What Arizona voters need to know about the 2024 election
Arizona voters will play a key role in deciding the next president of the U.S. Here’s everything to know about the upcoming November election.
The Republic
By the numbers, the district that extends from Yuma to Goodyear appears to be a stronghold for Democrats. Legislative District 23 has a significant Democratic registration advantage.
But the district in 2022 chose Republican Michele Peña, an office assistant for a Yuma agricultural company, for one of two House seats.
The unexpected win allowed Republicans to keep their one-seat majority in the state House. If Peña loses, Republicans may not be able to make up the loss. They need Peña to hold the line.
Republican Joel John won a seat in the area in 2020. The single-shot effect likely makes a difference. In the part of the district that’s in Maricopa County, more than half of voters cast a ballot for only one House candidate in 2022 — a higher percentage of undervotes than other swing states, Arizona Republic research shows.
Incumbent Mariana Sandoval and Matias Rosales, Democrats running for the two House seats, hope to squeeze Peña out this time.
Sandoval is a paralegal who worked for the state Attorney General’s Office and is a former governing board member for the Agua Fria Union High School District. Rosales is a real estate agent and three-term council member for the small border city of San Luis.
Both Democrats have a slight money advantage over Peña. Sandoval picked up several donations of $2,500 each from people who gave to the pro-Democrat Democracy Engine, while Rosales has benefited from national Democratic help with an influx of out-of-state individual contributors.
The Arizona Republic asked each candidate questions about several key issues. Peña and Sandoval didn’t respond to the questionnaire.
Here are Rosales’ answers, which may have been slightly edited for clarity and brevity.
What could the Legislature be doing better to improve the economy for Arizonans?
Rosales: My top priority as a councilman has been to expand the economic opportunities available to our residents. Much of the economic output of our district comes from cross-border trade, which is why I have worked to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal dollars to expand the San Luis port of entry from eight to sixteen lanes. More lanes means faster travel, more commerce, and more security between the U.S. and Mexico. More trade supports better paying jobs for residents. The legislature should continue to grow the Arizona economy with an emphasis on benefitting current residents. Many of the jobs created in recent years require a strong educational background, so at the state house I would fully support our K-12 schools and universities. Better jobs and higher wages will help us get ahead of rising costs.
Do you believe the state should slow its pumping and use of groundwater and what, if anything, should Arizona do to augment the state’s supply of water?
Rosales: We must address the looming water crisis. The first step needs to be measuring how much groundwater exists in each region of the state, with emphasis on those experiencing growth and those with significant agriculture. Then, the state can devise plans for groundwater management. We need to know what we have before we know how to use it.
If you could address only one environmental factor as a lawmaker, what would it be?
Rosales: It would be to address water scarcity. This is an agricultural area. In Yuma County, we produce 90% of North America’s winter lettuce and we rely on the Colorado River to do that. The state needs to negotiate with our neighbors for a deal that will respect existing water rights while understanding how our needs and use-levels are changing. In the state house, I will support incentives for water efficiency and will always support protections for water quality.
What is your view on local control of zoning and permitting policies when it comes to addressing housing affordability? What other ideas do you support to make housing affordable?
Rosales: A real estate professional by trade, I’ve helped over a thousand families move into their first home. I know that the cost of housing is growing out of control, while housing stock is decreasing. I believe we need to find new ways to build housing, providing construction jobs and homes for new families. One way to do so is to transfer nearby federal land for water-efficient residential use. With regard to zoning, I believe local control is best. I have served on the San Luis City Council for 12 years, half of those as vice mayor. The needs of our town are different from the needs in Goodyear, in Tucson, or Phoenix. The state should keep zoning control local and offer more paths for building affordably-priced units.
Does Arizona’s universal voucher program need any limitations, and if so, why? Outline what, if anything, you would advocate for the program.
Rosales: The voucher program had good intentions at the beginning, offering students with unique needs the opportunity to attend schools that could best meet them. The universal expansion of vouchers, however, has had many problems, including rampant abuse and fraud. Schools in my area are struggling to afford kids basic clubs and activities, meanwhile parents elsewhere in the state are using vouchers to pay for non-academic items. In the state house, I would advocate for stronger standards for taxpayer dollars, including standards for student success and safety.
Who are you backing for president?
Rosales: Vice President Kamala Harris
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Publish date : 2024-10-03 02:09:00
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