Wherein I un-rehabilitate my political legacy
Posted by: Donna
While the celebration of Obama’s victory at the Wyndham Wednesday night was raucous and jubilant, for us local political junkies our Obama mellow was harshed by the shellacking Dem candidates took at the state and county level. I’ll do a full post about it later but I think the Feathered Bastard does a very eloquent job of expressing how gobsmacked lefty Zonies feel as we witness the seeming determination of our state, and Maricopa County in particular, to lurch backward in almost direct proportion to the forward momentum everywhere else. What is it going to take to convince a plurality of voters here that continuously electing corrupt incompetent bigoted nutjobs is not a recipe for improvement? Beats the hell out of me.
While I was partying down with my AZ Dem peeps on the VIP terrace (oh yeah, that’s how Divas roll) I had more than one person tug on my arm and inquire as to my intentions to run in LD20 again. “You were such a great candidate!” They are, of course, referring to Ted Maish’s hugely disappointing loss to John Huppenthal for the Senate. They are also laboring under unfounded assumptions as to why I came closer to unseating Hupp in my 2006 bid (I lost by 3000 votes) than Ted (who lost by nearly 8000).
While I’m flattered by the compliments, I can tell you one thing with certainty: I was NOT a good candidate. I hated canvassing and phone calls and made every excuse to get out of doing them. In public appearances, I would invariably make some intemperate or ill advised remark. Like suggesting pot should be legal at the Clean Elections debate. Seriously, I did. I was in over my head and had no support from the state party. I drove my campaign manager and volunteers crazy. Tempted as I am to indulge myself in face-saving revisionist history, I can’t. I sucked. I know it. I was there. I was me. It’s okay.
Ted Maish was, by every measure, my antithesis. A workhorse who went out and knocked on doors every day from the moment he filed. He’s a retired teacher and a former Republican, which lent him credibility on education and should have reassured non-Democrats that he would be a moderate voice in the lege. His performances at the Clean Elections debate and other forums were flawless. Plus the state targeted our district, and understandably so. Not only did they have a great candidate in Ted, but there was an increase of 3000 (my loss margin) in D voter registrations in LD20 while Rs had seen a small decrease. All of the elements for a perfect storm to pick off the seat from Hupp were present.
And then Hupp accosts a 78 year old woman over a sign on Election Day! Geez Louise.
You know what my theory is? I did good because of my hair. Behold the glamour shot, done by the aces at Southwest Photos of Tempe, of me that was on signs strewn all over LD20 in 2006:
Those lustrous Auburn tresses and the makeup were the handiwork of Heather at Rumors Salon in Tempe. I mean, seriously y’all, is my hair not amazing in that photo? For the record, my ’do never looks that good. My visage was like 3 feet high on those signs, with all that glorious hair. A pal who serves on a board in Chandler told me that a fellow board member told her she was voting for me because “Ohmigod! I LOVE her hair!” Make what you will of it but I maintain to this day that I got a not-insignificant hair bump.
Catch y’all later with more on the election!
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I can’t match a t-shirt to jeans but for some reason I know you’re right about the hair.
Why do you think we spent so much money and lost two house seats? Over the last couple months I’ve spoken to dozens of insiders who have watched AZ politics for years and everyone thought the D’s would pick up seats. The only question was whether or not D’s would pick up enough seats to take the majority. Nobody thought we would lose seats.
Simon, it was McCain at the top of the ticket and Prop 102 that did us in, IMHO. When I look at the results in LD20, it appears that Hupps total is almost identical to Gop registration in our district.
Sure 102 and McCain were factors but the political climate and I’s trending D were too. I think there is little chance to hope for the same morale among the rank in file for 2010. Redistricting in 2012 is the bus we wait for. It looks like a long wait.
The results of 2010′s redistricting that will be realized in 2012 that is.
I guess it was worth all that PhotoShop time cutting out your hair for the sign. In the end, the Senate’s loss is the blogosphere’s gain.
Frieda! I’m sorry for not recognizing your mastery of computer graphics, along with Heather and Southwest Photos.
Frieda’s a genius. Just look at the logo she created for us – and one day I’ll actually get around to ordering t-shirts with that logo. Really. When I can find a printer who doesn’t hang up on me.
Back to hair, though. Maybe that’s why I lost my race. I’ll just blame it on my straight brown hair from now on.
Not to negate the impact of your hair, but we also failed to turn out our voters, plain and simple.
Katie, I and my hair weren’t running for anything this year. My post was a tongue-in-cheek riposte to conventional wisdom as to why targetted candidates lost.
Wow that really is great hair! Maybe next election cycle you should consider selling a photoshopped jpg image of it to other candidates who are lacking in that asset.
Great photo DG and sorry I missed you at the TV-12 event on election night. I was over at Schweikert’s taking a beating from Mitchell.