Democrats gather picnic, politics

KINGMAN – Don’t look for doom and gloom from the Mohave County Democrats.

Following the lead of presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama, the attendees at Sunday’s annual Democratic picnic in the Hualalpai Mountains called for change this election cycle.

“We’re looking for honesty and integrity in government. Obama has that,” said Andy La Porta, who described himself and wife Joanne as Kingman independents for Obama.

John Thrasher, making his second consecutive try to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., said he’s hoping the enthusiasm Obama’s campaign is generating translates into votes for him.

“We have our job right in front of us. Let’s rebuild America, let’s rebuild the middle class,” Thrasher said.

Mohave County remains strongly Republican in terms of voter registration. The June count, according to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, shows Mohave County has almost 41,000 registered Republicans against just 26,000 Democrats. But independent voters are gaining ground – almost 30,000 voters have not declared a party affiliation – and Dave Tunnell of Lake Havasu City said that’s good news for the Democrats.

“I get an amazing number of people that come up to me and say ‘are we going to win?’ I say yes,” said Tunnell, the chairman for District 3 of the Mohave County Democratic Central Committee. “There’s going to be a time when business people in this county won’t have to say they’re Republican just to do business. That day is coming soon.”

That day can’t come soon enough for Kingman resident Lee Sterling. She said it’s “tough to be a Democrat” in such a Republican community.

“The county is in bad shape. We need a change,” she said. “We need to get people in that expect more of their town(s). I see a major change coming (and) we need it.”

Patrick Gonzales of Kingman said he’s starting to see it in the response of young people. Earlier this year he started a Young Democrats organization in Kingman, recently started a second group in Bullhead City and said he’ll be making his way to Lake Havasu City in the coming weeks.

“The support is there,” Gonzales said. “The majority of people 18- to 30-years-old are following Obama. They feel a need for change.”

Gonzales group staged a Rock The Vote concert in Kingman recently and the Young Democrats donated all proceeds to the child immunization program at Kingman Regional Medical Center.

The Democratic call for “change” prompted two women to try their hand at candidacy. Pam Durbin of Lake Havasu City is seeking a seat in the Arizona House of representatives while Mary Landahl of Marble Canyon is running for state Senate.

“This is not something I thought I’d do, but I think people need to sit down and work together,” Durbin said.

Landahl agreed, saying,” In the Legislature, it’s not Republican versus Democrat. It’s rural versus urban. We need someone willing to negotiate.”

You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.