Pima County Supervisor Ann Day, who still calls herself a "cowgirl from the Lazy B" ranch, is hanging up her spurs after 22 years in political office.
The Republican announced Thursday that she won't be running again when her term comes up in 2012.
The announcement, which is sure to launch a scramble for the open seat, caps a career that included 10 years in the state Senate and 12 years representing District 1, which runs north of the Rillito River and includes Oro Valley, parts of Marana and the Catalina Foothills.
"It's the right time," said Day, who will be 73 next month. "Democracy needs fresh recruits."
Around her office are mementos and relics, from cowboy poetry to pictures of three grandchildren and a photo of her father branding a calf. She points to a photo of H.C. Day, her grandfather, who started the Lazy B in 1880 and served as the chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Graham County. His mantra was to deserve the trust of the voters - something she said has resonated with her. "The voters have given me their trust, and I have tried to return that trust each and every day," Day said.
Day's upbringing on the rural eastern Arizona ranch - with her sister, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and brother, Alan - gave her an independent streak that shaped her politics. If a cow was sick, vets weren't nearby. If a ranch hand broke a bone, someone there had to set it.
That streak served her in a legislative caucus that often ran counter to her moderate breed of politics. It helped fuel her reputation as a consumer advocate, spearheading reforms in the HMO industry and helping establish cancer patients' rights to clinical-trial treatments.
She continues to be outspoken, whether it's criticizing county spending or expressing frustration about her GOP colleagues now serving in the Legislature.
"The political climate has changed," she said, recalling that the Southern Arizona delegation in her day worked together to strengthen the region as a whole, regardless of party. "It's really unprecedented that we have a Southern Arizona delegation that's fixated on tearing the region apart.
"Things are out of whack. If I was frustrated then, as a moderate in a conservative Legislature, it's far worse now."
A longtime advocate for parks, Day said she is proud of the county's Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, a nationally recognized blueprint for planning and conservation that attempts to strike a balance between open space and growth. Day said she's also proud of the service she was able to provide residents, whether it was getting rid of graffiti or helping with rezoning issues or filling potholes.
Donna Heidinger, the liaison for the La Cañada/Magee Neighborhood Association, said she's going to miss Day, who went to the bat for the neighborhood to prevent high-density projects. Heidinger said neighbors report getting phone calls back from Day's office within four hours of sending an inquiry.
"She's been no pushover. She's been very honest. If she didn't think something was doable or if she wasn't on board, she'd just come right out and say so."
Day and her Democratic colleague, Richard Elías, have had some rather testy spats on the dais during supervisors' meetings. "There's still a partisan atmosphere at times," she said. "And on some Tuesdays, my patience has been tested when civility goes out the window. But at the end of the day, we all have the best interests of the county at heart."
Her Republican colleague on the board, Ray Carroll, cited Day's honesty and independence. "I don't think she's ever told a lie," he said. "She's not driven by ideology or dogma. She has an open mind and she'll talk to you, but she's good at sticking to her guns, too."
Board Chairman Ramón Valadez worked with Day both in the Legislature and on the board. He called her a "tireless advocate" on behalf of patients and credited her work in shepherding through the public-private partnership that created Brandi Fenton Memorial Park in the Foothills.
Even though they come from different political philosophies, Valadez said, "her brand of politics is the brand of politics we need to get back to - it's about identifying problems and finding solutions. And in the end, that's what all our voters want from us."
An avid golfer and bridge player, Day said she intends to do more work with nonprofits, such as Interfaith Community Services, and with Imagine Greater Tucson, an effort to steer the community's economic growth while preserving the quality of life.
Republican Matt Caldwell has already announced for the seat. Other names rumored to be in the mix: state Rep. Vic Williams, talk show host Joe Higgins and Charles Bowles, vice president of marketing for Diamond Ventures.
Contact reporter Rhonda Bodfield at rbodfield@azstarnet.com or 573-4243.
