Paul Giblin, East Valley Tribune
American Indian tribes from across the state and country are pumping money
into Mary Kim Titla¹s congressional campaign.
The former Phoenix TV news reporter is running as a Democrat in the crowded
race in Arizona¹s vast 1st Congressional District. The mostly rural district
has the largest Indian population of any congressional district in the
country at 22 percent.
Titla is a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in southeastern Arizona.
Overall contributions to her campaign are approaching $100,000, and American
Indian tribes have contributed more than half of the total, she said
Wednesday.
³There is a real excitement about my ethnicity, of course, being Native
American. There¹s no doubt about that,² she said. ³People in general are
excited about helping me become the first Native American woman elected to
Congress.²
The campaign¹s latest financial figures will be reflected in its final 2007
campaign finance report, which is due to the Federal Election Commission by
Jan. 15.
Third-quarter 2007 financial reports indicated Titla¹s fundraising was
fourth among candidates hoping to succeed Rep. Rick Renzi, a Republican
incumbent under federal investigation into possible public corruption and
not seeking re-election.
Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick led the field with $217,000 in contributions by
Sept. 30. Republican Sydney Hay had $108,000, Democrat Howard Shanker
$66,000 and Titla $42,000.
To date, 25 tribes have contributed to Titla¹s campaign, she said. The list
includes the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
of North Carolina, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York and the Red Lake
Band of Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, among others.
³There are tribes all over the country who are giving,² she said. Several
tribes have donated $4,600, the maximum amount allowed by law from a single
source.
Titla¹s campaign chest establishes her as a serious candidate, said Mike
O¹Neil, president of O¹Neil Associates, a public opinion research firm based
in Tempe. Her ability to draw contributions from a national base is also
telling, he said.
³Number 1, it says that she has presented a credible case to those tribes;
and Number 2, the power of affinity,² O¹Neil said.
³That¹s not enough. You have to be credible. If she¹s raised that amount of
money at this point, I¹d say that she¹s convinced them that she¹s a credible
candidate,² he said.
In October, Titla addressed about 1,000 tribal leaders at a convention of
the National Congress of American Indians, a lobbying organization. During
her 20-minute speech in Denver, she pledged to address the needs of
children, families, seniors and veterans. She also told the delegates she
will ensure tribal sovereignty.
Those themes carry across state lines, she said.
³What¹s important to remember is that once you¹re elected to Congress, there
are no boundaries, and people understand that. So there is a real genuine
interest all over the country in my candidacy,² Titla said.
She has also received the endorsements of several Arizona tribes.
³I believe that the tribes in the district and outside of the district want
to make sure that there is going to be someone in Congress who can be a
voice for the tribes and can relate to what they¹re going through. And I¹m
that candidate,² she said.
Titla said that her 20 years as a TV reporter in Tucson and the Valley also
have helped establish her reputation among non-Native Americans.
³People appreciate where I¹ve come from, how hard I¹ve worked to get to
where I¹m at, and that I¹m concerned and that I¹m passionate about the same
issues that they¹re concerned about,² she said.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/105768
*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_
For more info visit http://www.gomarykim.com
or contact Mary Kim at marykim@gomarykim.com
SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO SUPPORTS YOU!
American Indian tribes from across the state and country are pumping money
into Mary Kim Titla¹s congressional campaign.
The former Phoenix TV news reporter is running as a Democrat in the crowded
race in Arizona¹s vast 1st Congressional District. The mostly rural district
has the largest Indian population of any congressional district in the
country at 22 percent.
Titla is a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in southeastern Arizona.
Overall contributions to her campaign are approaching $100,000, and American
Indian tribes have contributed more than half of the total, she said
Wednesday.
³There is a real excitement about my ethnicity, of course, being Native
American. There¹s no doubt about that,² she said. ³People in general are
excited about helping me become the first Native American woman elected to
Congress.²
The campaign¹s latest financial figures will be reflected in its final 2007
campaign finance report, which is due to the Federal Election Commission by
Jan. 15.
Third-quarter 2007 financial reports indicated Titla¹s fundraising was
fourth among candidates hoping to succeed Rep. Rick Renzi, a Republican
incumbent under federal investigation into possible public corruption and
not seeking re-election.
Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick led the field with $217,000 in contributions by
Sept. 30. Republican Sydney Hay had $108,000, Democrat Howard Shanker
$66,000 and Titla $42,000.
To date, 25 tribes have contributed to Titla¹s campaign, she said. The list
includes the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
of North Carolina, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York and the Red Lake
Band of Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, among others.
³There are tribes all over the country who are giving,² she said. Several
tribes have donated $4,600, the maximum amount allowed by law from a single
source.
Titla¹s campaign chest establishes her as a serious candidate, said Mike
O¹Neil, president of O¹Neil Associates, a public opinion research firm based
in Tempe. Her ability to draw contributions from a national base is also
telling, he said.
³Number 1, it says that she has presented a credible case to those tribes;
and Number 2, the power of affinity,² O¹Neil said.
³That¹s not enough. You have to be credible. If she¹s raised that amount of
money at this point, I¹d say that she¹s convinced them that she¹s a credible
candidate,² he said.
In October, Titla addressed about 1,000 tribal leaders at a convention of
the National Congress of American Indians, a lobbying organization. During
her 20-minute speech in Denver, she pledged to address the needs of
children, families, seniors and veterans. She also told the delegates she
will ensure tribal sovereignty.
Those themes carry across state lines, she said.
³What¹s important to remember is that once you¹re elected to Congress, there
are no boundaries, and people understand that. So there is a real genuine
interest all over the country in my candidacy,² Titla said.
She has also received the endorsements of several Arizona tribes.
³I believe that the tribes in the district and outside of the district want
to make sure that there is going to be someone in Congress who can be a
voice for the tribes and can relate to what they¹re going through. And I¹m
that candidate,² she said.
Titla said that her 20 years as a TV reporter in Tucson and the Valley also
have helped establish her reputation among non-Native Americans.
³People appreciate where I¹ve come from, how hard I¹ve worked to get to
where I¹m at, and that I¹m concerned and that I¹m passionate about the same
issues that they¹re concerned about,² she said.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/105768
*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_
For more info visit http://www.gomarykim.com
or contact Mary Kim at marykim@gomarykim.com
SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO SUPPORTS YOU!
1 comment:
I would point out that Howard Shanker has the major local tribal endorsements.
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