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If elected to the U.S. Senate, what can Rodney Glassman do for small Arizona towns like Florence?
“What a good U.S. senator can do for a town like Florence is visit the community,” Glassman said. “Then meet with the elected officials, ask what the needs are, and go back to Washington, D.C., and champion the resources to come here.
“We have a state that is ripe for economic development when it comes to solar or wind, or bringing quality companies to Arizona. But we need a concierge who wants to be the person to introduce them to our beautiful state,” he continued.
“In short, we need a U.S. senator that’s more interested in visiting Bagdad, Ariz., than Baghdad, Iraq, more interested in visiting Casa Grande than Kabul. We have a senator who is not focused on Arizona and proud of it. That’s why it’s time for a change.”
On a busy campaign trail that has taken him from Navajo County to Yuma to Las Vegas, Nev., Glassman, 32, of Tucson, stopped off in Florence to speak to the Pinal County Democrats on July 21.
A graduate of the University of Arizona, Glassman is a former vice mayor of Tucson and is a first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force JAG corps. He’s running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate to oppose the winner of the Republican primary, which will be incumbent John McCain or challenger J.D. Hayworth.
“I’m running because I’m concerned about Arizona’s future” Glassman said. “I’m frustrated with our leadership, if you want to call it that, back in Washington. We’ve had John McCain for over 28 years, and what do we have to show for it?”
Some in the audience responded, “Nothing.” Glassman disagreed, saying, “We have a lot to show for it. We live in a state where over 50 percent of the homeowners are upside down on the home mortgages. We live in a state that has one of the worst student to teacher ratios in the country.”
Glassman didn’t let up on McCain there. On the subject of SB 1070, he said “our U.S. senator has been on every single side as recently as the last couple of months. Except for identifying and completing a solution.
“We talk about border security, and John McCain is advocating a fence and championing sending the National Guard to the border,” Glassman said. “We all know which agency is responsible for patrolling the border – the Border Patrol! But how many politicians are talking about hiring and maintaining the proper number of Border Patrol agents? Not many.
“The biggest problem is that no one is championing federal immigration reform. Under Operation Jumpstart in Texas and Operation Gatekeeper in California, resources were ramped up on those two borders,” he continued. “John McCain never went back to D.C. and asked for additional resources because he considers that ‘pork.’ So Arizona has become the funnel for our immigration issue.
To Glassman, meaningful federal immigration reform includes “not rewarding people for breaking the law, and we need a new system that works.”
On state infrastructure, Glassman said, “The average state gets $45 per person for federal projects. Arizona gets $15. That’s because we have a U.S. senator who has built a spectacular political career off of giving speeches in New Hampshire and New Jersey about what he doesn’t do for Arizona.”
One thing Glassman would like to fix is the absence of a Veteran’s Administration clinic on the Navajo reservation. The VA Southwest Health Care Network presently has sites in Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson, along with Albuquerque, N.M.
“Growing up, I thought McCain only ignored Pima County. Then I started traveling the state … to places like the Navajo Nation, with over 10,000 military veterans, yet not a single VA clinic. I realized it was all of Arizona.”
Glassman discounts the theory that it would be difficult to replace the 28 years of seniority McCain has accrued in Washington, saying, “John McCain’s seniority has brought what to Arizona? If anything, his seniority has kept federal dollars from coming to Arizona, because when he says he doesn’t want them, people listen. He’s on record as saying, ‘I’m a world senator, not an Arizona senator.’ But in the worst recession since the Great Depression, people are losing their homes. School teachers are being laid off because our economy is so slow. We need a senator that will bring jobs to Arizona.”
On creating jobs for Arizonans, Glassman talked about a contract to build military aircraft. “When the navy goes and buys planes, they can be built by Boeing in Mesa, or Airbus in France. Guess where our U.S. senator wants them built?
“We need a champion not only for our tax dollars, but for Arizona jobs. And one of the best ways to bring jobs here is to have an educational system we can be proud of.”
Glassman said that McCain had been quoted as saying “investing more in our schools is not my issue,” before softening that stance, saying simply “We don’t need any more money for our schools.”
“You know what?” Glassman asked. “Fortunately almost 70 percent of all Arizonans disagree with John McCain and Proposition 100 (to raise the state sales tax by 1 percent) passed. John McCain voted against Prop 100, which shows how out of touch he is with the working families of Arizona.
“We need to be a champion for the public school system, and have a U.S. senator who believes in public education and a track record of supporting schools. I understand the importance of our public school system when it comes to public safety, economic development and the quality of life for a community.”
Asked about corporate contributions to his campaign, Glassman said he would not, and cannot, accept any. “It’s all individuals. McCain’s largest contributors come from Wall Street. So far, over 80 percent of the money I’ve raised (over $1 million) has come from Arizonans.”
A lady asked about the boycott of other cities and states against Arizona. Glassman responded, “It’s hurting some of the families in this district, because we’re hundreds of millions of dollars of business and conventions. SB 1070 and the boycott were born out of the same frustration – the federal government has failed us. There’s only one person right now running for office that can’t stand up and say the federal government has failed us and that’s John McCain, because he is the federal government.”
Glassman deftly dodged giving an opinion on the possibility of President Obama serving one term due to a backlash against Washington’s incumbents, regardless of party affiliation. Instead, he insisted, “I’m not concerned about national moods or who is a member of the tea party or the coffee klatch. My No. 1 focus is going back to Washington, D.C., and representing Arizona as our next U.S. senator. I’m confident that Arizonans will be focused on our senate race because it impacts our future.”
Glassman told the gathering that endorsements for his candidacy include the AFL-CIO, Planned Parenthood, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Arizona Education Association.
“A great U.S. senator from Arizona isn’t just great for Arizonans,” he said. “We need a senator that’s committed to Arizona’s future.”
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
In the second televised debate among the Democrats running for U.S. Senate, former City Councilman Rodney Glassman dogged Republican incumbent John McCain while the other three dogged Glassman.
In the 27-minute roundtable on Channel 8 in Phoenix, Glassman stressed his doctorate, his four months as a lawyer in the Air Force Reserve and a stint as an aide to Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. Glassman, who put $500,000 of his own money into his race, also stressed endorsements by the National Education Association, Planned Parenthood and the AFL-CIO.
“One of the things we haven’t had for the past 20 years is a candidate to run against John McCain who can get Arizonans engaged and excited about an alternative – and that’s what my campaign is about,” he said, adding the incumbent has failed to bring tax dollars back to shore up Arizona’s crumbling infrastructure.
Investigative journalist John Dougherty, however, said the answer to who can beat McCain isn’t about how much money has been thrown into the race or how many college degrees a candidate has racked up.
“The answer to that question is who has delivered a blow to John McCain and who has the potential to take him out?” he said, adding it was his coverage in 1989 that landed McCain in front of the Senate Ethics Committee because of his dealings with developer Charles Keating. “John McCain does not want to see me standing across from him when we have debates here later this November,” he declared.
Cathy Eden, a former state lawmaker who has run state agencies and served as a county manager, joined in, saying many endorsements were given early on, before the other candidates were in the race.
She noted Glassman, who repeatedly notes his “vice mayor” status, left his council stint halfway through his first term. “Novices need not apply,” she said, adding the job “needs to have somebody who knows what they’re doing, who has been there, who has written legislation and who has made legislation work.”
Community organizer Randy Parraz, meanwhile, challenged Glassman as a “Republican donor” and said he has been dodging questions on marriage equality and precisely what he would do with the illegal immigrants currently in America.
In a search of political donations, Glassman in 2004 donated $500 to former U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe. He also made several donations to the Desert Caucus, which is a bipartisan political action committee designed to strengthen the U.S. relationship with Israel.
Parraz said his role as an organizer sets him apart. “I know how to move an agenda and bring people together to make things happen,” he said, adding while the other candidates talk about the shortcomings of SB 1070, he was out there actively protesting its impact on families.
All the candidates agreed Arizona should be a leader in renewable energy. Dougherty added he wants to let the Bush tax cuts expire for the wealthy; Eden said she wants another round of tax credits to encourage home purchases.
The candidates will meet again for a debate on Tucson’s “Arizona Illustrated” Aug. 5.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman will open his northern Arizona campaign office here on Saturday.
Glassman will attend the grand opening from noon to 3 p.m.; the office will officially open at 11 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
“Northern Arizona voters will play a key role in determining who Arizona’s next U.S. senator is,” Glassman said. “Having an office in Flagstaff is an important step in galvanizing supporters throughout the region.”
Everyone is welcome to attend the opening to meet and talk with Glassman and learn about the campaign field plan to build a grass-roots effort in the area. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up. Refreshments will be provided.
The office is located at 1750 S. Railroad Springs Blvd., Suite 7, the former Service Employees International Union office.
Regular hours of operation will be 10 a.m to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon-8 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, call 703-474-8499
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Glassman Opens Flagstaff Campaign Office
PHOENIX, Ariz. – U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman issued the following statement in response to U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton’s ruling that blocks the most controversial aspects of SB 1070 from taking effect on Thursday:
“I said on the day that Gov. Jan Brewer signed this bill that it was inappropriate and that I believed it was constitutionally questionable.”
“This ruling further emphasizes that the federal government needs to make immigration reform a high priority,” Glassman added. “For 28 years, John McCain has been on every side of the immigration issue, and has done nothing to solve this huge problem that has a major impact on Arizona. McCain’s failure in Washington has left Arizonans feeling frustrated, which led to SB 1070. Arizona needs a U.S. Senator who will help bring all sides to the table for meaningful federal reform on this critical issue.”
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Rodney Glassman on Tuesday clearly demonstrated once again why he is the frontrunner and best choice in the race to succeed John McCain in the U.S. Senate.
In a debate on KAET-TV’s “Horizon,” Glassman focused on key issues important to Arizonans, including bringing more jobs to the state, immigration reform, improving education, helping homeowners who are upside down in their mortgages, fixing the state’s infrastructure and ensuring that more Arizona tax dollars come home.
“While Glassman’s opponents for the Democratic nomination spent much of their time attacking him instead of saying how they would attack Arizona’s critical problems, Glassman turned the discussion back to the issues affecting Arizonans every day,” said Patrick Mellody, campaign manager.
“I am focused on job creation, education, sustainability and working with others in the U.S. Senate,” Glassman said during the 30-minute debate. He noted his varied list of endorsements, an indication that he works well with a wide range of people and organizations and that he could do the same thing in the U.S. Senate.
He also pointed to his track record as an advocate for women’s reproductive rights and working on behalf of labor groups.
And he said it’s time to get out of Afghanistan. “We need to do it sensibly, but we need to do it soon,” he said. Instead of nation-building there, he said, “Let’s build our own nation. Let’s bring our men and women home.”
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The long, detailed interview with front-running senate Democrat Rodney Glassman went a little sideways when Bill Roehr stuck his head into the room.
Roehr, an official with the local Republican club, said he’d heard “the Democrat” was doing an interview.
U.S. Senate hopeful Rodney Glassman, brightened immediately — and set about trying to make another convert.
“What kind of a job do you think Sen. McCain has done, after 28 years?” asked Glassman.
Roehr frowned. “I’m not that happy with him – nor with (Republican primary challenger J.D.) Hayworth either,” said Roehr.
“Now you have a choice,” Glassman beamed, sensing an open door in this discontent, even among stalwart Republicans. Roehr looked dubious.
“When did McCain lose you?’ asked Glassman. “When he came out for amnesty for illegal aliens,” said Roehr.
That was the sound of the door thudding shut, though you couldn’t tell it from Glassman’s expression.
Roehr was referring to McCain’s since withdrawn support for comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform that included tougher border enforcement, sanctions for employers who hire illegals, a new guest worker program and some means to allow many of the 12 million undocumented workers who have lived in this country for years to apply for naturalization.
Faced with a bitter primary challenge from former Congressman J.D. Hayworth and Tea Party Activist Jim Deakin, McCain has hardened his position on immigration — calling for the dispatch of troops to the border and opposing any hint of “amnesty” for people here illegally.
Unfortunately for Glassman when it comes to winning over Roehr, the Democrat favors reforms much like the very McCain position that alienated Roehr.
Still, before they parted, Glassman had promised to come back and talk to the Rim County Republican Club if they’ll have him, in his relentless effort to win over the discontented Republicans and frustrated independents who hold the key to the race.
Glassman also got in his digs at the well-funded incumbent, depicting McCain’s two bids for president as evidence that he’s more interested in the national spotlight than in hometown projects.
Glassman brought his flashy bus and his genial hard sell to Payson as he barnstormed the state attempting to win the Democratic nomination.
Glassman, 32, focused most of his fire on McCain, ignoring his three Democratic primary opponents. Other contenders for the Democratic nomination include John Dougherty, a former New Times investigative journalist; former state lawmaker Cathy Eden who has stressed the economy and jobs; and former community organizer, sheriff’s deputy and lawyer Randy Parraz, who entered the campaign in part to protest Arizona’s passage of SB 1070 that authorized local police to arrest people suspected of violation federal immigration laws.
Glassman has amassed a big financial edge over his Democratic challengers, although none of the candidates have amassed much name recognition in state polls. The former Tucson vice mayor and Air Force Reserve JAG attorney, also has a PhD in arid lands sciences and a MBA, both from the University of Arizona. He maintains Arizona needs a pragmatic senator devoted to making sure the state get’s its full share of federal funds and champions local projects like forest restoration and the sale of federal land for a college campus in Payson.
“Part of being a U.S. Senator is to be the concierge and the plunger — to be able to serve cities and towns,” said Glassman.
Glassman touts his diverse local government experience and says he’s good at building coalitions, developing consensus and finding solutions that reach across party lines.
He takes an open-ended, pragmatic approach to even contentious issues, but so far his positions have come down on the traditional Democratic side of most issues.
For instance, he faults McCain for often voting against various expanded benefits for veterans and touts his own military service – but also advocates pulling U.S. troops out of both Afghanistan and Iraq as quickly as safely possible.
On immigration reform, he supports big increases for the Border Patrol instead of dispatching the National Guard and opposes SB 1070 on constitutional grounds. He favors tougher border enforcement and enforcement of sanctions against employers, but also favors some means by which undocumented workers who have a clean record and a steady job can win the right to stay here legally, after paying fines and back taxes.
He faults McCain’s long battle against earmarks, saying a U.S. Senator must fight hard to make sure that his state gets its fair share of federal funding. Glassman maintains that on average, states get $45 per resident in federal projects. But Arizona gets just $15 per resident.
“We have a U.S. senator who prides himself on not brining our tax dollars back into the state,” said Glassman. “We’re not talking about pork barrel, we’re talking about things like funding for an ASU Campus in Payson,” said Glassman. “Senators are elected to be advocates for their states. Arizonans are out of work, but Sen. McCain just calls those projects pork.”
He also faulted McCain for saying he would vote against Proposition 100, a temporary one-cent sales tax increase intended to prevent deep state spending cuts that passed recently by a two-thirds margin.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Former Tucson city council member Rodney Glassman is holding a slight lead over the three other candidates for the Arizona Democratic Primary senate race, according to a new poll.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Democratic Primary Voters in Arizona finds former Tucson Vice Mayor Rodney Glassman still barely leading the four-candidate field with 15% of the vote.
The other three candidates are close behind: ex-State Representative Cathy Eden with 11% support, followed by labor organizer Randy Parraz at 10% and investigative reporter John Dougherty at seven percent (7%).
Ten percent (10%) of likely primary voters favor some other candidate in the race, and 47% are undecided. Fifty percent (50%) or more don’t know enough about any of the primary hopefuls to express any kind of opinion about them, favorable or unfavorable.
These findings have changed little from a month ago, when Glassman and Eden were in a near tie with 12% and 11% of the vote respectively. Forty-six percent (46%) were undecided.
Yesterday we told you about another Rasmussen Reports poll which showed John McCain holding a 20 point lead over his Republican senate primary challenger J.D. Hayworth.
Rasmussen polls have come under fire from other pollsters, though, over the validity of their methodology.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman has received the endorsement of the Arizona Education Association for his deep commitment to the importance of education.
“The Arizona Education Association is proud to recommend Rodney Glassman for U.S. Senate,” said AEA President Andrew Morrill. “Rodney understands the critical importance of investing in our educators and schools to deliver the education that Arizona’s students need to compete in a 21st-century global economy. Rodney understands that strong public schools build a strong state economy. Educators and families have a friend in Rodney Glassman.”
Glassman said he was honored by the AEA’s backing, noting that “teachers are on the front lines of our education system.”
“Education is the key to any child’s successful future,” Glassman said. “Arizona ranks dead last in classroom dollars and that’s unacceptable. We need to promote a culture that truly values education in homes, in the media and in the classroom.”
The AEA is a 32,000-member statewide organization composed of classroom teachers and education-support professionals.
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Arizona Republic on Sunday endorsed Rodney Glassman over the other three candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
In its Voters’ Guide for the Aug. 24 primary, the newspaper called Glassman, “a savvy, young newcomer with a bright political future,” praising him for “the extraordinary energy he has brought to his campaign and the impressive political resume he has accumulated.”
“A lawyer and JAG officer in the Air Force [Reserve], Glassman served on the staff of Rep. Raúl Grijalva,” the endorsement noted. “He has served on the boards of an astonishing number of civic organizations - a mark of both dedication and ambition.”
“A lawyer and JAG officer in the Air Force [Reserve], Glassman served on the staff of Rep. Raúl Grijalva,” the endorsement noted. “He has served on the boards of an astonishing number of civic organizations - a mark of both dedication and ambition.”
Glassman is a former vice mayor of Tucson, and also started The Glassman Foundation, which has raised more than $1 million for children’s charities. In 2007, he left Grijalva’s staff to run for Tucson City Council, and was elected with more than 60 percent of the vote.
The Republic’s recommendation is the latest in a long and varied list of endorsements that Glassman has garnered so far in the campaign.
“This is great news. I am pleased and gratified to have the support of the largest newspaper in the state,” Glassman said. “John McCain has been in Washington for 28 years, during which he spent more time thinking about himself than about the needs of Arizonans. It’s time for new leadership that focuses on jobs, on education and on alternative energy that will get our state – and the country – moving again.”
Early ballots will be mailed on Thursday, July 29. Early voting has become increasingly popular, with many voters signing up to be on a permanent early-voter list instead of going to the polls on Election Day.
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PHOENIX, Ariz. -Today Rodney Glassman, Arizona candidate for U.S. Senate, expressed his support for updated, modern rules for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which would ensure that the Internet operates under the principals of net neutrality.
“It is disappointing that Washington and John McCain have failed us by refusing to act to preserve the openness and neutrality of the Internet,” said Glassman. “The Communications Act was written and passed in 1934 for communications technologies that have been obsolete for decades. Arizona needs a U.S. Senator who understands the critical need to preserve net neutrality and who won’t wait for decades to protect our rights to information on the Internet.”
“Every American today benefits from an open and neutral Internet, directly or indirectly. We have a stronger democracy and a more engaged electorate, in part because of the lower cost of information,” said Glassman. “The Internet has become an essential part of our democracy. It is critical that we act now to protect these important freedoms.”
There is a growing consensus among technology leaders and the public that the federal government needs new regulations geared toward modern-day broadband technologies. However, businesses which provide broadband have argued that new regulations prohibiting them from blocking content would drive up costs for consumers and prevent further technological development. Glassman believes that competition combined with regulations that protect the rights of consumers will ensure affordable, quality service in a free and open Internet environment where service providers do not dictate content.
The Internet should continue to operate under the following principles:
- Consumers should have the freedom to choose which content, including applications, they use, send or receive – without interference from Internet providers.
- Consumers should have the freedom to connect using their preferred device.
- Broadband providers should provide transparent network access while maintaining the security and integrity of the network.
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