Editor’s Notes: This story was produced as part of the Daily Wildcat’s “Election Guide” special print edition, published Wednesday, Oct. 21, and available on campus or online.
Beyond electing the next president on Nov. 3, multiple state and local elections are also being held. Here’s a breakdown of candidates for the University of Arizona’s legislative district, District 3.
U.S. Arizona District 3 Candidates for U.S. House
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D)
Representative Raúl Grijalva is District 3’s Democratic incumbent and has been serving as a representative to the state since 2002. Grijalva is running for his twelfth consecutive term to Congress this year.
Grijalva is a known progressive force in the House; he strongly advocated for the environment, in helping pass a bill eliminating spending caps on oil companies for environmental disasters. He is pro-choice, a strong defender of the DREAM act in immigration, for the implementation of Affordable Health Care Act in healthcare, a pro-gun-control advocate through prohibition of assault weapons and a strong advocate for Native American rights.
Daniel Wood (R)
Daniel Wood is the Republican candidate for this year’s District 3 Representative seat. Wood is originally from Virginia, and is a Marine Corps veteran, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wood has worked in law enforcement and is now employed as a private Executive Protection Agent.
Wood is against open border policy, citing economic detriments and security threats created by laxed migration policy. Wood is for privatized healthcare coverage, is pro-life in terms of abortion, and is a strong defender of second amendment rights federally and in Arizona.
Arizona Legislative District 3 Candidates for State Senate
State Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales (D)
Sally Ann Gonzales is the lone State Senate candidate running for District 3, running for re-election to the Senate after a 2018 Senate seat victory. She served on the Arizona House of Representatives since 2011 and has served on previous positions on the TUSD Board, and on the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council.
In the State Senate and House, Gonzales advocated for Native American rights by co-signing bills honoring Native American Veterans and making a Native American state holiday. She has voted to repeal the death penalty in the state, and is a strong advocate for drug policy reform, co-signing bills on medical marijuana regulation and drug addiction treatment. Gonzales is also a progressive in terms of immigration stances and is pro-choice in abortion.
District 3 Candidates for State House
Disclaimer: Both Cano and Hernandez ran uncontested for the two House seats in this year’s election.
Rep. Andrés Cano (D)
Representative Andrés Cano is one of the youngest candidates in this year’s election. The 28-year-old is running for re-election to one of District 3’s two seats after winning a state house seat last election in 2018, alongside Democrat running mate Alma Hernandez. Cano served on the Natural Resources Committee and the Ways and Means Committee in the state House.
Cano strives for a living wage, improving public road infrastructure, expanding Medicaid, increasing teacher pay and opposes privatization of Arizona’s public lands.
Rep. Alma Hernandez (D)
Like Cano, Representative Alma Hernandez also won appointment to the House in 2018. Hernandez was born in South Tucson. Hernandez has experience as a health professional and specializes in health policy, with both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arizona.
She serves on the Federal Relations Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee in the House, and most recently has led a statewide effort to defend the Affordable Care Act, through the Arizonans United for Healthcare campaign.
Pima County Board of Supervisors, District 3
Supervisor Sharon Bronson (D)
Sharon Bronson is running for re-election to the Board of Supervisors for her seventh term, serving as a Supervisor since 1996. In her tenure on the Board, Bronson helped implement Pima County’s Sonora Desert Conservation Plan, to preserve desert land in Pima County. Bronson advocates for criminal justice reform and is a strong advocate for the environment in southern Arizona.
Bronson formerly served as President of the Arizona County Supervisor’s Association, and President of the U.S./Mexico Border Counties Coalition. She currently is in the Chairman’s Circle for Sun Corridor Inc.
Gabby Saucedo Mercer (R)
Mercer, a career linguist, is the Republican candidate for the position. Mercer has political experience in campaigning, as she was the Republican frontrunner for the District 3 U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2012, running, and ultimately losing to long standing Representative Raúl Grijalva.
Mercer called for updated road infrastructure, lower tax rates, sustainable economic growth, and denounces recent building projects undertaken by Pima County under Bronson’s previous terms.
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