About Larry Bodine

Larry Bodine is the President of Democrats of Greater Tucson, and a PC in Legislative District 9.

Arizona Voter Suppression Unleashed by 2013 Supreme Court Ruling

https://youtu.be/-bgpxthkrQU A notorious 2013 US Supreme Court ruling gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and unleashed the onslaught of voter suppression laws by Republicans that continue to this day, according to Robert J. McWhirter, who addressed the June 22, 2021, meeting of the LD9 Democrats. The Court in Shelby County v. Holder ruled that Arizona -- which has a dark history of suppressing Black, Latino, and Native votes -- no longer had to get pre-clearance of voting laws from the US Department of Justice. "The 15th amendment says Congress shall have the power to enforce appropriate with appropriate legislation. [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-07-01T11:34:01-07:00June 25th, 2021|Elections, Racism|

Marco Lopez, Dem Candidate for Governor, on Education, Jobs, Healthcare, and Guns

Edited by Anne Simmons. Marco Lopez is running for Governor in the Democratic Primary. He spoke at the June 21, 2021 meeting of Democrats of Greater Tucson. He is: An international business consultantThe former mayor of Nogales, elected at age 22 right out of collegeFormer director of the Arizona department of Commerce appointed by Gov. Janet NapolitanoChief of US Customs and Border Protection during the Obama administration. In 2011, Marco started his own small business to bring investments to the U.S. His work has brought high-speed internet to low-income families, closing the digital divide. He also started the award-winning Skybridge [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-23T20:34:35-07:00June 21st, 2021|Governor, Gun Safety|

Tucson Councilman Paul Cunningham Wants to Raise Water Rates on the Suburbs

On his way to a school assembly where he teaches, City Councilman Paul Cunningham of Ward 2 discussed annexation, water, and the downtown Pancho Villa statue at the Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting on June 14, 2021. He reported that Tucson is "in good shape" when it comes to water supply, despite the Megadrought. Lake Mead, which is the city's water source, is at an all-time low. Cunningham strongly supports differential water rates -- raising water rates by $4 to $7 per month for suburban customers who live outside the city limits. He said 42% of water infrastructure is in [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-16T17:47:33-07:00June 16th, 2021|Local Candidates and Electeds|

Reproductive Rights: The Battles of 2022

Arizona List will hold an outdoor movie event on Wednesday, June 23 at 8 pm with Rep. Melody Hernandez who will talk about SB1457 the anti-abortion bill that Ducey signed into law this year. It will be followed by a St. Frances a recent comedic drama that deals with reproductive rights issues. RSVP at Arizonalist.org/21movie Arizona List will also present a discussion series this summer to discuss the biggest issues at the legislature this session with legislators, local leaders, and national experts about these issues. Our first panel will be Thursday, June 17 at 7 pm and will focus on [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-13T13:35:51-07:00June 13th, 2021|Arizona List|

Join ‘Our Black is Beautiful’ Juneteenth Celebration

From 11 am to 1 pm join us virtually on the Pima Community College Tube Channel as we reminisce about past Juneteenth events, entertain you with history, song, poetry, dance, appearances from city officials, pastors, local small businesses, the Buffalo Soldiers, and the Juneteenth Board and Committee. Simply visit youtube.com/PCCTVSTREAM on June 19 at 11 am and 9 pm. Then join us for a live Tucson Juneteenth local vendor and food truck event at the Dunbar Pavilion 325 W. 2nd Street from 4 pm to 8 pm. Last but not least, join us for an encore performance again on the [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-09T20:02:15-07:00June 9th, 2021|Black Lives Matter|

Video: Andres Portela, Tucson Council Candidate, Ward 6

Our Voice, Our Vote–Arizona advocates for progressive public policies and mobilizing voters. Andrés Portela is an Afro-Latino activist running in the August 3 Democratic primary for the Tucson City Council to represent Ward 6. If elected, he would be the first African-American on the City Council since 1980 Andrés spoke about building community through prioritizing our H.O.M.E. Housing: helping families avoid evictions, placing the homeless in housing and installing a public advocate to fight predatory landlords. At one time Andres had to live in his car, but today he is married and owns a house. Opportunity: Using the [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-09T13:12:07-07:00June 7th, 2021|Economics, Elections, Tucson|

Why Republicans Attacked the Early Voting List: 70,000 New Democratic Voters

By Mathew Grodsky Nearly 30 years ago Arizona began offering the ability for citizens to vote via an absentee ballot. In the decades since, the state has refined election laws to make voting easier for Arizonans. The majority of the state votes by mail. In the 2012 general election, 61% of Arizona voters cast an early ballot. By 2018, that number jumped to 79%. By 2020 that number was 88%. This means Arizonans by and large leverage the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL). The program will now be dubbed the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) since Governor Ducey’s signing of SB1485, [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-02T18:18:34-07:00June 2nd, 2021|Uncategorized|

The 4 Priorities of Congressional Candidate Kirsten Engel

State Senator Kirsten Engel outlined her four priorities for US Congress at the May 31, 2021 meeting of Democrats of Greater Tucson. "What do I see as my priorities? What am I going to work on in Congress? I would say there are four top priorities. "My top priority is building an economy that works for everyone through investments in hard and social infrastructure. And I think that this will enable us to expand our economy, safeguard our natural resources, fight climate change, and put people to work. And I would say that that investment in hard infrastructure is important. [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-06-02T16:29:21-07:00June 1st, 2021|Arizona, Criminal Justice, Economics, Elections, Environment|

DGT Happy Hour Photos – Drinking Democratically

It was a beautiful afternoon when Happy Democrats turned out for the first in-person Democrats of Greater Tucson Happy Hour. We met for "Drinking Democratically" at Agustin Kitchen on May 26, 2021. In front: Sherry Savage. 2nd row: Brian Bickel, Susie Anderson, Naomi Story, Jon Lea Fimbres. LD9 Chair Susan Bickel and DGT President Larry Bodine John Finkelstein and DGT Secretary Christina Early holding his $20 membership fee. Christina Early and Rachel Rulmyr Gertrude Ashe talking to Rita Irwin-Davidson Bam Miller, Ward 3 Council Candidate Kevin Dahl, and Lee [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-05-29T20:17:31-07:00May 29th, 2021|Local Activism|

Attorney Bob McWhirter Set to Run for Attorney General

Attorney and Constitutional scholar Bob McWhirter is days away from announcing a run for Arizona Attorney General in 2022. A Democrat and Trump critic, he has spoken twice at Democrats of Greater Tucson. See Robert McWhirter: the Constitution and Donald Trump and Donald Trump vs. the Constitution. Democrat January Contreras, who ran for Attorney General in 2018, said she will not run again. One Democrat running for A.G. is state Rep. Diego Rodriguez, of LD27 in Phoenix, but he is considered a weak fundraiser. There is a possibility that US Rep. Greg Stanton, a Congressman in CD9, Ex-Phoenix Mayor, and [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-05-29T18:43:35-07:00May 27th, 2021|Elections|