Home » General » O’Halleran Drops Republicans to Make Independent Run

O’Halleran Drops Republicans to Make Independent Run

Tom O'Halleran, Independent candidate for LD6 State Senate seat

Tom O’Halleran, Independent candidate for LD6 State Senate seat

Sedona AZ (June 3, 2014) – Former Arizona elected official Tom O’Halleran has declared his candidacy for the State Senate seat for Legislative District 6 as an Independent. Only changing his Republican party affiliation in May 2014, O’Halleran served in the Arizona legislature representing District 1 for 8 years, from 2001 until 2009, serving six years in the House and one term in the Senate before losing in 2008 to Republican Steve Pierce.

The day before the election filing deadline of May 28, 2014, O’Halleran filed more than the required 1,157 signatures as an Independent candidate (deadline for challenging petition signatures is June 11). His name will appear on the Arizona November 4 general election ballot as Independent candidates do not face a party primary.

O’Halleran will challenge incumbent Arizona State Senator Chester Crandell, R-Heber, in the fall. Crandell faces no Republican primary opposition or any Democrat in the general election.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Crandell for the 2014 general election.

Since the 2008 election, redistricting has changed the legislative map. A Sedona resident, O’Halleran believes he has a strong base in LD6, where independents comprise 34 percent of the district, compared to 38 percent for Republicans and 27 percent for Democrats.

After losing his legislative seat, O’Halleran devoted his time and energy to the mission of two environmental organizations, the Verde River Basin Partnership (VRBP) and Keep Sedona Beautiful, recently resigning from KSB after four years as its president. Believing Arizona is endangered by limited water resources and human population growth, both organizations work to preserve Arizona’s natural environment. He also endorsed and campaigned on behalf of several Democrats who lost bids for office in 2010 and 2012.

O’Halleran is formerly from Chicago, Illinois where he retired from the police force as a homicide detective. His opponent, Crandell, is a former Arizona education superintendent with an undergraduate degree in Agriculture and a Masters in Education from the University of Arizona.

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

11 Comments

  1. Candidate O’Halleran,

    Correct me if I’m wrong, and I may be, but haven’t you recently been and ally of Angela LeFevre. I saw a video of Ms. LeFevre the other day at Sedona.biz wherein she extolled her “heartfelt concern” for the ousting of Independents from the balloting process for the upcoming elections. And, now, you need those same Independents, like me, to win this election. I hope you’re not pulling the wool over the sheep’s eyes as she is. Below is a copy of an email Ms. LeFevre wrote to me over three years ago wherein she mentions her true disdain for Independents. Now that I’ve proven what she said about Independents, I would like to hear your rebuttal of her comments below:

    — On Sun, 2/6/11, Angela Lefevre wrote:
    From: Angela Lefevre
    Subject: RE: Proof that Democrats and Repubicans Just Don’t Get It: The Meteoric Rise of Independents
    To: “‘J Rick Normand'”
    Cc: “BLitrell”, “‘Marlene Rayner'” , “‘robert bell'”
    Date: Sunday, February 6, 2011, 12:19 PM

    It’s not that the just don’t get it…that is only a very small part of it…it is very naïve to blame it on the political parties. There are other forces at work. There is cynicism, but the easiest way out is either not to register, who [sic, she meant “or”] to become an independent so you just don’t have to think. It is far more difficult to be an activist and work for things you believe in.

    Yes, Democrats need to work to put together a strong brand of what they believe in! I am proud to be a Democrat and to work towards a better society.

    Angela

  2. Sandy says:

    Angela LeFevre is running for office. Is O’Halleran stomping for her again? Is she working for him? I checked it out. Saw You Tube posted of Tom giving Doug Ballard & Angela LeFevre the great thumbs up.

    Guess Angela you lost all nonpartisan (independents) & republican city friends too with this slap in Tom’s face. Nice job. Some people don’t know how to not be idiots, or maybe it’s somebody’s true colors come through when least expected?

    Tom, send her & others like her packing. Be vocal & disassociate now.

  3. Not possible.

    Tom is a likable guy but I don’t think he was supported by the Republicans on his last go round. Not that that was a bad thing, he was probably trying to do something constructive and made the bigger fish mad.

    It’s time to face that it makes no difference who wins, they all now follow the same agenda.

    This would be called United Nations Agenda 21.

    We signed on for it in the 90’s and we are 20 plus years into it and globalizing. Now information is being released to the bottom feeders and nearly impossible to undo. They used to list the Mayors that had signed on for it but the info is now hidden. Does our Mayor participate?

    http://whatisagenda21.net/agenda21.htm

    http://www.icleiusa.org/about-iclei/members

    http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/Agenda21.pdf

    Pay close attention to the word ‘sustainable’. That was how we were fooled.

    http://www.america2050.org/megaregions.html

    See where you fit in.

    We were overtaken during 9/11 by a POLICY COUP. Read it and weep.

  4. David, City says:

    It is sad that rabid members of any group trounce the beliefs and rights of others. Angela LeFevre is one of those.

    She was proven incapable at DORR of listening to others. It was her way or the highway. She is not what Sedona or City Council needs or wants. Most of us would vote for a martian if it had the best interests of Sedona at heart and woulda, coulda, shoulda govern all with intelligence and equanimity.

    We’re not voting PARTIES into city hall, we vote for 7 people who need to work together for the best interests of independents, Dems and Republicans, the unregistered and uninterested in politics. It’s an American right to vote. It’s an American right to register however we damn well like. It’s unAmerican to disparage others when they do register and vote other than how you want or like them to, Angela! And I write that as a member of your Democratic party who is sick of rabid minds taking over our good party.

    I do not mean this as a personal attack, it is a political disagreement with Angela LeFevre. I will not vote for her and will never vote for her.

    David (no last name please), Sedona

  5. Alan says:

    isn’t this about ohalleran not somebody else??? i get the association piece but in the end it’s about ohalleran v crandell

  6. @Alan,

    No Alan, it’s about two arm-in-arm political allies, who are pushing the same party brand agenda, who disparage Independents in private and behind their backs, and then have the temerity to ask for their support in public as if they genuinely cared for them. This is about “LeFevre proxy O’Halleran” v. Crandell. (BTW, try using your shift key!)

  7. @Candidate O’Halleran

    So, while running as an Independent, you must not think that Independent voters should hear your rebuttal as requested above 3 1/2 days ago, lest they think that you’re just running on the same Angela LeFevre platform that she ran on as a progressive Democrat in the 2012 LD6 election. Of course, the reason she was trounced was that she ran strictly on a party brand platform as if we Independents counted for little! You’re doubtless thinking that by re-registering as an Independent (having formerly been a closet-liberal Republican), you won’t repeat the mistake she made, correct?
    Oh, please, give us Independents some credit for being smarter than that!

  8. Andy says:

    Tom.

    Stop making yourself look bad. Make a statement then move on.

    Almost everybody we know reads here –.

  9. Dear 2014 Candidates, incumbents and voters,

    I hope you will review the following links plus attachments and comment as to how the “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” opportunity for our youth to learn and earn will benefit the economy and image of Arizona.

    SedonaEyE.com Folksville USA articles
    https://sedonaeye.com/?s=folksville+usa

    Google “Folksville USA America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” and many media stories about good folks making a difference will be revealed.

    This invitation to comment is being sent to all 2014 political candidates regardless of their political affiliation. A litter-free Arizona is something we can all be proud …. “Many hands, one goal benefiting the economy & image of Arizona and America”.

    Gary Chamberlain
    Folksville USA
    FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com

  10. Jim says:

    I can’t vote for you and that makes me sad. Waited until tonight to comment hoping you’d explain the videos but you chose to be a politician not the man I believed you’d be in office. A disappointment. Your Carol and children deserve better of you. Sold out for a cheap political seat? Return to KSB and water issues. Your time in Phoenix left a stench.

  11. Marty says:

    O’Halleran dropped the Republicans to justify being romanced by the Democrats. Same as Jim, I’m sad at this turn of events. Cheap political seat financed by Dems? You’ll find out but better sooner than later. Same cast of characters presently running Sedona city politics?

Leave a Reply

Copyright © 2008-2017 · Sedona Eye · All Rights Reserved · Posts · Comments · Facebook · Twitter ·