State party director rallies area Democrats

“The world is a better place when Democrats are in power.”

“We’re supposed to be the country everyone looks up to.”

“What’s it going to take to change this state from red to blue?”

“I’m proud we have elected Democrats who are trying to keep the Bush administration honest.”

These were some of the comments by guest speaker Maria Weeg at the Democratic Club of the Santa Rita Area’s opening social and fundraising event held Friday night at American Legion Post 66.

New to Arizona from Idaho, Weeg is executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party. In her mid-30s, she’s energetic and a strong motivational speaker who is said to be largely responsible for building party momentum in Idaho before she was hired five months ago by David Waid, who had been acting as Arizona’s chairman and executive director for the past two years.

In Arizona, Weeg now heads a staff of 22; in Idaho, she had a staff of eight.

Also present to support the fundraising and political season kick-off event were Vince Rabago, chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party, and Laura Hogan, chair of Legislative District 30. Also present were Francine Shacter, who was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives congressional seat won by Gabrielle Giffords, and president and first vice president of the Democratic Club of the Santa Rita Area Barbara Clark and Jim Woodbrey.

“This is such a wonderful welcome… I heard so much about this person and that one… my mother would’ve loved this,” Weeg said in her opening comments.

Talking about the Democratic National Committee and why it’s important to get Democrats elected, she said, “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a Democrat. I was born a Democrat… it’s about making the community a better place to live. I was taught to make a difference in the lives of people you meet every day—and to make a difference in the lives of people you don’t meet every day.

“We’re better off when Democrats are in charge,” she repeated, and then said, “A lot of people haven’t made up their minds yet; it’s up to us to tell them.”

She commended the work of Congresswoman Giffords for putting together study groups composed of smart people to figure things out and cited Gifford’s study groups on security and the proposed checkpoint on I-19 as well as a group formed to study solar power.

Weeg raised the issue of President of the Arizona State Senate Tim Bee, who appears to be sending out signals as the Republican candidate to oppose Giffords in 2008, and said, “Arizona has a ‘Resign to Run’ law; if you want to run for another office you need to resign. Tim Bee thinks he’s above that.”

Asked their opinions if Bee should resign if he plans to run against Giffords, former president of the Democratic Club of the Santa Rita Area Peggy Pierce said, “Yes, I do. He should follow Arizona state law.”

Captain of Democratic precinct 206 Marla Daugherty said, “If he plans to run against Gabrielle Giffords, I think he should resign and do so.”

Chair of Legislative District 30 Hogan said, “I think we should keep him at the state level.”

Shacter said, “There’s a law in Arizona and as you know I support all lawful activities.”

President of Democratic Women in Action June Wortman said, “I just finished reading Blog for Arizona; it sounds like it’s a done deal, so yes, I think he should resign.”

About the 2008 elections Weeg said, “Too much is at stake… imagine waking up the Wednesday morning after Election Day with a Democratic House of Representative and Senate—and Arizona as a Democratic state.”

She said it’s no longer states like Florida that can make a difference; it’s states like Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona. “We can make a difference in electing the next president of the United States… we have to work harder than ever before. The future of this state and the country is too important to leave to chance… too much is at stake to leave to chance.”

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer for the Green Valley News. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net