PRESCOTT — Democrats packed more than a thousand people into the historic Yavapai County Courthouse on Sunday for a rally for U.S. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego and others seeking to make a big impact in one of Arizona’s reddest outposts. Gathered people.
Gallego stood in what has become a political tradition dating back to Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.)’s 1964 presidential campaign. One of the event’s organizers estimated the crowd to be double the one that drew for Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) two years ago.
Whatever the size of the crowd, it’s part of a day in which Gallego storms largely Republican-leaning northern Arizona, chasing every vote available in a state where spectacular finishes seem to be the norm. It was.
From Payson to Prescott, with stops in Flagstaff, Sedona and Cottonwood in between, Gallego, a five-term Democratic congressman, found patches of blue in areas known to be reliably red.
Mr. Gallego laid out a message perhaps intended to appeal to people who are less committed to the Democratic Party.
“I’m running to represent the entire state of Arizona,” he said in a speech in Prescott. “Here’s what I learned: We have a lot in common. We all want to protect our freedoms. We all want to take care of our veterans and our seniors. I want my children to have a better life than we had.”
Prescott’s event ended with Gallego, which was hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and also featured Democratic guests touting the importance of the presidential race.
For example, Kelly said the choice is between the economy “working for ordinary people at lower costs and more opportunities, or being manipulated to benefit billionaires at higher costs for working families.” I threw it.
Susan Rice, a former U.N. ambassador, said she and her husband were temporarily staying in Arizona.
“There’s one reason we’re here for the election: If Arizona elects Kamala Harris and (Minnesota Gov.) Tim Walz, they will be the next president of the United States. “Because I know I’m going to be vice president,” she said. Said.
Joe Walsh, a former Republican lawmaker and syndicated talk show host, addressed Democrats as a handful of Republicans watched from across the street.
“There’s a lot at stake right now, and I say this as a former Republican, but Kamala Harris has to win,” he said, adding similar thoughts about Gallego.
“I’d like to someday get back to a sane, decent, tolerant Republican Party, but to do that we need to get MAGA’s ass kicked in the polls.”
It reinforced the theme that Trump’s style of politics is unusual through Gallego’s pivot in northern Arizona.
In a series of short messages to aid groups, Mr. Gallego reflected on his career as someone who rose from poverty to fight for his country and join Congress.
He didn’t dwell on Kari Lake, his Republican opponent in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Krysten Sinema of Arizona. He reminded the audience that abortion rights are on the ballot, along with a chance to stop former President Donald Trump from retaking the White House.
This Arizona tour also includes Flagstaff, Northern Arizona Trump Force 47 office, where Trump and Lake items are on display, including a flag that reads “My Dog Loves Trump.” has been done.
Half a block away, a banner supporting Vice President Kamala Harris hung outside a high-rise building that read, “John McCain was a hero!”
Trump and Lake supporters attend Gallego event
As the Democrat spoke in Prescott, dozens of Trump supporters held up signs for him and periodically interjected “Trump.”
Paul Raske, 72, of Dewey Island, was among those holding up Trump signs. He ignored Democratic rallies.
“I expected a bigger crowd,” he said. He and his friend agreed that President Trump remains strong in Yavapai County. A friend of Mr. Lake’s said Mr. Lake’s large campaign bus, which had a large photo of him with Mr. Trump, was “too flashy.”
“I was disappointed in her campaign. I didn’t see enough of her,” Raske said. “I like what she believes in. I like what she says. I think she’ll do the right thing, but I feel like her campaign has been a little under the radar.”
Lake’s campaign is also gathering votes in various locations. On Friday, for example, she held a rally near Arizona State University with former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, hoping to appeal to young voters who typically vote Democratic.
How Republican is this area?
Three of the places Mr. Gallego visited were Republican-leaning.
In Cottonwood, for example, Republicans have a 15 percentage point registration advantage over Democrats. Over 30 points in Prescott. And in Payson, Republicans hold a 45 percentage point advantage over Democrats.
Democrats have a six-point registration advantage in Sedona and a 14-point registration advantage in Flagstaff.
Republicans greatly outnumber Democrats in Payson, so those leaning left in Rim Country are focused on finding common ground wherever possible.
For about a year, the Rim Country Democratic Party has held weekly “Democrats and Donuts” meetings at the Gila County Democratic Party office. Civil political discussions are encouraged, and independents and Republicans are invited.
While respectful political engagement is the goal, it’s not always the norm in Payson, as it is across America.
Payson resident Gene Thomas, 84, is a lifelong Republican who voted for Mr. Goldwater in 1964 and has also voted in all of Mr. John McCain’s campaigns. She changed her voting habits during the Trump era, but not everyone admits that.
“We put a Kamala Harris sign out front. It was stolen. We’ll put another one out front. It was stolen,” Thomas said. “We signed Ruben Gallego out and no one touched him.”
Thomas said he was instantly repulsed by Trump in 2016 and now remains a Republican solely to determine his party choice in the primary. Thomas said she “loved” Lake when he was a television newscaster in Phoenix, but was now “appalled” by Lake’s comments on immigration.
Democrats and independents enter public life
Clarkdale resident Karen Kumar, a former Republican turned independent, is an enthusiastic supporter of Gallego. The 65-year-old retiree appeared at a rally in Sedona.
“I’ve been voting Republican since 1980. When I was first able to vote, I voted for Ronald Reagan,” she said. “They represented what I believe in. … The Republican Party is more than what I think America is.
Kumar, who is married to an immigrant from India, said Lake’s hostility toward immigrants was personal.
Besides, “Trump is an insurrectionist and she supports that,” Kumar said.
Not everyone was guaranteed a vote for Gallego.
“I came out because I haven’t decided who I’m going to vote for yet,” said Spencer Lower, a medical technician from Clarkdale who saw Gallego at a brewery near Cottonwood. “I gave him a chance to get votes.”
Mr. Lower is most concerned with government fiscal restraint and the restoration of U.S. bond ratings. He said he couldn’t vote for Lake and is still unsure about Gallego. He speaks highly of Gallego’s military service as an Iraq War veteran. At the same time, he worries that Gallego will support sweeping reforms, such as abolishing the legislative filibuster and packing the U.S. Supreme Court.
“What I’m looking for is Krysten Sinema. I’m a liberal. … She was an independent voice for Arizona. I think she kept that, but she got kicked out for that. Now there are two extremes.”
Sunday was a rare treat for an ardent Democrat who is used to being surrounded by Republicans in places like Prescott.
“You’re standing on sacred ground in the Republican Party,” said Dana McCready, 70.
“This was a great opportunity for Democrats to come out publicly here in Prescott and show support for a candidate who has a new vision for this country. It’s great to see so many people here. It’s exciting.”
(This article has been updated with new information.)
Republic reporter Caitlin McGlade contributed to this article.
