Yes, we can!
The Arizona primary is August 24. And there's a strong, progressive candidate with a real shot at winning. Someone who has been in the trenches fighting "Sheriff Joe" Arpaio in Maricopa County for years, and the only candidate who was actively fighting SB1070 before it passed. And the only one to have had the pleasure of being arrested by Sheriff Joe.
He got a late start in this race, deciding to run immediately after our Accidental Governor signed the law, with only 30 days to gather the signatures to get on the ballot and far behind other candidates who had started months earlier and have personal wealth behind them.
But supporters quickly came together to get almost twice the number of necessary signatures. Since then, Randy and his team have been working day and night to build a strong campaign, and have sparked a grassroots movement that is inspiring and exciting for Arizona progressives and gaining supporters every day.
The latest polls tell us it's still a very close race and almost half of primary voters are still undecided. We can do this! What's more, if we win, not only can we replace McCain with a strong, courageous progressive, we can send a strong message to the world about what Arizona wants and believes in.
Meet Randy Parraz, the only Latino Democratic candidate for US Senate in the entire nation.
Who is Randy Parraz?
The quick answer to this question is that Parraz is the real deal, a civil and labor rights activist who has a proven record of fighting for our community.
Randy Parraz entered the US Senate race to replace John McCain on April 26th, the Monday after SB1070 was passed on Friday, April 23rd. As a labor organizer, Parraz has a history of working against injustice aimed at working class communities, from establishing the National Strawberry Commission for Workers Rights for strawberry pickers struggling to form a union in the fields of California. Now, with the passage of SB1070, which McCain supported, and with no strong voice fighting against this racist legislation from the Democratic nominees, Parraz decided that if no one else was going to stand up for our community, then he would.
There is so much to love about Randy Parraz.
His front-line presence and leadership in organizing citizens to protest and fight Joe Arpaio, which he began in response to Arpaio's escalating abuses. He has not been standing on the sidelines or jumping on this cause only now that it's in the news across the country. Randy has been fighting for us all this time, and he was not intimidated by getting arrested by Arpaio for getting in his face.
From September 2008:
In what will surely be viewed as a black day for the Maricopa County Supervisors' relations with the public, Randy Parraz, an organizer with the Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, was arrested outside of the Supervisors' auditorium this morning. The arrest came during an MCSA demonstration demanding that the Supes address Sheriff Joe Arpaio's abuses of power.
Witnesses to Parraz's arrest report that Parraz was targeted by a small contingent sheriff's deputies after he exited the auditorium where the BOS meeting was being held. Though other protesters were present nearby Parraz when MCSO ordered them away from the building, they were not encircled and nabbed, as was Parraz.
"They pushed me out of the way to get to Randy," said Corinne Widmer, a volunteer with MCSA. "There were six or seven of them surrounding him. And when he asked them why (he had to leave), that's when he was taken away in handcuffs."
This is the kind of fighter we need on our side! Thank you Randy Parraz, for putting yourself on the line and demanding attention. And he didn't stop there. He was there trying to stop the law until the bitter end.
Randy Parraz and others speak out on SB1070 BEFORE Brewer signs it into law
Also, Randy is not the least bit demure about his unequivocal support for another community and cause that is near and dear to my heart personally, and to all progressives.
Randy Parraz vs Rodney Glassman on gay rights and marriage
Compare this to Glassman's weak and weasely response that "marriage belongs to religious institutions"!?! Excuse me, but what is he talking about? Sorry, Rodney, but you lost me with that one, and that was before I learned a lot of other troubling information about you.
Randy's strong, clear support for full equality sealed the deal for me. (Follow the link above to hear audio of Glassman responding to a question about marriage equality. For the back story on why only audio is available -- because Glassman barred video recording of his event fearing an "ambush" -- see Is Rodney Glassman having a Sarah Palin Moment?
And that is not all.
Rodney Glassman’s abysmal environmental record
The Glassman-Britz family history of pollution and waste
A lot of the references that I will use here can be found in the article Who is Rodney Glassman?
To get you quickly caught up on what you missed Rodney Britz Glassman comes from a rich Republican family conglomerate of Fresno agribusiness, petrochemical, and predatory land usurpers of small family farms. Rodney himself was registered Republican before moving to Tucson to run the biggest scam by attempting to win a US Senate seat to guarantee a huge payout for his family in the form of federal subsidies to take them into the billionaires club.
But we will focus on the beating they have given Mother Earth in exchange for power and money.
Troubling, indeed. The more I dig on Glassman, the less I like him and am really wondering now if I could even support him in the general election, even if some of these articles turn out to be wrong. And I don't vouch for them, either, folks. This is stuff I found on the Internets after all. Arizona journalists and political activists have provided this information and I find it compelling, but if anyone has contrary information let's hear it and have a helpful and informative discussion. I want the best for Arizona and the country.
Glassman has become the front-runner in this primary and enjoys better name recognition at this point because he started early and had no real opposition. Early on I expected him to win and expected I'd support him even though I knew nothing about him, because retiring McCain is something I want very badly. But I have to admit I was less than excited about him, and when Randy Parraz got into the race I was intrigued and started following him closely. I've learned enough about both candidates now that I think the choice is clear. And I think now there is real doubt that Glassman could win the general election against McCain, if he does win the nomination.
Arizona has a chance right now to choose a true progressive fighter, and McCain is more vulnerable right now than he has ever been. This is our chance, progressives in Arizona and everywhere. I know many of you are supporting Glassman already but I hope you will give him as well as Randy Parraz a second look. Arizona activists have been digging and they have uncovered some things you should at least look at. And Randy is, I believe, the real deal.
Randy Parraz has an Act Blue page or you can contribute or join the campaign at www.parrazforchange.com/
Many of you have expressed great anger at our state, and have been willing to stand strongly against us. Now I'm hoping you will decide to stand with us, and help us fight back. We need all hands on deck in the next three weeks to make sure Randy wins the primary, and then we will need all the help we can get to replace McCain with a senator we can all be proud of.
Note: I do not work for the Parraz campaign and am not officially affiliated with them in any way. I wrote this diary speaking only for myself, to introduce and advocate for Randy Parraz because this is important to me. Thanks for reading.