It’s an unusual strategy for someone running for state office. Keep a low profile. Stay out of sight. Duck calls from the media. But that seems to be the campaign Republican Diane Douglas is waging in her bid for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Candidates in down-ballot races usually do whatever they can to attract some attention, get a little press. Since the primary, Douglas has gone in the other direction. Democrat David Garcia, meanwhile, is working hard to increase voter awareness of his candidacy.
According to an article in the Capitol Times, Douglas has been a no-show for three debates since she beat John Huppenthal in the primary.
For example, 256 school business managers and school employees showed up to hear a debate between Garcia and Douglas on Sept. 10 in Mesa at the bi-monthly meeting of the Arizona Association of School Business Officials. The group lobbies the Legislature and has traditionally has a working relationship with the schools chief.
The event turned into Garcia giving his views and then answering questions from [Chuck] Essigs.
A fourth debate may be canceled because she hasn’t responded.
Douglas hasn’t done media interviews or updated her website since the primary. She doesn’t return phone calls.
Maybe she’s playing a waiting game. The question is, waiting for what? True, she’s a publicly funded candidate so she doesn’t have much money, but debates are free. Maybe she’s avoiding the spotlight because it would reveal her as a one issue candidate who hates the Common Core and, well, that’s about it. Then she can use whatever funds she has for some kind of media blitz to craft her public image — a “The less they know about me, the better” strategy.
It’s also possible she’s completely gobsmacked at winning the primary and thinking she might possibly, actually be Ed Supe. No one gave her much of a chance. Huppenthal said early in the primary season he was ahead by 20 points, and he probably wasn’t far off the mark. Then came his meltdown with the Falcon9/Thucydides blog commenting disaster and his multiple flip-flops on Common Core, and Douglas cruised to a win. She still may be trying to figure out what she’s going to do next.
This article appears in Sep 11-17, 2014.
Boy, I sure hate to cast a spell over this election, but what would you do? Given the fact she can’t be exposed or make any mistakes hiding. Someone probably told her, keep quiet and ride the statewide Republican wave. Then she can continue the GOP, for profit schools and right-wing havoc on public education.
Working the door to door beat I find most Rs not that responsive but determined to vote against one thing or another. Negative ads and mud slinging in the primary have discouraged a lot of Independents who it seems everyone is against them. The mail they are getting is painting a bad picture of President Obama and the direction the country seems to be going is wrong. They have been sold the economy is bad and not getting better under President Obama. Don’t worry about closing the barn door all the horses have already run out. Those darn Democrat are chasing jobs away and trying to limit your rights.
The Democrats, most didn’t vote in the Primary, doubt if they will vote in the General haven’t seen or heard anything positive to make them feel like their votes count or are needed. No interest, yet, and no excitement from lackluster Democrat campaigns.
The Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, where most people don’t even know why we have one, is taking the safe avenue to getting elected, don’t show your colors, hide, after all you won over the discredited incumbent, you’re a dragon killer, a natural vote collector.
It is a good bet for winning statewide again, don’t stir the pot, kiss your fellow Republicans, renounce those nasty things that we true last month and pull together to score another off-year election victory. Unless something heats things up the voting patterns of the past will work again for the GOP.
You libtards crack me up! When you can’t find anything negative about a conservative candidate, you make them up. Either that or you come down on em’ for not “saying anything” to the pro-left media. And since there’s nothing positive to say about David Garcia, you have to sling mud for him and his campaign. Just as you all did with the traitor/usurper Obama. But payback is coming in Nov. Pucker up, libfreaks!
Rick, what more do you want? I see you winning by default. A win is a win!
Guilty as charged, I am a liberal with a progressive attitude that name calling won’t change. One of my hero’s said it best. “I not giving them hell, I just tell the truth and they think it is hell.” Harry S Truman
Your fellow Republicans and the majority of the Independents defeated both GOP incumbents, Supt of Public Instruction and Attorney General. NO Democrats voted in that Primary. Where can you blame us or the “the pro-left media”?
Were the Independents and your fellow Republicans wrong?
Rick, I feel your hurting, I do respect honest Conservatives, like Barry Goldwater, I just don’t agree with them all the time. Bless those Independents, they helped throw out a couple bad apples. I’m sure that the replacement Republicans will not be that much better, but we’ll save our third wish for our next Governor FRED DuVALL!
Just another candidate for public office who is above the public and/or thinks it unnecessary to communicate with the public.
Funny how this same line of attack could be used locally in the election for the TUSD BOD. In a recent “debate” The only candidates discussing the issue were the two Republicans describing how they would use the $300 million due from the state to reduce classroom size. Because the Democrats had nothing of substance to offer we can only guess they would use those monies to further pad the administration bringing in additional layers of non-classroom expense. See how that works?
Neither Democrat or Republican can can count on the votes of the Independents. We tend to go right past party affiliation to center on the issues. Those with nothing to say except “pull the R/D lever” may be surprised at the costs of saying and doing nothing concrete.
Rick, can you really say the Democrats running for the TUSD board are keeping a low profile, staying out of sight and ducking the media? Because that’s what I said about Diane Douglas. My post doesn’t apply to candidates who attend debates and try to be as visible as possible.
However, if all you want to make your points, I guess it doesn’t matter what I’m writing about, you can always bring it around to where you want it. Maybe you should have worked Benghazi in as well.
Unlike some folks, Rick, the rest of us would like to know where a candidate stands on the issues they will be expected to deal with if elected. Running for office usually involves campaigning, which, in turn, involves speaking to people and participating in debates to make one’s views on the issues known.
RICK S You are correct in looking at the qualifications and values of all candidates and how they match up to your wants, needs and experiences.
Thanks for taking the time to attend to a board meeting and getting information and judgement on a first-hand basis. YOU are not the problem, it is all the empty seats around you. No matter were you are on the issues take your positions public for discussion and help us know what we missed. We don’t need to agree we just need to get as informed as possible. Then act as we understand and believe. Not to worry about the money the Legislature owes the schools per court order, I bet you the clever folks in Phoenix will figure out a way to cut back and then fund so they really won’t be meeting the intent of the law, or the court order. Education and those of us that care need to continue the civil discussion and see if a consensus can be worked out and implemented.
I can say, David, I haven’t seen any substantial policy statements from the Democrats running for the TUSD Board. I can say you haven’t said ANYTHING substantive in support of those Democrats – other than they are Democrats – or WHY you support them unconditionally in the face of the train wreck we’ve been watching for the past dozen years. What I do see from you are continuing attacks against a board member who is not even running in this election and a reluctance to discuss why you feel the current Democrats on the board merit re-election.
Why, for example, do these Democrats fight against an independent financial audit? What substantive steps do they stand behind to increase district funding in the classroom and where will the funds be found to tip the balance in favor of the teachers and students?
Don’t understand your gratuitous comment about Benghazi – it’s not on my political radar and never was. Benghazi falls under “stuff happens”. The decades long meltdown at TUSD falls under gross incompetence, political game playing and abdication of responsibility for actions taken.
Just as an…important…aside, ALL public school governing board races are non-partisan. To bring affiliations into it is shameful. It should be ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND THE BEST EDUCATION THEY CAN GET, not about candidates’ political identities. And if any board member is running with a political affiliation, they should not be elected.
Rick S., you can criticize me all you want, and you can throw questions at me which I can choose to respond to or not. No problem there. But I’m going to get after you every time you hijack one of my posts and take it in a direction that has nothing to do with what I wrote. By doing that, you get in the way of people discussing the topic at hand.
So, Rick, when the topic is the TUSD board election, that’s what it makes sense to comment about. When the topic is whether or not a candidate is discussing the issues, that’s what it makes sense to comment about. But when the topic is a candidate running for Superintendent of Public Instruction who isn’t making public statements or appearances, that’s what you should comment on. If you’re not interested in that topic, then don’t comment on the post. That’s OK, you know, to skip a post. I’m sure I’ll write another on a topic you’re more interested in.
Please try to find some balance as education should have never become partisan. It is starting to sound like the “boots on the ground/no boots on the ground hodgepodge from the President. He is being manipulated (his choice) by public opinion polls.
Once that happens both sides attempt to convert education into indoctrination.
Maybe it’s a good strategy for Diane Douglas. She’ll still get 40% of the vote, as low information voters will vote for the R after her name., if not for her.
My guess though, is most educators and public school supporters will vote for David Garcia, because they are sick and tired of education policy being determined by non-educators , and money meant for public education being diverted to private schools through “empowerment scholarships.” They’re sick of being stiffed by the governor and the legislature, when the court says pay up the money you owe schools.
A new day is dawning in AZ, as we emerge from a decade of right wing rule.
David, You are absolutely right and the missing candidate has been commented on by others in the State. We taxpayers/citizens/voters and especially those of us with an interest in education deserve to know where a potential Superintendent of Public Education stands on the issues. Issues like funding, classroom size, curriculum, local vs state/federal control and, yes, common core. I met Diane Douglas in Flagstaff several months ago while listening to a presentation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction from Massachusetts on education. Diane was opposed to common core but had nothing discernible to say about other education issues. I can only hope that the voters go to the ballot informed. A wistful hope perhaps!
Keep up the good work. Your articles are the reason I read the “Range”