Meet First Vice Chair Nathan Davis
By Richard Wiebe
Truth be told, middle-school teacher Nathan Davis would prefer sitting on the Amphi School District Governing Board. He missed by just .25 percent of 120,000 votes in the four-way Amphi race, but with some gentle arm twisting by Chair Bonnie Heidler and former Chair Alison Jones, he ran for PCDP First Vice Chair.
“Bonnie and I see eye-to-eye on the key issues facing PCDP, and I hope to help PCDP grow in influence and reach even more voters,’’ Nathan said. “Local, state and national elections will be here before you know it.”
And elections mean raising money, one of his position’s duties.
“The pandemic has been an obstacle to the personal contacts that are so important to fundraising,’’ he said. “Coming off a successful election, PCDP members have a great deal of enthusiasm and energy. The new officers must convert that to money and action.”
Nathan thinks that PCDP needs to focus on non-voting Democrats.
“Given what was at stake in the 2020 election, it’s hard to believe that 33,000 Democrats registered in Pima County didn’t vote in November,” he said. “PCDP should target those voters with messages about how voting can improve their communities and their lives, and the ease of voting as a Permanent Early Voter. If we can do that, Democrats have a good chance to earn those votes in future elections.”
A Tucson native, Nathan has been a PC since 2016. He lives in LD9, in Casas Adobes, with his wife, teacher Taylor Cleland. He received a master’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., after earning a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from the University of Arizona.
In his spare time, he likes to garden, play tennis and golf, and read, currently America in the World: A History of U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Policy by Robert Zoellick, and President Carter: The White House Years, by Stuart Eizenstat.
Nathan teaches social studies to 7th and 8th graders, so it’s not surprising that education is a high priority.
“School boards have a huge influence on local communities,” he said. “The local Republican party gets involved in school-board elections to a greater extent than Democrats. School boards need members who believe in public education, transparency and accountability.”
Nathan appreciates economic opportunity and understands the challenges of running a small business. His mother still operates the Catalina design studio/furniture store that his grandparents started 35 years ago.
“Republicans claim to support small businesses, but they define a small business as one with 100 employees. State government in Arizona has dropped the ball when it comes to helping Mom and Pop businesses,” he said.
“Reducing the cost of healthcare would help all segments of the economy, including small businesses,” Nathan said. “Healthcare is a basic right that should be guaranteed by the federal government. The Affordable Care Act was a great start; it should be expanded and used to leverage lower drug and insurance costs.”
Housing and home ownership also deserve policy makers’ attention, he said.
“Local governments should provide more support for the construction of affordable housing while state and federal governments provide financial help to first-time homebuyers. Home ownership is crucial to establishing intergenerational wealth.”