, but I definitely donate directly to reps in other states that I support

[calimary]

13. Agreed! Thank you for letting us know, AZLD4Candidate!

Not from Arizona but have relatives there. Please let us know when/where we can donate!

And Welcome to DU!!!

[The Mouth]

7. it's not the critic that counts

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

[AZLD4Candidate]

15. From my idol and songwriting inspiration (since I am a writer too) Harry Chapin

"We live in a participatory democracy and we've forgotten how to participate. In the sixties I used to shoot my big mouth off about successful people not taking a more active role in the problems of society, so when I became successful I had to put up or shut up... Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that we are never so alive as when we concern ourselves with other people."

[The Mouth]

19. Love it.

Best of luck, kick some ass.

[calimary]

41. Great quote!

I'm keeping a copy!

[AllaN01Bear]

8. good luck. welcome to the light . go for it.

[pazzyanne]

9. Welcome to DU!

Not from Arizona, but I strongly support you in your run for LD4. Blessings on you for stepping up to joining the front line in the fight.

[burrowowl]

10. K&R!

[Phoenix61]

11. I ran for mayor and learned a lot. I wish I had

utilized the following link a lot more. I don’t think it would have made a difference in who won (it wasn’t me) but I would have been a lot better prepared for my first few public speaking gigs. I had a blast running and am very glad I did. Have fun and best of luck!
https://traindemocrats.org/

[mopinko]

25. this is an important point.

there are plenty of people out there to help you get this done.
go to a candidate training, and also, get yourself a treasurer, and bring them.

since this is my jam, find a good graphic designer. have a brand.
i do it for free more than i do it for money. i'm not alone.

best of luck.

[Bo Zarts]

12. Welcome to DU, and good luck!

Keep us posted.


The Baboquivary Mountains at Sunset
From the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, AZ
© 2014 Bo Zarts Studio

[niyad]

36. Stunning.

[Wild blueberry]

14. Bravo!

Good for you for stepping up and running for office. Thank you.
I ran for and was elected to our rural town board and learned so much in the six years (3 terms) about real democracy.
Let DU know when your ActBlue link is up!

[Glorfindel]

16. Welcome to DU!

And thank you for your courage in running for public office as a Democrat - one of the good guys.

[Random Boomer]

17. Have you contacted "Run for Something!"?

This is a great organization that helps anyone who is interested in running for office as a progressive. Any office.

https://runforsomething.net/

They provide mentorship, resources, contacts.

[AZLD4Candidate]

21. Any and all help. I am a complete neophyte.

[YoshidaYui]

18. I lived in Scottsdale Az for about three years ...

and I loved living there, but I missed the Ocean and soon went home to SAN FRANCISCO... I just wanted to say I am sure you will do great things and hope you can make a difference. In Japanese we say " Ganbatte Kudasai (頑張ってください )- please do your very best!" In Japan it is a common saying .. and I will add one more word, "faito! (ファイト! ) " -- fight on!

[AZLD4Candidate]

34. 谢谢你

[YoshidaYui]

38. 非常欢迎您！

dou itashimashite! どういたしまして！

[DinahMoeHum]

20. Suggest you contact Run For Something, if you haven't already.

https://runforsomething.net/
https://runforsomething.net/partners/

I would also get in touch with Indivisible, though it looks like you may have to work with the Tucson chapters and/or the Indivisible Rural Caucus. These folks may best help you as auxiliary troops with the AZ Dems come canvassing time.

https://indivisible.org/

Good luck and good hunting.

[Percy]

23. Good luck!!!

What a wonderful post to read. You're an inspiration!

You might be new to this, but I'm sure you'll get lots of help along the way. There's good momentum for people like us to make a change and make a difference.

[AZLD4Candidate]

35. Someone on this forum already accused me of being a Republican in hiding in another thread

because I didn't acquiesce to providing all my personal information to them on demand, even though I said I would privately in PM in this thread.

And attacked me for posting my position on taxation in Arizona. I did so because I am going to attack my opponent, Joel John, on his signature issue by taking his legs out from under him. As I said, my taxation proposal I've discussed with 15 EA's and CPA's. The number work.

[Kali]

24. welcome!

we need all types - both the Michelle Obamas and the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezes

[niyad]

26. Welcome to our DU family. And thank you for running. Not in AZ, but happy to spread the word.

What is happening with your wife?

[AZLD4Candidate]

33. She was unceremoniously kicked out of the country at SEATAC because her visa

had the wrong letter to immigrate, even though the visa office that issues immigrant visas has been closed since last year.

They refused to let me speak to her, locked her in a room by herself with a mattress on the floor and a toilet that hadn't been cleaned in years, refused to let her contact her husband here, or her family there, then booted her out of the country.

She called me on WeChat sitting on the plane back home in Detriot sobbing her eyes out wondering what happened and why we couldn't be together.

We have been separated since august. We'll be separated until December the earliest.

We treat inmates in prison better than she was treated. CBP protected the country from a 31 year old Kindergarten teacher that wanted to immigrate here, raised our children here, work here as a teacher, and get her Master's Degree here. Don't you feel safer now?

[BobTheSubgenius]

27. There is not a doubt in my mind that you will find support here.

DU takes its members that aim at elected office very seriously, and very kindly.

I wish you nothing but success, happiness and fulfillment with this endeavour.

[BobTheSubgenius]

28. And yes, my bad...

A warm welcome to DU in general.

[Martin68]

29. Welcome to DU, and thanks for challenging an incumbent Republican. That's the way we will

prevail with policies that are good for all Americans.

[AZLD4Candidate]

32. Arizona LD4 has a Democratic lean to it, but Joel John is well funded and well connected.

[LittleGirl]

30. Welcome to DU!

I still vote in AZ since it was my last American address. I lived in LD11 though so I can’t vote for you, dang it. I would contact the Pima country recorders office and speak to Gabriella. She just won her position and did it for the first time too.

Also, what the CBP did to your wife is unbelievable! My spouse is a new immigrant and was sworn in under Obama’s term. We always worried he would have trouble because he flew internationally often when we lived in the states before he was a citizen. The fact that they deported her without speaking to you infuriates me! How dare they do that? I’m so sorry that you are dealing with that.

[AZLD4Candidate]

31. It will be another eight months before we're together again

She won't come back without her IR1 which we are getting now. And I won't let her come back alone. I will fly out there, get her, and we will come back together.

But, since our federal government has had no problems putting children in cages, what they did to my wife is par for the course. And they used the "we are just doing our jobs and following the law." I asked them if they will enforce the Mann Act because that's also still on the books.

[LittleGirl]

37. Wow, 8 months?

Hubby and I had to separate for 15 months a few years ago while he worked in Europe and I took care of the house in Oro Valley. It was tough but thank goodness for facetime so we could see each other. I hope nothing but the best.

[Ptah]

39. How long have you lived in Arizona?

I hope you will also focus on how many times the Republicans in
the legislature have gone against the will of the people.

[AZLD4Candidate]

40. Officially, since 1997 when I moved here from NY

My district is in Southern Arizona. The Democrats are 56% of the district here.

I will work on Republicans, which is why I adopted a couple of Republican planks I agree with (like zero based budgeting)

[StevenJoseph]

42. This Tucson Democrat salutes you! :) nt

[chocolatpi]

43. congratulations and thank you for running

Have you contacted Move On? Are you a member of Daily Kos? Just a couple of suggestions, sorry for the delay.

Edit to add link:

https://candidates.moveon.org/

OUR CANDIDATES
MoveOn plans to endorse, campaign for, and elect progressive Democrats up and down the ballot to shift the balance of power in favor of a progressive agenda that can spread far beyond Washington, D.C.
The 2020 election victories show that when “We the People” engage in our democracy, we win. Together, we can build a future and country where all of us can thrive!
Run for State/Local OfficeRun for Senate/House

[AZLD4Candidate]

44. I will when I setup my Act Blud fund raising bank account today.

I want to get everything set first. I am working with the LD4 Democrats.