Consultant says Obama campaign won't hurt Arizona Democrats

November 01, 2012

Political consultant says President Barack Obama's campaign pulling out of Arizona won't hurt other candidates down the ticket.STEVE GOLDSTEIN: Earlier this week, President Barack Obama’s Campaign Manager Jim Messina said Arizona was an enticing prospect, but the campaign wouldn’t be putting any more resources toward winning the state on Nov. 6. Democratic consultant Mario Diaz of the Phoenix-based Mario Diaz and Associates says it’s a wise decision for the President to focus on states that are more likely to vote for him. Diaz says he doesn’t expect the decision to hurt other Democrats running for office in Arizona.

MARIO DIAZ: You do not have Carmona running on the Obama ticket. The congressional candidates--Kirkpatrick, Sinema--are not running on the Obama ticket. They're not riding his coattails, whatever coattails there may be. It makes sense for the campaign to move on somewhere else.

GOLDSTEIN: Diaz says he thinks Arizona may truly be in play for both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees in 2016. By then, he expects more Latinos to be fully engaged and influential voters in the state.