Going into November’s elections, Arizona Democrats were hopeful of being able to flip one, if not both, chambers of the Legislature. Instead, Republican increased its majorities in both the state House and Senate.
In fact, other than now-U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego’s win, 2024 was not a great electoral year for Democrats in Arizona.
Earlier this year, the party decided to move on from its chair. Despite being endorsed by high-profile elected Democrats like Gov. Katie Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Yolanda Bejerano was defeated by Robert Branscomb. Branscomb had been a party vice-chair.
So, after President Donald Trump won Arizona and Democrats lost ground in the LCharles Reinebold Charles Reinebold egislature, what’s next for the party going into next year’s midterm elections?
Branscomb joined The Show to talk about that — and why he wanted this job.
Full conversation
ROBERT BRANSCOMB: You know, I get asked that question a lot, and I think it wasn't so much wanting the job, it was so much wanting to do something, to be active and make a change. And I thought I at the moment in time, it was an opportunity for me and I just said, “Hey, why not?”
MARK BRODIE: What do you think this role affords you in terms of being able to do something and effect change that maybe you weren't able to do prior?
BRANSCOMB: I think it affords me to come in with a fresh perspective. You know, I've been active in politics for a while, but I don't consider myself a politician. I'm more of a community activist, sort of, leader. I come with the mindset that if you see something that needs to be changed or a problem solved, don't wait on someone if you have that ability to go do it. I believe I had that ability to come make a change.
BRODIE: What kinds of changes do you believe Arizona Democrats need? Because, obviously, 2024 was not a great year, electorally.
BRANSCOMB: Well, 2024, we're hoping it's just an anomaly because, you know, as Democrats, you know, we are for the people. And I believe that we'd have to reiterate that moving forward. I think some of that messaging got lost last cycle. But, our purpose is still the same. We want to stand up for the people, make sure that, you know, human rights, civil rights, health care, jobs — all those things that everyone is concerned with, not just Democrats, but all citizens are concerned with.
BRODIE: Do you have reason to believe that last year was an anomaly? I mean, and I ask because, you know, there have been polls that show, for example, the brand of the Democratic Party is not not looking so great right now.
BRANSCOMB: Well, you know, in any championship fight, there's 12 rounds, right? And sometimes the champion gets staggered, but you come back to fight. You know, just — I play college sports and you know, you don't play a sport to lose. We play sports to win. And yes, Democrats, we took a little bit on the chin, but we're not discouraged. We're gonna come back, because we know that we have the people's best interest in mind. And so we want to make sure that we come back stronger, prepared, learn the lessons of the past, and, you know, get out there and get back into the fight.
BRODIE: So, when you talk about maybe some of the messaging not being what it needed to be last year, there's been a lot of talk —and I'm sure you've heard a good amount of it — in terms of maybe the economic message was not on point, in terms of understanding why voters, why residents weren't feeling as great about the economy as a lot of Democrats said the economy was doing. Do you buy into that? Do you think that economic messaging played some significant role in the losses last year?
BRANSCOMB: You know, I think it took — we took a hit for that a little bit. I think that we need to be better at explaining and pronouncing what we're doing. You know, I think sometimes we just assume people know it and feel it, but I believe that we can own that messaging because when Democrats are in charge, we always do better. The economy always does better. So, we have to make sure we just, you know, toot our horn more. But, there is a reality and people's perception is a reality. And so, if the price of eggs are high, you know, we have to do a better way of explaining why they're high.
BRODIE: Are there other issues on which you think the party needs to, maybe, tweak or make changes larger than tweaks to its messaging?
BRANSCOMB: I believe the party needs to lead to, get back and listen to the people, right? I think that's where we kind of lost our way. We have to get our messaging back from the people whose needs or need to be met day to day, you know. They will give us that messaging to let us know that, hey, if it's housing costs, if it's education, if it's job security, if it's immigration ... They're the ones who could be motivated to vote on those ideas. So, we have to listen to those people.
BRODIE: Are there particular challenges about sort of playing both offense and defense in the same election? You're defending some seats and then you're also trying to go on offense and take back others.
BRANSCOMB: Well, they say the best defense is offense.
BRODIE: See, I've heard it the other way.
BRANSCOMB: Well, you know, times have changed. You know, I think ... there's a time to play defense, but right now we need to be on offense. And, the way that things are going in the country, especially with Trump and the tariffs and trying to erase, you know, history, things like that can be defensive. You have to ... be on offense.
BRODIE: How unified do you find the party is right now?
BRANSCOMB: The party's unified. I just believe that right now we're in a place that we're organizing and being prepared, so when the time comes that we go on this and bring the fight to the Republicans.
BRODIE: Do you find that there's sort of a temptation to be sort of “the party of not Trump, of not Elon Musk,” and not necessarily be for something? Is that a is that a trap that that you find that Democrats need to be careful of not falling into, especially in a year when Donald Trump is the president, but not on the ballot?
BRANSCOMB: We need to be the party of the people, and I say that not to be using a cliche. But, we cannot afford to be Republicans, Democrats, independents. We need to be Americans. We need to be Americans because our democracy is on the line right now. It is being torn down before our eyes with this administration.
BRODIE: So if the issue of democracy is one of the issues — I assume there will be others — but one of the issues that that Democrats will be talking about, how do you try to make that not just about the current administration?
BRANSCOMB: Well, you know, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are just individuals, right? There are some people supporting him as well, and so those people are just as dangerous ... because if you took those two out of the equation, those people are not gonna go away. So, we have to make sure that we stay fast to our truths. We make sure that we fight for the right fight. And if we have to push back, if we have to throw a punch, verbally, right? We do that, right? Because this is important to us.
BRODIE: I want to ask you about fundraising, because that was one area where Democrats have been doing fairly well over the last couple of cycles, especially compared to the state Republican Party. Are you confident you're gonna be able to keep that up?
BRANSCOMB: Oh, yeah, I'm confident — especially now since ... Like I said, this administration is treating people, you know, tariff today, tariff tomorrow, no tariff. People are not satisfied or happy with that. And it takes action, and sometimes that action takes money, right? And people are giving and people continue to give. They just want to make sure that their money is being well spent.
BRODIE: Well, so what's the thought process with that? Because obviously all the money that Democrats have raised hasn't translated into the kind of electoral success that I think a lot of Democrats were hoping for. So, do you need to adjust the spending strategy or anything like that?
BRANSCOMB: We just need to focus on where we can meet the people where they're at. Sometimes it's television, sometimes it's social media. We need to know our demographics and what the demographics we're trying to reach. And meet them where they're at. That's the most important thing, and I think that will strengthen our position this next election cycle.
BRODIE: What has surprised you so far since taking this job?
BRANSCOMB: Whew. You know, I tell people this job is like getting a drink of water out of Niagara Falls. There's a lot coming at you and, you know, I have great support from my staff. And I have some mentors, but I think what surprised me is that the people are willingness to say, “Hey, it is time to fight,” and I'm willing to lead that fight.
BRODIE: Do you think the Democrats didn't fight enough or haven't fought enough in the recent past?
BRANSCOMB: Oh, we fight. I mean, we're fighting — and it's not always broadcasted. You don't always see it. But I think that we just have to realize that, you know, what we have to be better communicating our message, and people want to see us push back. And I'm not saying that we should be adversarial to the Republicans. I don't want to come across that way. I just want to know that, you know what, as a Democrat, you know, we tend to be the big-tent party. And you know, there's gonna be some differences in opinions, but you know, the one thing we have in common is that we're all American citizens, and we should be able to find common ground on that.
