Yuma Sun publishes "Meet the Candidate: Arizona's 7th Congressional District," featuring No Labels Party primary candidate Richard Grayson.

Today, Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the Yuma Sun published "Meet the Candidate: Arizona's 7th Congressional District," featuring No Labels Party primary candidate Richard Grayson.

Editor’s Note: July 15 is the spe­cial primary elec­tion to fill the U.S. House seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Raul Gri­jalva. These are some of the can­did­ates run­ning for Ari­zona’s 7th Con­gres­sional Dis­trict. These ques­tion-and-answers are part of an ongo­ing Yuma Sun series called “Meet the Can­did­ates” , with more to come.

RICHARD GRAYSON

Fam­ily: none

Edu­ca­tion: B.A., Polit­ical Sci­ence, Brook­lyn Col­lege, CUNY, 1973; M.A., Eng­lish, Col­lege of Staten Island, CUNY, 1975; M.F.A., Cre­at­ive Writ­ing, Brook­lyn Col­lege, CUNY, 1976; J.D., Uni­versity of Flor­ida Col­lege of Law, 1994

Party: No Labels write-in 

What do you feel is the most important duty of this office:

Stand­ing up to an author­it­arian pres­id­ent.

One issue on which you would focus to improve Yuma's quality of life:

I am not going to be elec­ted. If I can get one write-in vote, I will be the can­did­ate of the no Labels Party, but I couldn’t pos­sibly win this elec­tion. a demo­crat, hope­fully adel­ita Gri­jalva, will be elec­ted.

I am not going to answer a ques­tion that would make me sound as if I am delu­sional because I know I will not be elec­ted. I have never been to Yuma and I do not have a sense of Yuma.

Skills and experience that would be beneficial in your elected position:

I am hand­some and smart, but again, I can­not win.

What led to your decision to run for this office:

I have O.C.C.D., obsess­ive-com­puls­ive can­did­ate dis­order and so am com­pelled to run for polit­ical office.

What is your vis­ion and mis­sion:

My vis­ion is 20/80 without glasses. I have never been a mis­sion­ary because I don’t believe in God.

How do you plan to involve res­id­ents in your decision-mak­ing pro­cess:

I don’t. It’s not any of their busi­ness how I make decisions. If I want to eat pizza for lunch, the res­id­ents will have no say

in the mat­ter. What are the top two goals you hope to achieve while in office:

Again, I am not delu­sional. I will not be in office. My goal in the cam­paign is to get one write-in vote in the no Labels Party primary on July 15. Then I can die happy.

What are the two biggest chal­lenges facing the dis­trict and how would you alle­vi­ate them:

I’ve never set foot in the dis­trict, so I couldn’t pos­sibly answer this ques­tion.

The two biggest chal­lenges facing the U.S. are the mor­ons elec­ted as pres­id­ent and vice pres­id­ent by a mor­onic elect­or­ate.

What is one thing you want voters to know about you:

I am not the same per­son as the DC super­hero vari­ously called Robin the Boy Won­der and Nightwing.

Why should this community vote for you?

Search me.

Philadelphia Inquirer publishes article, "Both parties tried to game Alaska primary field," mentioning Senate candidate Richard Grayson

Today, Monday, November 2, 2026, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an article by Matthew Choi, "Both parties tried to game Alaska primary field," mentioning Green Party Senate candidate Richard Grayson.

Democrats in Alaska are facing public criticism and investigations for their alleged recruitment of a spoiler candidate to confuse voters in the state's highly competitive Senate race. . . But both parties engaged in horse trading and cross-aisle spending to try to game Alaska’s Senate primary system this year. Republicans invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into supporting nonviable Democratic candidates in the primary.

Two perennial candidates, Democrat Carol Hafner and Green Partier Richard Grayson, got substantial boosts in the weeks leading to the Senate primary from a super PAC that was later revealed to be wholly funded by Republicans. Hafner and Grayson were not viable candidates — neither live in Alaska and neither raised any serious sums of money.

Grayson, who has run as a candidate for numerous parties in various offices in numerous states, said in an interview that his candidacy is no more than an eccentric hobby he’s been doing since the 1970s. He said Anton McParland, Peltola’s longtime top aide, texted him early in the cycle to encourage him to withdraw. McParland did not respond to a request for comment.

“I call it performance art,” Grayson said of his numerous runs, adding that he never wanted to take votes from Peltola, whom he supports. “I do it for fun.”

The super PAC, Fair Deal Alaska, spent more than $1,600,000 combined boosting Hafner and Grayson with ads praising them as progressives in the mold of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York). The funders of the super PAC came shortly before the primary, allowing them to avoid identifying themselves until after the primary under FEC regulations...

None of the groups responded to requests for comment. Grayson and Hafner said they had no contact from national party groups.Grayson didn’t know about the ads until a friend in Anchorage told him about them. Adams, the Sullivan spokesperson, said all Sullivan joint fundraising committees were focused solely on reelecting the senator.

The Decent Ballot advises Arizona Legislative District 7 voters to choose Sam Martin and Richard Grayson as their two state representatives

The Decent Ballot, an independent, non-profit voter guide website designed to help voters quickly assess candidates based on their character, selected Sam Martin and Richard Grayson as the two candidates for state representative as the best choices in Legislative District 7.

MS NOW's "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" features segment on Alaska U.S. Senate primary candidates, including Richard Grayson

This evening, Friday, October 30, 2026, "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" featured a segment on Alaska U.S. Senate primary candidates, including Richard Grayson.

"For Fun" Alaska Green Party U.S. Senate Candidate Richard Grayson Mentioned in Newsweek Article, "Trump Responds After Bombshell Report on Alaska’s Two Dan Sullivans Dispute"

Today, Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Newsweek published an article by Andrew Stanton, "Trump Responds After Bombshell Report on Alaska’s Two Dan Sullivans Dispute," that mentions "for fun" Alaska Green Party U.S. Senate candidate Richard Grayson:

It’s not unusual for either political party to support candidates who could be spoilers against their rivals. Earlier this cycle, the Anchorage Daily News reported that conservative groups spent money to boost Richard Grayson, a Green Party candidate running in the Senate race “for fun.”

 

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-November, 2002 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-November, 2002 | Richard Grayson

League of Women Voters' VOTE411 Voter Guide for Arizona Legislative District 7 Candidates Includes Trump-Hating Candidate Richard Grayson

The League of Women Voters' VOTE411 Guide has a page for the State Representative candidates in Arizona's Legislative District 7, including Trump-hating candidate Richard Grayson.

How would you work with members of both parties, the Governor, and legislative leadership to promote bipartisan collaboration and ensure legislation receives fair consideration based on its merits and impact on Arizonans, regardless of party sponsorship, including your approach to committee hearings, bipartisan negotiation, and balancing partisan priorities with the broader public interest?

Richard Grayson

I'm not going to be elected. But I would work with Republicans who are not Trumptards.

What legislation or budget priorities would you support to address Arizona’s rising cost of living, including housing, healthcare, energy, insurance, childcare, and other everyday expenses facing residents?

Richard Grayson

Whatever the Democratic Party tells me to do. But I told you, I'm not going to get elected. I'm not delusional!

What changes to Arizona law or state water policy would you support to protect the state’s long-term water supply while balancing growth, agriculture, tribal interests, economic development, and population growth?

Richard Grayson

I'd support a lot of those things, but I'm just a protest candidate. If I get 6-8% of the vote, it would be great.

What changes, if any, would you support to Arizona’s voting laws and election policies regarding voter access, election security, election administration, and voter privacy, and what outcomes would you hope to achieve through those changes?

Richard Grayson

I would lower the voting age to 14, as in the great 1968 film, "Wild in the Streets." My slogan is "Fourteen or fight!" Increase suffrage to all Americans 14-18 through state laws or a new constitutional amendment. And get rid of any Trumptard laws that would keep from voting. Maybe get rid of him, too?

What legislative or budget changes would you support regarding state taxes, public education funding, teacher recruitment and retention, workforce preparation, and oversight and accountability for the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) and other publicly funded school choice programs?

Richard Grayson

ESA is a piece of shit and should be abolished. I'd raise taxes on the rich, increase education funding so Arizona wouldn't be such a shithole. I'm 75 and from NYC, where I got a real education. And went to college at CUNY for free! These dummies in Arizona deserve the same chance as my friends and I did, but here we have Trumptards and Nazis who are so stupid they.... you know what? Fuhgeddaboudit!

What legislation or funding priorities would you support regarding border security, immigration enforcement cooperation, public safety, behavioral health services, substance abuse treatment, and responses to homelessness in Arizona communities?

Richard Grayson

We should get rid of ICE and throw all of those Nazi creeps in prison, along with the Border Patrol Gestapoi and everyone. To be honest, most of the people the US is deporting are better Americans than the scumbag Republicans like the disgusting JD Vance, who is the one who should be deported, that worthless piece of shit.

What role should the Arizona Legislature play in shaping state energy policy, and what legislation would you support regarding utility costs, renewable energy development, electric grid reliability, and the impact of large energy users, such as data centers, on Arizona residents and resources?

Richard Grayson

It should play a constructive role. But it won't because it's filled with subhuman douchebags like Jake Hoffman and other white supremacist scum.

What legislation or budget priorities would you support to address extreme heat, drought, wildfire risk, air quality, reproductive healthcare access, and other environmental and public health challenges affecting communities across Arizona?

Richard Grayson

All the good-government things that the League of Women Voters support. But you are nice refined, educated, classy women and you are unfortunately outnumbered vastly in a shithole state like Arizona. We're lucky we've had Katie Hobbs and other Democrats for four years. Now Trump is going to do like Maduro and say the Republicans won the election by calling a national emergency, sending ICE to stop people who look normal (not Republican) from voting, and impound the ballots. So all this talk about issues is well and good, but we are now in an authoritarian regime, a fascist dicatatorship, and so we cannot do anything good because under Trump, we can't have nice things.

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early November, 2002 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early November, 2002 | Richard Grayson

Politico mentions new political action committee, Green Party of Pima County Endorses, Supports and Admires Our Candidate Richard Grayson

Today, Friday, October 16, 2026, Politico mentioned a new political action committee, Green Party of Pima County Endorses, Supports and Admires Our Candidate Richard Grayson .

Anchorage Press publishes article, "Revealed: The money behind last-minute fringe candidate ad blitz in Alaska’s U.S. Senate primary," showing that Elon Musk funded the "Kill Billionaires" campaign of Richard Grayson

Today, Friday, October 16, 2025, The Anchorage Press published an article by Nathaniel Herz, "Revealed: The money behind the last-minute fringe candidate ad blitz in Alaska’s U.S. Senate primary," showing that Elon Musk was one of those behind unwanted funding by super PAC Fair Deal Alaska to support Green Party U.S. Senate Richard Grayson's "Kill Billionaires" campaign.

Arizona LD7 House of Representatives Debate: Richard Grayson is the only candidate who follows the Arizona Democratic Party's recommendation to vote NO on all Republican-sponsored ballot questions

LD7 House of Representatives Candidates Debate: Richard Grayson says: "Whatever it is, I'm against it!"

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late October, 2002 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late October, 2002 | Richard Grayson

Brooklyn College newspaper Calling Card publishes article, "Literary Luminaries Come For Conference," about Literature and Publishing Conference coordinated by Richard Grayson

Today, Wednesday, April 20, 1977, Calling Card, the newspaper of the Brooklyn College House Plan Association, published a front-page article, "Literary Luminaries Come For Conference," about a Literature and Publishing conference on the Brooklyn College campus April 25 and 26, 1977:

The conference, sponsored by the college's Department of English, will be held in the college's Student Center, Campus Road and E. 27th Street, Brooklyn. A small fee to the two-day affair will be charged.

The ten panels will feature such literary luminaries as novelist Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., playwright Arthur Kopit, writer Donald Barthelme, Newsweek reviewer Walter Clemons and many others from the book world. Serving as moderators will be Brooklyn College faculty members, including Pulitizer Prize-winning poet John Ashbery, novelist Jonathan Baumbach and playwright Jack Gelber.

Panelists will answer such questions as "Who decides what poety gets published," "Can serious literature and the casual reader co-exist," "How are books marketed," "Who publishes small audience literature," "Does a writer need an agent," and "To what extent should literature be subsidized."

Sessions will begin each day at 10 a.m., with the last panel starting at 4:00 p.m.

For further information or registration forms, call Richard Grayson or Michael Friedman, conference coordinators, at 780-5543.

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-October, 2002 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-October, 2002 | Richard Grayson

Elections Agenda's webpage of Arizona Legislative District 7 Candidates includes Richard Grayson, Democrat-Green Candidate for Arizona House of Representatives

The Elections Agenda website from the great people who produce Arizona Agenda and Tucson Agenda is live, with a page on the race in Legislative District 7, which includes Democratic/Green House candidate Richard Grayson:

Richard Grayson is a writer, former college professor and attorney who has appeared on ballots in Arizona, Florida and Alaska as a perennial candidate. He drew 39 votes in Arizona's 2012 Green Party presidential preference election, and showed up to the ballot-order ceremony for it in a bunny suit. Though nominated by the Green Party this year, he disavows it and sides with Democrats. At the Clean Elections debate he called himself a socialist and predicted he would win under 4% of the vote.