Yes! I Qualified for Clean Elections Funds! (video)

Wind Dancer Design Studio

Yesterday, I received my official notice that my $5 Clean Elections Qualifying Contributions had passed muster. In other words, the Pima County Recorder’s office has reviewed my 277 $5 contributions and verified that more than 250 registered LD9 voters gave me $5. Yay!

This is a huge milestone for my campaign because it means I will receive my primary funds of $16,044 early next week. If — or I should say when — I win the primary race, I will receive another $24, 066. Clean Elections candidates also can raise seed money of $4011 and family money of up to $720. That is a grand total of $44,841 to run for the Legislature.

In these days of dark money, ~$45,000 is not a lot of cash to run a campaign, but I believe with targeted strategies, social media, volunteers, and a lot of hard work, we can do this. Obviously, there are many things that privately funded candidates purchase with campaign funds that I won’t be able to afford or that I I won’t be able to buy because of Clean Elections law.

I won’t be hiring someone to sit next to me and force me to call hundreds of wealthy people and ask them for $5000 (the new maximum Legislative contribution, thanks to the dark money darlings in the Arizona Legislature). Actually, my campaign has just about reached the seed money/family money limit. As of this date, I can accept only another $165 in seed money and another $200 in family money (if any of the Hannley’s or the Powers’ are reading this.) Mine is definitely a campaign run on small donations and people power. Not counting the 277 $5 Clean Elections contributions or the $160 that my husband and I each donated to my campaign, I received 95 individual seed money donations, mostly from people who live in Tucson. Fifty-eight percent of my seed money donations were $25 or less, and only seven donations (4%) were the maximum donation of $160. Thank you so much! Clean Elections candidates live on seed money until they get their public funds.

I won’t be hosting expensive parties at bars downtown or at resorts in the Foothills. I will be meeting voters at house parties, “coffee with the candidate” events at local coffee shops, at community events, at their doorsteps, and on social media.

I won’t be buying $1000 tables at fancy fundraising dinners. These dinners raise a lot of money for good causes, but Clean Elections says I can only spend $11 on a meal– not $100 or $1000. If you see me at one of these dinners, you’ll know that I bought my ticket with my own money– not with your campaign contributions.

I won’t be renting a campaign office. My clay studio has been transformed into my video production studio and my campaign HQ.

I won’t be hiring any consultants, pollsters or debate coaches. Consultants are a big thing these days. They’re everywhere. I have never run a political campaign before, but I believe that Clean Elections campaigns must be run differently from privately funded campaigns. During my career, I have had many years of public relations, marketing, social media, public speaking, and consulting experience– as well as years of volunteering for and writing about other politicians. I’m using my skills and learning some things “on the job”– like the giant Democratic Party database called the VAN. I am working hard and having a great time meeting everyone, sharing ideas and concerns, and trying to make a difference.

Thank you so much! Watch for upcoming events on my Facebook page and on this blog.  Watch for photos from the campaign trail on Instagram and Facebook. I will be announcing summer house parties, coffee with the candidate locations, and debates. In fact, the first LD9 debate– hosted by Clean Elections– will be June 28. Check out the information here.

If you would like to volunteer, to host an event, or add your name to my supporter list or email list, go here and sign up.

See you on the campaign trail and on social media. Thanks for your support. Together we can build a stronger Arizona for future generations.

Cross-posted from PowersForThePeople.net.