One of the many markers of the GOP’s extremism is its committed attack on public education and teachers, who are routinely branded by conservatives as peddlers of left-wing ideology and even “groomers.” This is cynical for many reasons, not least of which is that many Republicans want to end public education for good. One way Democrats can push back on this assault is to elect educators to office, where they will be well-positioned to counter the worst Republican anti-education policies. And one of these educators running for office is Cindy Hans, a DLCC Spotlight candidate who is running for State Senate in Arizona’s 13th Legislative District. Blue Tent rates her campaign a high priority for donors.
Below, we explore three key questions about Hans’ candidacy that small and medium donors should answer before supporting campaigns. (See how we evaluate candidates.)
Is this race important?
Democrats have been trying to turn the Arizona legislature blue for a few cycles now, and could get both chambers if they flip just two seats in the House and the Senate—a high priority, given the extreme and anti-democratic nature of the Arizona GOP. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to do so in 2018 and 2020, so it might be a stretch to expect them to pull it out in 2022. If they do, they’ll need Hans, a political neophyte, to beat out longtime Republican officeholder J.D. Mesnard.
Can Hans win?
Mesnard won by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2018, but looked more comfortable in 2020 as he beat his Democratic opponent by more than 6,000 votes. Beating him will be tough. But the summer has gone badly for Republicans, who are now forced to defend their unpopular position on abortion after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. There is definitely a chance for Hans here, even if she’s not favored.
Does she need the money?
Unlike many other State Senate candidates, Hans has struggled to raise money, likely because of her newcomer status. She had less than $5,000 in cash on hand as of the latest campaign finance report, while Mesnard had over $95,000. That’s simply not going to cut it. Hans has been endorsed by many Democratic organizations and highlighted by the States Project, so this should be a winnable race, but she needs to close that fundraising gap quickly to have a chance, making her a high priority for donors.