Andrei the Giant? -- Arizona Republic Political Insider, January 10, 2010

It's been 46 years since Arizona elected a Democrat as state treasurer, and the last guy to do it had a lot going for him.

Namely, his name - Robert Kennedy - and the year, 1964.

A candidate can't buy that kind of name identification.

Andrei Cherny, a former Arizona assistant attorney general who used to write speeches for Bill Clinton and Al Gore, doesn't have the name ID. But he does have the money to buy it!

Cherny tells Insider that he has raised more than $350,000 to date, most of it in contributions of $100 or less. He noted that his fundraising total is more than three times as much as any previous statewide candidate has raised at this point in the campaign, not counting gubernatorial candidates.

"People are engaged," said Cherny, who hopes to use the Treasurer's Office as a platform to resurrect the Arizona economy. "People are feeling like we can actually do something different in this state."

Cherny also has gotten a head start on the Republicans, who are still deciding who their candidate will be. With incumbent Dean Martin's political future yet to be revealed, Republican lawmakers Jim Waring and Thayer Verschoor have expressed interest in the race.

Unlike many Democrats running statewide, Cherny will actually have the cash to take his opponent on directly.

And if that isn't working, well, he could always change his name.