Capitol quotes
“We are both out-fund raising and out-registering our Republican friends.”-— Don Bivens, who was picked to serve as the Arizona Democratic Party’s chairman until 2009
“I think the Democrats are over confident. They had the perfect storm in 2006.” — Brett Mecum, a spokesman for the Arizona Republican Party, said he believes Democrats are too optimistic about their success in upcoming elections.
“Text-messaging while driving is a bad idea, clearly, but we already have laws against
distracted driving. The mere addition of another law on the books wouldn’t solve anything.’ — Sen. Ron Gould
People
Former Arizona JLBC senior economist Kent Ennis has been promoted to serve as deputy director of the Arizona Department of Commerce. Since January 2006, the highly regarded Arizona economist has been heading up the agency’s research division and assisting in finance and investment programs.
Former Democratic lawmaker John Kromko changed parties and staged a brief campaign as a write-in candidate for mayor of Tucson. Kromko had filed paperwork with the city that would have allowed him to challenge two-term Republican Mayor Bob Walkup with a Green Party write-in candidacy. Kromoko pulled out of the race Aug. 6, saying a mayoral campaign was folly. Instead, he will put his efforts into a ballot initiative to repeal the city’s $14 garbage collection fee. Kromko served in the House from 1977-80 and 1983-92.