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Cesar Chavez (formerly Scott Fistler)
Cesar Chavez was a 2014 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 7th Congressional District of Arizona. He was removed from the primary ballot after many of his nominating signatures were deemed invalid.[1][2] In November 2013, he changed his name from Scott Fistler to Cesar Chavez. Chavez also switched party affiliation from Republican to Democratic along with it.[3]
Chavez was a 2012 Republican candidate for District 24 of the Arizona State Senate. He was defeated by Rep. Ed Pastor.
Name change controversy
Chavez changed his name from Scott Fistler to Cesar Chavez in November 2013. This name change, along with his party change from Republican to Democratic, brought significant media coverage and criticism.[3][4][5] However, it also brought a lawsuit from the grandson of the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. Alejandro Chavez's lawsuit sought to remove Chavez from the ballot for attempting to confuse voters. The lawsuit claimed that he is guilty of a misdemeanor, corruption by confusing voters.[6]
Leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party also challenged Chavez's candidacy for making "a mockery of the system." Chavez responded by embracing his strategy to gain name recognition. He said, "It’s almost as simple as saying Elvis Presley is running for president. You wouldn’t forget it, would you?"[6]
By the end of the court hearing on the matter, Alejandro Chavez's attorney withdrew the charge that Chavez changed his name to attempt to confuse voters. Alejandro Chavez said, "I believed it was an attempt to try and fool voters, but now that I've met him, I don't believe that was his intent." However, the judge ruled that 711 of Chavez's 1,455 signatures were invalid. As a result, Chavez was removed from the ballot.[1]
Elections
2014
Chavez ran in the 2014 election for the U.S. House to represent Arizona's 7th District. Chavez was removed from the ballot after a number of his nominating signatures were deemed invalid.[1] The signatures on Chavez's nomination petition were challenged on June 10, 2014, under the pretense that he changed his name to confuse voters. Alejandro Chavez, the grandson of the civil rights leader who now shares the candidate's name, challenged the petition.[7]
2012
- See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2012
Chavez (then Scott Fistler) filed to run in the 2012 election for Arizona State Senate District 24, but withdrew prior to the primary election. He then ran as a Republican write-in candidate. He lost to incumbent Ed Pastor (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[8][9][10][11]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Cesar + Chavez + Arizona + House"
See also
- United States House of Representatives
- Arizona's 7th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Arizona's 7th Congressional District
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 AZ Central, "Cesar Chavez to be removed from ballot, plans to appeal," June 17, 2014
- ↑ Campaign website, "Home," accessed April 3, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Arizona Capitol Times, "Two-time GOP loser changes party to Democrat, name to Cesar Chavez for new congressional bid," June 2, 2014
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Arizona Candidate Cesar Chavez Faces Legal Challenge," June 11, 2014
- ↑ Fox News, "Arizona's 'Cesar Chavez' Faces Legal Challenge To Congressional Candidacy," June 11, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Politico, "Suit over ‘Cesar Chavez’ name change," June 11, 2014
- ↑ AZ Central, "Cesar Chavez faces lawsuit to kick him off ballot," June 10, 2014
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," August 28, 2012
- ↑ Associated Press, "Primary results," August 28, 2012
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "2010 Primary candidate list," accessed December 20, 2013
- ↑ ABC News, "General Election Results 2012-Arizona," November 7, 2012
