Arizona Green Party (AZGP) Endorses Five Candidates for 2018 Election

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The Green Party issued the following news release:

At their recent state meeting (Saturday, January 27, 2018), members of the Arizona Green Party (AZGP) endorsed five of their candidates for the 2018 Election. The candidates are:

John-Aaron Bauman, State Senator, Legislative District 1. John-Aaron is an ordained minister from Prescott Valley. He said, "Water is life and if we don't stop unsustainable expansion we will have neither. I want Legislative District 1 to grow sustainably."

Haryaksha Gregor Knauer, U.S. Congress, Congressional District 4. Haryaksha is a laborer from Chino Valley. He stated, "As the peace candidate in Arizona's CD4 I will not shy from a call to reverse Pentagon bloat. Our medical-industrial-complex likewise is threatening the entire economy with its gigantism. The writing is on the wall: universal healthcare is inevitable. As a compassionate congressperson I will work to gainfully employ the millions who currently comprise the insurance business."

Eve Reyes-Aguirre, U.S. Senate. Eve is a community organizer from Phoenix. She said, "Being a leader is not about power, it is about responsibility. It is time for us to choose responsible leaders, who will put people before profit and provide our children with a more sustainable future."

Stephanie Snyder, State Representative, Legislative District 1. Stephanie is an honors student at NAU and lives in Chino Valley. She stated, "Education, our environment, affordable housing & sustainable community development projects can be used to solve economic & ecological issues with job creation & generate thriving communities within Legislative District 1."

Angel Torres, Governor. Angel has worked in the airline industry for 31 years and is a member/union steward of Teamsters Local 104 in Phoenix. His top 3 campaign issues are: 1) Getting workers organized into the union of their choice, and creating worker-owned cooperatives; 2) Increasing funding for K-12 public education in order to improve teacher/staff salaries and health-care benefits, and improving school infrastructure and technology; 3) Energy democracy: energy resources/utilities under public/community control; using the state budget to promote rooftop solar on state buildings, and transitioning state vehicle fleets to electric vehicles.

Maritza Broce, AZGP state co-chair, said, "In order to receive our state Green Party endorsement, our candidates must be vetted, and be in general agreement with our national Green Party platform, and support our Green Party Ten Key Values. Registered Green Party voters, and other supporters in Arizona, can rest assured that our endorsed candidates will best represent our Green Party values. To qualify our endorsed candidates for the August 28, 2018 Primary Election, it is imperative that our registered Greens in Yavapai County sign the on-line nominating petitions for John-Aaron, Stephanie and Haryaksha. And, we need our registered Greens statewide to sign the on-line nominating petitions for Eve and Angel. This is relatively easy to do. All one needs is their Arizona driver's license (or non-operating identification). Just visit the Arizona Secretary of State's website. We would like to qualify our candidates by the end of February, so please sign the respective on-line nominating petitions today!"

Matt Daniel, Green Party candidate for State Representative, Legislative District 1, and Stuart Starky, Green Party candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, have both suspended their campaigns due to personal or health reasons. Ray Parrish, Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress, Congressional District 1, did not attend the AZGP state meeting on January 27, 2018, so he was not endorsed. However, Mr. Parrish was endorsed by the Arizona Green Party (AZGP) during the 2016 Election and may be endorsed at our next AZGP state meeting (May 2018).

The mission of the Arizona Green Party (AZGP) is to build and sustain an alternative, progressive political party that promotes and practices the Ten Key Values. We do not accept corporate donations and uniquely rely on the generosity of individual donors and volunteers. The four pillars of the Green Party are: Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice, Ecological Wisdom, and Non-violence.