Seizing new battleground status, Arizona Democrats vie for 2020 presidential debate
Arizona Democrats are vying to bring a presidential primary debate to metro Phoenix, pitching the state as a showcase for the party's diversity and its growing influence here while providing a crucial chance for the candidates to make their case to voters.
The behind-the-scenes lobbying effort by state party leaders, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Mayor Kate Gallego, began in earnest in January, following the 2018 midterm elections that saw a Democrat cinch a Senate seat for the first time in 30 years.
The Democratic National Committee has scheduled 12 primary debates during the primary season. The fifth of those debates is scheduled for Nov. 20 in Georgia.
A spokesman for the DNC declined to discuss the efforts to bring a debate to Arizona.
"No decisions have been made," Enrique Gutierrez said.
But Gallego, the progressive congressman and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, confirmed to The Arizona Republic that he has spoken directly to DNC Chair Tom Perez and DNC committee members.
"I don’t want to go too much into the details because I have to wait until we get more information, but my last conversation with Tom is that he really wants to have one in Arizona," Gallego said. "We have no confirmation yet that that's going to happen, but they're going to do everything possible to make it happen."
"We certainly have submitted our name and our request for a debate," said Felecia Rotellini, chair of the Arizona Democratic Party. "We've had face-to-face meetings with Chairman Perez about the possibility of having a debate in Arizona. He very genuinely loves Arizona and sees it as key to a pathway to the White House and to the U.S. Senate. ... The decision is really in his hands."
During debate watch parties, people have said they would like Arizona to host one, and the state party is trying to help make that happen.
'An important battleground'
While Perez and the DNC didn't comment, it is clear he understands the state's new importance in presidential politics. In July, Perez visited Phoenix, talking up health care as an election issue and discussing voter registration efforts.
"Arizona is an important battleground," he said in an interview at the time with The Republic's political podcast, the Gaggle. "Hillary Clinton lost here by 3.5% , I think it was roughly 90,000 votes. There are 300,000 Latino voters who are eligible to vote who are not registered. We now have Sen. (Kyrsten) Sinema as a result of great candidates running up and down the ballot."
If the DNC does choose Arizona as a site, Gallego said it would almost certainly follow the first four primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.
Gallego said he is advocating that the debate occur as soon as possible after those primaries, given Arizona's early-voting patterns. The state's presidential preference election is March 17; early voting begins about a month prior.
Where could a debate be held?
Gallego said he has recommended to the DNC that it scout potential venues in the center of Phoenix, and west of the city, as a nod to the rapid growth and influence of Latinos and young people.
"They would be particularly disheartened if they found themselves in Scottsdale," Gallego said. He has recommended the DNC scout the Orpheum Theatre, a 1,000-plus seat theater in downtown Phoenix, the Madison Center for the Arts in north-central Phoenix, Arizona State University's west campus, Phoenix College, and South Mountain Community College.
A spokeswoman for the Madison Elementary School District confirmed that school officials hosted a tour of its Center for the Arts for a national television network.
"However, that debate occurred in another state this past June," said spokeswoman Heather Austin, of the June debates in Miami, Florida.
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Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego is also encouraging the DNC to select Phoenix, given its rapid growth and diversity.
"We are ready and eager to host a presidential debate in Phoenix, and I have been in contact with the DNC encouraging them to choose our city," she said in a written statement to The Republic. "The Phoenix area, including our neighboring tribal nations, would be a great location to discuss many issues such as American innovation, infrastructure, and protecting our environment — all topics that deserve additional attention in this campaign."
Have news to share about Arizona's U.S. senators or national politics? Reach the reporter on Twitter and Facebook. Contact her at yvonne.wingett@arizonarepublic.com and 602-444-4712.
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