Democratic Strategist Admits Flipping the Arizona House is “Impossible” Despite it Being a “Top Target” for National Democrats

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a brutal exchange on NBC-12 Arizona’s Sunday Square Off this weekend, former Arizona House minority leader and Democratic strategist Chad Campbell admitted that Democrats do not have a chance of flipping the Arizona House this year, despite it being a “top target” of multiple national liberal groups like the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), the States Project, and Forward Majority.

CAMPBELL: Anybody who looks at the new maps knows Democrats cannot get the majority next year. I mean, I shouldn’t say can’t but it would be impossible. 

BRAHAM RESNIK: Can’t is the same as impossible…

CAMPBELL: Well, no. What you are doing is you are holding the line this year and then in 2024 is when it will be competitive…

Watch the full exchange HERE. 

“National liberal organizations like the DLCC may be confused why Democrats in one of their top target states are already ‘throwing in the towel,’ but it’s clear Democrats are on defense in Arizona because they are on the wrong side of every issue hardworking Arizonans care about,” said RSLC National Press Secretary Stephanie Rivera. “Being in lockstep with Joe Biden and his failed liberal policies is a losing strategy and Arizona Democrats know that, which is why they are ‘already giving up’ on November’s elections.” 

TARGETS OF NATIONAL LIBERALS

Campbell’s stunning admission about the botched recruiting strategy of Arizona Democrats comes despite multiple national liberal organizations naming both chambers in the state as top targets in 2022 and spending or pledging to spend significant resources in the state. 

• The DLCC in a strategy memo published in March of 2021 named both legislative chambers in Arizona as targets and said Democrats, “are on the cusp of a legislative majority in both chambers.”

  • The committee’s national spokesperson in September of 2021 reiterated Arizona is a “top target.”

  • DLCC President Jessica Post said as recently as December that the committee is targeting Arizona.

  • According to IRS filings, the DLCC spent $136,000 in Arizona last year.

• The States Project and Forward Majority announced earlier in April of 2022 a $20 million investment to flip six legislative chambers in 2022, including the Arizona House and Senate.

MORE DEVASTATING MEDIA COVERAGE IN ARIZONA

Sunday Square Off’s segment was just the latest devastating local media coverage that has been sparked by the failures of Democrats to recruit enough candidates in key legislative races. In a scathing column last week, the Arizona Republic's Laurie Roberts noted, 

• “With just over six months to go until the November election, Democrats have already given up any hope of seizing control of the Arizona Legislature…the Arizona Democratic Party has thrown in the towel even before this year’s legislative races have begun, not even bothering to field enough candidates to at least try to win a majority in the Arizona House…It’s difficult to see how you will win a majority when you don’t even field enough candidates in the races that could get you there. If there is such a thing as political malpractice, this is it.”

Roberts then went on Arizona’s Politics Unplugged and reiterated her analysis, saying, “It's as if they've thrown in the towel for this year.” 

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