By David Gordon, Blog for Arizona.
Newly-elected Pima County Democratic Party Chair Bonnie Heidler is already planning for elections in 2022 and 2024. This includes helping other districts like LD 4 and counties like Maricopa, and promoting Democratic candidates face-to-face, on social media, and using data to determine whom to reach out to.
A successful chair of Legislative District 10, Chairperson, Heidler’s career has centered on both managing high technology projects and owning a small business bead establishment.
When running to become the next Pima County Democratic Chair, Ms. Heidler said, ““I’m a champion of fundraising, voter outreach, and volunteer recruitment. That’s exactly what I plan to continue as Chair of PCDP.”
Chairperson Heidler graciously took some time to discuss where she would like to take the County Party for the 2022 and 2024 elections.
The questions and her responses are below.
1) What are at least three results from the 2020 Election that you are happiest with?
- “The Biden/Harris victory.”
- “Mark Kelly’s Senate Victory.”
- “The results of the Pima County Elections.”
2) What are at least three results from the 2020 Election that you are unhappy with?
- “Loss of Congressional House Seats.”
- “Republicans winning down-ballot races.”
- “We did not win the Pima County Treasurer Race.”
3) Please describe at least three recruitment tools, get out the vote methods, or electoral strategies you will retain from the previous three election cycles.
- “Literature drops.”
- “Canvassing when we can.”
- “Data from the technological resources to determine who to reach out to on the County level.”
- “Phone calls electronically at various locations.”
4) To what extent do you believe a trickle-up approach is the best way to elect candidates up and down the ballot in future elections? Please explain.
“You should instruct people to vote, starting at the bottom of the ballot. PC’s are the foot soldiers to getting candidates elected. They are the roots of the tree.”
5) Please describe at least three recruitment tools, get out the vote methods, or electoral strategies you will change from the previous three election cycles.
- “Social media: we will use it more, like geo-fencing.”
- “Texting is a mixed bag. Need to use it sparingly.”
- “I would like to look into the effectiveness of direct mailing.”
6) What are at least three ways you and your team will work to improve Democratic Performance at the house, local, and county levels in 2022 and 2024?
- “We are going to start building the plan now.”
- “We should be helping other districts like LD 4 and counties like Maricopa.”
- “Make better use of social media.”
7) Do you anticipate the redistricting process in Pima County in House and Legislative Districts to be fair? Please explain. If not, please explain what are two steps you are prepared to take to ensure fairness.
“Based on the behavior of Republicans, no. We worry about gerrymandering. I have started to put together a redistricting team to ask the right questions should they come up.”
8) Will you commence the candidate recruitment process before or after redistricting? Please explain.
“We will start before because finding good candidates should be an ongoing process. Redistricting should not impede that effort.”
9) With regards to voting rights, to what extent is there concern that the State Legislature may attempt to hinder the voting process for future elections. Please explain. What are two steps you are prepared to take to ensure the voting process is not hindered?
“They are already starting with bills that are designed to suppress votes and keep people from voting. I have a relationship with the new recorder (Gabriella Cazares-Kelly) and will work with her to make sure there is no voter suppression and do voter registration easier like improving when you get a driver’s license.”
10) With Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and David Schweikert objecting to the Electoral College results on January 6, 2021, would you consider them coup plotters? Do you feel the same about Mark Finchem? Please explain.
“Absolutely and I am going to do everything in my power to expel them from Congress. These people have proven that they are coup plotters, as there was an insurrection on January 6. There is evidence that Gosar and Biggs actively helped plan the insurrection, with Gosar asking Republicans if they were ready to die for the cause. And, Finchem was at the insurrection and no elected official from any party should have been participating in a coup. Also, anyone in Congress that supported overturning the results of the election should be expelled from Congress immediately.”
Please click here for more information on the Pima County Democratic Party.