What a Saturday With Maricopa County Democrats Taught Me

I spent my Saturday at the Maricopa County Democrats' summer convention, alongside neighbors who still believe Arizona can do better than MAGA chaos. Teachers. Union folks. College kids. Nobody showed up for a photo op. We showed up because we know exactly what happens if we don’t.

Chair Patti O’Neill Reminded Us Who We Are

Chair O’Neill opened the day with what we needed to hear. She didn’t pretend it’s easy right now. She said out loud what we feel when the Supreme Court guts our rights and the news cycle never lets up. Being a pillar in tough times means showing up, speaking up, and leading even when you feel the world piling up against you. That is what service looks like. That is who we are.

This Is a Precinct Committeeperson (PC)

The room was packed with PCs from across Maricopa County, some even as far as Wickenburg. A PC is your neighborhood’s guardrail against giving up. They are the person who drops a ballot guide on your porch. Checks in when you forget about a school board election. Makes sure you get a ride to the polls when life feels too heavy to care.

Maricopa County has about 1,700 PCs right now. We need 2,000 by December. You want change on your street? Do not wait for permission. Be the reason it happens. Become a PC.

Congressman Stanton Spoke the Hard Truth

Congressman Greg Stanton did not sugarcoat it. Republicans thrive on chaos. They want you distracted while they gut schools, break up families, slash Medicare, and sell off public land that belongs to all of us. They want you to think it is too broken to fix.

Stanton reminded us that is how they win. They want us numb and hopeless. They want us to check out. They are wrong. Every seat matters. Every PC matters. Every conversation is a step toward the 218 we need to flip the House. Nobody is coming to save us. It is up to us.

Secretary Fontes Brought It Home

Secretary Adrian Fontes did not waste words. He talked about just ten little two-letter words that keep him going. If it is to be, it is up to me.

No fancy slogans. No rescue mission. Just neighbors knocking doors, registering voters, showing up at libraries, and grocery store parking lots. The work that keeps democracy alive when the headlines tell you to give up. This is how we hold the line.

Young People Get It

When the Youth Engagement Committee was announced, the room lit up. Young people are tired of being told to wait their turn. They are organizing each other, registering each other, pulling in friends who never thought they mattered in a year like this.

If you are young and ready to fight, do not wait for an invitation to join. Reach out to Jacob George at jacob@maricopadems.org.

The Numbers Need Our Attention

Democratic registration is down in Maricopa County. That is not a reason to feel hopeless. It is a reason to lace up your shoes and knock on more doors than ever.

We have a plan. Real data. Real people. Real conversations. We are not waiting for some glossy ad to save us. We are showing up on doorsteps, in libraries, outside grocery stores. That is how democracy survives when the big names disappoint. Fired up? Come volunteer with me.

We Are Growing a Bench

Maricopa County Democrats are not stopping at voter registration. They are building for the long haul. They are training people and plugging them into campaigns that need talent now. If you have skills or want to develop them, add your name to the Resume Bank. This is how we grow our bench from the block to the ballot.

We Are Not Alone

This work can feel lonely. The MCDP Discord connects people across Maricopa County, as well as across Arizona, with others who share a common understanding. If you've been looking for your safe space, the one where someone drops a taco meme, screams into the void with you, and then shows up to knock on doors next weekend, this is it. Click here to join.

It Takes Money. And Sweat.

MAGA Republicans are swimming in dark money. They flood mailboxes with lies. They bury us in lawsuits to waste our energy. So we fight smarter. We fight harder. If you can give, give. If you cannot, give your time. Every dollar, every door knock, every text, and every conversation counts.

What I Took Home

I walked in exhausted. Another week of Trump nonsense, SCOTUS rulings that punch you in the gut, and doomscrolling that makes you question what country you are living in.

But I left with hope. And fire. I hugged neighbors. Saw people laughing so hard they bent over. Venting with each other. Then planning. There is an abundance of love in this community. That is what and who we fight for.

So here is what I am telling you. Be a PC. Volunteer locally. Add your name to the Resume Bank. Join the Discord. Bring someone with you. Never back down. Keep fighting.

Like Secretary Fontes reminded us. If it is to be, it is up to me. And up to us. And we are just getting started.

Let’s get to work.