The candidates for Legislative District 9 are happy to share their stories behind their decisions to run for public office.
Democratic incumbent Victoria Steele spent her middle school years in Franklin, Penn., as a victim of bullies. She finally socked one in the face and spent her time in detention making campaign signs to run for student body vice president—an election she won. She now likes to say that she stands up to bullies in the GOP whenever she goes to Phoenix.
Republican freshman Ethan Orr’s run for public office came out of a desire to help his fellow Tucsonans—as he did when he created Linkages, a nonprofit that connects people with disabilities to potential employers.
And Democratic challenger Randy Friese, an emergency room surgeon who treated victims of the Jan. 8 shooting, decided he could do a similar good at the Capitol.
As one of only two swing districts in Tucson (the other is LD 10), Legislative District 9 is is considered a toss-up this November.
The district sits directly in the middle of north and central Tucson, encompassing Catalina Foothills and pieces of Flowing Wells and Casas Adobes. A list of registered voters from the Secretary of State in August—the most recent data—lists a district make-up of 36 percent Democrat, 32 percent Republican and Independent and a miniscule .9 percent Libertarian.
Following two district debates—one in September, hosted by the Citizen Clean Elections Commission and the other earlier this month presented by the Tucson Weekly—the issues surrounding the district were agreeably education, the economy and getting the budget back under control.
Orr’s first term in office saw its fair share of turbulence.
A vote against his party to support Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion in 2013 led to Republican conservatives disowning him, but his anti-abortion and pro-gun votes have Democrats unhappy as well. And then earlier this year, Orr announced his split with Linkages.
Just weeks before the election, Orr remained optimistic, albeit critical of his opponents’ tactics.
“I’ve passed more legislation than the entire minority caucus,” Orr said. “The only thing you can do is distract the voters with frivolous charges and frivolous lawsuits, and that’s exactly what they’ve done.”
Orr points to his progress in education, namely his help getting $40 million to Arizona schools. He also cites his plan next year to make affordable funding for high school students interested in dual-enrollment in college classes, allowing students to take classes toward an associate degree simultaneously with their high school classes.
A Republican serving a region largely dominated by Democrats, Orr said his spot in the GOP gives his constituents a voice among the majority party that his seatmate Steele and newcomer Friese can’t provide.
“There are a lot of pragmatists that understand how important it is to have a seat at the table,” Orr said. “When the state makes its budget, we need someone from Southern Arizona that is at that table setting the budget.”
But Friese and Steele haven’t bought in to that ideology, both saying that not every single decision is determined by those in the majority. Still, Orr said as someone with experience making laws surrounding education, working with developmentally challenged people and growing up in Tucson will make a difference in November.
“Every single walk—and we’ve done a lot of walking—I knock on a door, and I went to high school with someone, I’ve worked with them, I helped their family member get a job,” Orr said. “I think that matters.”
Steele’s days punching bullies are over, and she’s since worked as a journalist and mental health counselor. Like Orr, Steele’s focus is on education, which she said is one of many issues that go back to the state’s economy.
Earlier this year, she called a special session to address the issues behind education funding last spring, and she’s calling a recent court order requiring lawmakers to provide an additional $317 million to Arizona schools a victory for state education.
Still, she’s frustrated that the check hasn’t been cut.
“Waiting is playing politics,” she said. “That’s balancing the budget on the backs of our children. That’s not OK and I will fight that with everything I’ve got.”
Steele also points to improving trade relations with Mexico as important ventures in bettering the state’s economy.
Steele speaks passionately about her fight for women’s rights in the state. She has criticized the GOP for its push against women’s reproductive health like abortion and birth control and social issues like equal pay—issues where no progress has been made, she added.
She didn’t mince words when it came to her Republican seatmate and his party.
“There’s more of them than there are of us,” she said of Republicans in Phoenix. “And until we get a different balance, women are going to continue to lose rights. That’s why, even as much as I like Ethan, I hope he doesn’t get re-elected.”
Friese talks often about his upbringing as a product of public education. The surgeon and UA professor has strongly held onto support for schools as the foundation of his platform.
Friese added that Orr’s stance on education is not one of support. Instead, Friese said, Orr is focused on schools, but not public schools. He cites Orr’s vote to expand tax credits for those paying tuition for private schools.
“One of them was such an abhorrent expansion that it had no limit upon the tax credits that the corporations over the years take,” Friese said. “The governor actually vetoed that bill.”
Friese’s stance has drawn the support of local heavyweights like Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly—support that Friese said he gladly welcomes but doesn’t overshadow the support he’s received from anyone else.
As a newcomer whose win would mean working with a seatmate from either party, Friese said he plans to work with what the election gives him, and expressed a willingness to work across the aisle.
“That’s what politics is about,” he said. “You expose your differences during election cycles, and then you find your common ground, you find your common values when it’s time to work together in session. I absolutely think that’s part of the process.”
This article appears in Oct 23-29, 2014.
Victoria Steele has done a great job of representing us and Randy Friese will, too!
You know I really get tired of having to post substance for those who really want to make an informed decision: As I always say, please post the resumes of legislative accomplishments of both the other potential seat holders in the next comment section so ALL can make an educated choice based on their resume. (Normal job interview stuff) This is how intelligent people make decisions about who represents them, however first some editorializing on my part:
Ethan Orr was born here in Tucson and an AMPHI/ U of A grad, has been a community partner, a friend, a family man but most importantly one of the most effective legislators Southern Arizona has known in decades. His advocacy pursuit of an economic oriented agenda and commitment to representing us through bipartisan, logical, pragmatic solutions as well as common sense has earned him our respect and gratitude. His opponents are convinced that the wedge issue politics of extreme ideologies will win the day, reason will win the day. Tucson’s relevance as a region is at stake, more so in this election than anyone we have seen in the last 25 years. If Ethan loses you might as well put a big bulls eye on Tucson’s back, as most the Maricopa dominated legislators, are not Wildcat fans and definitely have it out for Tucson in general.
LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Bills signed into law: (this means any legislation, amending, reforming, altering creating laws-try to remember just creating new legislation is not necessarily a good thing)
1. HB 2543 – (2013) Pima College Non-Resident Tuition
2. HB 2163 – Commercial Space Flight
3. HB 2164 – Laser pointer, aircraft violation
4. HB 2166 – Pima County Retirement System
5. HB 2167 – Pima County Sports Authority Election
6. HB 2332 – Veterans Burial Provision
7. HB 2076 (2013 With Sonny Borrelli) Veterans Employment
Bills Stopped on floor:
8. HB 2379 (Olson) Secondary Property Tax Limit (Library Bill)
Bills Amended:
9. SB 1282 Racing Omnibus (Pierce) – added reporting requirements, gave communities the ability to prohibit on track gambling
Administrative:
10. $300,000 for police – IGA with Department of Health Services
11. About $750,000 – Disabled Bus riders
12. $250,000 – Air conditioning for Hendricks Elementary
13. Drafting Governors Student Success Formula ($40 Million)
14. Contract for DD providers (Beacon Group)
Budget:
15. Mental Health First aide and Mental Health Block Grants
16. $250,000 for Mental health First Aid (2013)
17. $500,000 for Mental Health Block Grants (2014)
Pima County JTED:
18. $1,500,000 – Changed JTED funding formula (2014)
University of Arizona:
19. $2,000,000 – Mission Critical Research (2014)
(Used to help start Veterinarian program)
20. $3,500,000 – Cooperative Extension (2014)
21. $4,000,000 for hospital funding (2013) in addition to 22. $4,000,000 in Governor budget
23. $1,500,000 main campus performance funding (2013)
Pima College:
24. $2,000,000 for urban community colleges ($700,000 went to Pima) (2014)
Efforts with other Republicans:
25. Medicaid Expansion
26. Stopping the ESA bills based on geography
27. Judicial Hold for Mental health
28. Charter Conversion for public schools
29. Oh shoot, I forgot his work against SB 1062, a potential economic disaster for Arizona
There are still more, the point is clear, in Ethan Orr ‘s two years he passed more legislation, worked on the inside on more issues, than the entire Democratic caucus combined. Can someone please list his opponents accomplishments on behalf of Tucson? Friends, do not let either party rob you of your common sense, your relevance, and your influence, to serve their own agenda.
VOTE ONLY ONCE (single shot) and SEND ETHAN BACK TO WORK FOR US
VOTE ETHAN ORR for STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
“There is no monopoly of common sense on either side of the political fence.” Sting-1980’s
Feel free to look on his website and contact him if you have any questions about the above stuff.
-Peace
I respect very much the conclusion of Mr. Downing with the outline of why he believes Ethan Orr deserves reelection. In fact if Representative Orr could be as forceful and sincere as Mr. Downing it would be a little more difficult not to agree.
However each and every time I have heard Orr speak he takes a lot more credit than he deserves for anything positive the Legislature accomplished and accepts no fault for other actions of the Legislature.
In my opinion a great deal of the actions of the Legislature were a waste both of time and money. While time may not be important to some, enacting laws just to blow smoke for a few ideologies does seem to to be a waste of time and for that matter money. Legislation for cultural theories does not enhance the general welfare, provide jobs, or better living standards in our great state.
Mr. Downing chooses to play politics recommending voting for only one person when we have two legislative positions to fill and excellent candidates to consider for both of those votes, namely Representative Victoria Steele and Dr. Randy Friese.
One of the reasons both Representative Orr and Mr. Downing contend Orr should be returned to the Legislature is the very best reason Representative Victoria Steele and Dr. Randy Friese should be sent to the Legislature for us here in Legislative District 9. We need to break up that power structure holding Arizona back from the modern world and passing questionable legislation. You know like giving guns to 9 year olds for Christmas, no they haven’t done that yet, but left to the same bunch they may try.
We don’t need Representative Orr at the Republican ruling party table again. We have had a taste of that over the last few years and where has it gotten us? Universal disrespect not only around the country but internationally. The Legislature has had the United State Supreme Court strike down laws passed by it and still more hanging in the air waiting for court decisions. Yes, and wasting taxpayer money fighting uselessly in court.
Orr talks about sitting at the same table as the one that the Court found short changed education funding mandated by popular vote of the citizens of Arizona. That table that Orr finds so important to sit at has millions of dollars they must come up with for public schools in back payments they totally ignored. How much more do we have go through watching the Republicans destroy education in Arizona? I think we need to tell Representative Orr, enough!
We can best do that by returning Representative Victoria Steele and electing Dr. Randy Friese to join her at the Legislature. We all know changes are desperately needed in state government and not just electing new statewide officers, but new legislators too.
I attended both debates for LD-9 and the reporter’s conclusion that:
“the issues surrounding the district were agreeably education, the economy and getting the budget back under control.” could not be more wrong.
The reporter completely dismisses the issues of women’s reproductive health and firearms. During the Oct. 6 debate a great deal of time was spent on both those issues.
The views held by the candidates on these issues were starkly different and elicited a great deal of response from the crowd.
Dr. Friese has been a champion of protecting the rights of women to make their OWN health care decisions for decades. In fact, he was the only NON-INCUMBENT to receive an early endorsement from Planned Parenthood. Dr. Friese also has spoken out about the need to address gun violence as a public health issue. In fact, Dr. Friese was one of the physicians that successfully lobbied to have Arizona join the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), and he will be sitting on the Board of that organization. This is a scientific way of gathering facts to help make decisions on how to lower gun violence and other violent death statistics.
One of the first things Mr. Orr did when he arrived at the Legislature was to sign the CENTER FOR ARIZONA POLICY’s (Cathi Herrod’s organization) proclamation stating that ROE VS WADE was unconstitutional and that he would work to outlaw abortion in all instances (this includes rape and incest).
Mr. Orr has 100% voting record with the NRA. He DOES NOT support background checks (even though in the LD-9 debate he said that there seemed to be a ‘misconception is that he doesn’t support background checks’ …within the next week the Arizona Daily Star posted his questionnaire with the clear answer that he DOES NOT SUPPORT BACKGROUND CHECKS.
When discussing the economy Dr. Friese clearly articulated his plan. Mr. Orr’s discussed the fact that he is a Republican and Tucson needs to have a Republican to have a ‘seat at the table’ (of the Republican caucus).
Dr. Friese rightly pointed out: THE PEOPLE at the current table are the ones that got us into the mess in the first place; the table is broken. We need a new table and new faces.
This next legislative session may well see more bills against equality (such as SB 1062), and certainly Cathi Herrod will be lobbying hard for more restrictions for choice.
This is NOT a discussion about who is a nice person. This is about WHO IS THE RIGHT person.
Mr. Orr is definitely not the right person to serve as LD-9’s representative. His views are extreme and his votes will continue to be 90% with this radically conservative Republican caucus. In fact, he will be a voice for anti-choice views and continue to support the NRA’s roadblock towards background checks for firearms.
I’m researching the candidates today, and I have come across Mr. Downing’s post (see above) in a few different places. While I’m giving all three candidates serious consideration, this type of sketchy campaigning really bugs me.
Here’s why. Let’s take a closer look at Mr. Downing’s list of Orr’s “Legislative Accomplishments”:
1. HB 2543 – (58 out of 60 members voted YES) * (2013) Pima College Non-Resident Tuition
2. HB 2163 – (58 out of 60 AZ House members voted YES) * Commercial Space Flight
3. HB 2164 – (58 out of 60 AZ members voted YES) * Laser pointer, aircraft violation
4. HB 2166 – (60 out of 60 members voted YES) * Pima County Retirement System
5. HB 2167 – (45 out of 60 members voted YES) *Pima County Sports Authority Election
6. HB 2332 – (54 out of 60 members voted YES) Veterans Burial Provision
7. HB 2076 – (54 out of 60 members voted YES) * (2013) Military Applicants
Co-sponsor of 6 of the 7 bills listed above = VICTORIA STEELE.
I’ve also noted the overall membership voting record to highlight the fact that all of these ‘accomplishments’ could be claimed by almost the ENTIRE Arizona State House of Representatives. In other words, they were non-controversial pieces of legislation. The star (*) after each also donates bills that were co-sponsored by Rep. Victoria Steele. The rest of his list, by the way, also highlights other efforts that she supported and/or spearheaded as well.
Seriously. The guy who asked “Can someone please list his opponents accomplishments on behalf of Tucson?” actually kicked off his own post with six bills co-sponsored by the candidate he opposes. I’m guessing that he just hoped that no one would notice. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m tired of certain being played by political operatives.
Couple things:
1. Please post with your real names guys, stand by your candidates.
2. SB1062 is reason enough to send Ethan back, his leadership on that was nothing but AMAZING.
3. The point is that Ethan was a prime sponsor on those bills, if you know how it works up there you will acknowledge that all DEM bills are DOA. (it aint right)
4. Sounds like Victoria and Ethan work well together for our region by your assessment. Why change that?
5. There will be no major shift in party control until 2020 so until then we must deal with reality not what someone wishes it was.
6. Friese seems like a wonderful man but why send an unproven individual (legislatively) to represent a region he has been in for 6 years? I am sorry but Ethan is a third generation Tucsonan. Barber’s people are using the same argument, hmmmm
7. Really, I have better things to do, if it pops up on my news feed I will respond again…
Peace
Why Demitri, it sounds as though you have just endorsed my campaign for re-election. That’s wonderful! Thank you so much for your support. – Victoria
Downing, Victoria has to be joking or I miss read your post. You said only vote for one. When we have TWO to elect. Flush your other vote!
Victoria Steele thinks she is the one you recommended. If you did I certainly agree with you. Representative Victoria Steele has earned reelection.
I think all reason points to a Steele-Friese victory. Both State Representative Victoria Steele and Dr. Randy Friese are more in tune with the district and certainly not tied down by the right-wing extremists who have been running the Legislature that Ethan Orr joins.
Let’s be honest, those guys that Orr is attached to are not the least bit interested in Tucson, Southern Arizona, the U of A or making connections with our best trading partner leading to more employment and better jobs for us in Southern Arizona.
Screaming the border, the border, yelling ebola, ebola, does not bring much needed resources and jobs to our area, let alone serve the best interests of the state.
Orr’s support of SB1062 is reason enough to send him packing.
I fail to understand Demetri. Can anyone explain how he comes to be such a vociferous advocate for an unabashedly conservative Republican as Ethan Orr has proven to be by his unswerving support for the National Rifle Association’s all guns all the time everywhere and for Cathi Herrod and her Center for Arizona Policy? I thought Demetri was a progressive, son of a progressive, staffer to progressive elected official(s). Somewhere in his message he indicates it’s not a good thing that a Democrat’s bill can’t gain a hearing in the legislature and yet his answer appears to be that we should keep Republicans in charge rather than attempting to replace them when and were that’s feasible, as it is in LD 9 this year. Please, if you care enough to give the very best, give your TWO VOTES to Victoria Steele and Randy Friese and let Ethan Orr stay right here in his native Tucson and work for all of us…. in the private sector, where Republicans are much more comfortable.
Why is the GOP/dark money pouring so much into Orr’s campaign.. for a $24K a year job?? We get 3-5 mailers day for Orr, and our ballots went in the mail within hours of us receiving them.
Inquiring minds want to know… not that the truth will ever come out.
Hakeson, it’s called bullet voting. It’s recommended to reduce support for either of the opponents.
Note to Tucson Weekly advertising director: Your ad revenues might improve if you stopped allowing political operatives from posting the equivalent of a full page ad in the comments section of stories. Instead, contact the campaigns who abuse this and try selling them some ad space.