Arizona opinion: The people – not politicians - should choose our country's next president

As someone born and raised in Southern Arizona, I am proud of our community. I know how good we have it here, and I wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else.

But I don’t like seeing Arizona become the subject of ridicule based on extreme policy proposals at the Legislature. We’re seeing a lot of that these days. And many of the wackiest and most extreme proposals are coming from the incumbent state representatives of Legislative District 17.

The current incumbents are more focused on extreme partisan politics than on problem solving. In the last weeks, we’ve seen just how fixated they are on delivering Arizona for their preferred presidential candidate, and how they are willing to trample Arizonans’ rights if those get in the way.

My opponent, Representative Rachel Jones, proposed a resolution to give Arizona’s crucial 11 electoral votes to the Republican nominee, no matter what how Arizonans vote. That would mean politicians in our state could potentially choose the winner of the presidential election — regardless of your vote. Even fellow Republicans saw this as too extreme to even be considered or voted on.

I believe in election integrity — it’s vital to ensure that America is a model for the world of a successful democracy where every valid vote is counted, and every invalid vote is identified and disqualified.

But bypassing Arizonans’ votes for president does not secure elections, it silences voters. I believe that Arizonans, not politicians, should help decide who the next president is.

Our state faces tough challenges. Folks are struggling with high costs of living and unaffordable housing, our schools are underfunded and are experiencing a growing educator shortage, and our water future is in crisis. These are the types of issues that the most extreme Republicans are neglecting.

As a former public school teacher, I know how vital it is that we give every Arizona child access to a great education. As a small business owner, I know what it takes to help create a thriving economy where everyone can succeed. That’s what I’m interested in working on.

Shouldn’t our elected leaders focus their energies on making our lives better, instead of doing whatever it takes to get their favorite candidate into office?

I think it’s time for new leadership in the Legislature. I’m running to address our challenges head-on and bring my background in education and small business to bear in coming up with innovative solutions to improve Arizona. Let’s bring the focus back to public service, not partisan politics.