Abortion
The decision to have an abortion should be made between a woman and her doctor — not controlled by politicians. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, women in Arizona, and in states across the country, immediately lost their fundamental right to safe and legal reproductive care. But the attacks didn’t stop there. Extremist Republicans have been leading an assault on access to contraceptives and even IVF. In Arizona, we even saw the reappearance of an archaic 1864 abortion law as a result.
Marlene is a mother and a grandmother and the only woman in this race. No one will fight like her to restore and protect our freedom to our bodily autonomy. She will fight to codify Roe v. Wade into law. That’s why Marlene has been endorsed by pro-choice champions like EMILY’s List and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. She is the best candidate to take on David Schweikert, an anti-choice extremist who championed a bill six times in Congress to ban abortion from the moment of conception, with no exceptions.
Climate & Energy
Climate change is a scientific fact, and we are already feeling its effects especially here in Arizona. We have to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect our air and water, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil while creating jobs and growing our economy. David Schweikert is an obstacle to the progress we need to make. He voted against lowering energy costs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting our access to clean water, and cementing Arizona’s status as a leader in the clean energy economy. Marlene will fight to invest more in clean energy that will help boost our economy while mitigating the effects of climate change.
Economy & Jobs
While our economy is in a better place than it was four years ago, Arizona families are still experiencing high costs for basic necessities, child care, and housing. Today, two-thirds of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That’s not acceptable in the greatest economy in the world. Arizona families deserve a tax break, not a tax hike and the wealthiest members of our society must do their part to pay their fair share. In Congress, she will hold big corporations accountable for their greed and price gouging. Marlene is the candidate who will fight hardest for workers. That’s why she has been endorsed by over a dozen organizations representing working families including grocery store workers, fire fighters, and teachers.
In Congress, Marlene will work across the aisle to create opportunities for future generations. That means investing in infrastructure, like roads, bridges, and transit, and working to create good-paying jobs here in Arizona so that everyone has a chance at the American Dream. It also means helping small businesses, which are the lifeblood of our economy.
Education
Every child in Arizona deserves a quality education. Our kids succeed when educators have the tools and funding they need to teach and when our public schools are properly funded. We need to pay our teachers better — and stop asking them to also be social workers, school counselors, and police officers. Republicans like David Schweikert have a history of keeping teachers out of Arizona classrooms and gutting our public education system. In Congress, Marlene will fight for more investments in our schools because we have to trust our teachers. She is proud to have the endorsements of the National Education Association, Arizona Education Association, and American Federation of Teachers because teachers know she will always listen to them and work to improve our public schools.
All students should also be able to afford a higher education if they want to pursue one. We must address the rising cost of universities, as well as invest in trade schools and community colleges. In Congress, Marlene will fight tirelessly to improve our education system in Arizona and ensure our state’s children have opportunities to succeed.
Gun Safety
Every American deserves to live safe from gun violence, including in schools, grocery stores, parades, or houses of worship. Gun violence doesn’t just affect the victim, it affects families, friends, and entire communities. Lives are forever shattered. Today, gun violence is the number one cause of death for kids in America. Kindergarteners should be learning their ABCs, not practicing shooting drills. Marlene stands with the vast majority of Americans who support common sense gun safety laws, like background checks and red flag laws.
David Schweikert has put politics over people when it comes to this issue. He voted against a bipartisan gun safety bill, and he has received an A-rating from the NRA. Marlene will go to Congress to fight for common sense gun safety legislation.
Protecting our Democracy
Everyone deserves equal safe access to the ballot box. The security of our election system is among the most important pillars of our democracy. There is an unprecedented assault on our democracy, with legislatures around the country passing laws that suppress the vote and some Republicans continuing to deny the insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6. Make no mistake – David Schweikert is an election denier who voted to disenfranchise voters in a presidential election because Donald Trump told him to.
Marlene’s parents fled Cuba’s communist dictatorship and came to the United States, risking everything in order to call this country home. No one will fight like her for our democracy. That’s why she led a group of former journalists in 2022 calling for election-deniers like Kari Lake to stop their assault on facts and truth. And it’s why she was asked to serve as the campaign chair for Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’s campaign, and for Gov. Katie Hobbs’s transition team.
In Congress, Marlene will fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Marlene is committed to passing federal legislation to stop legislatures from suppressing the vote and she will fight to ensure that every American has free, equal, and safe access to the ballot box.
Immigration
Marlene is a first-generation Cuban-American. Her parents fled communism and came to America in the 1960s. They, like many immigrants, were among the hardest-working members of their community. Our immigration system is broken, in large part because both parties have kicked the can down the road for decades. As a result, we have a crisis at our southern border. Just last year, Democrats and Republicans came together on an immigration reform bill that included tough border security measures. Instead of supporting it, Congressional Republicans came out against it, because Donald Trump told them to. That is dangerous leadership, and Arizonans deserve better. We need fearless leaders who will step up on this issue. In Congress, Marlene will work towards comprehensive immigration reform — that means securing our border, getting our border agents the funding they need, and providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
LGBTQ+ Rights
Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Nine years ago, the constitutional right to same-sex marriage was affirmed. Despite this progress, LGBTQ+ Americans still face discrimination due to inconsistent state laws and the absence of comprehensive protections at the federal level. While existing civil rights laws cover race, sex, disability, and religion, clear safeguards for sexual orientation and gender identity are not codified into law. Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ+ individuals report experiencing discrimination. We must ensure that the LGBTQ+ community no longer faces discrimination in any facet of everyday life, including education, employment, housing, and public spaces. That’s why Marlene supports passage of the Equality Act. In Congress, she will fight every day to protect these fundamental rights for every American.
Safer Communities
Our law enforcement officers and first responders put their lives on the line every single day, and we are grateful to them for their work. Marlene strongly opposes any calls to defund the police. Police officers should receive the necessary training and resources to do their jobs effectively and build trust with the communities they serve. We need to crack down on violent crime and address the root causes of crime. In Congress, Marlene will make sure our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to keep us safe, while also operating in a transparent and accountable manner. She also supports better, more targeted training that focuses on de-escalating dangerous situations.
Tribes
Arizona is home to 22 tribes with two tribes in Arizona’s 1st district – the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community and the Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation. Congress must recognize the sovereignty of the tribes and continue to build partnerships with our tribal communities. We also need to protect the water rights of Tribal nations and make sure we have the infrastructure in place so that our communities do not have their water stripped away. In Congress, Marlene will work to address housing costs, water access, and help build an economy that works for all. She will work closely with tribal leadership to better understand the needs of these communities and bring much-needed resources to our tribes in Arizona.
Water
Every Arizonan needs and deserves access to clean, safe water. The Colorado River, supplying 36% of Arizona’s water, has faced a 19-year drought, causing Lake Mead’s levels to drop. However, Arizona has been resilient and implemented innovative water management strategies to secure dependable water supplies. The challenges to our water supply, however, aren’t just from climate change. Foreign governments like Saudi Arabia have benefited from our water supply for far too long. Marlene will work to make sure we protect our water supply from foreign governments. Marlene also supports plans to recycle water with an advanced purification facility. In Congress, Marlene will fight to ensure Arizona receives its fair share of the CAP and the resources we need to improve water infrastructure in our state.
