What We Do

Arizona List identifies races in which a progressive woman Democrat can win, recruits and provides training for potential candidates, and helps candidates through our members’ direct contributions of money and time and our expertise. We are modeled after the national EMILY’s List and are committed to increasing the number of pro-choice women Democrats elected to office in Arizona.

Arizona List is committed to changing the face of power in Arizona, breaking down the chronic roadblocks (see below under FAQs) women candidates face in running for office. The challenge for women is not leadership, but overcoming voters’ initial doubts in order to win the chance to lead in the first place.

OUR STRATEGY WORKS!
Our job is to know the opportunities where Democratic women candidates can win. We monitor the political landscape of Arizona, researching local issues, open seats, and new districting to determine the best strategies for Arizona women candidates.

We target districts and build relationships in the community to recruit great candidates. Research shows that women often do not run for office unless they are directly asked to do so

We train our candidates so they are the most qualified and most prepared to win their race.

We financially support endorsed candidates by awarding PAC checks so they are taken seriously.

Finally, we are building a network of support – women helping elect qualified women all over the state! When a candidate is endorsed by Arizona List it boosts their confidence and they are energized to run the best race possible.

OUR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
We are targeting potential House seats for pickup in 2008 and beyond. Open seats and targeting particular districts gives us the best chance of winning. Our expertise and member support helps candidates run the best campaign they can.

Frequently Asked Questions about Arizona List

Q: Why is Arizona List important?
A: Arizona List is necessary because we want to get more talented, qualified women elected to office. We believe that electing a critical mass of women to public office will be a powerful tool in creating social change. When a critical mass of women is present—whether in a neighborhood meeting, a corporate boardroom or a senate committee—the discussion at the table changes.*

Q: Does having women in elected office really change anything?
A: Women bring distinctive perspectives and priorities to leadership. Research confirms that both Republican and Democratic women are more likely than their male counterparts to initiate and fight for legislation to champion social justice, protect the environment, advocate for families, and promote nonviolent conflict resolution.*

Q: Why women only?
A: While there are some great men in office and strong male candidates to support every election, 84% of our representatives are men. Research shows that women don’t have the resources available to men. The purpose of Arizona List is to find, train and support the most qualified women candidates.

Q: Why do women need our help?
A: The challenge for women is not leadership, but overcoming voters’ initial doubts in order to win the chance to lead in the first place.*

Arizona List is fighting to help eliminate the four chronic roadblocks for women candidates.*

1) Double standards are still alive and well. Men are able to win over voters with a combination of personality and job performance, while women must win over voters in each separate category. Men are presumed to be strong enough and tough enough for the job, but voters draw a distinction between a woman’s strength and her toughness. Women bear the burden of having to proving themselves on both.

2) Access to financial circles is still limited. Access to financial networks is still limited for female candidates. Women often start to develop these networks too late, especially among core constituencies.

3) Greater mastery of facts and figures required. Women must demonstrate more expertise than men on issues associated with toughness and finances – immigration, taxes, budgets and attracting jobs.

4) Closer scrutiny of public appearance persists. Media coverage of women’s dress, hair, weight and style persists in ways rarely applied to men. An authentic female candidate is “herself,” but appropriate for the occasion.

Q: Why are you pro-choice?
A: We believe a women’s right to make medical decisions regarding her body is a fundamental human right. We strongly believe that women should be able to make their own choices about important life decisions. This means safeguarding those choices and educating women about their options. We also believe women should have access to birth control, emergency contraception, comprehensive sex education, the HPV vaccine, end-of-life decisions and stem cell research. Support for safe, legal abortions has been consistent for three decades. Being pro-choice is usually an indication that a candidate is progressive on other issues as well.

Q: How do you decide who to endorse?
A: Our endorsement committee is a group of very knowledgeable people from across the state, lead by our political director. We evaluate candidate’s answers to our questionnaires and conduct interviews with candidates and with other professionals in potential candidates’ communities. We are looking for viable candidates in targeted districts who are committed to raising money, running professional campaigns and winning. We monitor their progress, offer ongoing advice and help them find volunteers.

Q: What does our endorsement mean?
A: Arizona List is creating a network of women supporting women across the state. Our endorsement means we believe a candidate is worth supporting, either with time or money.

*Reprinted with permission from The Barbara Lee Family Foundation