REMEMBER RUTH BADER GINSBURG. REMEMBER HER PAST AS ONE OF THE GREAT LEGAL FIGURES IN AMERICAN HISTORY. DO NOT FEAR THE FUTURE OF THE SUPREME COURT. NOT FOR THE SHORT TERM OR THE LONG TERM. THE NEW DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY WILL ENSURE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS, A DEMOCRATIC HOUSE AND SENATE, AND A SUPREME COURT THAT SUPPORTS WOMEN AND DEMOCRACY.
DON’’T TAKE VICTORY FOR GRANTED. GIVE MONEY TO JOE BIDEN. WRITE POSTCARDS. DO WHATEVER YOU CAN. VOTE EARLY. EARLY VOTING HAS BEGUN IN MANY STATES.
Check out the website: lenspoliticalnotes.com. US Congress: Political Note #272 Hiral Tipirneni AZ CD 06, Political Note #278 Sima Ladjervadian TX CD 02, Political Note #229 Lizzie Fletcher TX CD 07, Political Note #314 Mike Siegel TX CD 10, Political Note #257 Wendy Davis TX CD 21, Political Note #277 Sri Preston Kulkari TX CD 22, Political Note #241 Gina Ortiz Jones TX CD 23, Political Note #310 Candace Valenzuela, Political Note #271 Colin Allred TX CD 32 US Senate Political Note #221 Mark Kelly, Arizona, Political Note #291 MJ Hegar Texas
Political Note #323 State legislature candidates Arizona and Texa
2020 General Election
MJ Hegar Candidate for the US Senate from Texas. Mark Kelly Candidate for the US Senate from Arizona
If Democrats are to be America’s majority party, that majority has to be achieved and sustained in state houses. The contest for state houses began in earnest in 2017 in Virginia. Democrats came within a single judicial decision of getting an equal number of Delegates in the Virginia House of Delegates. In 2019, Democrats gained control of Virginia’s House of Delegates and Virginia’s State Senate. These contests were in districts created after the 2010 elections, intended to elect Republicans, but modified by the courts. The Democratic commitment to fairly drawn districts, in many cases drawn by independent commissions, rarely wavers. In general, Democrats are opposed to gerrymandering districts in their favor. For instance, there was a national outcry among Democrats in 2018, when the Democratic-dominated New Jersey legislature adopted redistricting designed to protect incumbents. After that outcry, the New Jersey legislature reversed its decision.
Arizona House
The Arizona House of Representatives has 60 members – 31 Republicans and 29 Democrats. If the Democrats can achieve a net gain of two seats, they will gain control of the House of Representatives. The three candidates below are the ones that the Daily Kos website believes have the best chance to flip seats. Small donations make a difference.
Coral Evans AZ HD 06 https://www.coralevansaz.com/ is the Mayor of Flagstaff, a former member of Flagstaff’s City Council, and the Executive Director of the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association of Flagstaff. Previously she was the Vice President of Mission Services for Goodwill Industries of Northern Arizona. She owns a small business and has a published book to her credit. An African-American, her family has been in Flagstaff for three generations.
Judy Schwieberg AZ HD 20 https://www.judyforaz.com is a high school teacher in Maricopa County, the daughter of a Vocational High School Principal, and co-founder and Board member of Theater Works. She is a classic positive community member come to politics because politics affects all of our lives.
Kathy Knecht AZ HD 21 https://www.electknecht.org is a former elementary school teacher who served for twelve years as a member of the Peoria, AZ (north of Phoenix) school board and five years as a member of the Arizona School Boards Association including a term as President of the Association. She is committed to economic development and better connections between business and non-profits. That commitment has been expressed through her Chamber of Commerce membership, her service on the education committee of WESTMARC, and her time as Executive Director of Leadership West.
Arizona Senate
The Arizona Senate has 30 seats. 16 are held my Republicans. 14 are held by Democrats. If Democrats can flip three seats, they will gain control of the Senate. The three candidates that the website Daily Kos believes could flip three seats are below.
Felicia French AZ SD 06 https://www.frenchforaz.com (North central Arizona) is a former nurse and former MedEvac helicopter pilot in the army and for the Arizona national guard, from which she retired as a Colonel after entering the service as a private. She is a gun owner who wants gun safety legislation. She is pro-education and pro-accountability for all educational institutions. She has undertaken missions throughout the world – from Honduras and the Dominican Republican to Afghanistan to Germany and to New York, where she flew MedEvac missions. If none of this is enough, she is a marathon runner, a triathlete, and a single mom.
AJ Kurdoglu AZ SD 17 https://www.voteforaj.com (in Maricopa County east of Phoenix) is a first generation American. He graduated from college in Turkey, attended the Thunderbird Graduate School for International Management in Arizona, and stayed. He describes himself as an industrial engineer with a small business. He is married to a teacher, has an interest in public service but not in being a career politician. His principal issues are support for small businesses, for education, and health care – with a special concern about how Arizona opens up post Covid-19.
Christine Marsh AZ SD 28 https://www.christineportermarsh.com/ (southeast of Phoenix) is a runner, writer, and, most importantly, a teacher for 28 years who has been named Arizona’s Teacher of the Year. She decries the legislature which has sought short term goals at the expense of education. She condemns Republicans who have undermined voting rights, peddled junk insurance as a health care solution, and undermined the public schools. She announced saying: “I’m done watching, and I’m running for the State Senate.”
Texas House
There are 150 seats in the Texas House of Representatives. Democrats flipped 12 seats in 2018. If Democrats can flip 9 more in 2020 they will gain control of the Texas House. A Democratic House will ensure that Democrats have a voice in the redistricting intended to happen every ten years after a new census. Here are eleven candidates to support in this effort to flip 9 more seats. Consider the diversity and strengths of these mostly women candidates. Provide them with some financial support. Even a little bit can make a difference.
Eric Holguin TX HD 32 https://ericholguin.com (South Texas — Corpus Christi) is a gay man. His father is a teacher and football coach, His mother is a nurse working with veterans. His two brothers are state troopers; his sister is studying criminal justice. He has been working for and learning from politicians including a congresswoman and the New York City Comptroller. Returning to Texas, he advocated for veterans with toxic wounds and and for members of the transgender community. He saw the Burn Pit Registry Act signed into law and helped prevent a Texas “bathroom bill.” He ran for Congress and lost. The race for a state house seat is much more realistic.
Likeithia “Keke” Williams TX HD 54 https://kekefortexas.com (A majority minority district in Central Texas that includes part of Fort Hood). Born in Florida to a 15 year old, Keke was raised by her grandmother while her mother made a life for herself graduating from college and joining the army. At age 13, Keke joined her parents who were stationed in Alaska, eventually joining the army herself. She served as a dental assistant until she was singled out for a “green to gold” scholarship, completing a college degree, served in Korea, and then became company commander at Fort Hood. Retired from active duty, she has been volunteering for community organizations in Killeen.
Lorenzo Sanchez TX HD 67 https://www.lorenzofortexas.com (Plano, Dallas area) is a first generation Mexican American and a gay man. He would be the first Latino elected from Collins County to the Texas House. Raised by his mother, who worked two jobs to provide for her family, he attended Loyola of Chicago, then returned home. He has worked for a city excise and licensure bureau and owns a small real estate business. Since 2018, he has been volunteering to support Democratic candidates and, more recently, to support efforts to contain Covid-19.
Alisa Simmons TX HD 94 https://alisasimmonsfortexas.com (Arlington, near Fort Worth) is President of Arlington’s NAACP, and a Board member of the Texas NAACP and the Texas ACLU. She owns a printing and brand promotion company. Originally from Austin, she describes herself as a 6th generation Texan. A graduate of Texas Women’s University, she was a television journalist for 12 years and a 9-1-1 administrator for over 20 years. She has two grown sons – one is a marketing project manager, the other is a 1st Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. She anticipates reducing the intense partisanship in the Texas legislature.
Elizabeth Beck TX HD 97 https://www.elizabethfortexas.com (Fort Worth) is a veteran, a lawyer, and a single mom. She enlisted in the army reserves when she was 17 and served for almost a decade doing vehicle maintenance. She finished her BA at the University of Texas three weeks after the birth of her first daughter. She had completed her Master’s Degree and was working as a community planner when her second daughter was born. Her work in civil rights and environmental justice led her to the Texas A & M Law School. She now represents employees in wage and hours claims. Volunteer activities include service on the Boards of Trustees of Congregation Beth El and Planned Parenthood of Greater Fort Worth. She credits her guidance counselor for getting her through a difficult childhood as her parents struggled with addiction that drove them the edge. Elizabeth Beck got her first full-tine job when she was 15.
Joanna Cattanach TX HD 108 https://joannafortexas.com (Dallas), along with her two sisters, is a former foster child who retains a close connection with her father, a welder with an 8th grade education. She earned her BA at Baylor and a Master’s Degree in journalism. She worked in the field before teaching journalism and communication at the University of North Texas. This is her second run for HD 108, a seat she failed to flip by 200 votes in 2018. That close race whetted the appetite of a better funded Democrat who Joanna Cattanach had to turn back in the primary.
Brandy Chambers TX HD 112 https://brandykchambers.com (Dallas) left Oklahoma for Texas after earning her BA and her law degree at the University of Oklahoma. She worked as a Financial Claims Litigation Counsel for over ten years before creating her own firm. Married with a daughter, she has volunteered in the community at the Dallas Women’s Lawyers Association and at a rape crisis center. She very nearly flipped this seat in 2018 and is trying again in 2020.
Celina Montoya TX HD 121 https://celinamontoya.org (San Antonio) is President of the Junior League of San Antonio, Chair of the SA Area Foundation Women and Girls’ Development Fund, and active in a variety of other civic organizations. She went to Alamo Heights public schools and then to Northwestern University where her degree was in journalism. She grew up in a family with a small business and was comfortable finding a space in San Antonio’s business community. She is now the Vice President of Community and Government Relations at Alamo Fireworks, which describes itself as the oldest and largest family owned fireworks business in Texas (the Cannon and Gridley families are prominent in the business’s history). Celina Montoya made a run at HD 121 in 2018 and came close – remarkable because in previous years, there had been no Democratic candidate.
Natali Hurtado TX HD 126 https://natalifortexas.com (Houston) was a recently married 19 year old young mother and college student, waitressing at Olive Garden, when her husband was arrested, tried, and convicted to life in prison for a crime he committed before they met and of which she had no knowledge. She explains that her experience sets her apart among political candidates as someone who truly understands the difficulties people face. She knows her difficulties were reduced by supportive parents who helped as did public services which made it possible for her to continue in school. She earned a BA from the University of Houston and an MPP from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. She is married now, has two more daughters, and is the Deputy Executive Director for the International Management Division of the consulting firm Hawes, Hill & Associates. She has arranged a political apprenticeship for herself working for the City of Houston, working in Congressman Gerald Green’s office and serving as the district director for a Texas State Rep. She suggests that this predominantly Hispanic district should have a representative who reflects the community.
Ann Johnson TX HD 134 https://www.annjohnson.com/about/ (Houston) is the daughter of former Texas State Representative Jake Johnson and senior retired judge Carolyn Marks Johnson. Married to an artist, Sonya, she is one of several gay candidates in Texas in 2020. She has considerable political experience, having worked for state reps Mike Martin and Craig Eiland, Congressman Jack Brooks, and in the Legislative Affairs Office of Bill Clinton’s White House. Her distinctive experience, however, was in the Harris County District Attorney’s office, where she became known nationally for her success as the chief human trafficking prosecutor. She begins her website comments explaining she is running because Republicans have left millions of Texans without health insurance, passed extreme anti-choice laws, left guns in the hands of abusers, denied the existence of climate change, and withheld billions of dollars intended for hurricane relief and flood protection. She is a formidable candidate.
Akila Bacy TX HD 138 https://www.akilahbacy.com (Houston) is running for a seat the Democrats lost by 47 votes in 2018. Despite coming so close, the 2018 candidate Douglas Malacincic deferred to Akila Bacy. Progressives Everywhere describes her as a tireless warrior. She went to Spelman College then returned to get her law degree at Texas Tech. Her first job was with the District Attorney’s office which turned out not to be for her. She felt decisions in the office were made for political reasons, not based on justice. She fulfilled her three-year commitment, fighting with the office every day. Then she left for defense work and her own law firm where she has also specialized in employment issues such as unjust terminations. She is bringing her expectations about justice to her campaign.
Three Notes about State Legislatures
Political Note #322 Arizona Senate and House of Representatives, Texas House of Representatives
Political Note #323 Michigan House of Representatives, Minnesota Senate, and Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Political Note #324 North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives
