Senate Stretch Elaine Richardson And Jorge Luis Garcia Slug It Out Over Retiring Sen. Peter Goudinoff's Seat. By J.E. Relly PETER GOUDINOFF'S decision to step down from his District 11 state Senate seat after nearly two decades in the Legislature has set the district's two House members against each other in a race for the upper chamber. Both Elaine Richardson and Jorge Luis Garcia, who have each served two terms in the House, practice similar politics. Both see merit in dispersing education funds equally to students throughout the state; both support government programs for the poor and homeless; both have strong environmental voting records; and both were in the company of only five House lawmakers voting against the recent reiteration of the state's ban on gay marriages. With such similar stands on the issues, the race may come down to who has campaigned more aggressively. If that's the case, Richardson is more likely to win the election. To begin with, Richardson has the money to campaign. By May 31, she'd raised $9,688, considerably more than Garcia's $1,173, according to the latest campaign finance reports. A real estate broker and bed and breakfast innkeeper, Richardson has also picked up a mosaic of endorsements from groups as diverse as the Chamber of Commerce, Tucson Business Coalition, Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters, along with a "Representative of the Year" award from the Arizona Association of Realtors. She's also been endorsed by various southern Arizona politicians, including Pima County Supervisor Raul Grijalva, Tucson Mayor George Miller and City Councilman José Ibarra. The 42-year-old Garcia, who works as the social services director for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, says fundraising is too time consuming. Instead he's concentrating on a grassroots approach. In the height of the summer monsoons, this intrepid candidate has visited 5,000 homes in seven precincts. But even there, he may not outdo Richardson, who is also walking the district every night. During her two terms, Richardson has maintained a high profile. More outspoken in the press than Garcia, she has succeeded in sponsoring bills that make it through the Republican-controlled Legislature. Last session, five out of six bills she authored passed the House. As far back as her freshman term, she wrote and co-sponsored enough bills to gain the reputation of a scrupulous and prolific lawmaker. As a single parent, Richardson raised two sons through college by operating a dry-cleaning business, managing low-income housing and finally owning her own company, Swan Realty. With her realty company sold and Las Naranjas bed and breakfast open only when she has time, Richardson wonders how a legislator can both maintain an outside job and effectively represent the people (If elected Garica says he'll seriously re-evaluate his full-time work in social services). With a reputation for being tireless, Richardson says she spends a lot of time around the border and received donated office space in Ajo and Rio Rico. This past session, during one of the Legislature's most massive assaults on the environment in history, Richardson spoke out against a bill that proposed offering criminal and civil immunity to companies reporting and cleaning up environmental contamination. She also introduced a bill which signs the other half of Baboquivari Peak over to the Tohono O'odham. Richardson sits on several House committees, including environment, judiciary and transportation and has championed issues from repealing the Freon law to sponsoring legislation ensuring victims of domestic violence are treated fairly by the courts. Like Garcia, Richardson is a pro-choice advocate. She doesn't support parental consent. "I spend a lot of time in the community. Putting this on a bill is not going to get the kids to go to their parents," she says. Garcia says he was in favor of parental consent until the last session when his wife convinced him to switch his vote. A bid for the state Senate is the latest in a long string of political activities for Garcia. Since '75, he's been active in Democratic politics, working on several city council, state and federal legislators' campaigns. Born in Nogales, Sonora, Garcia moved to Miami, Arizona, with his family, who worked in the mines. The two-time graduate of the University of Arizona, who holds a master's degree in social work, says he represents the working people. In the past, he's spoken out against Republican-sponsored welfare reform packages, making his own recommendations which include job training and counseling prior to receiving the first welfare check. Last session, Garcia co-sponsored legislation to increase AHCCCS eligibility income to the federal poverty level. He co-sponsored bills to gain a federal match for child abuse prevention and another for adding an income tax exemption for the developmentally disabled. He also co-sponsored a bill that offers life imprisonment instead of the death penalty for those committing murder under age 18. Garcia favors school vouchers only if offered to low-income children, and as long as the voucher is worth the amount a school is reimbursed per child. Richardson ardently opposes vouchers. She rhetorically asks, "What would happen to neighborhoods and school districts without amenities if children move to open slots in other districts?" If elected, Garcia's priorities include sponsoring legislation to move the tobacco tax dollars languishing in the treasury into health care. "People are talking about suing the state for failing to appropriate the money," he says. El Rio Health Center, St. Elizabeth of Hungary and the Marana Clinic are among a few interests using the funding. The winner of the race will face Republican David Morales on the November 5 ballot.

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