Carville Blasts AZDEM Chair Branscomb over Party Infighting

The Arizona Democratic Party is still in disarray; this time, it’s gaining national attention. Legendary Democratic strategist James Carville lit into Arizona Democrat Party Chairman Robert Branscomb this week, calling him a liability to the party and urging him to “shut up” or form a new political party altogether. Carville has railed against many left-leaning Democrats in recent weeks, but has stepped into state-level Dems with his rebuke of Branscomb.

In a scathing video posted on the Politicon YouTube channel, Carville, known for his no-nonsense approach to politics, blasted Branscomb for feuding with staff, clashing with elected officials, and derailing what Carville sees as a golden opportunity for Democrats in a traditionally red state. The Arizona Globe wrote about this conflict on April 21, 2025. You can read it here.

“You ain’t been elected to s—. So why don’t you shut up?” Carville asked bluntly, adding that Branscomb is “fighting with the governor” and “exemplifies what’s wrong with that wing of the party.”

The comments came in response to a New York Times report detailing Branscomb’s growing conflicts with staff and elected leaders. According to the article, the Arizona Democratic Party chair has accused staffers of sabotaging him by withholding financial documents. He also publicly lashed out at U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, both Democrats, for criticizing one of his hires.

In a letter to party members, Branscomb reportedly wrote, “I will not be coerced, and I will not be silenced.” Carville didn’t hold back in mocking the comment, quipping, “Well why don’t you just shut up anyway? Because you haven’t gotten elected to anything.”

Carville drew a hard line, criticizing what he called the “pronoun justice – social, equity party or whatever they’re doing,” and accused “progressive activists” of having no respect for those who actually win elections. There is no evidence that the chair is a progressive or an activist.

“When you don’t respect people who go out and win elections and work and put their names out front and dare to lose, then there’s no use for you in Democratic politics,” Carville stated.

The Arizona Republic reported that Branscomb had difficulty addressing potential racism concerns. They stated, “Branscomb paused when asked if he thinks racism is driving some of the complaints. ‘I hope not,’ he said, before amending it to, ‘Could be, a little bit.'”

A number of black Arizona Democratic leaders rallied behind Branscomb, issuing an open letter. You can read it here, on X.

Carville’s media megaphone has turned the Arizona Democratic Party’s internal dysfunction from a whisper into a national headline. The Arizona Globe will provide updates on this story as it unfolds.