I never said that mothers who stay home are doing NOTHING. That is the read of it that Stacey and others have chosen because it fits their picture of what they’re trying to paint of me because they have no better ammunition than to slander my character. Some “high road”.

As for supposedly changing my emphasis in speeches….well, adding additional items isn’t at all wrong especially when I’m being asked about it by voters. Sorry if you don’t agree with that. I’ve been saying all along that Chris and I are extremely similar in our views on traditional Democratic issues. To mention those periodically isn’t changing a thing. I don’t need to pander for votes.

And what you may consider “crass” is plain talk to folks who are tired of political double speak. I call it like I see it. Personally, many find it refreshing for a candidate to speak honestly. Your husband would have been more of the same old, same old…go along to get along and suck up to anyone who can help. Well, I’ll never be that person and don’t want to be. I will have the courage to stand up and call it like it is.

As for taking the high road…well, I’ll leave that out of this venue, but don’t you dare try to say he’s only done that. Bah!

I know my district and it’s people. I’ve been here for 8 years compared to your 1 1/2. Just because I didn’t realize that the district went down as far into Pinal as it does isn’t the same as not recognizing that our Constitutional rights are critical to remaining America. Guess Gramazio supporters are the very people that poem above applies to, eh?

I will fight for the middle class, the working class, the poor and every other American who needs a voice. Yes, Stacey, that includes the animals, too. An awful lot of violent crime against people is directly linked to cruelty to animals. Protecting them protects people - particularly women and children. You want to try to paint me as a radical for believing they need a voice, too. That’s like saying children don’t need a voice. Both are helpless innocents who need protection.

Obviously, the voters recognized who would best represent them. You’re right. Yes, Chris is a nice man who cares about his family and his community, but he isn’t the best person for this job.

It’s the big picture that Schneider gets, and few other candidates, including Gramazio, get. It’s the big picture that affects the smaller picture, and something had better change sooner than later in the big picture. That’s only one of the reasons why Schneider has my vote.

“Why would anyone believe that simply being married with a child makes him the better candidate” you ask? As you can tell from the responses here, it’s for reasons beyond that. He is the better candidate because he understands the district, he has solid issues that he stands for which have not changed since Day 1 of his campaign, and he has overall more appeal to the voters of this district. In other words, he has a better chance to win against Jeff Flake than Rebecca.

Here are some highlights that I’ve observed from Rebecca’s campaign, however:

1. At a Pinal County Democrats meeting, she confessed to the whole room that she had no idea that Pinal County was part of District 6 until the week prior. This was several months into her campaign, yet she didn’t know the scope of the district? One member even had to show her a map. How can she claim she understands the voters of District 6 when she didn’t even know the depth of the area?
2. Rebecca has continually presented herself in a crass and inappropriate way, giving speeches where she referred to the “Stupid Republicans” and the “Right-winged Wackos.” She even referred to our great country as being “just like the Nazis.” She used expletives in the presence of my two-year-old son. Please explain to me how a candidate who behaves in this manner will appeal to the voters of this district?
3. Rebecca has changed her position depending on the audience continually. During an interview on KPHX, she claimed that Chris “did not see the bigger picture” because he was concerned with family issues, education, and transportation. She then went on to say that her issues such as The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act were the “bigger picture.” Someone please tell me which area of District 6 is more concerned with this act over the quality of their children’s education or the price at the gas pump? Then, suddenly several weeks later, she lists transportation as one of her major issues on the AZCentral website. It seems that she changes based on who she thinks is reading/listening.
4. When Rebecca first announced her candidacy, her personal website at my.care2.com/ghost122 looked drastically different than it does today. Originally, she had statements on there such as “We humans could all die and that would be alright so long as the animals weren’t hurt too.” (That was her “philosophy.”) She also wrote that that “If [she] were Mayor, [she’d] make the world a better place by making animal cruelty or abuse a federal or national crime with SEVERE punishment exacted…probably the punishment being of the ‘eye for an eye’ type in which whatever is done to the animal will be done to the perpetrator…” If this is how she feels, then why did she feel the need to change it so dramatically? Why does she keep straying from who she is for votes? Does she fear that this conservative district won’t respond well to a radical animal activist?
5. Rebecca keeps saying in speeches that the Constitution guarantees “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Technically, that’s the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution. Another slip that would make voters question her knowledge and ability to be effective in Congress.

Don’t get me wrong…I know that Rebecca is a person with good intentions at heart. Her work for animal rights in commendable. Chris Gramazio also would vote to protect animal rights, but he knows that there are greater issues to focus on as a congressman for District 6 at this current point in time. People – particularly the middle class – are hurting and we need representatives like Chris in Congress who will represent their concerns. These are people who are paying so much for health care and gas that they can no longer afford to take their kids to the movies or a restaurant like they did a year ago. They are concerned about our economy, our country’s infrastructure, and our children’s educations.

Finally…in response to Rebecca. Why do you make assumptions about me and my working situation? Until recently due to being at the end of my pregnancy and giving birth, I was working. I’m a certified teacher. I was working as a teacher for a charter high school on top of taking care of my son, house, and my duties as treasurer for Chris Gramazio for Congress. I guarantee that time is as precious for me as you. And you have a treasurer listed on your committee who is not you anyway. What is your point? Where does your treasurer live? Hmmm??? This tells me that you are extremely out of touch with the female voters of this district, especially those who understand how difficult it is to balance family, careers, and outside interests. Why do you also hint that a mother is “sitting at home” and not working just because she has chosen to care for her child herself? I don’t know a single stay-at-home mom who feels they are just “sitting at home” with nothing to do but dote on their husbands. YOU ARE VERY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THIS DISTRICT. You claim to be a member of N.O.W.? Guess, what? So am I and I am appalled as a woman by your assumptions. Feminist you are not.

My husband is a very kind man who has been polite enough not to call Rebecca out on the above points; he has always taken the high road. But as his wife, I cannot sit here and let a lesser candidate and her cronies take ill-informed shots at my husband’s campaign. I trust that the voters have already seen through this and have/will vote for Gramazio since he is the only intelligent choice. I look forward to Wednesday when Schneider will just be a memory and I can proudly watch my husband move forward with what’s important and that is giving a democratic voice to District 6.

It has nothing to do with transparency and everything to do with not enough time. I’m sorry I don’t have a spouse who’s not working sitting at home doing my paperwork for me. If I had one, I’d have filed the paperwork just to have it done. However, I don’t have nearly enough time in a day to do it all by myself and my volunteers are not able to complete it.

Anyone who wants to know where my money is coming from is welcome to view the filing when it gets in. It is all grassroots and nothing else.