Mayoral candidate Kate Gallego held a get out the vote rally on Thursday night at The Churchill as election day looms next Tuesday.
Guests mingled and socialized while Gallego prepped for her rally speech.
Music like Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” and Prince’s “1999” played from the overhead speakers in the plaza area for a crowd of roughly forty to sixty people attended the event.
“I’m Kate Gallego, and on March 12th with your help, I’m going to be the next Phoenix mayor,” Gallego started her speech. “It has been a long seventeen months, and we have five days to finish this race.”
Gallego highlighted her campaign’s reliance on small, individual donations.
“We have been attacked by dark money… and we will win because we have people power,” Gallego said. “The people matter, not special interests.”
The crowd chanted “Kate will be great! Kate will be great! Kate will be great!” multiple times during the 2-hour event.
The event was hosted by Minority House Leader in the State Legislature Charlene Fernandez, who was the first of many to give a speech in support of Gallego.
Fernandez noted that when she was running for Legislative District 4, Gallego was there by her side when she lost and when she eventually won.
Next to speak was Terry Goddard, former Arizona Attorney General and Phoenix mayor. He has publicly supported Gallego since she declared her candidacy. .
“This is a serious decision for the future of Phoenix, and the person that is ready for mayor is right there,” said Goddard as he pointed at Gallego.
Goddard said that Gallego cares deeply about the water shortage crisis in Arizona.
Guest speaker Gloria Feldt, The New York Times best-selling author and longtime advocate for women’s rights, said that people should vote for Gallego because she is qualified, not just because she’s a woman.
“Those of you here who know me…you may be surprised that I am not going to say vote for Kate because she is a woman,” said Feldt, “Kate is important to the economy that is high-tech, knowledge-based economy, and is important for our state to stay strong.”
“It doesn’t matter what the polls say, it doesn’t matter how strong you make people feel,” said Wilcox, “what matters is that you actually vote.”
When asked after her speech what made Gallego stand out compared to Valenzuela, Wilcox said “she is consistent.”
For Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo, Gallego sets herself apart because of their shared concerns for the Latino and LGBTQ community.
“I’ve been an elected official for nearly 18 years,” said Gallardo, “I have never met a harder-working individual than Kate Gallego.”
“She has been a champion for Latinos, LGBT community, small businesses.”
Gallardo said he meant no offense to Valenzuela but said he thinks that Gallego has had a stronger track record during their individual times in the Phoenix City Council.
“The proof is in the pudding,” said Gallardo.
Gallego’s Campaign Press Secretary Maria Lopez said that unlike Valenzuela, Gallego always had an answer to major topics of discussion.
“When it came to the stadium deal, Kate knew her positions with months in advance, Valenzuela decided the day before the city council voted,” said Lopez.
Lopez was referring to the Phoenix Suns’ home, the Talking Stick Resort Arena, which the Phoenix City Council approved a $230 million renovation deal for on Jan 23.
“When the water crisis was brought up, Kate had a response, Valenzuela said he ‘needed to do some research,’” Lopez said.
The Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, who represent 50,000 union carpenters in six states, including Arizona, were also present in support of Gallego, sporting bright neon orange safety vests with yellow reflective stripes.
“She’s got our back and we have hers,” said Jim Stewart, S=special representative for the Council. “She believes in the value of unions, and believes in local business”
Gallego near the end of her speech praised entrepreneurs, including those who had their businesses in the Churchill space, including Pobrecito and Freak Brothers, saying people like them were leading Phoenix.
Correction March 8: An earlier version of this story misquoted former Maricopa County Supervisor Wilcox as saying what author Gloria Feldt had said.
Correction March 8: An earlier version of this story quoted Gallego spokeswoman Maria Lopez as saying Councilman Valenzuela had come up with his position on the arena deal the day it was decided.
Contact the reporter at Rbencom@asu.edu.
