Over the last two weeks, I’ve remained quiet about the incessant problem of money in politics. But like many of you, I’ve grown weary of the asks. It’s time to address the issue in regard to the current crisis, a crisis impacting our district’s physical, mental and financial health.
When we closed down our office on March 11th to help protect our community, I knew we would have to make a significant pivot. At that time, I made a commitment to focus solely on connecting our neighbors and helping our community get through this crisis in whatever small ways we could.
We’ve stood by that commitment. This means our priority hasn’t been, nor will it be, fundraising.
I know what it is like to see the health of a family member change in an instant and to have few to no answers. I know what it is like to be afraid because of something inexplicable and sudden, and with you, I am worried now too.
My husband and I also know what it is like to suddenly lose much-needed income due to a crisis. And my entire family knows what it is like to simply need help and to find support through the power of community.
That’s why it is important for me to use the platform I have to help our community, rather than using it for a race to raise.
Yes, all candidates have an upcoming quarterly fundraising deadline. Yes, campaigns need money to continue to pay staff and to get our message out. And yes, we might have to change things around. But this is not the time to ask for money. Period.
This is the time to help, and I will remain committed to that for as long as it takes. This is the time to be adaptable and proactive for those in need.
I take comfort in knowing that we have a distributed network of support and the digital know-how to still make this win happen both in August, and most importantly, in November. The voices of this district will be heard. So I will use this time to focus on our community and only on community.
I hope others in the AZ-06 race will join me and stop the barrage of asks. We can do more united and together.
If there was ever a test of what grassroots truly means, this is it.
May you stay safe and healthy.
-Anita
Join our Slack community ConnectAZ to share resources during this time.
