Traditionally thought of as a Republican stronghold that most past Democratic candidates haven’t even bothered with, the Obama campaign is actively courting Arizonans for 2012. The campaign has opened offices in Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff and recruited a Latino candidate for Senate. The state’s booming Latino population, combined with the state legislature’s crackdown on illegal immigration, has opened the possibility for a bluer Arizona. Buzz Conover is senior political reporter at Arizona Public Media. Dee Dee Garcia Blasé is the founder and co-president of the Tequila Party, an immigrant advocacy group, as well as the former president of the Somos Republicans.
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