Local Democrats open headquarters

Two popular Arizona Democrats, one being Gov.Janet Napolitano by telephone, told a local sun-drenched audience Saturday it’s a time for change in the White House and the state Legislature.

Besides Napolitano, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords helped the Santa Rita Democrats open their headquarters in Green Valley Mall.

About 200 people sat on folding chairs or stood as they cheered the speakers in the open air just outside the new headquarters.

The music ranged from the old civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” to the spirited FDR theme song, “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

“It’s an exciting time to be a Democrat in Arizona,” said Napolitano by speaker phone.

She said the coming election is important to the state and the nation, and said, “Every day until Nov. 4 is very, very important.”

The governor told the audience that there are two very qualified Democratic candidates running, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Napolitano’s choice Illilnois Sen. Barak Obama.

There were straw hats, sun glasses and short-sleeved shirts on the party faithful. The temperature was about 70, not chilled at all by the remnants of snow visible in the Santa Rita Mountains.

Giffords, who is running for just her second term in the Congress, thanked the audience for telling her when she’s done something right, and “for not hesitating to tell me when I’m not.”

The audience laughed and applauded.

She was welcomed to the lectern by a just-written trumpet fanfare solo by one of the people present, Mary Lou Prince, and performed by Ray Soper.

Giffords said it was the first a trumpet solo that had been performed just for her.

There were several reference by speakers about Green Valley being a Republican stronghold, but Giffords said that’s all changed.

“Diversity is a good thing,” said the congresswoman.

She noted that after years of Republican domination, the state’s congressional delegation is split “4-4 now,” and said voters need to work to make it 5-3 and “even maybe 6-2.”

“There’s a tremendous amount of work to do,” she added.

Giffords said when the House of Representatives first starts work on most of mornings, the Democrats kind of gather on the left side of the chamber, Republicans on the right.

The Democrats, she said, comprise a vibrant, diverse group, including women, Hispanics, Indians, Native Americans, men.

The right side is pretty uniform in a appearance, she said.

Of the Republican’ hold on the White House she said, “They’ve taken our country in the wrong direction.”

State Rep. Phil Lopes, D-Tucson, told the audience that the Democrats need to win just four seats to capture a 31-29 majority in the state House of Representatives.

The last time Democrats did that was in 1966, said Lopes, the House Minority Leader.

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, a Democrat, spoke on Gifford’s behalf. One primary election day he stood outside a Green Valley polling place collecting nominating petition signatures for Giffords. He called her a wonderful candidate.

Dupnik was appointed sheriff in 1980 and has run successfully every election since.

He thanked those in the audience for helping keep his job all that time.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749

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