The Democratic candidates for Arizona Congressional District 1 joined Ted Simons as part of the series “Candidates in Conversation” to discuss major issues happening in Arizona. Congressional District 1 includes northeast Maricopa County and includes parts of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills.
The candidates included Marlene Galán-Woods, Rick McCartney, Amish Shah and Jonathan Treble.
According to all four candidates, affordability is one of the most pressing concerns among Democratic voters in the district. Rising costs driven by tariffs, increasing health care expenses and the overall cost of living have created financial challenges for many Arizona families.
“I am the product of immigrants, the daughter of immigrants, who came from a communist nation, and they arrived in the United States in search of the American Dream, where if you work hard, you make it,” Galán-Woods said. “Unfortunately, that dream is slipping through our fingers in just one generation.”
Another point of agreement among the candidates was the importance of electing a representative who can effectively advocate for the district and deliver results in Washington. Each candidate stressed the need for leadership, accountability and a willingness to work across political divides.
“I think right now, Democrats aren’t thinking in terms of progressive, moderates, centrists, I think they’re thinking about who’s going to stand up and actually get something done for us here in Arizona,” Treble said.
McCartney echoed that idea, arguing that effective leadership requires collaboration.
“What you need to be is a leader. What you need to do is you need to be able to compromise on some of the issues,” McCartney said. “We need to listen to everybody.”
The candidates also discussed immigration and border security, agreeing that securing the border is necessary while also pursuing meaningful immigration reform. They emphasized the need for policies that balance enforcement with humane treatment and provide clear pathways through the immigration system.
“We’ve got to take [ICE] and, quite frankly, start over,” Shah said. “What has to happen is that they need to understand how to do their jobs and enforce the laws, but do it in a way that doesn’t terrorize communities.”
