UPDATE - 8/21/08 - Debate Tonight!
I will be debating my primary opponent tonight, Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 7 PM at the Love of Christ Lutheran Church, Center for Compassion, 1525 N. Power Road in Mesa. Thanks to Legislative Districts 18 & 19 for hosting the event. Hope to see you all there.
UPDATE - 8/16/08 - Breaking News: United Transportation Union Endorses Chris Gramazio
We’re pleased to announce that UTU Local 807 has given me their endorsement. For those not in the know, this is the United Transportation Union. As important as the issues of transportation and infrastructure have been in my campaign, this is an important affirmation of our message.
If you missed me on the Jeff Farias Show yesterday, here’s the link to the podcast:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/JeffFariasLowRate - Go to the 8/15/08 show. I’m on around the 1 hour mark. You can fast forward to that point, but I would listen to the whole show if you can, Jeff really does a great job.
UPDATE - 8/12/08 - Chandler Debate
On Tuesday, August 12th I’ll be debating my primary opponent at 7pm at the Chandler Library, Downtown Branch, at 22 S Delaware St. Individuals wishing to submit questions for the debate are requested to be at the library by 6:30pm. We’d love for any of you interested to come on out and support the Gramazio campaign. The debate will be moderated by AM 1480KPHX radio hosts Herb "Sarge" Phelps of Unreported News and Jeff Farias of The Jeff Farias Show. It should be interesting.
UPDATE - 8/10/08 - Sun Lakes - Chandler Democratic Club Meeting Tonight
I'll
be speaking at the Sun Lakes - Chandler Democratic Club Meeting,
tonight, Monday, August 11. The meeting starts at 7:00pm.
I'm excited to head back to where I formally announced my candidacy;
it's long overdue.
UPDATE - 8/9/08 - News Alert: The Arizona Republic Recommends Chris Gramazio in CD6 Democratic Primary
Click link below:
Arizona Republic Recommends Chris Gramazio
'nuff said!
UPDATE - 8/1/08 - Reminder! Chris Gramazio on Desert Politics - AM1480 Tomorrow
We welcome you to tune in tomorrow at 1 p.m. to AM1480 – KPHX. Chris and his primary opponent will be discussing the issues they feel are most important to District 6.
Please call in if you have a question or comment: 602-258-8800 or 800-989-1480
If you don’t live in the valley, you can listen through the web: http://www.1480kphx.com/DynamoPages.php?PID=22
Thank you for your continued support.
Chris & Stacy Gramazio
UPDATE - 7/30/08 - Breaking News: UA Plumbers and Pipefitters 469 Endorse Chris!
Hello!
We’re very excited to announce that Chris has been endorsed by Local 469. We wanted our supporters to be the first to know!
Thanks so much to our volunteers who are already on the phones encouraging the voters of District 6 to support Chris at the Primary on September 2nd. We could use a few more volunteers who have a few hours to spare working from home. Basically, we provide you with the contacts and a script, and you can call at your own pace. If you’re interested, please email cgramazio@chrisgramazio.com soon.
We’re hoping to set up a phone banking night before September, but having more volunteers working from home would be very beneficial.
Thanks,
Stacy Gramazio
UPDATE - 7/6/08 - Thanks for the support on the 4th!
It was a fabulous 4th of July as the Chris Gramazio for Congress campaign celebrated at the Gilbert Old-Fashioned Days Festival. We got tons of new supporters and solidified ourselves as the frontrunner to unseat Jeff Flake. It was a great event as we were sandwiched between our friends Glenn Ray (running for State Rep. in LD22) and the GEMDems. Check out some pics.
UPDATE - 7/3/08 - Do you have plans for the 4th of July?
Chris Gramazio for Congress will have a booth at the Gilbert Old-Fashioned Days this July 4th to pass out literature and talk to people in the heart of District 6 about the campaign and the issues most concerning them. We welcome any volunteers who would like to work the booth with us. Please call or email if you would like to help, or just stop by to say hello if you plan to attend.
Where is the Gilbert Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration?Mesquite High School located at 500 S. McQueen Road in Gilbert.
When is it?July 4th from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies at 7 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled to start at 9 p.m.
What will happen?Live entertainment, contests, games, kiddie rides, carnival rides, community exhibits, kids’ parade, and the grand finale fireworks display. Food, refreshments and novelties are also available for purchase. Finalists from the "Sing Your Way to Gilbert Days" talent contest will perform.
What does it cost?Free admission and free parking. Bring cash for rides, amusements and refreshments.
What else do I need to know?No alcohol. No smoking. No pets. No coolers, cans or bottles.
Have a wonderful Independence Day!
UPDATE - 6/29/08 - Signs, signs...
UPDATE - 6/29/08 -Great Night at the South Gilbert Unite for Change House Party.
Greetings Everyone,
A great time was had by all at the Unite for Change House Party in South Gilbert last night. A big thank you goes out to Brandan Spralding and the Morrison's for hosting.
It was an honor to be on hand with some of the East Valley's best and brightest candidates: Glenn Ray (candidate for State Rep. in LD22), Dorian Bond (candidate for State Rep. in LD23), Phil Hettmansperger (candidate for State Rep. in LD21) Gerald Richard (candidate for Maricopa County Attorney), Tim Nelson (candidate for Maricopa County Attorney), Ed Hermes (candidate for Maricopa County Supervisor), and Dan Saban (candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff). Click here for pics.
The message of change was resounding. We see a clear vision for the future of Arizona coming into focus, one that speaks to the values of family and community. All the candidates touched on such important issues as education, public safety, health care, transportation, the economy, energy, and immigration. We see a Democratic groundswell beginning to turn the corner into a full blown geyser of hope.
In addition, it was a tremendous evening in terms of fundraising. We received a great outpouring of support that will further aid our efforts in giving Jeff Flake a legitimate challenge this November.
It was also a night of transition for the Chris Gramazio for Congress Campaign. As my beautiful wife Stacy enters into the 9th month of her pregnancy, we look to lessen her burdens and hand over the campaign manager reigns to some new blood. Fear not though, the woman you’ve all come to love, almost as much as I, will still be active behind the scenes of our campaign. Honestly, where would I be without her; after all, she is my best friend.
With this in mind, we welcome aboard Thomas D. Hedberg, Jr. as our new campaign manager. Tom speaks directly to the message of our campaign, coming from a working middle-class background. He brings with him some outstanding experience having worked with Senator Barack Obama and managing a campaign in Indiana’s 4th Congressional District. Here’s a brief bio on Tom to get you all acquainted:
Tom Hedberg is 25 years old; born and raised outside Chicago, IL. He comes from a working middle class family. Tom's father is a full-time fire fighter and part-time accountant. Tom's mother works in the medical field as a Licensed Surgical Technician. Tom was educated at Purdue University of West Lafayette, IN in Aerospace Engineering and Political Science. Tom has worked on countless education referendums to help schools hurt by the broken promises of No Child Left Behind. Tom has also worked with Senator Barack Obama during his time in the Illinois State Legislature. Lastly, Tom was campaign manager for Dr. David Sanders, Ph.D. who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Fourth Congressional District of Indiana against Steve Buyer. Currently, Tom lives with his wife, Becky, and their two cats in Chandler, AZ.
As most of you already know we’ll be having a Beer & Brat Party for our campaign on July 13th (see below flyer). Please feel free to spread the word and bring anyone interested along (just make sure they RSVP…we’ve got to have an idea of how many people might be showing up, after all I am a middle-class guy and we don’t live in a mansion). There is a suggested donation of $20, but it’s not required. As I said at a recent speaking engagement, I’d rather have a million voices than a million dollars. You can go to http://www.actblue.com/page/beerandbrats if you’d like to donate ahead of time (we don’t mind).
As always I’d love to point you all towards some informative articles regarding our local and national scene. For those of you not in the know on the proposed Superstition Vistas project, the following link should help you all get up to speed…I found it very informative: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0402vistas-main0402.html . Also with all the recent talk about offshore drilling, I believe you’ll all enjoy this unbiased take on the subject, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91819077 . It's the first article at the top of the page, click the listen now link. It's eye opening and clearly underpins the need for solutions involving renewable energy, conservation, a green economy and personal responsibility.
Thanks to all of you who’ve continued to support our campaign and welcome aboard to those new supporters. This is a fight worth pursuing. With your help we can facilitate real change within Arizona’s Congressional District 6. The first step is shedding light on Jeff Flake and his anti-community voting record. Please, help pull back the curtain on Mr. Flake and expose him for the do-nothing politician he really is. We can’t do it without you.
Sincerely,
Chris
UPDATE - 6/27/08 -Thanks for attending.
Thanks to everyone who made it out to the Pinal County Democrats sponsored Wine and Cheese Meet and Greet last night. It was great to be among so many candidates and meet some of my neighbors in the Queen Creek area. I think we did a lot to spread the word that change is around the corner in the East Valley.
UPDATE - 6/21/08 -Thanks for listening.
Thanks to those of you who listened! If you missed Chris this morning on 1480 KPHX, The Unreported News, you can still hear the podcast:
http://novamnetwork.com/podcasts/unreportednews/premium/URNShow-(22-06-2008)-lo.mp3
http://www.1480kphx.com/DynamoSub.php?SID=113
Towards the end of Chris’s segment, he mentions our fundraising efforts and how much we depend on the people of the community. Please consider joining the “10,000 Fives Club” by contributing just $5 to our campaign. We have many plans to move forward, and we especially want to expose Jeff Flake’s voting record; however, we need your help to do so. We don’t believe it takes a million dollars (as Mr. Flake has) for voters to make the right choice, but we do need funds to continue to create a buzz. We still need to purchase more signs, and we would like to more forward with radio and television advertising. Contributions in any amount can make an enormous difference.
http://www.actblue.com/page/tenthousandfivesclub http://www.actblue.com/page/chris4congress (We’ll take more than five too!)
Thank you,
Stacy Gramazio
UPDATE - 6/19/08 -Watch & Listen as the "New Voice for the East Valley" Makes His Mark in District 6!
We are so fortunate to have you as our supporter. Thank you for all the positive comments and generous contributions.
Sincerely,
Stacy Gramazio
UPDATE - 6/15/08 - A Father's Day Message
Hello All,
Well another Father’s Day has passed and with it comes reflections of life’s shared journeys and of those yet to come. This being only my third as a Dad, my thoughts turn ever increasingly to my children’s futures and the world that lies ahead. The lessons I have yet to teach, and those I have yet to learn. The moments that will define our lives, and the memories we will hold in our hearts. I have had no greater experience in my life than being a Dad, and no greater responsibility. These are the things that guide me and make me strive for a better world; these are the things that now define my life. And no better definition could I ask for.
With all this in mind, our campaign to bring back the voice of the working and middle class to District 6 is well on its way. We continue our position as the frontrunner for the Democratic Party as more donations and endorsements come in, while we work hard to spread the message that “A New Voice” is needed in the East Valley. We are beginning to turn the hearts and minds of those in District 6 towards the once thought impossible dream of a true representative. A representative that will address the needs of the community, from education to transportation, health care to the economy and everything in-between. But, as we’ve said before, we can’t do it without your help. We’ve begun to enlist an army of volunteers from the many corners of District 6…Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Queen Creek…but more are still needed. We need to keep spreading the word that District 6 can be turned blue and an individual who will work for the community exists.
We are currently in the process of getting our signs. Anyone interested in a yard sign please contact us. We need visibility everywhere. If you know of good locations, let us know…we want Chris Gramazio for Congress on the lips of every individual in Maricopa and Pinal Counties.
In addition we’re taking a page from the book of clean elections and the master fundraiser himself, Barack Obama. We’ve started another donation page we’re calling the “10,000 Fives Club.” We’re looking to get 10,000 individuals in District 6 to donate a mere $5 to our campaign. It’s a start, and if we can reach this goal, we’ll be half way towards our desired $100,000 magic number. This would truly help us establish our legitimacy in this race. If you’re feeling generous you can donate more, but all we’re asking for is $5. Please spread this message along to other concerned citizens. Make it one of those crazy chain emails that if you don’t answer or spread to your friends your cat grows and extra tail (or something like that). We need our supporters to step up and let Jeff Flake know that his free ride is over. http://www.actblue.com/page/tenthousandfivesclub
I know I usually provide some links to interesting articles that point towards creative solutions and ideas from around the world, but today I’d just like to say Happy Father’s Day, and remember a great individual who passed away this week. I know you’re all aware of the great loss we met with the death of Tim Russert. Tim Russert’s book Big Russ and Me is one of my favorites, and I read in awe of the tremendous relationship Mr. Russert shared with his father and son. He was one of the few people in the media -- maybe the only -- that I trusted with all my heart. A grounded, sound individual, who never forgot his roots. A man I hoped to one day meet. That day will sadly never come, but my heart goes out to his family. I hope to be half the dad Tim was, and I thank him for the wonderful blueprint he left.
Sincerely,
Chris
UPDATE - 6/11/08
Hello All,
Big news update! The momentum is starting to build and people are beginning to take notice that Chris Gramazio is a candidate to watch!
Please read the article by Dawn Teo who says, “…I am so impressed with challenger Chris Gramazio, who is mounting a fierce campaign against incumbent Jeff Flake (R) to put the spotlight on our do-nothing Congressional representative and to raise awareness of progressive issues in what is probably the reddest district in Arizona (also my district)."
Read the full article in The Huffington Post here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/almost-blue-the-obama-dea_b_105933.html
In other news, Chris is continuing to canvass and call voters to make sure the residents of District 6 are aware they have a choice and that their voices deserve to be heard! He is also receiving letters and contributions from citizens all over the nation who are interested in supporting a candidate who represents the working man and woman.
Chris also just finished a local commercial which will be available on his site soon. Please watch for it.
Thank you, as always, for helping Chris Gramazio for Congress reach its fundraising goals: http://www.actblue.com/page/chris4congress . Please consider creating your own fundraising page. Recently, a new page was created – “Gold Canyon for Chris Gramazio.” We’d be honored to see pages from Gilbert, Mesa, Apache Junction, Chandler, and Queen Creek too! J
Sincerely, Stacy Gramazio
UPDATE - 6/4/08
Dear Friends,
Today marks the filing deadline, and we couldn’t be more motivated to press forward and make sure that the Democratic voice is heard loud and clear in the East Valley. We will not be forgotten! It looks like there will be a primary, but Chris is still focused on the main goal: defeating Jeff Flake and giving the working and middle class representation in our community.
We need to make it clear that we are the frontrunner. Please help us with that by contributing to the campaign: http://www.actblue.com/page/chris4congress . Funds are needed to distribute signs around the district and show the community that it’s time for fresh blood. Your contribution in any amount can help us do that. Thank you to those who have already contributed. Because of your generosity, we were able to verify our nomination petition signatures and create literature for Chris’s campaign.
We are already amassing an army of volunteers. To those of you who are already working to spread the word…you rock! If you wish to volunteer by canvassing your neighborhood, contact us and we will bring you literature. Chris had already proved his dedication to this cause by personally knocking on the doors of over 1000 voters. We know that his opponents cannot say the same!
Do you endorse Chris? If so, email us to let us know. We will add your name to the website’s new endorsement page. Be one of the first to show that you believe Chris can give District 6 a chance. We are thrilled to announce that Dennis Kavanaugh, Councilmember for the City of Mesa, is the first to announce his official endorsement. It is an honor!
We are truly blessed to live in a community that cares so much. Thank you for impacting our lives in such a positive way! We’re happy to have you on this journey.
Sincerely,
Stacy Gramazio
UPDATE - 5/23/08 Hello All, What an amazing month it has been. The meetings continued, the canvassing continued, and most importantly the dream continued. And on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 3:00 p.m., the dream took one step closer as the Chris Gramazio for Congress campaign filed our signatures with the Arizona Secretary of State (see pics here). We’re now official! It was a whirlwind day as we (my wife and I) attended The Nucleus Club meeting in Phoenix, where we had the pleasure of networking with some of Arizona’s finest, including Dan Saban (your next Sheriff), Ed Hermes (your next County Supervisor), and Janice Brunson (Super Delegate). We continued on to file our signatures, made a swing by the Democratic offices, and finished our day at the Pinal County Democrats monthly meeting. Whew. That’s just a snapshot of the kind of days we have ahead of us as our campaign really begins to take shape. Add onto this a more than full-time job, a two year old, another child on the way, and a wife that works tirelessly to help it all come together (bless her soul) and you’ll understand the passion and belief the Gramazio family has in bringing A New Voice to the East Valley. Our futures are all intertwined and our community’s well being needs to be addressed. We can no longer sit by while our current Congressional Representative turns a blind eye to his community. Issues such as Health Care, Education, Transportation, and the Economy need to take the forefront as our nation heads into an uncertain future. It’s time to flip the switch from “uncertain” to “certain” and elect an individual who understands what it’s like to be a true member of America’s fading middle-class. It’s time to bring A New Voice to District 6, one that looks to the future with better eyes than representatives of the past. One that finds all tomorrow’s dreams possible. The continuing journey finds us highlighting various stories from around the world that point to hope for our future. I ran across this story about a South Korean island that has achieved total energy independence with clean technology, South Korean Solar Community . I also found this beauty about a breakthrough in recycling for the future, Household Rubish . And last but not least, how about this kid from Canada, http://news.therecord.com/article/354201 . These are all fantastic stories that point to solutions for a better, brighter planet…one interesting thing to keep in mind though, all these great ideas are coming from other countries. It’s time for America to once again become the trailblazer we once were. Let’s learn from these other nations and use our vast knowledge and resources to once again be the shining star that guides this new Global Community. Once last interesting tidbit, many of you know I work for a specialized transportation company called Stage Call in Apache Junction. We were recently contacted to transport the set for the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. In an effort to lessen our carbon footprint, it was requested that we do so using bio-diesel in our trucks. This is something our company is no stranger to, having used bio-diesel on various tours we’ve transported throughout North America. We gladly agreed to accommodate this request and are happy to be a part of the solution As always, I’d like to thank all of you who’ve helped, and continue to help, with our campaign. We’re still at the beginning stages, with a long way to go, but we wouldn’t even be this far without you. Please accept our most humble gratitude. Have a wonderful Memorial Day, Chris Gramazio Chris Gramazio for Congress P.S. The news is beginning to spread! http://grayson-for-congress.blogspot.com/
UPDATE
View the recent letter sent out to supporters: Hello All, How fast time flies. May is already here and things are really starting to get jumping. As we stated last time, the “impossible dream” is alive and well in CD6. Supporters continue to multiply and donations are trickling in at an ever increasing pace. We’re just about done with our signatures, and I can assure you all that I will be on the ballot. I will bring A New Voice to the East Valley and help provide District 6 with a representative you can be proud of. I’ve been hard at work canvassing and attending meetings all over the Valley. My family and I made an appearance at the State Democratic Convention and, for those of you that missed us, my apologies. Sometimes you shouldn’t bring a two-year-old on the campaign trail with you; an extended stay was not in the cards for us that day. Our son Christopher is an outstanding orator though. I also had the pleasure of speaking -- albeit briefly -- at the PDA meeting along with Dan Saban. I’ve met Dan several times and he’s truly a wonderful man. I hope you’re all supporting him in his campaign to oust Sheriff Joe. The PDA meeting was a great experience and there are some wonderful people there really trying to make a difference. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jonathan Weisbuch. He’s a passionate man with a firm plan to help bring a single payer health care system to America. I plan on working with him in the future to help bring a better understanding to what I consider one of the most important issues facing our nation today. As you know, I like to share little tidbits I’ve run across regarding issues that are important to me. This time I’d love for you all to check out a great article I stumbled across regarding a breakthrough in “Green Gasoline” - http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news4.8.08d.html - It’s an interesting read and gives me great hope for the future of the renewable fuel economy. Lastly, I’d like to share with all of you an email I recently received that gave me a moment of pause, reflection and belief that we’re moving in the right direction. It came from an individual not even in my district. Shoot, this person’s not even in our state! Hi I was checking out the FEC website to find out who was running for Congress. I found your campaign website and wanted to commend you for your courage, as well as your honesty. Most all of these candidates are primarily cookie cutter types. You find the identical resume everywhere you go, BA Political Science, JD, 4-8 years in the State Legislature, the obligatory work with service, business or political organizations. Nobody I know looks like that, they don't represent me and couldn't begin to know how. Chris, you are the real thing. Unfortunately, I live in California in the 11th District, so I can't give you my vote. All of the very best to you and your family in this endeavor. Ron Hanning Once again, thank you all and don’t forget you can donate through my website, www.chrisgramazio.com , or by contacting us directly. This asking for money thing is really difficult, but I can’t stress enough that we need your donations in order to try and raise awareness of our campaign and combat incumbent Jeff Flake’s nearly 1 million dollars. If you can, please give…if you can’t, just spread the word. We could show them that word of mouth is sometimes more powerful than a million dollars…and isn’t that what it’s all really about…coming together for a brighter future. Sincerely, Chris Gramazio
March 31, 2008 - Chris will be a guest of the Gold Canyon Democrats Wednesday, April 2nd. Check out the link for more...
http://www.goldcanyondems.org/index.php
March 31, 2008 - Chris will be one of the guests at LD21's monthly meeting, this Tuesday, April 1st at Iguana Mack's in Chandler. Check out the link for more...
http://www.azdems-district-21.org
March 25, 2008 - Chris will be the guest of the Apache Junction Democrats tomorrow night. Check out the link for more...
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