Last week, the Democratic National Committee announced the launch of its state-based Victory Leaders Council (VLC) program. Today, Arizona becomes the third state program, following Georgia and Utah. Councils will exist in red and blue states that have not been contested in recent presidential elections. The goal of the councils is to help elect Hillary Clinton and win down ballot elections this cycle and beyond.

Each Victory Leaders Council will include prominent individuals and elected officials but depend on grassroots activists who put elbow grease into electing Democrats up and down the ballot. They will expand our ground capacity in each state, helping to deliver votes and volunteers to Hillary Clinton and down-ballot Democrats at every level of the ticket. These structures will live on beyond Election Day to help Democrats win in mid-term elections, flip Republican majorities, and to help President Hillary Clinton enact her policy agenda.

Victory Leaders Councils will be volunteer-led and driven but will work closely with each Hillary For America state director as well as the executive directors and chairs of each state party. The VLC program will be overseen by the Democratic National Committee’s field team and each VLC leader will have a designated liaison at the DNC. Victory Leaders Councils will not only keep stakeholders engaged through regular meetings but will also organize door-to-door canvasses, phone banks, and Get-Out-The-Vote efforts in each state.

“We are committed to winning up and down the ticket from the White House to the state houses,” said Donna Brazile, interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. “We are building on the momentum of our hugely successful convention, where we passed the most progressive platform in history that would do the most good for the most families. There is a stark choice for voters to make in this election, and Democrats have a historic opportunity and responsibility to help voters see that choice clearly. The Victory Leaders Councils are one more way that Democrats are investing in all 50 states.” 

“Democrats are competing across the country and building for the future,” said Brandon Davis, Chief of Staff at the Democratic National Committee. “In states from Georgia to Arizona, demographics and politics are changing quickly — and Democrats are making the investments to make gains now so that we can take majorities later. We are mobilizing voters across the country to elect more Democrats and to deliver on the policies being driven by the Clinton-Kaine ticket and Democrats at every level of the ballot. In the meantime, the Republicans are pursuing outdated policies that have failed hard working families and our communities.”

Adam Parkhomenko, the DNC’s National Field Director, will be overseeing the Victory Leaders Council program at the DNC.

“Arizonans are problem solvers, and Arizonans are ready for leaders who will bring people together to tackle our shared challenges. We are excited to be a part of a great team building the foundation for what it will take to win in 2016 and beyond,” said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and former NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly (USN, Ret).

“I'm incredibly excited to be a part of the Arizona Victory Leaders Council and work to get Hillary Clinton elected as President.  She is the only candidate that can effectively address the issues facing Native Americans, so we need to get out and vote in record numbers this year,” said Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor of the Gila River Indian Tribal Community.

“Hillary Clinton has a plan to lift small businesses all across Arizona, and strengthen our economy.  I'm incredibly proud to be a part of the team working to elect her as our next president,” said Tania Torres, Community Activist.

Below is the Victory Leaders Council roster for Arizona. Victory Leaders Councils are still in formation and additional members may be added on a rolling basis.

ARIZONA VICTORY LEADERS COUNCIL (in formation, additional members may be added)

Lela Alston

Liz Archuleta

Nathan Bacal

Doug Ballard

Ron Barber

Clinton Bartlett

Alexander Seth Benezra

Dennis Burke

Virgel Cain

Mark A. Cardenas

Delia Carlyle

Susan Castner

Junelle Cavero Harnal

Stan Chavira

Andrei Cherny

Stephanie Cherny

Allison Childress

Guadalupe “Lupe” Contreras

Tom Cuevas

Paul Cunningham

Maria Dadgar

Debbie McCune Davis

Dennis DeConcini

Fred DuVal

Jose “Diego” Espinoza

Lisa Fernandez

Charlene Fernandez

Charlene R. Fernandez

Richard Fimbres

Adrian Fontes

Lena Fowler

Randall “Randy” Friese

Steve Gallardo

Kate Gallego

Ruben Gallego

Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords

Neil Giuliano

Samuel “Terry” Goddard

Monica Goddard

Alejandra (Alex) Gomez

John V Gomez

Sally Ann Gonzales

Raul Grijalva

Georgia Gudykunst

Linda Gutierrez

Art Hamilton

Junelle Harnal

Daniel Hernandez

Kathleen “Katie” Hobbs

Patrice Horstman

Laura Hunter

Dennis Kavanaugh

Mark Kelly

Sandra Kennedy

Ann Kirkpatrick

Matthew A. Kopec

Lauren Kuby

Jonathan Larkin

Sylvia Lee

Stephen Roe Lewis

Marty Luna-Wolfe

Jeanne Lunn

Ana Ma

Stefanie Mach

Corina Madruga

Austin Marshall

Joseline Mata

David McKell

Jim McLaughlin

Rodd McLeod

Megan M McPherson

Mark Mitchell

Harry Mitchell

Danica Oparnica

Margaret “Lynne” Pancrazi

Ed Pastor

Laura Pastor

Jim Pederson

Frank Piccioli

Erin “Celeste” Plumlee

Marco Reyes

Rebecca Rios

Lawrence Robinson

Bill Roe

Regina Romero

Felecia Rotellini

Jonathan Rothschild

Macario Saldate

Karen Scates

Mary Ellen Simonson

Steven Slugocki

Greg Stanton

Victoria Steele

Lenore Stuart

Alexis Tameron

Tania Torres

Anna Tovar

Karin Uhlich

Roman Ulman

Ramón Valadez

Daniel Valenzuela

Nan Walden

Ann Wallack

Carolyn Warner

Bruce Wheeler

Corey Woods