Democrat Rebecca Schneider's October Suprise

We're running a totally untraditional and unconventional campaign here at Richard Grayson Green Party AZ-06 HQ, so we're turning this post over to our fellow opponent of Jeff Flake, the Democratic candidate in Arizona's Sixth Congressional District, Rebecca Schneider. Here'a an email we got from her campaign today:

Please join Rebecca at a very important press conference tomorrow at 1pm in front of the State Capitol Building in Phoenix. (1700 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007).

It is here that she will be making two very big announcements:

1) If she is elected as your representative in Congress, Rebecca will donate 50% of her net congressional salary to local organizations dedicated to getting the people of this district back to work. She will continue to personally fund these efforts throughout her first year in office.

Many political candidates make promises to improve our economy or "bring jobs to Arizona." Rebecca is willing to go a step further and put her money where her mouth is. She will work to improve our economy. She will bring jobs to the East Valley - and she will put her paycheck on the line to do it.

2) We have a great new series of videos called "Flakeville" that show what our district might be like if Jeff Flake gets another two years in office.

Here's the first episode, "The Lay-off," of Flakeville at Democratic candidate Rebecca Schneider's website,

and you can catch the subsequent nine episodes here.

Pinal County Greens Endorse Democrat Terry Goddard for Governor, Oppose the "Anti-Green" Green Party Candidate Larry Gist

Earlier today, the Pinal County Greens, which previously endorsed our candidacy, had this press release on its website:

Apache Junction, Ariz., September 22, 2010 - The Pinal County Greens, a political organization made up of members of the Arizona Green Party in Pinal County, today announced its endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry Goddard, whom it called "the only progressive candidate for governor and the only alternative for Green Party members who support our ten key values."

At the same time, the Pinal Greens announced that they were opposing the candidacy of Larry Gist, the phony Green Party candidate who got on the primary ballot but who does not endorse the Green Party platform.

"Larry Gist is just another right-wing wacko Arizona politician," the Pinal Greens said. "The only thing truly green about him is the money he used to buy his way onto the ballot by paying people to get his petitions signed."

"We urge all progressive voters to avoid even accidentally supporting the right-wing wacko Larry Gist," the Pinal Greens said. "Don't be fooled by the 'GRN' after his name. He is a Green in name only. Terry Goddard's positions are much closer to those of the Green Party's Ten Key Values, and he's the best choice by far to replace the failed governorship of the incompetent Jan Brewer."

The Pinal Greens also censured the Arizona Green Party for not having a true Green candidate running for Governor. "If the Arizona Green Party bosses had thought things through," the Pinal Greens' statement said, "they would have made sure we had a gubernatorial candidate who supported the party's Ten Key Values before getting enough signatures to get the party on the ballot in 2010."

Noting that if its candidate for governor gets at least 50,000 votes, the Arizona Green Party would get permanent ballot status in future elections, the Pinal Greens said, "we should have at least tried to get someone our members and other progressive voters could have supported. Now the Arizona Green Party is in the ludicrous position of opposing the head of its own ticket."

The Arizona Green Party has gone on record as opposing Gist. So far only the Pinal County Greens have endorsed Democrat Terry Goddard.

Stop Jan Brewer before it's too late! "28 Days Later" (in Arizona) Parody

To prevent "28 Days Later in Arizona," please make sure you vote for the great Democratic candidate for Governor, Terry Goddard. I certainly will.

Richard Grayson, Registered Member of Arizona Green Party Since 2008, Wins Green Primary for Congress, Then Sued for Being "Sham" Candidate

Two apparent developments in this electoral comedy caused by the lack of due diligence on the part of the Arizona Green Party, in which I have been a registered voter in Apache Junction, Pinal County, since 2008 (longer than some of the candidates "endorsed" by the party):

(1) I've apparently "won" the primary for the Sixth Congressional District Green nomination with six write-in votes (more than any other congressional or legislative Green write-in candidate, including those "endorsed" by the Arizona Green Party).

See the official state canvass of the primary, released a few hours ago.

(2) I am apparently being targeted in an Arizona Green Party lawsuit against "sham" Green party candidates along with those who registered just before filing their write-in candidacies in July. (See this Arizona Republic article by Mary Jo Pitzl.)

This despite my two-year membership in the Arizona Green Party, my public adherence to the Green Party Ten Key Values, and the Arizona Green Party's vetting me and interviewing me at a party meeting over a phone conference on Sunday, August 22 (at which time they allowed me to vote on the endorsement of other candidates) and the AZGP's statement the following day that, unlike in the cases of the other candidates, they were not "opposing" me, just "not endorsing" me and they would reconsider endorsing me pending the results of the primary.

I was called at my house and told a subpoena is on its way. I still represent the Green Party's values and platforms, whatever anyone else thinks.

Make of this what you will. Stay tuned for more.

Arizona Republic article discusses Richard Grayson's Green Party campaign for Congress in AZ-06

Today's Arizona Republic has an article that discusses our campaign for Congress in Arizona's Sixth Congressional District. Relevant portions highlighted:

Green Party is opposing 12 primary
write-in hopefuls

by Mary Jo Pitzl


Green Party candidates who won their party's primary last week say they don't want to be confused with a slate of write-in candidates being dismissed as "sham" candidates.

The Green Party is actively opposing 12 write-in candidates from last week's ballot. They include candidates for secretary of state and treasurer as well as seven legislative candidates. These candidates switched their party registration just before the filing deadline for the primary and have been called out by the Arizona Democratic Party in a complaint seeking a voter-fraud investigation. Many of the candidates were Republicans until mid-July; one was a Democrat, another was a Libertarian and two others were not registered.

Democrats argue that the candidates are not standard-bearers for the Green Party and could attract the support of Democrat-leaning voters.

"We strongly advise all registered Arizona voters to not waste their votes on these individuals," party co-chairman Claudia Ellquist wrote on the Green Party's blog.

But the party has backed a slate of candidates, including Leonard Clark, who won a spot on the Congressional District 5 ballot as a write-in candidate.

Clark said he switched his voter registration from Democrat to Green at the beginning of the year, disenchanted with the Democratic Party, and does not want to be confused with the so-called "sham" candidates.

Richard Grayson, a write-in candidate for Congressional District 6, might still win the Green Party's seal of approval. Party officials said they vetted him but decided to withhold an endorsement decision until they see if he qualifies for the Nov. 2 election. It took only one vote to qualify, under a provision of Arizona election law, so if Grayson voted for himself, his name will be on the November ballot. Candidates are not certified for the general-election ballot until the state does its canvass Tuesday.

The Arizona Republican Party ridiculed the Democrats' request, claiming the party is trying to limit voter choice. . .