DuVal, Ducey make stops in Tucson

Democratic candidate Fred DuVal took part in an afternoon event with Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and Ron Barber at his campaign headquarters. 

DuVal also began running a Tucson-specific radio ad, where he notes some classrooms in his old high school, Tucson High Magnet School, have been closed because the school lacks enough funding for repairs.

A staple of his campaign, DuVal said he will restore funding to state schools, repeatedly vowing to veto any future budget that makes cuts in education.

Republican nominee Doug Ducey spent half of his day in Tucson after kicking off a statewide tour in Casa Grande. 

Ducey and a slate of statewide GOP candidates held a rally in northwest Tucson for Republican Congressional District 2 candidate Martha McSally. 

Those accompanying Ducey on Friday were secretary of state candidate Michele Reagan, attorney general candidate Mark Brnovich, state superintendent of public instruction candidate Diane Douglas and Corporation Commission candidate Doug Little. 

Labeling his multi-day tour across the state his “opportunity tour,” Ducey continued to run on his successful business record.

“I’ve taken this record with a business background and focused on what can happen from the governor’s office,” Ducey said.

The current state treasurer said Arizona should lead the country in both job creation and business relocation.

Ducey told a small group of supporters at one rally that he is proud of how well he did in the primary in Pima County.

“We bested our closest opponent by more than 2-to-1 in that primary,” Ducey said. “Part of that is because we spent time in Southern Arizona, in Tucson and in Pima County. We understood that the needs here were different and urgent, you can tell a lot about how someone will govern by how they will campaign.”

At a rally later in the day, DuVal said he was disappointed that Ducey and other Republicans largely shied away from debates here.

“The other side, in Doug’s case and frankly, with all the Republican cases, that they are in a very contained, sanitized environment. They don’t want to mix it up or take questions,” DuVal said.

During remarks before the crowd at the Biden event, the former chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents predicted a change in Arizona’s political climate.

DuVal is scheduled to return to Tucson on Sunday, where he has several events planned.