Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

As much fun as I’ve had poking at the Republicans, there is a race for Party Chair on our side too.

The last two years have seen three, yes three, State Democratic Party Chairs. Jim Pederson resigned to run for US Senate, his replacement Harry Mitchell resigned to run for US House. Mitchell was replaced with the novel choice of the Executive Director, David Waid. Waid hasn’t said either way if he will run this time around.

Despite extensive lists of dream candidates (and here too), there seems to be only two actual candidates who are running. Party activist and teacher Randy Camacho has already earned the support of Raúl Grijalva and Ed Pastor (although not, as was rumored, the support of Terry Goddard, who has remained neutral so far). Camacho is a former congressional candidate, running against Trent Franks twice. There are some concerns about his fundraising ability. He did, however, raise $46,296 in his first race and $93,253 in his second. I am impressed with the second number, which isn’t bad considering that he was running uphill the entire time. These aren’t the numbers that one can run the state party on, but he at least seems to know something about making the money calls.

His probable opponent is Jeff Latas. Latas, for those of you that haven’t paid enough attention to this blog, ran in the CD 8 Democratic primary as an alternative to the left of Patty Weiss and eventual nominee and Congresswoman-elect Gabrielle Giffords. Latas’s supporters were rumored to be attempting a take over of some Pima County district clubs as a show of muscle flexing, but aside from District 26, it hasn’t been as successful as they probably would have liked. He does, however, have the support of the Sonora Progressive Democrats, many of whom are on the state committee.

I’m still a bit unclear on what the Latas supporters think he can accomplish as chair. In this recent election cycle, the Democratic nominees for Governor and Attorney General put up impressive wins, we won two US House seats, and gains were made in the State House and Senate. Before anyone says that this was going to happen anyway, remember that political pros were saying two years ago that Napolitano was a one term fluke, early this year Republicans were salivating about a possible 2/3 majority House and Senate, and it took some foresight to see that a decent candidate could be recruited to take out J. D. Hayworth. Exactly what part of this does Latas think was a failure? What would he have done differently to make it possible for, I dunno, Janet Napolitano to get 70% or for Phil Lopes to have another couple of caucus members?

What I do hear is the phrase “holding our elected officials accountable.” I think we can do that as citizens every election at the ballot box, or even as activists when we decide who we will support. I have big problems with party committees doing this except in the most limited of circumstances. If the folks throwing this phrase around mean having the party enforce loyalty oaths or passing resolutions to condemn our elected officials, I’d rather not have any part of it. What this sounds like is those hard right Republican clubs in Phoenix that pass anti-John McCain resolutions: McCain just blows it off, and the activists just look like buffoons.

I am also wondering if Latas is over estimating his support in Phoenix. The lion’s share of the votes will come from the greater Phoenix area, where he doesn’t have the same level of grass roots support as he has here. I’m wondering if Latas’s “I’ve been an insurgent that wasn’t afraid to take on a popular Republican” mantle can also be claimed by Camacho, who would be much better known to the Phoenix activists.

A big question in this race is who will Napolitano throw her weight behind. Traditionally, if the state has a Democratic governor, the Governor will all but pick the State Chair. There is some worry from the Governor’s camp about Latas, and some constrenation in other quarters that the early backing of Camacho by Grijalva and Pastor (which was done without talking to the Governor) may indicate some split among our Democratic College of Cardinals. I’ve asked a couple of people “Who is the governor backing then?” and no one seems to have an answer.

State committee meeting on Saturday, we’ll see what’s up. Trouble is, everyone knows me now and stops even whispering when I’m around.

NB - All this talk about Randy Camacho, what about Juan Camacho? The meetings would certainly be more lively.